Lin Chen stared at Su Xiao, his mind racing. How had she tracked him here? He'd left the city without telling anyone—no texts, no calls, not even a note. The only person who knew he was going to Suolong Village was the bus driver, and that was just a passing comment."Who told you I was here?" he asked, his grip on the bronze key tightening. The key was still warm, as if it sensed his unease.Su Xiao's grin faltered. She shifted her backpack, avoiding his eyes for a second. "Uh… some guy at the bus station? He said a kid with your description—black jacket, backpack, asked about Suolong Village—came to this inn last night. I just… I was worried about you. You left so suddenly."Lin Chen frowned. That explanation was too thin. The bus station was chaotic; why would a stranger remember his details? And why would Su Xiao drive all the way to this remote town just to bring his math notes?But then he thought of his luck. Had it somehow guided Su Xiao here? To help him? Or was she a coincidence—one that felt too convenient?Before he could press further, a loud crash echoed from the street below. Lin Chen rushed to the window, pulling back the tattered curtain.Three men in black stood outside the inn, their faces hidden by hoods. One of them kicked over a wooden fruit cart, sending apples rolling across the dirt road. The innkeeper—an old woman with gray hair—ran out, yelling, but the men just shoved her aside.Lin Chen's breath caught. They were looking for him. The boss had sent more people.Su Xiao was at his side in an instant, her voice sharp. "Who are they?""The ones after the dragon bone," he whispered. "We need to leave. Now."Su Xiao nodded, no trace of her earlier casualness left. She grabbed her backpack and slung it over her shoulder, then pointed to the window. "The back alley. There's a fire escape— I saw it when I came in."Lin Chen hesitated. Jumping from a second-floor window wasn't ideal, but the front door was already blocked. He glanced at the men below; one was pulling a knife from his pocket."Let's go," he said.He climbed out the window first, gripping the rusted fire escape rungs. The metal was cold, and it creaked under his weight. Su Xiao followed, moving surprisingly quickly for someone who claimed to be just a college student—no fumbling, no hesitation, like she'd done this before.They dropped into the back alley, landing softly on a pile of straw. The alley was narrow, lined with wooden crates and overflowing trash cans. Lin Chen could hear the men's voices from the front of the inn—loud, angry, demanding to know where "the kid with the key" was."Where now?" Su Xiao asked, her eyes scanning the alley.Lin Chen thought fast. The only person who might help them was the old Taoist. He'd known about Suolong Village, about the evil there—maybe he knew something about the boss, too."The Taoist's shop," he said. "It's two blocks from here. If we can reach it—"A loud shout cut him off. One of the hooded men had rounded the corner of the alley, his flashlight beam sweeping across the crates. Lin Chen grabbed Su Xiao's arm, pulling her behind a large wooden barrel.The man walked past, his boots crunching on broken glass. Lin Chen held his breath; the barrel was thin—if the man looked closely, he'd see them.Then, as if on cue, a stray cat darted out from under a crate, yowling. The man jumped, swinging his flashlight toward the noise. By the time he realized it was just a cat, Lin Chen and Su Xiao had slipped past him, running down the alley."That was too close," Su Xiao gasped, once they were around the next corner.Lin Chen nodded, his heart pounding. That cat—another stroke of luck. But it was getting harder to ignore how convenient these "lucky breaks" were, especially now that Su Xiao was here.They reached the Taoist's shop ten minutes later. The sign above the door—"Peace Talismans"—was tilted, its paint peeling. The door was locked, but when Lin Chen knocked, it creaked open slightly."Come in," a weak voice said from inside.Lin Chen pushed the door open. The shop was darker than before, the windows covered with thick cloth. The old Taoist sat in his usual chair behind the counter, but his face was pale, and he was clutching his chest. A small pool of blood stained his robes."Daozhang!" Lin Chen rushed over. "What happened?"The Taoist coughed, wincing. "They came… the men in black. Asked about you. I told them nothing. They… they stabbed me." He held out a shaking hand, revealing a crumpled piece of paper. "Take this. It's a map. To the Dragon Sleep Valley. That's where the boss is hiding. Where he's building his altar."Lin Chen took the map. It was drawn in ink, with a red X marking Dragon Sleep Valley—deep in the mountains, north of Suolong Village."Why would he go there?" Su Xiao asked, leaning over to look at the map.The Taoist's eyes narrowed at her, then flicked back to Lin Chen. "The Dragon Sleep Valley is where the dragon's 脉 (veins) run deepest. The boss wants to use the dragon bone to awaken the dragon… and absorb