The night sky stretched over Nanjing Railway Station, its lights twinkling. Travelers bustled about amidst the moonlight and train whistles. Noah stepped out of the station, carrying his heavy adventure backpack and holding onto Xiaolong, who remained alert. Excitement sparkled in Noah's eyes.

From the shadows, a sleek black car lay in wait. Inside, a pair of cold, sharp eyes followed their every move.

"Target locked. Get ready," a low, chilling voice commanded through an earpiece. A man in black nodded slightly, lowering his binoculars with an icy smile.

Early the next morning, thin mist covered the ancient walls of Nanjing. The gray stones of the city wall stretched like a coiled dragon, weaving through the mountains and rivers, watching over the bustling streets below.

Noah and Xiaolong climbed the stairs to the ancient Zhonghua Gate. With the treasure map clutched tightly, Noah's eyes focused on a hand-drawn mark. Standing at the southern end of the wall, he scanned the old relic, searching for any clues.

"This must be where the thunder trigram mark is... but where exactly?" Noah muttered, looking around at the weathered bricks and mossy patches.

Xiaolong ran eagerly along the wall, tail wagging furiously, as if captivated by the city's mysteries and grandeur.

Suddenly, in a neglected corner of the wall, Xiaolong's ears perked up. He dashed toward a loose stone brick, sniffing frantically at the ground.

"Don't run off, Xiaolong!" Noah chased after him.

Xiaolong scratched at the brick, revealing strange markings underneath. Noah knelt down, carefully brushing away the dust, and discovered the Thunder Trigram (☳) symbol: three lines with the middle one broken, representing thunder and strength.

"This matches the symbol on the treasure map!"

Noah pulled out the map and compared it to the wall's markings—they aligned perfectly.

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Near the stone brick were faint arrow markings, pointing toward a hidden area.

"Maybe this is the entrance..."

With Xiaolong's help, Noah pushed the loose brick aside, uncovering a hidden underground passage.

Switching on his flashlight, Noah entered the ancient passageway with Xiaolong. The narrow, damp tunnel was lined with moss and carvings, echoing with occasional drips of water. The stone floor was cracked and uneven from years of neglect.

"This must lead somewhere important," Noah whispered.

After carefully navigating the passage, they reached a heavy stone door engraved with a thunder drum design. The drumsticks carved on the door seemed to invite only the brave to awaken its sleeping power.

Beyond the door was a vast, mysterious chamber. The walls were adorned with eight trigrams and thunder symbols. In the center stood two bronze thunder drums, their cracked surfaces waiting for time's call.

Noah approached the drums cautiously, reading the inscription on the wall:

"Strike nine times. Awaken the power of thunder."

But the drumsticks were missing.

"How am I supposed to play without sticks?" Noah frowned and began searching the chamber.

Xiaolong darted to a corner and started digging, revealing an ancient, rusted drumstick.

"Great job, Xiaolong!" Noah picked up the drumstick, stepping up to the thunder drums.

"Boom!"

The first strike echoed like thunder rolling through the mountains, causing the chamber to tremble.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Following the instructions, Noah alternated his strikes, creating a rhythm that resonated through the chamber. The walls began to glow faintly with blue light, as though an ancient power was awakening.

With a final "BOOM!", the chamber's stone platform rose slowly, revealing a bronze fragment of the Thunder Trigram. It was etched with lightning patterns, glowing mysteriously.

"I did it!" Noah reached for the fragment, but cold footsteps echoed behind him.

"Nice work, kid." A chilling voice broke the silence.

Noah spun around to see several black-clad figures surrounding the platform. Their leader stepped forward, smirking, his sharp gaze fixed on the glowing fragment.

"You’ve saved us some trouble."

Despite the danger, Noah’s determination burned brightly. Clutching the bronze fragment tightly, he whispered to Xiaolong, "Find an exit!"

Xiaolong responded instantly, searching the chamber's shadows while Noah held off the intruders. The boy’s courage and the dog’s quick thinking led them to a narrow escape route—a hidden crack in the wall.

Squeezing through, they emerged into the sunlight, gasping for air. Noah held the fragment close, smiling at Xiaolong.

"This is just the beginning," he said, his resolve shining in his eyes as he looked toward the next challenge ahead.