hotmtlnovel Page 297
Page 297
"Oh no! Oh no! I heard that a giant beast has appeared in the dark forest to the south, and many caravans have been attacked, making the roads impassable!" The traveler gasped for breath, his face filled with terror. As soon as he finished speaking, the crowd erupted in chaos.
"A giant beast? What are we going to do? All our goods depend on that road for transportation!" A merchant with a worried face wrung his hands anxiously.
“Brother Zhao, look at this…” The village chief turned to look at Zhao De, his eyes full of expectation.
Zhao De remained silent for a moment, his gaze deep, as if weighing something. Finally, he slowly spoke: "Protecting the peace of this region is the responsibility of us martial artists. Village Chief, please provide us with all information about the giant beast, and we will depart immediately."
"Brother Zhao, please be careful!" "You must return safely!" The villagers chimed in with their well wishes, their concern evident in their eyes.
Just as Zhao De and his group were preparing to embark on their new journey, Xiao Bao tugged at Zhao De's sleeve, his eyes shining with determination: "Brother Zhao, I want to go too! I want to become as strong as you all and protect others!"
Zhao De looked down at Xiao Bao, a flicker of hesitation crossing his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by determination. "Xiao Bao, this journey is extremely dangerous, and you are still very young..."
"I don't care, I can help!" Xiao Bao stubbornly raised his head, his eyes full of longing for the unknown challenges.
"Haha, good lad, you've got ambition!" Lei Hu, a burly man in the group, patted Xiao Bao on the shoulder. "In that case, come and train with us! But you'll have to follow Brother Zhao's arrangements."
The villagers, witnessing this scene, began to discuss it amongst themselves:
"This little Bao is truly fearless, like a newborn calf!"
"Yes, but with Brother Zhao and the others around, there shouldn't be any major problems."
"Brother Zhao and his team are truly the pride of our village. Whenever there is trouble, they are always the first to rush to the front."
Watched by everyone, Zhao De and his group, along with Xiao Bao, embarked on their journey to the Dark Forest. Along the way, they gathered intelligence and discovered that the appearance of the giant beast was not accidental; a more complex conspiracy seemed to be behind it.
"Brother Zhao, I've heard that this giant beast is extremely cunning. We can't confront it head-on," Li Wen, the strategist in the group, reminded them.
“Brother Wen is right, we need to come up with a foolproof plan.” After a moment of contemplation, Zhao De decided to first infiltrate the nearby villages to look for more clues.
Upon arriving at the village, they found it in ruins, clearly having been ravaged by a giant beast. They found an injured old man leaning weakly against a dilapidated fence.
Chapter 681 The Origin of the Giant Beast
Chapter 681 The Origin of the Giant Beast
"Old man, do you know the origin of the giant beast?" Zhao De squatted down and asked gently.
The old man barely opened his eyes, his voice weak: "Those monsters came from an ancient ruin deep in the forest... Their leader seems to possess some kind of magic that controls people's minds..."
Upon hearing this, Zhao De's heart skipped a beat; he realized that this mission was far more complex than he had imagined. Just as they were about to leave to continue their investigation, a series of hurried footsteps approached, and several nervous-looking villagers ran over.
"Warriors from afar, please save us! The army of giant beasts is heading towards the village!" a young man cried out.
"Everyone, prepare for battle!" Zhao De quickly gave the order, and at the same time said to Xiao Bao, "Xiao Bao, stick close to me and don't run around."
A battle was about to erupt, and Zhao De and his companions, relying on their superb martial arts skills and perfect teamwork, successfully repelled the first wave of giant beasts. However, in the lulls in the fighting, Zhao De discovered a shocking fact—the giant beasts that attacked them were actually the villagers who had gone missing before!
"What on earth is going on?" Lei Hu asked incredulously.
“That ancient ruin…may hold the secret to mind control…” Li Wen mused.
Just then, a strange laugh echoed from the depths of the forest, a sound that could send chills down one's spine.
"Welcome to my territory, valiant warriors. Want to know more secrets? The heart of the Dark Forest awaits you..."
The laughter gradually faded, leaving Zhao De and his group with endless mysteries and challenges.
