Rain poured down like a deluge, with bean-sized drops hammering against the gray tiles in a dense, rhythmic drumbeat. Shen Mingyue stood leaning against the window, her fingertips unconsciously tracing the anonymous letter in her arms. The coarse hemp paper felt damp to the touch; the Big Dipper Totem, drawn in cinnabar, was identical to the pattern on the Jade Pendant she kept close to her heart.
The few words written there were chilling: "In the ancient tomb of West Mountain, the Blood Fiend Alliance hides a treasure capable of toppling the dynasty. If you wish to know the truth of your origins, meet at the ruined temple on the outskirts of the city at a quarter past midnight." The edges of the ink were blurred by the rain, exuding an eerie aura, as if the writer were lurking in a corner of the curtain of rain, watching her every move.
She stared at the banana leaves swaying in the downpour, her mind racing, and whispered, "Is this the key to the truth, or a deadly trap?" Outside the window, a flash of lightning illuminated her taut profile, and the rumble of thunder seemed to echo the unease in her heart. The sound of the night watchman's drum pierced through the rain.
Chapter 22