TITOR

22. The Threatening Danger

"It's very similar." Nina smiled with satisfaction at the newly completed painting, then turned her gaze to the painter. Her brow furrowed for a moment, before finally taking out a card from her belt pouch.

The painter gaped. "What is this?"

"I don't have any money, but this is a magic card that didn't exist in your time. It's something you'll be very interested in." Nina pointed at the card, then gave a command to the system implemented in it. "Change it into any identity."

The plain white card glowed faintly and moved vertically, turning into the painter's identity card. Seeing the miracle before him, the painter was amazed. Curious, he took the card from Nina's hand. The technology of the future was certainly a miracle to the people of that time; they considered it magical. Unfortunately, it couldn't recognise Xavier's true identity because he was half man, half machine. Nina knew that, so she didn't want to waste her efforts on turning the card into a picture of Xavier's face.

"This foreign money is like magic. Is this my fee for the painting?" the painter asked, pointing at the painting.

Nina nodded, understanding of the painter's gesture language. "Yes."

The painter smiled broadly. He had never expected to find such a magical object in all of Rome today. However, his joy was different from the reaction of the man who had been watching them. The man's eyes never left Nina. His lips curved into a smile as he watched the time traveller's movements.

"Thank you for your painting. Now, I need to find my friend," Nina said. After obtaining the painting, Nina carefully rolled it up, secured it under her arm, and headed out into the crowded streets.

Determined, Nina wandered around the various corners of the market, showing off her painting to anyone who would spare a moment. Some people gave her sympathetic smiles, while others just shrugged, unable to give her any clues. As the hours ticked by, the sun climbed higher into the sky, casting long shadows on the cobbled streets. Nina's legs ached, her throat dry from not being able to speak, but she continued on her way, driven by a strong determination to unravel the mystery of Xavier's whereabouts.

As the day wore on and the streets grew quieter, Nina found herself standing alone in a dimly lit alleyway, with a painting clutched tightly in her hands. She leaned against the brick wall, feeling a mixture of frustration and exhaustion wash over her. Every interaction she had earlier, was met with a head shake or a puzzled expression, making her hopes slowly fade with every fruitless enquiry. Although despair began to set in, Nina persisted and did not want to give up on finding Xavier. Nina sighed, then went back to walking.

As Nina travelled to other areas of the city, her heart raced as she sensed a lurking threat. The uncertainty of her fate weighed on her again as she traversed the streets of the ancient city. Every shadow seemed to hide a lurking eye, and every whisper of wind felt like a harbinger of danger.

With the passage of time, the feeling of being watched intensified. The growing anxiety prompted her to look over her shoulder. There, amidst the bustling crowd, she caught a glimpse of the figure following behind her—a silhouette shrouded in mystery, but clearly visible.

Fear burned inside Nina's chest, fuelling her determination to escape the mysterious figure. She quickened her pace, weaving through the crowd in an attempt to lose track of her pursuers. However, like a tireless specter, the shadowy figure persisted, following Nina's every step and giving her an ever-present terror.

Her mind was filled with unanswered questions. Who was this person, and why was he stalking her? Was he one of the Roman soldiers who had been chasing her? With no answers forthcoming, Nina's growing anxiety drove her to continue walking through the winding streets.

Despite her efforts to avoid capture, the relentless pursuit showed no signs of abating. Every turn, every passageway seemed to offer no respite from the unseen threat that accompanied her every step. Every moment, the weight of uncertainty weighed down on her and threatened to sap her resolve.

Sensing danger approaching, Nina ran into a narrow passage. Unexpectedly, in that place, her heart beat faster, and her breathing became more labored. The walls seemed to close in around her, forming elongated shadows that danced in the dim light. Panic swept through her as she realised that her intuition had betrayed her, and led her straight into danger.

Before her stood a formidable obstacle: a detachment of Roman soldiers. Their presence made Nina's hair stand on end, as she knew she couldn't possibly stand up to these formidable men. Meanwhile, behind her, the relentless pursuer continued to pursue her. It was evident that his shadow was moving ever closer. Nina could almost feel his looming presence like a specter in the darkness.

With nowhere to turn, Nina felt trapped, like a cornered animal with nowhere to escape. For an instant, fear gripped her like a demon threatening to tear her hope apart. Instead of giving up, Nina quickly pushed the feeling aside and determined to run, fight, or do anything to avoid the impending doom.

Her mind raced to find a way to survive. Nina cast her eyes around the hallway in search of a way out. Then, in a moment of urgency, her gaze fell on a rusty iron handle protruding from a nearby pillar. It was old, but sturdy enough to serve its purpose.

Without thinking, Nina sprang into action. Driven by a surge of adrenaline-fuelled strength, she leapt to grab it, her fingers stretching as she tried to reach the metal. When she managed to grasp the iron, her muscles tensed to hold her weight. For a few moments, she teetered on the edge of the pole with her breath catching. But fatigue couldn't stop her determination. Nina quickly swung her legs up and launched herself into the air.

Time seemed to slow down as Nina floated through the air with her heart beating wildly. A moment later, the world around her became a blur as she fell to the ground below. Now she was on the other side of the place where the danger had been. Nina breathed a sigh of relief that she had escaped danger for the second time.

"That was close. It's a good thing I never missed wushu class. If dad knew, maybe he wouldn't think that ancient martial arts are irrelevant in 3057," Nina muttered, wiping the sweat from her forehead.

"You're really clever and agile."

Nina gasped at the sudden voice. Suddenly, she turned her head, and saw a man with a black hood, emerging from the gap between the two buildings. Her heart raced again, and her mind was in turmoil. Having just escaped from danger, now her fate was again at stake. Would she be able to escape danger again this time, or would all her efforts be in vain?