I was a rookie reporter in the 00s

The leader of the men in black walked into the room, a hint of pride in his eyes. He stood before Zhang Wanqing and reached out to take the spirit pearl from her arms. The pearl glowed faintly in his hand, but its power was sealed by some unknown force.

"Do you think you can control everything just because you own the Spirit Pearl?" The leader's voice was filled with sarcasm. "You're wrong. The power of the Spirit Pearl is not something mortals like you can control."

He didn't know that Zhang Wanqing in front of him was a descendant of the Mo family, who could control the spirit beads and maximize the use of their energy.

Anger welled up in Zhang Wanqing's heart. She knew that the power of the spirit pearl was the key to protecting the world, and it must not fall into the hands of evil.

"You won't succeed." Zhang Wanqing's voice was firm and powerful. Although her body was bound, her will was burning like a raging fire.

The leader sneered, a hint of madness in his eyes. "We'll see." He turned and left the room, leaving Zhang Wanqing, Fu Siyuan, and Li Wei struggling in the darkness.

During their captivity, Zhang Wanqing, Fu Siyuan, and Li Wei endured countless torments, their hearts eroded by fear and despair, but their wills remained as strong as steel.

Zhang Wanqing prayed silently in the darkness. Her voice, though weak, was full of power. "We can't give up. We must persevere."

Fu Siyuan pondered their situation over and over in his mind. He knew they had to find a way to break this deadlock. His eyes gleamed with wisdom. He had to find the key to solving the problem.

Li Wei silently swore in his heart that he would never let the black-clad man succeed. His eyes revealed a hint of determination. He must protect his friends and protect the world.

Zhang Wanqing began to ponder the secret of the Lingzhu. She knew that the power of the Lingzhu was the key to protecting the world and it must not fall into the hands of evil.

"The power of the spirit pearl is closely linked to our destiny," Zhang Wanqing said with a hint of mystery in her voice. "We must find a way to awaken its power."

Fu Siyuan and Li Wei listened to Zhang Wanqing's words, their hearts filled with curiosity and anticipation. They knew that the power of the spirit pearl might be their only hope.

"We must find the true purpose of the spirit pearl," Fu Siyuan said with a hint of excitement, "Only in this way can we break this deadlock."

Li Wei gripped his weapon tightly, his eyes revealing a hint of determination. "Whatever the power of the Spirit Pearl is, we must protect it and not let it fall into the wrong hands."

Zhang Wanqing, Fu Siyuan, and Li Wei were restrained in a dimly lit room, a repressive atmosphere hanging in the air. The leader of the men in black stood before them, tightly clutching the spirit pearl he had snatched from Zhang Wanqing. The pearl lay quietly in his palm, emitting no light, like an ordinary stone.

The leader's brow furrowed, his eyes gleaming with confusion and anger. He couldn't understand why this spirit pearl, said to possess boundless power, hadn't reacted in his hands at all.

"What's going on?" The leader's voice was low and threatening. "Where is the power of the spirit pearl?"

Zhang Wanqing raised her head, her eyes revealing a hint of determination and unyielding spirit. "The Spirit Pearl is not something you evil-minded people can control."

The leader sneered. He didn't believe the Spirit Pearl would reject him. "We'll find a way," he said, his voice tinged with madness, "even if it means turning the world upside down."

With the leader gone, only Zhang Wanqing, Fu Siyuan, and Li Wei remained in the room. Their bodies were tightly bound by chains, but their hearts were filled with the flames of resistance. Zhang Wanqing closed her eyes; she could feel the call of the spirit pearl, quietly waiting for her in the distance.

"We must take back the Lingzhu," Zhang Wanqing's voice was weak but full of determination. "The power of the Lingzhu cannot fall into their hands."

Fu Siyuan held Zhang Wanqing's hand tightly, his eyes flashing with worry. "Wanqing, your health..."

Zhang Wanqing shook her head slightly. She knew her body had changed because of the power of the spirit pearl, but she couldn't let it become a burden. "I'm fine. The most important thing now is the spirit pearl."

