Multiple Personalities

"What... what is this thing?" Lin Yue's voice trembled slightly as she clutched Shen Jingqi's arm tightly, her eyes filled with fear.

Shen Jingqi took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. "Don't panic, whatever it is, we have to face it. Get ready, they're coming!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the mechanical bats let out a sharp screech that seemed to pierce their eardrums, causing a splitting headache. Immediately after, they surged towards Shen Jingqi and Lin Yue like black lightning. Their wings flapped, stirring up a gust of wind that sent the dust in the passage swirling.

Shen Jingqi and Lin Yue quickly reacted, brandishing the weapons in their hands and engaging in an intense battle with the mechanical bats. Shen Jingqi's longsword carved out streaks of icy cold light in the darkness, each swing carrying immense power, attempting to drive the mechanical bats back. Lin Yue wielded a specially crafted iron rod, the tip of which crackled with electricity, constantly striking the approaching mechanical bats, each hit causing sparks to fly from their bodies.

However, the mechanical bats' attacks were incredibly swift. Their claws were as sharp as daggers, each attack cutting through the air with a "whoosh". Their bodies were exceptionally agile, moving freely in the narrow passage, making it difficult for Shen Jingqi and Lin Yue to predict their movements.

Shen Jingqi dodged the mechanical bats' attacks with agility, his body moving like a nimble leopard, navigating through the onslaught with ease. As he dodged, he carefully observed the actions of the mechanical bats, trying to identify their weaknesses. Suddenly, he noticed that the base of the mechanical bats' wings was relatively fragile, revealing a slight gap every time they attacked with their wings.

"Lin Yue, I've found their weakness! Their wing bases are relatively fragile; we should aim our attacks there!" Shen Jingqi shouted loudly.

Lin Yue understood immediately upon hearing Shen Jingqi's words. She nodded and said, "Okay, I'll distract them, and you find an opportunity to attack!"

With that, Lin Yue charged at the mechanical bats, swinging her iron rod. She deliberately exposed some vulnerabilities to attract the mechanical bats' attention. The mechanical bats fell for it and lunged at Lin Yue. Skillfully, she dodged the mechanical bats' attacks while continuously striking their bodies with her iron rod, preventing them from fully concentrating on attacking Shen Jingqi.

Shen Jingqi seized the opportunity, keeping a close eye on one mechanical bat's wing base, waiting for the best moment to strike. Finally, after one of its attacks, the wing base of the mechanical bat revealed a larger gap. Shen Jingqi timed it perfectly, swinging his longsword furiously at the mechanical bat's wing base. The sword pierced accurately into the wing base, and with a "crack", a segment of the mechanical bat's wing was sliced off, causing it to let out a miserable scream, losing balance and crashing heavily to the ground.

Upon seeing their companion injured, the other mechanical bats became more frantic. They emitted even sharper cries, and their attacks became more ferocious. Shen Jingqi and Lin Yue dared not relax for a second, coordinating closely as they continued fighting the mechanical bats.

As the fierce battle raged on, Shen Jingqi and Lin Yue gradually felt their strength waning. Multiple cuts from the mechanical bats' claws covered their bodies, blood continuously flowing, staining their clothes red. Yet their eyes remained filled with determination and perseverance; they knew they couldn't collapse here. They had to defeat these mechanical bats and move forward.

After a grueling fight, they finally defeated the mechanical bats. One by one, the mechanical bats fell to the ground, their bodies flickering with weak electric light, gradually ceasing movement. Shen Jingqi and Lin Yue collapsed on the ground, gasping heavily for air, their bodies exhausted as if every bone was about to fall apart.

"We... we finally defeated them..." Lin Yue said weakly, a hint of relief and exhaustion in her voice.

Shen Jingqi nodded, saying, "Yes, but we can't rest here for too long. We don't know what dangers await us ahead. We have to find a place to rest and regain our strength."

They struggled to their feet, supporting each other as they moved forward. The passage still exuded a decaying scent, the walls gleaming with eerie light, as if whispering the mysteries and dangers of this place. Their footsteps echoed through the passage, sounding particularly heavy.

Finally, they found a relatively safe small room. The room carried an old air, furnished with simple items, as if someone once lived here. A worn table, a few rickety chairs, and an old bed blanketed under a thick layer of dust.

Lin Yue sat on a chair, rubbing her sore shoulders, and said, "This journey has been so dangerous, I wonder what we'll encounter further ahead. Where do these mechanical bats come from anyway? Why are they attacking us?"

Shen Jingqi sat next to her, frowning and pondering these questions. He said, "I find it strange too, this place is full of mysteries. Those mechanical bats couldn't have just appeared naturally; someone must have created them. But who? Why make these mechanical bats to attack us? And at the end of this passage, what secrets lie in wait?"

Lin Yue looked at Shen Jingqi, her eyes filled with concern. "Could we be caught in a vast conspiracy? Could this secret be more terrifying than we ever imagined?"

Shen Jingqi patted Lin Yue's shoulder, comforting her, "Don't worry, we'll uncover this secret. As long as we persist, there's nothing we can't overcome. Perhaps behind this secret lies a startling truth, a truth that could change many things."

They rested in the small room for a while, tending to their wounds. Shen Jingqi took out some food and water from his backpack, sharing it with Lin Yue. As they ate, they discussed their next move.

"We can't stay here too long. The appearance of those mechanical bats shows this place isn't safe. Once we've regained our strength, we'll venture deeper into the passageway to see what's there," Shen Jingqi said.

Lin Yue nodded and said, "Alright, I'm with you. But we must be careful; there might be even more dangerous things waiting for us ahead."

After resting for a while, their energy gradually returned. They stood up, packed their things, and prepared to continue on. Just as they were about to leave the little room, Shen Jingqi suddenly discovered a small box in the corner of the room.

This box looked quite old, covered in dust. Shen Jingqi curiously walked over, picked up the box, and gently blew away the dust. He discovered that the box had some strange symbols engraved on it.