Until We Meet

60| Plot

🥀

The tremor that ripped through the cave floor was unmistakable. Xiao Fan, startled by Xiao Zhan's sudden shift in stance, instinctively reached for the tablet as Su Ruo's eyes darted around in a rising panic.

"Is this an earthquake? Are we going to be buried alive?" Su Ruo's voice trembled, echoing in the confined space. Neither Xiao Fan nor Xiao Zhan offered a response – they themselves didn't have the answer.

The once-solid stone walls groaned in protest, and heavy rocks began to loosen their grip, tumbling down with a series of bone-jarring thuds. Xiao Fan lunged for the tablet, his fingers working feverishly to right it.

The tremors intensified, the cavern groaning under the strain. Rocks rained down from the ceiling, shattering on the damp floor. With a cry of warning, Xiao Zhan yanked Su Ruo back from a particularly large boulder. They both landed hard on the dusty ground, coughing as the air swirled with debris.

"We need to get out of here!" Xiao Zhan roared, scrambling to his feet and charging towards the sealed entrance. He slammed his fist against the heavy oak door, the futility of his actions echoing in the deafening roar of the collapsing cave.

Su Ruo, her arm wrapped protectively around her nose and mouth to filter the dust, watched in terror. Xiao Fan, meanwhile, scoured the tablets, his mind racing for a solution to deactivate the hidden triggers within the cave.

Suddenly, he stopped, a flicker of understanding crossing his features. He took a deep breath, his voice barely audible over the chaos. "Why did you bring Junior Su here with me?"

A faint smirk played on Zhao Yun's lips as he unfolded his arms. "We're a team, Xiao Fan. Perhaps this ordeal will mend the rift between you two."

Xiao Fan scoffed, a cough wracking his body. "That's not the entire truth, is it?" He narrowed his eyes. "Isn't she the key? The one you think can…"

Before he could finish his question, Zhao Yun turned and walked away, leaving the sentence hanging in the dust-filled air.

"The one who can what?" Su Ruo gasped, bewildered by Xiao Fan's cryptic words. The urgency of the situation, however, wouldn't allow for further explanation. Xiao Fan cast her a hurried glance before turning back to the tablets.

The tremor that ripped through the cave floor sent a jolt through Su Ruo. She cried out, clutching her head as a searing pain erupted behind her eyes. A flash of vibrant constellations exploded in her vision, momentarily blinding her.

"Su Ruo!" Xiao Fan exclaimed, rushing to her side. He knelt beside her, his brow furrowed with concern. "Are you alright? What happened?"

Su Ruo squeezed her eyes shut, trying to quell the throbbing pain. Disjointed images flickered through her mind – a vast building, flowing water, an old man, a young boy... then stars, a multitude of stars, their light burning bright against a velvet canvas.

"Do you know Zhao Yun?" Xiao Fan's voice cut through the haze of her confusion.

The question triggered another memory – the old man's voice, soft and filled with wisdom. "Each star has a name and its destiny," he had said, his gnarled finger tracing constellations etched on the building walls.

Suddenly, a connection sparked in Su Ruo's mind. The constellations! Could they be the key?

"Xiao Fan," she gasped, forcing her eyes open. Her voice was weak, but filled with urgency. "The constellations... the stars... they might be the answer."

Xiao Fan's eyes widened. "The constellations? What do you mean?"

Su Ruo described her fragmented memories, the connection she felt between the stars and the cave. "There was an old man... he taught me about the stars, their names, their purpose..." Her voice trailed off, the pain threatening to overwhelm her again.