Purple-gold morning light filtered through the gaps in the giant tree's leaves, casting shifting patterns of light onto the porch of the white cottage. Qiyue sat on a handmade oak rocking chair, cradling a pocket watch devoid of hands. The seven points of light on the dial were more active than yesterday, and one of them—the red dot representing the W-3 World—was constantly buffeting the inside of the watch case, emitting an almost inaudible ticking.
"A crack has appeared in the W-3 quantum barrier again." Violet Su Muqing emerged from the house, handing him a steaming cup of herbal tea. Her left eye was a warm brown, while her right retained that mysterious violet hue; tucked into the tips of her hair was the feather clip once worn by the Carnival Princess.
Qiyue took the cup, his fingertips brushing the pattern on the side—seven intertwined rings. The surface of the hot tea immediately displayed a real-time feed of the W-3 World: above the steel city, a violet-red energy storm was forming, identical to the herald of the Watcher's arrival he had witnessed in the loops.
Chapter 27