As they turned the pages one by one, the content of the diary left them increasingly shocked. It turned out that Cong Nanxue had once participated in a mysterious experiment, which seemed to be related to some powerful force. And that force pulling Shen Jingqi into the abyss was likely connected to this experiment.

Shen Jingqi felt a chill rapidly spreading from the soles of his feet to his whole body, as if countless icy hands were pulling at him. His voice was filled with confusion and fear, like a small boat lost in a storm, drifting helplessly in the vast ocean. "Could it be that Cong Nanxue's soul is trapped in the portrait? And the voice we heard just now was her cry for help?"

Images of that eerie portrait kept floating in his mind, as if Cong Nanxue in the portrait was looking at them with mournful eyes, silently crying out.

Xu An frowned, thought for a moment, gently rubbed his chin with his fingers, and slowly said, "It's quite possible. This portrait could be a medium, like a mysterious bridge connecting the real world with another unknown world. Cong Nanxue's soul might be trapped in that world, and her voice conveyed through the portrait, like a weak SOS signal in the dark." A touch of gravity was revealed in his eyes, as if he had already seen a glimpse of that unknown world, filling his heart with unease.

Shen Jingqi nodded, "Then what should we do? We can't just stand by and watch Cong Nanxue being trapped in there." His hands involuntarily clenched, his knuckles turning white from the exertion, as if trying to gather all his strength in his hands to rescue Cong Nanxue.

Xu An pondered for a moment, gently tapping his fingers on the table, as if weighing every possible consequence, and said, "We need to find more clues about this experiment, maybe we can find a way to rescue Cong Nanxue. This diary might contain other important information; let's keep looking." His eyes revealed a hint of anxiety, but more of a determination, as if as long as they continued reading, they would find the key to unlock the impasse.

Shen Jingqi and Xu An once again focused on the diary. The yellowed and slightly moldy diary at this moment seemed to exude an invisible magic power, tightly drawing their eyes.

Shen Jingqi's fingers gently rubbed the page of the diary, and the rough texture of the paper transmitted through his fingertips.

As they delved deeper into reading, their hearts beat faster, as if an invisible hand was clutching their hearts. Suddenly, Shen Jingqi's eyes widened, as if he had discovered something incredible. He excitedly pointed to a line in the diary, and said with a trembling voice, "Xu An, look! It mentions a location here, an abandoned laboratory!"

Xu An immediately leaned over, a flash of excitement in his eyes quickly replaced by gravity. He quickly read through that paragraph, muttering to himself, "It's said that some of the experiment's materials and equipment are still preserved there... those materials and equipment might be keys to open the door to rescue Cong Nanxue, or they might reveal the earth-shattering secret hidden behind this mysterious experiment."

Shen Jingqi's breathing became rapid, and his hands involuntarily clenched, his knuckles turning white from the exertion. "The abandoned laboratory... could this be the breakthrough we've been searching for?" His eyes were filled with anticipation, as if seeing the dawn of hope flicker ahead. But simultaneously, an inexplicable fear surged in his heart, uncertain of the dangers hidden within that abandoned laboratory.

Xu An pondered for a moment, a hint of caution revealing in his eyes, and said, "This clue is crucial, but we can't act rashly. There must be immense secrets hidden behind this mysterious experiment, and that abandoned laboratory might also be filled with danger." His fingers gently tapped on the table, as if weighing every possible consequence.

Shen Jingqi anxiously said, "But we can't just wait idly; Cong Nanxue is still suffering in the portrait. Maybe those materials and equipment are the only hope for rescuing her; we don't have time to hesitate." His gaze was full of determination, seemingly ready to take risks regardless of the cost.

Xu An, seeing Shen Jingqi's anxious appearance, was also somewhat swayed. He understood Shen Jingqi's feelings for Cong Nanxue and knew they couldn't give up any possible opportunity. He took a deep breath and said, "Alright, but we need to be fully prepared. Let's first gather some information about this abandoned laboratory and make a detailed plan."

The two began searching online for information about the abandoned laboratory, but the materials they could find were scarce. All they knew was that the laboratory was located on the outskirts of the city, once a secret research institution, which was later closed due to a mysterious accident. As for the cause of the accident, rumors online varied; some said it was due to an uncontrollable experiment leading to the leakage of hazardous substances, others said it was because unspeakable occurrences happened within the lab, leading to a government-enforced closure.

These ambiguous pieces of information made them even more anxious at heart. Shen Jingqi frowned and said, "These pieces of information are too vague; we have no idea about the real dangers hiding in that lab. But we can't back down out of fear; Cong Nanxue is still waiting for us to rescue her."

Xu An nodded and said, "That's right, we can't back down. But we can't act blindly either. We can first conduct a field investigation to see if we can find more clues."

They prepared some necessary equipment, like flashlights, self-defense tools, recording equipment, etc., and then embarked on the journey to the abandoned laboratory. Throughout the trip, they felt heavy-hearted, as if stepping into an abyss full of the unknown.

When they finally arrived near the abandoned laboratory, the sight in front of them made them gasp. The laboratory building was in ruins; the paint on the walls had peeled off, revealing mottled bricks. The window glass was shattered, looking like hollow eyes silently watching them. Wild grass grew rampant, filling the air with a sinister atmosphere, as if this place had been forgotten by the world, becoming a cursed location.

The two cautiously approached the laboratory door, which was half ajar, emitting a "creak creak" sound, like a summons from Hell. They pushed the door open, and a foul stench hit them, nearly choking them. They covered their mouths and noses with their hands and slowly walked into the laboratory.

Inside the laboratory, it was dark; only a few weak rays of light shone through the broken windows. Various instruments and equipment lay chaotically, covered in thick dust. Weird charts and photos hung on the walls; they couldn't understand the lines and symbols on the charts, and the expressions of the people in the photos were eerie, as if mocking them.

Shen Jingqi's heart beat faster, his palms sweaty. He followed closely behind Xu An, his eyes vigilantly scanning everything around him. Suddenly, he heard a strange sound, like someone crying softly. His body shuddered, almost crying out.

"Xu An, did you hear that? What was that noise?" Shen Jingqi whispered, his voice filled with fear.

Xu An perked up his ears to listen carefully and said, "It sounds like the wind; don't scare yourself. But we need to be careful, this place is indeed very creepy."

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