The frail counselor you said, you fight against three heroes alone?

The darkness surged in like a tide, swallowing up the last ray of light.

Thick fog rolled in front of everyone, like a dormant beast, with a sickening stench in its breath.

From the depths of the boundless darkness, there were bursts of low roars, making people's eardrums buzz, as if some terrifying existence was about to move.

Fear entangled everyone's heart like a vine, but no one took a step back.

Xiaohong gripped the dagger tightly in her hand, her knuckles turning white, but her eyes were firm and there was no wavering at all.

Luo Xiaoyu was even more eager to try, the sword in his hand was buzzing, as if it couldn't wait to drink blood.

After experiencing the previous life and death tests, they have been reborn and are no longer the fragile girls they used to be.

Doctor Zhang covered his injured arm and his face was pale, but he still stood firmly in the team, ready to meet new challenges.

Even Granny Lin tightly grasped her cane, with a determined light flashing in her cloudy eyes.

"What should I do?" Luo Xiaoyu looked around. The thick fog obscured her vision, making her feel uneasy. "How can I get out of this damn place?"

"If we act separately, perhaps we can find a way out faster." Doctor Zhang suggested. His voice sounded a little weak due to blood loss, but he was extremely calm.

"No!" Xiao Hong immediately retorted, "It's too dangerous to separate. We should concentrate our strength and take care of each other."

For a moment, everyone was engaged in an argument.

Some people agreed with Zhang Langzhong's proposal, believing that decentralized actions could improve efficiency; others supported Xiaohong, believing that unity was the key to survival.

A tense atmosphere spread among the crowd, and the thick fog seemed to sense the uneasiness and rolled even more violently.

The old man in white remained silent. He quietly observed the surrounding environment and listened carefully to every subtle sound coming from the darkness.

After a long while, he slowly spoke: "Everyone, stop arguing, let's go together. Xiaohong, Luo Xiaoyu, you go in front, Doctor Zhang goes in the middle, Granny Lin, you follow behind me."

The crowd stopped arguing and immediately formed a formation according to the instructions of the old man in white. They gripped their weapons tightly and stepped carefully into the endless darkness.

The thick fog swallowed them up in an instant, and they could not see their hands in front of them. Only the sounds of each other's breathing and heartbeats echoed in the darkness.

"Wait..." Luo Xiaoyu suddenly stopped. She felt something touching her leg, cold and sticky, making her shiver.

"What's wrong?" Xiaohong asked nervously.

Luo Xiaoyu trembled as she raised the torch in her hand. With the weak light, she saw...

In the thick fog, Luo Xiaoyu's torch illuminated the ground below, which was a mutilated corpse with tattered clothes, blood and flesh all over it, and a tragic death.

Screams of fear echoed in the thick fog, and everyone was instantly alert, standing in a circle with their backs to each other, weapons tightly grasped in their hands.

"Enemy attack!" Doctor Zhang shouted, the silver needle in his hand flashing with cold light.

Almost at the same time, countless black shadows rushed out from the thick fog and pounced on everyone like ghosts.

There were flashes of swords and screams.

These dark shadows move swiftly, ruthlessly, and each move is deadly.

Blacksmith Zhao was the first to be hit. He swung the hammer with great strength, but two fists were no match for four hands. He was soon pierced through the body by several sharp blades and fell to the ground with a bang.

Blood splattered on Grandma Lin's face. The old woman was trembling, but still held the cane tightly and refused to fall down.

Elder Chen tried to resist with a talisman, but the black shadow seemed to be immune to spells, and the talisman fell to the ground like waste paper.

He closed his eyes in despair, waiting for death to come.

Li the Hunter's hunting knife drew cold rays of light in the darkness. He fought hard, but was ultimately outnumbered and his arm was cut off by a knife. He fell to the ground screaming.

Xiaohong and Luo Xiaoyu fought side by side. Their sword skills were in perfect harmony and they managed to hold off the attack of the black shadow for a while.

But their strength was rapidly depleting and their breathing was becoming more and more rapid.

The man in white and the swordsman in green were like two flashes of lightning, shuttling through the crowd. Their swordsmanship was exquisite and every move they made could take a life.

But there were too many shadows, and they gradually felt overwhelmed.

The enemy's attacks became more and more fierce and brutal.

The crowd's defenses gradually collapsed and they fell one after another.

Xiaohong looked at her fallen companion and felt despair, with tears blurring her eyes.

"Hold on!" the man in white roared. His body was covered with wounds and his clothes were stained red with blood.

"How long... can we hold on?" The voice of the green-shirted swordsman trembled. His sword had broken, leaving only half of the hilt.

Xiaohong was in tears. Looking at the figures falling one after another, she felt as if her heart was being cut by a knife.

"No..." She choked and sat down on the ground weakly.

Suddenly, a cold hand grabbed her shoulder.

