I was a rookie reporter in the 00s

Fu Siyuan's workbench was covered in a variety of tools and parts. A desk lamp cast a soft glow, illuminating his focused face. His fingers gently stroked the old pocket watch, his eyes revealing a desire for the unknown and an excitement for the challenge. The watch's surface was worn, but it still exuded a mysterious aura, as if hiding endless secrets.

He took a deep breath and began to carefully observe every detail of the pocket watch. He knew that this pocket watch was not only an antique, but also the key to unlocking the secrets of the Mohist School and their weapon against the men in black.

His eyes finally settled on a tiny knob on the back of the pocket watch. The knob was so hidden that it would be almost invisible if he hadn't looked closely. He carefully picked up a pair of fine tweezers and gently touched the knob, trying to figure out how it worked.

After hours of trial and error, Fu Siyuan finally discovered the knob's secret. Every time he turned it three times counterclockwise and then two times clockwise, the pocket watch would emit a faint light and the hands on the dial would begin to rotate in the opposite direction. He realized that this knob might be the key to activating the pocket watch's internal mechanism.

He continued his research and discovered that each turn of the knob triggered a different reaction in the watch's internal mechanism. He began to record the effects of each combination of rotations, trying to find one that would produce a time warp.

After repeated attempts, he finally found a specific rotation combination that could generate a small time distortion field. This distortion field could temporarily slow down the passage of time, making the movement of people and objects within the field appear abnormally slow.

Fu Siyuan quickly shared his discovery with Zhang Wanqing. They knew this protective mechanism might be the key to their fight against the Men in Black. They decided to use it to set a trap, capture one of the Men in Black, and gain more information about their organization.

They began laying traps. Fu Siyuan placed the pocket watch in the center of the house, ensuring the time distortion field would cover the entire house. Zhang Wanqing was responsible for placing hidden clues around the house to guide the men in black into the house.

They acted quickly and designed an ingenious trap based on the pocket watch's time control mechanism. Fu Siyuan used his technical knowledge to connect the pocket watch to the house's security system, creating a zone that could temporarily distort the flow of time.

Zhang Wanqing was in charge of placing subtle clues around the house to guide the men in black into their traps. She moved swiftly and carefully, ensuring every detail was perfect.

As night fell, the stars were obscured by thick clouds, and the city was shrouded in silence. Zhang Wanqing and Fu Siyuan's temporary shelter, Fu Siyuan's home, was now brightly lit. Silence reigned around the house, broken only by the occasional sound of wind and the barking of dogs in the distance. Zhang Wanqing and Fu Siyuan held their breath, waiting for the men in black to arrive.

As the night deepened, a group of dark shadows were quietly approaching the house, their eyes were cold and they held weapons that gleamed coldly in their hands.

Their movements were skillful and swift, clearly not their first time on such a mission. The leading man in black made a gesture, and the others immediately understood and began to search for the best way to enter the house. They dispersed, preparing to enter the house from different directions.

Meanwhile, Fu Siyuan sat at his workbench, fiddling with his old pocket watch. After hours of research, he finally discovered the hidden time-control mechanism within the watch. It was intricate and complex, requiring specific manipulations to activate.

He took a deep breath and carefully adjusted the knob on the pocket watch according to the method described in the ancient book. Suddenly, the pocket watch emitted a faint light, and a small halo slowly rotated on the dial, as if waiting for some trigger.

"This is..." Zhang Wanqing's voice was filled with surprise. She was standing behind Fu Siyuan and witnessed everything.

"I think we can use this mechanism to set a trap."

However, the moment the men in black stepped into the house, time seemed to freeze. Their movements became unusually slow, as if they were restrained by some invisible force.

Zhang Wanqing and Fu Siyuan quickly rushed out from their hiding place and used the time distortion created by the pocket watch to easily subdue the man in black.

They quickly used the rope they had prepared to tie up one of the men in black. However, the pocket watch's effect was short-lived. When they tied up one man in black and were about to tie up the others, the time warp stopped. Everything returned to normal in an instant, and the other men in black quickly fled.

Zhang Wanqing and Fu Siyuan took the man in black to a safe room for interrogation.

The captured man in black was tied to a chair, with a hint of fear in his eyes, but under the coercion of Zhang Wanqing and Fu Siyuan, he refused to speak.

"Who are you? Why are you chasing us?" There was a hint of coldness in Zhang Wanqing's voice.

Zhang Wanqing tried to break his silence through dialogue: "You don't have to sacrifice yourself for those who take advantage of you. Tell us what you know, and we can protect you."

The man in black just looked at her coldly without any response. His lips were tightly closed, as if he had decided to take the secret to his grave.

Fu Siyuan stood aside, his eyes sweeping over the men in black, trying to find a way out. He knew that this kind of silence often meant the other party had a firm belief or deep fear. Fu Siyuan would not use violence or intimidation against anyone, so he decided to adopt a different strategy.

So, Fu Siyuan decided not to force the man in black directly, but to try to establish a connection. He took out a piece of chocolate from his pocket and handed it to the man in black.

"Are you hungry? This may be the best thing we can offer." Fu Siyuan's voice was calm and gentle.

The man in black's eyes lingered on the chocolate for a moment, then slowly raised his head and looked at Fu Siyuan. A hint of doubt flashed in his eyes, and he didn't take the chocolate. Fu Siyuan felt that the man in black was very cautious, so he opened the chocolate and took a small piece for himself. Seeing this, the man in black let down his guard and took the chocolate.

Fu Siyuan continued, "We are not bad people. We are just protecting something important. We don't want you or anyone else to get hurt. Moreover, you are just a pawn of your organization. You are loyal to them, but they may not take you seriously. Perhaps, at the moment you were captured, your organization has already given up on you and is ready to sacrifice you. So, is it worth it for you to risk your life for them? If I release you and you return, will they let you go again?"

The man in black slowly unwrapped the chocolate, his movements hesitant. He took a bite and then spoke slowly, "I...I understand what you're saying. Even if I go back, I might...die. I...I don't know what I can tell you."

Fu Siyuan didn't rush to ask, but gave the man in black some time. He knew that psychological warfare was a game of patience and needed to be played slowly. The man in black finished the chocolate and seemed to be thinking about something.

Zhang Wanqing also changed her strategy. She began to tell their story, how they discovered the secret of the Lingzhu, how they wiped out the entire cultural relic trafficking ring. She also talked about the power of the Lingzhu and why they wanted to protect it. Her voice was full of sincerity.

"We are not fighting for ourselves, we are fighting for the whole world. If the power of the spirit pearl falls into the wrong hands, the consequences will be disastrous." There was a hint of urgency in Zhang Wanqing's voice.

As the man in black listened to their story, his eyes began to soften. He seemed to be struggling internally, not knowing whether he should believe them.