Yan Cijin blinked.
"I have no idea what that means."
Neither did Bai Li.
Then the dragon roared.
A mechanical roar.
The front gates began to lift.
Bai Li looked at Luo Ren.
"Third lock."
He nodded.
"The lock is behind the water wheel."
They moved.
A narrow walkway led behind the machinery.
It was barely wide enough for one person.
Bai Li went first.
The floor shook.
Below them, the water wheel slowed.
Then stopped.
Bai Li reached the final lock.
It was different from the other two.
Instead of a lever, it had three bells.
Small brass bells.
Luo Ren's voice came from behind.
"That's the manual shutdown."
Yan Cijin looked at him.
"Three bells?"
"Yes."
"What do we do?"
"Ring them in sequence."
"That's all?"
"That's what the original system used."
Bai Li stared at the bells.
"How fast?"
"Within ten seconds."
Yan Cijin smiled.
"That's easier than fighting the tree."
Bai Li looked at her.
"Don't say that."
"Why?"