"It's not over yet..." The deep voice was like an echo in a valley, pulling Xiaohong back to reality from the abyss of despair.

She refocused her eyes and saw the determined look of the man in white.
"Stand up!" The man in white stretched out his hand and pulled Xiaohong up from the ground.

Xiaohong felt the warmth in his palm and felt the power spreading throughout her body.

She took a deep breath and tightened her grip on the dagger in her hand again.

"Everyone, there is one last fight!" the man in white shouted loudly, his voice piercing through the thick fog and inspiring everyone present.

Everyone seemed to be ignited by this power, and their originally desperate eyes were shining again.

Xiaohong and Luo Xiaoyu fought side by side. Their sword skills were like two flying phoenixes, repelling one enemy after another.

Although Doctor Zhang was injured, the silver needles in his hand were still accurate and each needle hit the enemy's vital points.

Although Granny Lin was old, she swung her cane like a steel rod, smashing the enemy into a bloody mess.

Although Zhao the blacksmith was seriously injured, he still used up his last bit of strength, swinging the hammer to force the enemy back.

Seeing how brave everyone was, Elder Chen picked up the talisman again. Although the spell was ineffective, he used it to set the enemy's clothes on fire, creating chaos.

Although Li the Hunter lost one arm, he still used his other hand to hold the hunting knife and fought hard to kill the enemy.

The man in white and the swordsman in green were like two sharp swords, shuttling through the enemy group, and every swing of the sword could take away several lives.

Their swordsmanship was so superb that the enemy could not get close to them.

The black-armored warrior was cold-blooded and ruthless, but faced with such unparalleled fighting power, he couldn't help but feel a little scared.

The enemy's attacks gradually weakened and they retreated.

As more and more people fell under the weapons of the crowd, the enemy finally began to be defeated.

The crowd pursued the victory, forced the enemy back step by step, and finally drove them into the depths of darkness.

"They must have fled to their lair!" Luo Xiaoyu shouted excitedly, her voice filled with the joy of victory.

"That's right, let's go and take a look!" The man in white nodded, a rare smile appearing on his face.

Everyone looked at each other. There was no one injured among them. Everyone stood straight with a gleam of victory in their eyes.

They followed the footsteps of the man in white, chasing him all the way, and finally came to a hidden cave.

"This is their lair!" Elder Chen's wise eyes swept across the cave, with a hint of pride in his tone.

Without hesitation, everyone rushed into the cave and found a large amount of treasures and information piled up inside.

Gold, silver, jewelry, ancient books, elixirs, and even some mysterious talismans were scattered on the ground.

Everyone was ecstatic, as if they had seen the dawn of victory.

"We succeeded!" Luo Xiaoyu shouted excitedly. Her voice echoed in the cave, making people feel extremely excited.

"Yes, we succeeded!" The man in white looked at everyone, he hugged Xiaohong tightly, and their hearts were closely connected at this moment.

"Next, we will completely dismantle their forces!" the man in white said firmly. His voice echoed in the cave, as if announcing that a new journey was about to begin.

The man in white hugged Xiaohong tightly, holding her firmly in his arms, feeling the warmth of her body as if he wanted to integrate her into his own bones and blood.

Xiaohong also responded enthusiastically, hugging his waist tightly with her hands, burying her head in his chest, feeling his strong heartbeat.

No words are needed between them; a hug is worth a thousand words; it is a love that lasts for life and death, hot and deep.

The people around them looked at them.

Granny Lin stood not far away, her kind eyes sweeping over every survivor. She was like a weathered elder, watching the children grow up in the wind and rain, her heart filled with pride and honor.

She raised her crutches tremblingly and leaned them on the ground, making a crisp sound, as if ringing a bell to celebrate their victory.

After experiencing this life-and-death battle, everyone's feelings have deepened, and the trust and dependence on each other have risen to a new level.

They are no longer just strangers, but comrades who support each other and share life and death.

Their friendship was sublimated in blood and sweat, and became an unbreakable friendship of life and death.

The air was filled with the joy of victory and the indescribable warmth of friendship. Everyone cheered and celebrated this hard-won victory.

They successfully disrupted the conspiracy's plans and saved the world.

Their names will be remembered and their stories will be sung.

They became true heroes and were admired by all people.

Standing at the pinnacle of glory, everyone's hearts were filled with a sense of accomplishment.

They looked back on the road they had come, filled with emotion.

The fear and despair of the past have all turned into pride and glory at this moment.

They used their courage and wisdom to defeat powerful enemies and win the ultimate victory.

The gold, silver, jewelry, ancient books and elixirs in front of them are no longer important in their eyes. What they have gained are things more precious than any treasures - the courage to overcome themselves, the friendship of watching over each other, and the indelible glory in their lives.

At the horizon, the last ray of afterglow slowly disappeared and night fell.

Everyone stood at the entrance of the cave, letting the evening breeze brush across their faces, bringing a sense of coolness and freedom.

