The warning from Future Lin Xiaoxia echoed like a death knell in Lin Xiaoxia's mind. She clutched the pocket watch tightly, feeling its icy, mysterious power. This small object actually carried the tremendous energy to alter timelines, and was inextricably linked to her future with Xu Yuan.
She had to stop Li Mingzhe. For Xu Yuan's sake, and to prevent a more terrifying future from unfolding.
Lin Xiaoxia immediately contacted Xiaoya and told her about finding the pocket watch. Upon hearing this, Xiaoya also realized the gravity of the situation. They decided to join forces against Li Mingzhe.
Through their previous investigations, they had gleaned some information about Li Mingzhe's movements. He had been frequently visiting an abandoned factory on the city's outskirts - likely the base for whatever secret experiments or plans he was conducting.
Lin Xiaoxia resolved to risk venturing to that abandoned factory. She had to find Li Mingzhe before he could use the watch's power.
As Lin Xiaoxia carefully infiltrated the abandoned factory, she found complete darkness and silence inside, broken only by the occasional creak of abandoned machinery, adding to the eerie atmosphere. Guided by the faint light from her phone, she advanced step by step.
Suddenly, a cold voice rang out in the darkness: "I never expected you to find it so quickly."
Lin Xiaoxia's heart skipped a beat. She looked up to see Li Mingzhe slowly emerging from the shadows, that unsettling smile still playing on his lips - and in his hand, an identical pocket watch!
"You... you have one too?" Lin Xiaoxia asked in shock.
"Of course. It took considerable effort to acquire this," Li Mingzhe said, his greedy eyes fixed on the watch in Lin Xiaoxia's hand. "This is the true power to change everything."
"What exactly do you plan to do with it?" Lin Xiaoxia asked warily.
"That's none of your concern," Li Mingzhe sneered. "With this, all past regrets can be undone, all lost things reclaimed. Time itself will bow to me!"
As he spoke, Li Mingzhe raised his pocket watch, his finger poised to press its button. Lin Xiaoxia knew she had to stop him!
At this critical moment, Xu Yuan suddenly appeared at the factory entrance. Having noticed Lin Xiaoxia's unusual behavior, he had secretly followed her.
"Xiaoxia! Be careful!" Xu Yuan shouted urgently.
Li Mingzhe's gaze instantly shifted to Xu Yuan, his expression turning vicious. With a cold laugh, he pressed down hard on his pocket watch.
A violent surge of energy erupted from Li Mingzhe's watch, distorting the surrounding air. Lin Xiaoxia felt dizzy as everything before her eyes grew indistinct.
Future Lin Xiaoxia had warned that using the watch's power would disrupt the timeline. Now, that disruption was unfolding before her very eyes.
Li Mingzhe's face lit up with ecstasy - he seemed to already see the future he wished to create. But at that very moment, Lin Xiaoxia resolutely pressed the button on her own pocket watch.
Two opposing temporal energies collided violently within the abandoned factory, producing a deafening roar. The labyrinth of time was fully unveiled, past and future intertwining until everything became unpredictable.
Lin Xiaoxia knew only one thing: she must protect her present with Xu Yuan, even at great personal cost. This was her final choice as guardian of the timeline.
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