Chapter 946 The Rival in Love Appears
Jeffery snapped back to reality, catching the eager sparkle in Lyra's eyes, and nodded without a second thought, "Sure, as long as you're into it."
They arrived at the escape room venue, which had a mysterious vibe going on. The dim lighting and rustic decor set the stage for an adventure.
A young girl with black-rimmed glasses greeted them warmly at the front desk, "Hey there! What theme are you guys thinking about?"
Lyra leaned in, curious, "What themes do you have?"
"We've got three popular ones," the staff pointed to the posters on the wall. "There's the horror-themed 'Midnight Fright' with tons of jump scares; the adventure-themed 'Lost Tomb,' full of intricate puzzles; and the mystery-themed 'Foggy Manor,' which needs some serious logical thinking. Each has different difficulty levels and styles."
Lyra turned to Jeffery for his opinion, and he gestured for her to make the call.
"Let's go with 'Lost Tomb,' it sounds intriguing," Lyra said, her eyes sparkling.
The staff smiled and reminded them, "This one's pretty popular, but it's rated four stars for difficulty. You sure you wanna take on the challenge?"
Jeffery grinned, "No sweat, let's do it."
"Alright! It's $50 a person, and if you finish in 90 minutes, you can snag our limited edition couple bracelets," the staff winked, "A lot of folks come just for the prize."
Lyra's eyes lit up, "Wow, there's a reward! We definitely gotta give it our best shot!"
She was about to pay when Jeffery beat her to it.
"I can't let you pay all the time, I'd feel too guilty," Lyra said, a bit embarrassed.
Jeffery smiled gently, "Being out with you, it's only right."
After paying, the staff handed them each a smart wristband, "This is your entry device. It's got a timer and can give you one hint if you get stuck. But using a hint means no prize."
She led them to an antique wooden door, "This is the entrance to 'Lost Tomb.' Let me explain the rules and precautions..."
She pushed open the heavy door, and a wave of ancient tomb atmosphere hit them. The dim lighting inside created a deep ambiance, with walls covered in ancient totems and writings.
"Wow, this feels amazing!" Lyra exclaimed, looking around excitedly, "It's like a real tomb."
Jeffery followed her, his eyes keenly scanning every corner of the room.
At first, Lyra was enthusiastically searching for clues, but soon she was stumped by a complex stone mechanism. It was a circular dial with strange symbols, and no matter how she turned it, nothing happened.
"How do we solve this..." she said, frowning in frustration.
Jeffery walked over and gently patted her shoulder, "Don't sweat it, let's check it out together."
His voice was soft and soothing, instantly calming Lyra's anxious mood.
Jeffery paced the room calmly, suddenly noticing a mural depicting an ancient ritual scene that seemed unusual. He carefully pressed the edge of the frame, and the mural moved!
Behind the mural was a hidden combination lock, engraved with ancient hieroglyphics.
"These symbols..." Jeffery pondered.
Lyra leaned in to look, her eyes suddenly brightening, "I remember! There were similar symbols on the stone tablet we saw when we entered. Could they be related?"
Using Lyra's hint and his observations of the patterns around the lock, Jeffery began trying different combinations. His long fingers moved among the symbols, his focused expression captivating Lyra.
After several attempts, they finally heard a crisp "click" as the lock opened.
"We did it!" Lyra jumped up excitedly.
The secret door behind the lock slowly opened, revealing a passage glowing with eerie blue light.
Lyra eagerly stepped into the passage, not noticing a subtle groove in the floor. Her toe caught the edge, and she lost her balance.
"Watch out!" Jeffery reacted quickly, grabbing her arm and pulling her securely into his embrace.
Due to the momentum, Lyra ended up crashing into Jeffery's chest, her face almost touching his cheek. In that moment, time seemed to stand still.
Their warm breaths mingled in the narrow, dim space, and their heartbeats were distinctly audible. Their lips were so close, it felt like something might happen any second.
Jeffery's Adam's apple bobbed slightly, his voice a bit husky, "Be careful."
