The heavy stone door groaned as Yang Xiang pushed it open, revealing a chamber bathed in an eerie, faintly bluish light. The air inside was cooler, carrying a faint scent of ancient incense and dust.
Rows of stone tablets lined the walls, etched with intricate symbols and faded characters that seemed to shift when viewed from the corner of his eye. At the center of the room stood a pedestal, upon which rested a small, ornately carved box — its surface covered with mysterious runes that pulsed softly.
Yang Xiang approached cautiously, his heart pounding in his chest. He remembered the warnings — the box was said to hold the key to the '地心之谜' (Mystery of the Earth's Core), a secret coveted by empires and shadowed societies alike.
As his fingers brushed the box, a sudden chill ran through his body. A whisper seemed to fill the chamber, unintelligible yet urgent, as if the very walls were trying to speak.
His eyes caught a glimmer from a corner of the room — an old journal, half-buried beneath rubble. He picked it up and carefully turned the fragile pages, discovering the faded handwriting of an explorer long lost to time.
The journal spoke of a hidden passage beyond the chamber, guarded by traps and puzzles designed to keep the unworthy away. It also hinted at a betrayal — a companion who vanished without a trace, leaving behind only questions.
Determined, Yang Xiang steadied his breath. The path forward was fraught with danger, but the truth lay just beyond reach, waiting to be uncovered.