Sludge suction system

Bai Pingping quickly covered Xia Mu's mouth with her hand and said nervously, "Oh dear! You mustn't say such things! If my father hears us, we'll be in big trouble!"

Xia Mu's eyes instantly reddened, tears welling up. He looked pitifully at Bai Pingping and said in a trembling voice, "Sister Pingping, you...you still have feelings for Wang Jing, don't you? Don't you...don't you want me anymore?" As he spoke, Xia Mu could no longer hold back his tears, which flowed out like a flood. His once handsome face was now distorted by crying.

Bai Pingping looked up at the tall boy, who was easily over 1.88 meters tall, and saw him crying so bitterly. Her heart softened instantly. Especially when she saw Xia Mu's tear-filled eyes staring at her with sorrow, Bai Pingping felt a surge of panic, as if she would burst into tears if she looked at him any longer.

So, Bai Pingping quickly and gently comforted him, "Oh dear, little brother Xia Mu, it's not what you think! How could your sister abandon you? I just want to collect more precious herbs so I can better treat the sick and injured people outside. I'm not going to find Wang Jing, okay? Don't think nonsense! Don't cry, okay? If you keep crying, my heart will break!" As she spoke, Bai Pingping stood on tiptoe and reached out to wipe away Xia Mu's tears. However, due to the significant height difference between them, she had to try several times before she could finally reach Xia Mu's face.

"And you know, even if I have to go out to run errands in the future, I will definitely take you with me. I will never leave you alone at home. So, don't cry anymore, be a good girl, or I'll get angry!" Bai Pingping clumsily wiped away the tears on Xia Mu's face. Although her movements were a little awkward, her eyes were full of concern and tenderness.

Hearing Bai Pingping's words, Xia Mu gradually stopped crying, though she still sobbed occasionally. "Sister Pingping, you have to keep your word and take me with you," Xia Mu said, tightly holding Bai Pingping's small hand.

"I need your help tonight," Bai Pingping said.

"What kind of help?" Xia Mu asked curiously.

"Have you seen the token hidden in my father's study? It has the character 'Palace' written on it. I need you to come with me to steal this token," Bai Pingping whispered mysteriously in Xia Mu's ear.

"What?! You stole the Valley Master's token? How dare you!" Xia Mu couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.

"So, are you going to help me with this favor or not? If you don't, I won't take you out of the valley to play!" Bai Pingping's eyes held a hint of threat.

Helpless, Xia Mu had no choice but to agree, since he liked Pingping the most.

As they talked, the two hurriedly packed up the herbs in their baskets, preparing to head back so they could rest early, conserve their energy, and prepare for their mission that night.

The night was deep and silent. Bai Pingping and Xia Mu, like phantoms in the night, stealthily entered the study of Bai Yan, the master of White Bird Valley. Bai Pingping's heart was pounding in her chest. Stealing her father's token was undoubtedly playing with fire, but to unravel the mystery of her origins and obtain the Ghost Needle, she couldn't care less about anything else. Xia Mu's expression was solemn, his eyes filled with determination and vigilance. He followed closely behind Bai Pingping, carefully avoiding anything that might make a sound.

The two reached the study window without incident. Bai Pingping gently pushed open the window, nimbly flipped over, and leaped into the room. Xia Mu followed closely behind, landing steadily without making a sound. Moonlight streamed through the window, illuminating the numerous books on the shelves and the neatly arranged writing implements, but it also made the tense atmosphere even more heavy.

Knowing the study well, Bai Pingping went straight to the cabinet where her father kept important items. However, the cabinet was locked with an ingenious lock, its surface engraved with complex patterns and textures that shimmered mysteriously in the moonlight.

Xia Mu stepped forward, carefully examining the lock, trying to find a way to break it. His fingers gently touched the patterns on the lock's surface, his eyes focused and sharp. Suddenly, he noticed that several of the patterns seemed to be related to the terrain of Shiratori Valley. An idea struck him, and he began to try turning the lock's mechanism according to his deduction.

Bai Pingping watched nervously from the side, her hands unconsciously clenching into fists, her nails digging deep into her palms. With Xia Mu's operation, a slight "click" came from inside the lock, and the mechanism slowly opened. Bai Pingping was overjoyed and was about to reach for the token in the cabinet when she heard a faint "humming" sound.

Immediately afterward, several iron chains descended from the study ceiling, their ends adorned with sharp hooks, hurtling towards them. Xia Mu reacted swiftly, pulling Bai Pingping aside to dodge the chains' attack. But the chains seemed to be controlled by some force, constantly changing direction and coiling towards them once more.

Xia Mu drew his dagger and engaged in a fierce struggle with the chains. His movements were swift and agile; the dagger gleamed coldly in the moonlight, repeatedly severing the chains that flew towards them. Bai Pingping, meanwhile, took the opportunity to rummage through the cabinet for a token, finally finding it in a hidden corner—a token engraved with the character "宫" (palace).

Just as they were about to leave, the chains attacked with increasing ferocity, and Xia Mu gradually found himself unable to withstand them. Bai Pingping looked around and noticed a slightly raised stone slab on the floor of the study, with a blurry word "Exit" carved on it. Without thinking twice, she and Xia Mu stomped on the slab together.

Instantly, a secret passage appeared in a corner of the study, and a damp smell rushed out. Without hesitation, the two jumped into the passage, followed by the loud crash of chains hitting the ground.

The passageway was dark and damp, filled with the smell of decay. Bai Pingping and Xia Mu groped their way forward in the darkness, the path beneath their feet rugged and uneven, with water droplets falling from above every now and then, hitting them and adding to the chill.

Bai Pingping and Xia Mu walked for an unknown amount of time before finally arriving at the cave at the end of the passage.

As they approached the cave entrance, a pungent, putrid stench assaulted their nostrils, as if the stench of millennia of decay had accumulated there. The cave entrance was shrouded in a thin layer of mist, which seemed to possess a life of its own, drifting and twisting erratically, sometimes so thick it was impenetrable, and sometimes it would gently disperse, as if deliberately provoking their senses of fear.

The two cautiously stepped into the cave, feeling a chill creep up from their feet and instantly permeate their entire bodies. The cave was dark and damp, the walls covered in slippery moss, seemingly the marks of time, or perhaps hiding countless prying eyes. Occasionally, water droplets dripped from the stalactites on the ceiling, making a "drip-drip" sound amplified in the silent cave, each sound like a hammer blow to their hearts, sending shivers down their spines.

Xia Mu, dagger in hand, warily surveyed his surroundings, only to find himself enveloped in a blurry darkness. The darkness seemed tangible, tightly enveloping them and swallowing the last glimmer of light. Bai Pingping followed closely behind him, the token in her hand now feeling cold and icy. Her heartbeat was unusually clear in the quiet cave, each beat accompanied by a deep fear of the unknown.

Suddenly, a gust of cold wind swept through, causing the mist in the cave to churn violently. The wind howled and echoed through the cave, sounding like the wailing of ghosts and wolves, sending chills down one's spine. In the dim light, something seemed to be moving about in the dark corners, making a soft rustling sound, but its source and appearance were impossible to discern.

The ground beneath our feet was uneven, covered with pebbles and potholes. We had to be careful with every step, for fear of accidentally triggering some hidden mechanism or awakening the unknown "monster" sleeping there.

Xia Mu gripped his dagger warily and walked ahead, Bai Pingping close behind, clutching the token tightly. They cautiously entered the cave, only to discover that it seemed to hold an even greater secret…