After leaving the pool, Norman returned home and looked at his sleeping children. He silently vowed to himself: “I can't let my children be looked down upon by others.” He turned on his computer and searched for locations offering advanced Japanese language exams. However, since evaluations of these exams varied across regions, it was difficult to guarantee the absolute accuracy of all test quality. His two clones peered over his shoulder. Yihe on the left believed learning another language was worthwhile but argued Russian was too difficult, thus discouraging Norman from pursuing it. Yue on the right insisted Norman should also cultivate culinary skills, reasoning that the housekeeper would eventually resign. Moreover, Norman's wife had once remarked on his mediocre cooking—while edible, his dishes were utterly bland.
At that moment, the purple necklace glowed again. The light was an abnormal red, accompanied by a magnetic, low, impatient voice that said irritably, “There's no time to hesitate. You only get one chance. Once it's gone, it's gone!” Yue exclaimed in surprise, "How is that possible! Yongnian! Get out here now!“ Yihe beside him roared furiously, ”Damn it! It's him! Pull Yongnian out of the necklace!“ Norman, terrified by the presence of his two clones, immediately asked why they were afraid. Yihe shouted, ”Don't ask why! We need your blood! The situation is critical! Quickly cut your arm with the military dagger!"
As Norman searched for the dagger, the necklace began flickering abnormally, emitting frequent, eerie flashes of red and purple light. The flickering grew faster and faster. Suddenly, the childish voice grew weak and said, “Help me!” Yihe beside him opened the Book of Huyan Hu. One page explained that clones would compete for energy—a classic case of survival of the fittest. If the weaker clone wasn't released within the time limit, it would soon vanish into nothingness. Yue, seated on the bed, compared the situation to weeds in a field: if left unchecked, they would steal nutrients from the crops. Yue immediately shouted, “Master, quickly smear blood on the necklace and chant: ‘Hu Yongnian, manifest!’” Though Norman didn't grasp the meaning, he followed Yue's instructions and released Yongnian.
At that moment, Hu Yongnian finally broke free from the necklace. Weakly, he asked, “Where am I?” Yihe urgently said, “Master, bring the bathroom's scented diffuser! Its cherry blossom scent should help him regain consciousness!” Norman immediately went to the bathroom and brought the diffuser into the room. With the clones' assistance, the cherry blossom fragrance swiftly filled the room. As the scent wafted through the space, Yongnian regained his senses. He sat up abruptly and embraced both clones.
Just as the three breathed a sigh of relief, the phone suddenly rang. Yamamoto Hideki called: "Commander Wu, it's bad news. The Timing Thieves have launched a new plan. They intend to steal the ‘Historical Pendulum.’ This artifact actually unlocks the long-sealed time tunnel. If they get their hands on it, the consequences will be unimaginable. Since our team still lacks sufficient intelligence, we can't confirm their subsequent moves. Rest assured, however, no temporal turbulence has appeared in New York yet." Norman replied, “Got it. What I need to know this time is why three of my clones have already awakened before me, and one had its energy stolen. What caused that?” Hideki responded gravely, “Survival of the fittest. Since your necklace houses four clones, if you didn't eat enough that day, the clones enter a starved state. One that hasn't eaten enough will steal energy from another clone.”
After hanging up, Norman began fretting over the days ahead. The temporal turbulence had intensified, and the historical pendulum was now extremely vulnerable. If stolen, it would lead to severe consequences. Yongnian, sitting on the bed, pointed out that since Norman was suspended, he should prepare for the Japanese language exam. With no orders from headquarters, they couldn't act recklessly. Yue suggested self-study for cooking to avoid wasting money, so Norman decided to register for the advanced Japanese exam at the nearby community center. Yongnian warned against wearing the purple necklace during the exam due to its severe energy interference. Norman knew the four clones within the necklace would soon emerge completely—there was no escape. Shattering the purple necklace might temporarily eliminate the clones, but forcing the next generation to bear the suffering of the previous one was profoundly selfish.
During their conversation, a sinister figure lurked in the shadows. Clad in an all-black robe, dark blue trousers, and brown boots, the person wore long hair braided into a plait. Uttering a single sentence, they vanished: “The great calamity shall arise in ten years' time...”
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