"Brother Zhao, what should we do?" Xiao Bao clenched his fists, his eyes filled with both fear and determination.
"Don't be afraid, Xiao Bao." Zhao De patted Xiao Bao's shoulder gently, his resolute gaze sweeping over everyone. "No matter what kind of power those ruins hold, now that we have stepped onto this land, we must unveil its mysteries and rescue our villagers."
"Yes, we can't let those monsters run rampant anymore!" Lei Hu gripped his broadsword tightly, his spirit soaring.
Li Wen pondered for a moment and said, "We must proceed with caution. That ruin is clearly not a simple place. Zhao De, you lead everyone to confront the enemy head-on and draw their attention; I will sneak in quietly to find the key to controlling the villagers."
With the plan set, the group quickly dispersed. As they traveled, they encountered villagers who had been transformed into giant beasts. With each battle, passersby cast glances of surprise or admiration.
"Look, those outsiders are really amazing! They can actually fight against giant beasts!"
"Yes, I heard they're heroes who came to rescue us!"
"Heroes? I think they're madmen. Even the royal army doesn't dare venture deep into the forest, yet these few..."
Amidst the discussions, Zhao De and his group appeared even more legendary and mysterious.
Under the cover of night, Li Wen sneaked into the ruins, which were filled with intricate mechanisms and mist, each step fraught with uncertainty. Suddenly, a painful groan came from the depths of the mist, and his heart tightened, quickening his pace.
Meanwhile, Zhao De and his companions were locked in fierce battles with wave after wave of colossal beasts, a truly breathtaking scene. An old woman, hiding behind a house, witnessed everything and murmured to herself, "After all these years, finally someone dares to stand up against that terrifying power... May the gods bless you."
Just as Zhao De and his men were about to be exhausted, a burst of intense light erupted from the depths of the ruins, followed by a deafening explosion. Miraculously, the beasts' offensive slowed down.
Chapter 682 The Dark Forest
Chapter 682 The Dark Forest.
"Success! Li Wen has solved the source!" Zhao De shouted excitedly. Everyone's spirits lifted, and they seized the opportunity to launch a counterattack, finally eliminating all the controlled giant beasts.
After the battle, Li Wen returned exhausted and covered in dust, clutching a gem that shimmered with an eerie light. "This is the source of the villagers' consciousness; it must be destroyed now."
"But if this is the only thing that can fight against that force, do we really have to do it?" Xiao Bao asked worriedly.
“True power comes from the hearts of the people and unity. We cannot rely on such evil.” Zhao De said firmly.
After a moment of silence, everyone unanimously decided to destroy the gem. As the gem shattered, a warm power spread out, and the controlled villagers awoke, looking around in bewilderment.
"Where...where are we?" a middle-aged man asked, puzzled.
“You are safe now, it’s all over,” Zhao De replied with a smile.
Just as the villagers were celebrating, an elderly man with white hair slowly stepped out from the crowd, his eyes deep and thoughtful. "Brave warriors," he said, "every villager will remember what you have done. But remember, there are still many unknowns to be revealed in the dark forest, and even greater challenges await you ahead."
Zhao De looked up into the distance, where the stars shone brightly, and his heart was filled with renewed determination. "As long as it's for the protection of this land and its people, no matter how difficult the road ahead, we will forge ahead without hesitation."
"Brother Zhao is right. No matter what the future holds, we will fight side by side." Xiao Bao, Lei Hu, and Li Wen echoed in unison, the four of them smiling at each other, their friendship and faith deeply etched in their hearts at that moment.
"Look, the heroes are back!" A child excitedly pointed to the four people slowly walking towards them in the distance. The villagers all turned their heads, their faces filled with surprise and gratitude.
“It was them, the heroes who saved us!” a woman said to the old man beside her, wiping her eyes. The old man nodded, his eyes shining with admiration: “Truly, the younger generation is formidable, a beacon of hope.”
As the four approached, Zhao De raised his hand in greeting, and the surrounding noise gradually subsided. "Fellow villagers," he said, "tonight's victory belongs to each and every one of us. But as the wise man said, this is only the beginning. We need to rebuild our homes, and even more importantly, we must prepare to face the unknown challenges ahead."
