Mystery: Gray Walker

Chapter 60 The Mystery: Ali Baba and the Four Thieves

Green returned to his room and locked the door.

Just as he was about to change into his pajamas, something cool and silky slipped out of his shirt pocket and fell to the floor.

It is the sigh of a nightingale.

Green paused, then bent down to pick it up. It felt weightless, as if it were empty.

"I hope you're not lying to me," Green muttered to himself, narrowing his eyes.

Lillian is full of lies, and this spell is most likely fake as well, just another trick to fool him.

But... what if? What if this time it's true, and I've already seen through her identity? She should... have no reason to lie to me anymore; it wouldn't do her any good.

He walked to the desk and placed the bag on the smooth surface.

Green took a deep breath and then slowly exhaled.

He stared at the small bag, lowering his voice, "Open Sesame...?"

no response.

"Open Sesame?"

There was still no response.

"Open Sesame!"

The bag lay there quietly, the rope motionless, seemingly mocking his naiveté.

really.

Green smirked, as if it were expected.

How could Lillian possibly tell him the real way to open it so casually? It was more like a sign, a mark that she had been there and left a prank.

Don't let me see you again...!

Green closed his eyes and fell into deep thought.

How did Lillian open it? What could the password be? Did she leave a wrong password just to prank me? Was it purely... a prank?

He reached out and squeezed the bag; it still felt empty and deflated.

Green tried to infuse a faint trace of spirituality into the bag, but the spirituality touched the surface of the bag, like water encountering a smooth pebble, unable to penetrate, only feeling a very faint, flexible barrier.

What's the password...?

"Open Sesame is a fake... so what's the real one?"

He recalled Lillian's expression when she said those words; her eyes weren't filled with serious instruction, but rather with cunning and observation.

Lillian was observing his reaction.

This word is not the answer, but a trigger, a puzzle?

Why is it "Open Sesame"? What's so special about this phrase?

"Open Sesame... This comes from 'One Thousand and One Nights,' the story of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. In the story, the thieves shout 'Open Sesame!' at the cave where the treasure is hidden, and the cave door opens."

"Cave...treasure...open the door..."

His thoughts flowed quickly.

"Could the cave be this bag with spatial storage capabilities? If so... then the treasure must refer to the items possibly stored inside the bag. Opening the door is the way to open the bag. And Lillian is the owner of the items, which is also that robber... Ali Baba... is it myself?"

"But in the story, Ali Baba was able to open the cave not only because he heard the correct incantation, but more importantly, because he perfectly repeated the incantation he heard, and did so while the robbers were not present, mimicking their commands..."

"And Lillian's 'Open Sesame' was... incomplete? Did she omit the 'right'? Was it an oversight? Or was it intentional?"

Green carefully recalled everything about Lillian.

When he opened his eyes, he got an affirmative answer.

Deliberate.

Greene was convinced that this was a riddle set up by Lillian. She had given him an incomplete "fairy tale spell" to see if he would discover it and "complete" it.

But... how do I complete it? Should I add "吧" (ba) to make it "Sesame Open the Door"?

"Open Sesame!"

The bag still didn't react.

Still not right.

This sounds like a request, but the robbers in the story used commands.

Perhaps the key is not in completing those few words, but in understanding that commanding, declarative, and unquestionable tone.

Lillian was implying to him... not to use a requesting or pre-programmed approach, but to use a stronger, more proactive stance... to command him to open it?

So the question is, what words best convey the command and the declaration of ownership at this moment?

Green's gaze fell on the bag, if he no longer saw it as a puzzle box belonging to Lillian that needed to be solved, but instead tried to infuse his own will into this interaction.

Do we need a simple, direct, and self-willed statement to announce this shift in mindset?

He picked up "The Nightingale's Sigh," placed it in his palm, and instead of speaking tentatively in a low voice, he spoke to it in a clear, steady, and firm tone:

"I declare that you are now mine."

The moment the words left his mouth, the seemingly ordinary drawstring at the bag's opening, as if touched by an invisible finger, smoothly came undone.

It worked!

The real "key" is mindset and declaration, not a specific incantation. "Open Sesame" was indeed a smokescreen.

Soon, a subtle connection was established between Green and the bag.

Green could no longer suppress the smile that crept onto his face.

"I wonder if Lillian will be furious if she finds out I opened it..."

