Chapter Two: The Legend of the Library

The morning in London was shrouded in fog, with pedestrians hurrying along the streets as if each was chasing the pace of time. Henry Mortimer and Emily Stewart stood in front of an ancient building, a location they had found based on the clues on the mysterious map.

"This is the starting point marked on the map," Henry said, his voice tinged with uncertainty as he looked up at the seemingly ordinary building, which was no different from the surrounding houses except for a heavy wooden door carved with intricate patterns.

A glimmer appeared in Emily's eyes as she whispered, "Behind this door lies the secret passage to the 'Ghost Library.'"

Carefully, Henry and Emily pushed the door open, and a gust of musty air greeted them. They entered a narrow corridor lined with some indistinct portraits, the figures in the portraits with deep, expressive eyes, as if narrating ancient tales.

They proceeded along the corridor until they reached what appeared to be a dead-end wall. Henry closely examined the patterns on the wall and noticed a stone that was different from the others. He pushed against the stone with force, and the wall slowly moved aside, revealing a spiral staircase leading downwards.

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"This is the entrance to the library," Emily said, her voice filled with excitement.

They descended the stairs until they arrived at a vast basement filled with bookshelves, lined with ancient tomes. The air was heavy with the scent of ink and parchment.

"This is the periphery of the 'Ghost Library,'" Emily explained. "The true library is hidden deeper within."

Henry was deeply captivated by everything around him. He approached a bookshelf and casually picked up a book to browse through. The text on the pages was ancient and mysterious, as if containing boundless knowledge.

At that moment, they heard footsteps approaching. Henry and Emily quickly hid behind a bookshelf and watched as several individuals in black cloaks entered the basement.

"They must be members of the 'Shadow Hand,'" Emily whispered.

Henry and Emily held their breath, observing the group's movements. It appeared they were searching for something. Henry noticed that one of them held a piece of parchment that closely resembled the map he carried.

"It seems they also have a map," Henry whispered.

Emily nodded, a look of concern in her eyes. "We must be cautious; they may be close to the heart of the library."

Just then, one of the cloaked figures suddenly walked towards the direction where they were hiding. Henry and Emily tensely gripped their belongings, ready to confront any potential conflict.

However, the figure did not discover them and stopped in front of the bookshelf. He took out a small device from his pocket and began scanning the shelves.

Seizing the opportunity, Henry and Emily quietly left the basement. They knew that the game had only just begun, and they must find the core of the 'Ghost Library' as soon as possible to uncover its secrets.