I was a rookie reporter in the 00s

In a dark warehouse, Zhang Wanqing, Fu Siyuan, and Li Wei were surrounded by members of the Men in Black organization, their wrists bound with rough ropes, unable to move. Under the dim light, the leader of the Men in Black stood before them, a grim smile on his face.

"Welcome to our trade." The leader's voice was low and threatening. His eyes moved across the three men's faces, as if he was enjoying their despair.

Panic surged in Zhang Wanqing's heart, but she tried to remain calm. She knew she couldn't let fear take over her. Her eyes scanned the surroundings, searching for any opportunity to exploit.

"What do you want?" Li Wei's voice was low and angry. His eyes flashed with determination. Although he was in a desperate situation, he had no intention of giving in.

The leader's smile became more sinister. "What we want is simple: the spirit beads in your hands and all the information about the Shadow Priest. If Interpol does not agree to the deal, you will become the sacrifice."

The three arrested people were taken to a closed room surrounded by thick iron walls, with only a small window letting in a faint light. Zhang Wanqing was filled with anxiety, knowing that the Men in Black organization would never let them go easily.

Zhang Wanqing felt a surge of despair, but she knew she couldn't let fear take over. She scanned the room, searching for any opportunity to exploit.

"We must find a way to escape," Zhang Wanqing whispered to Fu Siyuan and Li Wei, "We can't let them succeed."

Fu Siyuan's brows were furrowed, and his eyes swept across the room, trying to find any useful items.

Zhang Wanqing's fingers gently stroked the pocket watch, and a surge of strength surged in her heart. She knew that the pocket watch contained a secret of the Mohist school that might help them reverse the situation.

"I found in the information of the Men in Black organization that their leader is very eager for the power of the spirit pearl," Fu Siyuan said with a hint of determination in his voice, "We can use this to set a trap."

Li Wei nodded, his eyes flashing with determination: "We must remain calm and look for opportunities."

A few hours later, the leader of the Men in Black organization summoned representatives from Interpol to prepare for a deal. Zhang Wanqing, Fu Siyuan, and Li Wei were forced to stand aside as bargaining chips.

"Your mission is simple," the leader said in a low, threatening voice. "As long as you hand over the spirit pearl and all the information about the Shadow Priest, we will let you go."

The Interpol representative looked hesitant. He knew the danger of the Men in Black organization, but he also realized that the lives of three people hung in the balance.

"We need time to think about this," the representative said, a hint of nervousness in his voice.

"Time is not on our side," the leader said with a cold smile, "If you don't agree to the deal, I will kill them."

While the leader of the Men in Black organization negotiated with Interpol representatives, Zhang Wanqing and her companions began to plan a counterattack. They knew they had to use the Men in Black's desire for the Lingzhu to set a trap.

"We can pretend to hand over the spirit pearl," Zhang Wanqing suggested, "but in reality, we will use the power of the pocket watch to disrupt their plans."

Fu Siyuan quickly analyzed the function of the pocket watch and found that it could generate a small time distortion field for a short period of time, slowing the flow of time around it. They decided to activate the power of the pocket watch at the critical moment of the transaction to create chaos.

Finally, the moment for the deal arrived. The leader of the Men in Black organization stood in the center, before him were the Interpol representative and the three bound captives. Zhang Wanqing, Fu Siyuan, and Li Wei were filled with anxiety and anticipation.

"This is the spirit pearl." Zhang Wanqing's voice was firm and clear. She took out the pocket watch from her pocket and showed it to the leader of the men in black with pretended calmness.

"Okay, leave it to me." There was a greedy glint in the leader's eyes, and he reached out to take the pocket watch.

At this moment, Zhang Wanqing quickly pressed the knob of her pocket watch, activating the time distortion field. Instantly, the flow of time around them slowed down, and the movements of the men in black and Interpol became sluggish.

In this brief time warp, Zhang Wanqing, Fu Siyuan, and Li Wei acted quickly. Li Wei took advantage of this opportunity, broke free from the ropes that bound him, and quickly pounced on the leader of the men in black, trying to regain control.

"Catch them!" the leader roared, but his voice seemed extremely slow due to the influence of time distortion.

Fu Siyuan quickly rushed towards the men under the cloak of black. His movements were as fast as lightning. He took advantage of their slowness and knocked them down one by one.

As the time distortion field disappeared, the members of the Men in Black organization realized the seriousness of the situation and began to fight back. However, Zhang Wanqing, Fu Siyuan and Li Wei had already rushed to the exit.

"Hurry, come this way!" Li Wei shouted loudly, his voice full of determination.

They passed through the base of the men in black in the chaos and finally escaped through the gate. The moonlight shone in the night sky outside, as if paving a bright path for their escape.

As night fell, the stars obscured by thick clouds, Zhang Wanqing, Fu Siyuan, and Li Wei raced on their escape route. They weaved through the city's dark alleys, each glance back filled with fear of pursuers. Their hearts pounded in their chests, each breath tinged with nervous anxiety.

"We must find a safe place," Zhang Wanqing's voice was low and firm, her eyes scanning the surroundings, looking for a possible hiding place.

Fu Siyuan gripped the steering wheel tightly, beads of sweat oozing from his forehead, but his eyes revealed a hint of calmness. He knew that they could not stop, they had to keep moving forward.

Li Wei gripped his weapon tightly, his eyes alert, ready to respond to any possible threats. "If they catch up, we'll have to fight."

However, just when they thought they had escaped the pursuit, a black SUV suddenly rushed out of the dark alley, blocking their way. Several men in black jumped out of the car, their movements swift and skillful, obviously specially trained.

"Get out of the car!" The voice of a man in black was low and threatening.

Zhang Wanqing, Fu Siyuan and Li Wei knew that they were in a desperate situation again.

Zhang Wanqing, Fu Siyuan, and Li Wei were taken back to the Black's base and imprisoned in a small, dark room. Heavy chains hung from the walls, and the air was filled with dampness and mold. Their wrists and ankles were bound with thick iron chains, preventing them from moving.