He suppressed his pride and curiosity and began to use his spirituality to carefully examine this mysterious space that belonged to Lillian.

The items inside weren't arranged neatly, as if the owner had just tossed them in haphazardly.

Several sets of neatly folded clothes, both men's and women's, ranging from simple work clothes to slightly glamorous formal wear.

Clearly, this is a 'skin' that Lillian prepared for different disguised identities.

Several small bottles and jars were piled up nearby, labeled with Lillian's elegant handwriting:

"Spiritual Soothing Solution", "Confusing Dust", "Secondary Energy Elixir"... are all practical and extraordinary consumables.

Further inside, there were some miscellaneous tools:

A sophisticated set of lock-picking tools, a bundle of specially made, sturdy rope, a pocket watch with a brass case, several palm-sized old notebooks, a stack of letterheads with different headings, and old stamps...

Green's spiritual sense swept over the items, quickly assessing their value in his mind.

However, when his spiritual perception touched a pile of soft fabric in the corner of the space, his movements suddenly stopped.

The pile of fabrics varied in color, were made of thin materials, and had styles that were... quite intimate.

It consists of several pieces of women's underwear.

Silky and lace-trimmed, in colors ranging from black to light purple, with a bold and sophisticated style.

In stark contrast to Isabella Winston's gentle and conservative pale yellow dress, it perfectly complemented Lillian de la Nott's dangerous yet alluring aura.

"!!!"

Green's spirit recoiled as if electrocuted, and a flush of heat instantly rose uncontrollably across his cheeks.

He could almost smell the lingering, unique scent of Lillian on it.

Do not look at what is improper! Do not look at what is improper!

He silently chanted in his heart, while subconsciously manipulating his spirituality, like a thief, quickly moving those suggestive fabrics to a deeper corner of the space.

"Sorry... I didn't see anything..." he muttered to himself in the empty room, not knowing who he was talking to.

Shaking off these slightly romantic thoughts, Green refocused his attention on the practical items. A thought struck him, and he tried to take out the bottle of 'Spiritual Soothing Potion'.

Almost the instant the thought crossed his mind, a small, cool glass bottle appeared in his palm, the pale blue liquid inside rippling slightly.

Access is seamless! Truly amazing!

He tried several more times, taking out the lock-picking tools and mixing powder one by one, and carefully examining them on the desk.

Each item is exquisitely crafted, exuding Lillian's pragmatism and understated style.

Finally, he put everything away again, gently stroking the delicate little bag with his palm.

"This is truly a treasure..."

......

That night he had a strange, chaotic dream.

He dreamt that Lillian was crying in anger, demanding "The Nightingale's Sigh" from him, and then she obediently massaged his shoulders and back, softly begging him to let her go.

Finally, the dream took an ambiguous turn, and she slowly approached, dressed in exquisite lingerie...

Green woke up with a start, his heart pounding and feeling incredibly embarrassed.

"What...what did I dream about?!"

......

After breakfast, Green went to the port authority as usual.

Old Bob still didn't come today.

When he stepped into the port authority's underground warehouse, he looked at the scene in disbelief, then returned to the ground level to make sure he hadn't gone to the wrong place before slowly walking down the steps again.

Yesterday, the space was bare with rough stone slabs and a musty smell, but now it is covered with thick, soft, dark olive-colored wool carpets that cover almost the entire underground warehouse and extend all the way to the small cubicles.

Stepping on it gives him a sense of calm and tranquility.

The most striking feature is the center of the east wall.

A simple yet practical stone fireplace is now clearly visible. The firebox is square, with polished bluestone edges, and is already lined with clean ashes and kindling.

The flue had clearly been opened, and the furnace wall still bore traces of newly built, slightly damp moisture.

A thicker fireproof blanket was even laid in front of the fireplace, on which a small pile of neatly stacked firewood was placed.

Even the doors to the cubicles have been replaced with brand new carved wooden doors.

The air was filled with a mixture of smells of new wood, stone, wool fabrics, and a faint hint of moisture-absorbing lime, replacing all the musty odors.

The vents had clearly been thoroughly cleaned, with a weak but continuous flow of fresh air circulating.

Just then, a loud commotion came from the entrance.

Several workers dressed in different clothes carried furniture that was wrapped up tightly and filed in.

"Watch out, this way!"

"Yes, put it here, against the wall!"