I was a rookie reporter in the 00s

Chapter 140 Shadows of the Past

Zhang Wanqing's face turned pale, and her body trembled slightly. She knew this meant she would have to face her past, her fears, her weaknesses.

Fu Siyuan stood up, walked to Zhang Wanqing's side, and gently held her hand. "Wanqing, we will face this together."

Zhang Wanqing raised her head, her eyes filled with gratitude. "Thank you."

The ship continued to sail on the sea, and the waves continued to hit the hull, but Zhang Wanqing's mind was full of thoughts.

Zhang Wanqing stood on the deck, the salty sea breeze caressing her cheeks, her long hair dancing wildly in the wind. The night sea shimmered with ripples and twinkled with stars, but her heart was in turmoil. Her gaze pierced the darkness, as if seeking the secrets hidden in the depths. Her decision was made; she would return to the past alone, searching for those forgotten clues.

The lights in the cabin were dim, and Fu Siyuan and Li Wei were discussing their next plan of action. Their voices were low and tense, and they occasionally cast concerned glances at each other. Zhang Wanqing knew that her decision might worry them, but she also knew that this was a battle she had to face alone.

She took a deep breath, turned and walked into the cabin. "I need to go back." Her voice was firm and calm, and there was no hesitation in her eyes.

Fu Siyuan and Li Wei exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with worry. "Wanqing, are you sure?" Fu Siyuan's voice was tinged with uneasiness.

Zhang Wanqing nodded, her expression firm. "Yes, I must go. There are the answers I need."

Li Wei clenched his fists, his eyes filled with worry, but he knew they couldn't stop her. "We'll go with you."

Zhang Wanqing shook her head, a hint of tenderness in her voice. "No, this is my battle. I will come back with the truth."

She turned and left, leaving Fu Siyuan and Li Wei in the cabin, their hearts filled with worry and anxiety.

Zhang Wanqing returned to the newspaper office where she once worked. It was an old building with a mottled exterior and peeling paint on the windows. As she walked into the building, every step seemed to echo her past footsteps. Memories flooded back like a tide: those days, those nights, those times when she fought for the truth.

She arrived at the archives, where all the past news reports and investigative materials were stored. She turned on the light, and the dim glow illuminated the dusty filing cabinets. She began to rummage through the documents, her fingers lightly sliding over them. Each page seemed to carry a memory.

She found the case file, a thick, dusty folder. She opened it, revealing interview notes, photos, and the draft report she'd written. She flipped through the pages, each word and image telling her a story from the past.

As her memories and the documents gradually converged, she began to understand the complexity and depth of the case. She discovered new clues that had been overlooked in the current investigation. Her heartbeat quickened, as she knew these clues might point to a larger conspiracy.

She continued to search until she found a special document, an internal report that recorded some unknown transactions and connections. Her eyes were fixed on the names and numbers, and she had a strong intuition in her heart that these were the clues she needed.

At this moment, the door of the archive room was suddenly pushed open, and a dark shadow flashed in. Zhang Wanqing quickly hid in the shadow of the filing cabinet, her heart beating faster, and she clutched the document tightly in her hand.

The shadowy figure searched around the archives room, his movements quick and skillful, clearly not his first time there. Zhang Wanqing held her breath, her eyes fixed on the shadowy figure, her heart filled with vigilance.

The shadowy figure finally left the archives room, and Zhang Wanqing breathed a sigh of relief. She knew she had to leave immediately, as she had found what she needed.

She cautiously left the archives and returned to the street. The streets were exceptionally quiet at night, lit only by the dim glow of streetlights. She quickened her pace; she had to get back to the ship as quickly as possible to share these clues with Fu Siyuan and Li Wei.

However, as she turned a corner, she suddenly felt dizzy. Blurry figures appeared before her eyes, and whispers rang in her ears. A sense of foreboding welled up in her heart, and she realized that she might have fallen into a trap set by a criminal organization.

She tried to stay awake, but her body fell uncontrollably. Before she lost consciousness, she saw a familiar face, a former colleague who had now become her enemy.

Zhang Wanqing's consciousness slowly returned to her hazy state. Her head pounded, as if pierced by a thousand needles. She tried to open her eyes, but the blinding light forced her to quickly close them again. The low hum of machinery filled her ears, and the air was thick with the smell of metal and chemicals. Her memory gradually cleared: she remembered the archives, the document, and the familiar face.

She tried to open her eyes again, and this time her eyes gradually adjusted to the light. She found herself lying in a small room, surrounded by cold metal walls and overhead, rows of flickering lights. She tried to sit up, but found her hands were bound to a hard chair.

"You're awake." A voice sounded in the corner of the room. Zhang Wanqing turned her head and her eyes met the familiar face - her former colleague, Zhao Tianyu.

Zhao Tianyu was dressed in a black uniform, his eyes no longer warm, replaced by a cold and distant expression. He slowly walked towards Zhang Wanqing, fiddling with a pen. His movements were slow and rhythmic, as if he was enjoying the feeling of control at the moment.

"Zhao Tianyu, why?" Zhang Wanqing's voice was hoarse, her heart filled with confusion and anger.

Zhao Tianyu paused, a complex emotion flashing across his eyes. "Why? Because this world needs a new order, and we are the ones to create it."

Zhang Wanqing felt a surge of disgust. She knew Zhao Tianyu had been blinded by power and desire. "Order? You're playing with fire! You're destroying the lives of innocent people!"

Zhao Tianyu sneered, his eyes revealing a hint of contempt. "Innocent? In this world where the strong prey on the weak, only the strong have the right to talk about innocence."

Zhang Wanqing took a deep breath. She knew she had to stay calm and find a way to escape. Her eyes roamed around the room, searching for a possible way out or something she could use to save herself.