A murmur of agreement rippled through the crowd, interspersed with a few exclamations: "Yes, we must stand with the heroes to protect our homeland!"
At this moment, a young blacksmith squeezed forward, his face full of excitement: "Brother Zhao, I can forge weapons for you, the strongest kind! With these, you will be much safer when facing the enemy!"
Zhao De patted him on the shoulder, his smile showing a hint of relief: "Thank you, Qiang. We trust your skills."
Xiao Bao jumped onto a rock, looked around, and said, "Everyone, we need more than just weapons; we need everyone's hearts. Only by uniting can we be invincible!"
A burst of enthusiastic applause erupted from the crowd, and even the usually composed Li Wen couldn't help but smile. He said softly, "That's right, unity is our strongest weapon."
As night fell, a bonfire was lit in the center of the village, and people sat around it, sharing food and stories. In the firelight, hope and strength shone on everyone's face.
"Brother Zhao, what did you mean when you said the Dark Forest presents an even greater challenge?" A curious little girl tugged at Zhao De's sleeve.
Chapter 683 The Origin of Evil Power
Chapter 683 The Origin of Evil Power
Zhao De lowered his head and gently stroked her head: "Child, ancient secrets lie hidden deep within the forest, perhaps concerning the origin of that evil force. We must find the answers and eradicate the threat completely."
"Are we scared?" the little girl asked, her eyes wide.
“Fear? Perhaps. But that’s precisely why we must be even braver.” Lei Hu’s rugged voice carried a hint of tenderness. “Because we are doing this to protect what we love.”
As they talked, a cool breeze blew by, and the campfire flickered, as if even the night was listening to their vows.
“Then let’s set off tomorrow.” Zhao De stood up, his eyes blazing. “For this land, for everyone, we will move forward without fear.”
"Yes!" everyone responded in unison, their hearts united by a shared belief.
Just then, a young man rushed into the crowd, panting, and shouted, "Zhao De, it's urgent! An unusual energy fluctuation has been detected on the eastern border, it's like...like the kind that controlled our village before!"
Instantly, the atmosphere, which had just been filled with the joy of victory, became tense. Li Wen quickly wiped the smile off his face and said solemnly, "It seems that the new challenges have come sooner than we expected."
Zhao De took a deep breath, looked up at the starry sky, his eyes filled with unwavering determination: "Then let us prove with our actions that there is nothing we cannot overcome."
In the night sky, the stars seemed to be responding, twinkling with encouraging light.
"Are you ready, guys?" Zhao De turned around to face the three people standing side by side, and the villagers around him who were full of anticipation.
"Ready!" The resounding reply was not only the promise of the four warriors, but also the determination of the entire village.
The next morning, as the first rays of sunlight pierced through the thin mist and shone on the large blue stone at the village entrance, Zhao De and his group were already ready to depart. The villagers spontaneously gathered to see them off. Children held wildflowers in their hands, their eyes sparkling with admiration and reluctance to part, while the elderly silently prayed, hoping for a safe return.
"Brother Zhao, you must come back safely!" The little girl who asked the question yesterday squeezed through the crowd and stuffed a bouquet of flowers into Zhao De's hand, her little face full of seriousness.
Zhao De bent down and patted her little head again, smiling as he said, "Don't worry, little girl, when we return victorious, I'll tell you the most magical stories from the forest."
"Look at Zhao De and the others, they're like heroes from legends," an old man in the crowd exclaimed, his eyes filled with both worry and pride.
“Yes, with them around, what do we have to be afraid of!” the young man next to him chimed in, his tone filled with envy and determination.
Lei Hu strode to the front of the horse, turned back to the villagers and said loudly, "Fellow villagers, we will bring back news of victory. Please wait patiently!" His deep voice was like a shot of adrenaline, warming everyone's hearts.
With a crisp crack of the whip, the four mounted their steeds and embarked on their journey. Along the way, the wind carried the fragrance of earth from the fields, seemingly encouraging them. Occasionally, passersby would stop to watch this dashing group, murmuring amongst themselves.
"Look, isn't that Zhao De and his group? I heard they're going to solve a big problem."