Li Wei clenched his fists, his eyes grim. "We'll find an opportunity," he said in a deep, powerful voice. "We'll make them pay."

Zhang Wanqing began to feel the spirit pearl's call. She closed her eyes, allowing her consciousness to connect with the spirit pearl. She could sense the spirit pearl's power rippling in the distance, waiting for her, waiting for her to bring it back.

"The spirit pearl is calling me," Zhang Wanqing said with a hint of mystery in her voice, "I can feel its power."

Fu Siyuan and Li Wei exchanged a glance. They knew there was a special connection between Zhang Wanqing and the Lingzhu. "We must help you," Fu Siyuan said with a hint of determination in his voice. "Let's get the Lingzhu back together."

Zhang Wanqing, Fu Siyuan, and Li Wei searched the room for possible means of escape. Zhang Wanqing scanned the room and found an abandoned toolbox with some rusty wrenches and screwdrivers inside.

"These might come in handy." Zhang Wanqing whispered, with a hint of hope in her voice.

Fu Siyuan quickly picked up the wrench and began to try to pry the lock of the chain. Sweat oozed from his forehead, and every pry was filled with tension and anticipation.

Li Wei was responsible for monitoring the door of the room. His eyes were alert and he was ready to deal with any man in black who might appear at any time.

"Hurry up, Fu Siyuan, I hear footsteps outside." Li Wei's voice was low and nervous.

Fu Siyuan's hands trembled, knowing that time was running out. Finally, at the last moment, the lock of the chain was pried open, the chain fell off, and the three of them were free.

During the escape, Zhang Wanqing could always feel the guidance of the spirit pearl. She closed her eyes and let her consciousness connect with the spirit pearl to guide them forward.

"Follow me," Zhang Wanqing said with a hint of determination in her voice, "the spirit pearl will guide us."

Fu Siyuan and Li Wei followed closely behind, their trust and determination as firm as a rock. Under Zhang Wanqing's guidance, they passed through the heavy defense of the men in black and finally arrived at the place where the spirit pearl was hidden.

When Zhang Wanqing, Fu Siyuan and Li Wei came to the room where the Lingzhu was hidden, they found that the leader was standing in front of the Lingzhu with a sharp dagger in his hand, trying to forcibly open the secret of the Lingzhu.

"Stop!" There was a hint of anger and determination in Zhang Wanqing's voice.

The leader turned around, a mad glint in his eyes. "Do you think this will stop me?"

Zhang Wanqing didn't answer. She walked towards the Lingzhu and held out her hand. The Lingzhu began to emit a dazzling light under her touch. The power of the Lingzhu resonated with her body, and she could feel the Lingzhu's joy and anticipation.

"Lingzhu, come back to me." There was a hint of tenderness in Zhang Wanqing's voice.

The spirit pearl slowly rose from the leader's hand and flew into Zhang Wanqing's hand. The leader's eyes were full of disbelief and anger, but he could not stop the spirit pearl from returning.

At this moment, Fu Siyuan quickly took out his pocket watch and quickly pressed the knob of the pocket watch, activating the time distortion field. In an instant, the flow of time around them slowed down. The leader of the men in black was unable to resist, and the three of them quickly fled.

After escaping their restraints, Zhang Wanqing, Fu Siyuan, and Li Wei quickly rushed out of the room. They ran through the dark corridor, searching for an exit. The hallway was dimly lit, and their shadows stretched long against the wall.

"This way!" Zhang Wanqing whispered as she led Fu Siyuan and Li Wei through a narrow passage.

At the end of the passage was a locked door, and Li Wei quickly stepped forward and knocked the door open with his shoulder. They rushed out and found an abandoned warehouse area outside.

"We must find transportation." There was a hint of urgency in Fu Siyuan's voice.

They quickly searched the warehouse area and eventually found a dilapidated truck. Fu Siyuan quickly checked the truck's condition and found that it was still running.

"Get in the car!" Li Wei shouted. The three of them jumped onto the truck. Fu Siyuan started the engine, and the truck roared out of the warehouse area.