Lyra's face turned crimson, her heart pounding like a drum, "Th-thank you, I was too careless."
Lyra tried to step back, but Jeffery's arm was still around her waist, warm and strong.
They stayed like that for a few seconds until the sound of mechanisms in the passage prompted them to separate quickly. Continuing cautiously, they arrived at a room filled with ancient books and strange instruments. The air was thick with the scent of old paper, as if they were truly in a thousand-year-old tomb.
Lyra curiously picked up a worn-covered ancient book, and as she opened it, the floor in the center of the room made a sound, and a beautifully carved stone table slowly rose, with a complex puzzle box on top.
"Wow, this mechanism is so intricate!" Lyra marveled.
She studied the puzzle box closely, noticing each piece had different symbols and patterns, some resembling constellations, others like runes, but she had no idea how to solve it.
Meanwhile, Jeffery searched the room for clues, discovering a well-preserved mural on one wall. It depicted ancient priests surrounding a similar box in a ritual, each with different hand gestures.
"Lyra, come look at this," Jeffery called.
Lyra walked over, and Jeffery pointed at the mural, "See the hand gestures? Do you think there's a pattern?"
Lyra observed, then had a flash of insight, "The sequence of their gestures; could it correspond to the order of the puzzle pieces?"
"Smart," Jeffery praised, giving her an approving look.
Following the sequence of gestures from the mural, Lyra rearranged the puzzle pieces. As the last piece clicked into place, the box emitted a pleasant melody and opened automatically. Inside lay an ancient key glowing with a mysterious blue light.
"Awesome!" Lyra exclaimed, picking up the key, "This must be the final key item!"
Jeffery watched her excited face, his lips curling into a smile, "Yeah, we're close to success."
The next challenge tested their teamwork even more. In a passage filled with infrared sensors, any misstep would trigger an alarm and reset the game.
"How do we get through this?" Lyra asked, looking at the maze of red beams with concern.
Jeffery studied the pattern of the beams, then gently wrapped an arm around Lyra's waist, "Trust me, follow my lead."
He guided Lyra with graceful movements through the beams, sometimes sidestepping, crouching, like performing a precise dance. Lyra felt the warmth of his strong arm, filled with trust and reliance.
"You're amazing," she whispered in his ear, her warm breath making Jeffery's ears turn slightly red.
Finally, they reached the last door of the escape room. The door had a delicate keyhole that matched the ancient key perfectly.
Lyra inserted the key into the lock and turned it gently; the door slowly opened.
Sunlight streamed in from outside, bright yet warm. "Congratulations on completing the challenge!" The staff was already waiting, full of admiration, "You finished in 85 minutes and earned our limited edition prize!"
She handed over a beautifully crafted box containing a pair of custom couple bracelets. The bracelets were made of silver, adorned with intricate star designs that sparkled charmingly in the light.
"Wow, they're gorgeous!" Lyra exclaimed, her eyes shining as she took the bracelets, then shyly handed one to Jeffery, "Could you help me put it on?"
Jeffery gently picked up the bracelet, handling it as if it were a precious artifact. His fingertips brushed Lyra's slender wrist as he carefully fastened the bracelet.
"It suits you," he said softly, his gaze tender enough to melt.
Lyra looked at the shimmering bracelet on her wrist, feeling a wave of sweetness.
Just then, a female voice called out from nearby, "Mr. Gray? Is it really you! What a coincidence!"
A young woman in a pink dress approached quickly. She was pretty, but her smile seemed a bit forced.
This was Clara Ross, a former patient of Jeffery's. She had visited the hospital several times for chronic gastritis, always finding excuses to extend her appointments and often bringing Jeffery small gifts, making her intentions quite clear.
Jeffery frowned slightly but responded politely, "Ms. Ross, it is quite a coincidence."
Clara's gaze lingered on Lyra, a subtle hint of hostility in her eyes, "Mr. Gray, who is this...?"
She deliberately ignored the couple bracelets on their wrists and their earlier closeness.
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