its power. If he succeeds, the mountains will crumble. The villages will be destroyed." He paused, his voice dropping to a whisper. "He's not just a traitor. He's a descendant of the village elders. He knows the rituals. The only thing stopping him is the guardian's bloodline—your bloodline, Lin Chen."Lin Chen froze. His bloodline? The guardian's bloodline?"My parents… they were guardians?" he asked.The Taoist nodded. "Your father was the last true guardian. Your mother… she was from a family of healers, like the woman in white. They married to protect the bone. When the boss killed them, he thought he'd broken the bloodline. But he forgot about you."Su Xiao stepped forward, her voice calm. "What do we do? How do we stop him?"The Taoist looked at her again, his gaze sharp. "You… you're not just a student, are you? You're from the Healer's Clan too. Your grandmother—she was the village healer's sister."Su Xiao's eyes widened. "How did you—""I know your family mark," the Taoist said, nodding at her wrist. Su Xiao pulled down her sleeve, but not before Lin Chen saw it—a small, dragon-shaped birthmark.Everything clicked. Su Xiao hadn't come by accident. She'd been sent. By her family? To protect him?"The altar will be ready in three days," the Taoist said, cutting through Lin Chen's thoughts. "At midnight. That's when the dragon's power is strongest. You need to get to Dragon Sleep Valley before then. Take these." He handed Lin Chen a pouch of talismans and a small, silver dagger. "The talismans will hide your aura. The dagger is made of dragon-scale metal—it can cut through the boss's dark magic."He coughed again, more violently this time. "Go. Before the men come back. And Lin Chen—trust your luck. It's not just luck. It's your father's protection. Your mother's love. It's the guardian's blood."Lin Chen nodded. He helped the Taoist lie down, then grabbed the map and the pouch. Su Xiao was already at the door, keeping watch."Thank you, Daozhang," Lin Chen said, before they left.The Taoist smiled weakly. "Go. Save the mountains. Save the bone."They stepped back into the street. The sun was low, painting the sky pink. The town was quiet now—too quiet. Most of the shops were closed, their doors locked. No one walked the streets."They're watching," Su Xiao whispered. "We need to get out of town before dark."Lin Chen agreed. They walked quickly, sticking to the back streets. When they reached the edge of town, they saw a small wooden cart parked by the side of the road—loaded with hay, with a horse tied to a nearby tree. The cart's owner was nowhere to be seen."Another lucky break?" Su Xiao asked, raising an eyebrow.Lin Chen shrugged, but he knew it wasn't. It was his father's protection. His mother's love. He climbed onto the cart, then helped Su Xiao up.As they rode away from the town, Lin Chen unfolded the map. Dragon Sleep Valley was still hours away—through dense forests, across a rushing river, and up a steep mountain path.Su Xiao sat beside him, staring at the map. "Your parents would be proud of you," she said softly.Lin Chen looked at her. "Why didn't you tell me who you are? About the Healer's Clan?"Su Xiao sighed. "My grandmother told me about you. About the guardian's bloodline. She said if you ever went to Suolong Village, I had to help you. But she also said not to tell you unless I had to. She was afraid you'd push me away. That you'd try to do this alone."Lin Chen nodded. He understood. He had wanted to do it alone. But now, with Su Xiao by his side—with her knowledge of the Healer's Clan, with her calm in danger—he didn't feel so alone anymore.The cart bumped along the road. The sun set, and the moon rose, casting a silver glow over the forest. Lin Chen could hear the river in the distance, its water rushing loudly.Then, he felt it—the bronze key in his pocket warming again. Not a gentle thrum, but a hot, urgent pulse."What's wrong?" Su Xiao asked, noticing his frown.Lin Chen pulled out the key. Its dragon carving was glowing faintly, green light seeping from its edges."The bone," he said. "It's in danger. The boss—he's found it."Su Xiao's face paled. "We need to hurry. If he gets the bone to the altar… it's over."Lin Chen urged the horse to go faster. The cart raced along the road, the wind whipping through their hair. In the distance, the mountains loomed—dark, imposing, hiding the Dragon Sleep Valley and the boss's altar.Lin Chen gripped the silver dagger in his hand. He thought of his parents, of their smiles, of their sacrifice. He thought of the old Taoist, of the woman in white, of all the people who had died to protect the dragon bone.He wasn't going to let them down.As they neared the forest, Lin Chen heard a sound—a low, rumbling roar, coming from the direction of Suolong Village.The dragon was waking.Su Xiao grabbed his arm. "We're running out of time," she said.Lin Chen nodded. He took a deep breath, then urged the horse into the forest.The final battle was about to begin. And this time, he wasn't alone.