Their future is full of infinite possibilities.

How will they continue their journey in life?

How will they protect this hard-earned peace?
Everything will be a new beginning, a new chapter...

The loud sound of gongs and drums was deafening, colorful confetti fell like snowflakes, and the cheering crowds packed the streets.

The joy of victory is like a fine wine, surging in everyone's heart.

Hero Wu proudly lifted up the jar of wine, tilted his head back and drank it down, his hearty laughter resounding through the sky.

"What a pleasure! What a pleasure! This is the treatment of a hero!" Su Yao had a hint of smile on her lips. She glanced at the jubilant crowd and finally felt relieved.

Pharmacist Wang carefully tidied up Zhou Xiaomei's hair that was messed up by the wind. Elder Sun stood on the high platform, waving to everyone, steady and kind.

Even the shrewd businessman Chen donated generously, distributing gold, silver and jewelry to the crowd, which in turn was met with thunderous cheers.

Bathed in the aura of glory, everyone felt an indescribable sense of relief.

Blacksmith Liu wiped the sweat off his face and sighed, "It's finally over."

However, in this joyful atmosphere, something strange quietly emerged.

A black shadow flashed across the roof, so fast that it almost seemed like an illusion.

Then, several black shadows shuttled through the crowd, floating like ghosts.

"Did you see anything?" Pharmacist Wang asked in a low voice, frowning.

"What? Pharmacist Wang, are you too nervous?" Wu Daxia waved his hand disapprovingly, "I think you are exhausted and your eyes are blurry, right?"

"No, I saw it too." Su Yao said solemnly, "Those shadows are definitely not ordinary people."

"Don't worry about nothing! We have already won, what else is there to be afraid of?" The wealthy businessman Chen snorted disdainfully.

"It's better to be safe than sorry." Elder Sun said in a deep voice, "It's better to believe it than not to believe it."

The crowd immediately split into two groups and argued endlessly.

There was a tense atmosphere in the air, and the original joy was diluted a lot.

"Stop arguing!" Elder Sun raised his voice, with a hint of majesty in his tone, "Now is not the time for internal strife. No matter what, we must be vigilant."

Everyone reluctantly stopped arguing, but the doubts in their hearts lingered.

It was late at night and Elder Sun stood alone on the roof, looking at the flickering lights in the distance with a frown on his face.

Suddenly, he heard a faint sound of footsteps. He turned around abruptly, but saw only a vague figure disappearing into the night.

"Who?!" Elder Sun shouted sternly.

No one responded. Only the sound of the wind was sobbing, as if telling a secret unknown to others.

Elder Sun slowly drew out the sword from his waist, and the sword edge reflected a cold light in the moonlight.

"It seems that this battle is not over yet..."

Elder Sun's warning was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, causing ripples.

The next morning, everyone began to investigate the whereabouts of those mysterious shadows.

However, they visited all possible places but found nothing.

There were very few witnesses and their accounts were inconsistent. The clues were as fragmented as dandelions blown in the wind, making it difficult to piece together a complete picture.

An invisible pressure hung over everyone's heart.

The air became thick, as if it had solidified.

Wu Daxia scratched his hair irritably, his rough face full of confusion: "What the hell! Who are these guys? How come there is no trace left?"

"Are we worrying too much?" Mr. Chen asked tentatively, but his flickering eyes revealed his inner uneasiness.

Su Yao shook her head and frowned: "Impossible. The actions of those shadows are not something that ordinary people can do. They are well-trained, have clear goals, and..." She paused, and her tone became more solemn, "They seem to be deliberately hiding their whereabouts."

Everyone fell silent. Fear was like an invisible poisonous snake, quietly coiling around their hearts.

Night fell and darkness swallowed the entire village.

The pitch-dark night added to everyone's anxiety.

Pharmacist Wang lit the oil lamp. The dim light flickered in the room, illuminating everyone's uneasy faces.

Zhou Xiaomei hugged Pharmacist Wang's arm tightly, her body trembling slightly and sobbing softly.

Her crying was like a catalyst, making the already tense atmosphere even more depressing.

Suddenly, a sharp sound broke the silence of the night!
Immediately afterwards, a group of black-clad assassins emerged from the darkness like ghosts, the sharp blades in their hands flashing a cold light.

"Enemy attack!" Hero Wu roared, drew the long sword from his waist and faced the assassin.

The flash of swords and shadows, the shouts of killing shook the sky.

Hero Wu and a man in white who appeared out of nowhere were like two fierce tigers, charging left and right among the group of assassins.

Their bravery and fearlessness inspired everyone to rise up in resistance.

However, the number of enemies was too large and they cooperated well with each other, so their offensive was like a tide, one wave after another.

Gradually, everyone felt overwhelmed and had more and more wounds on their bodies.

"Their swords are poisoned!" A villager screamed, fell to the ground, and his body twitched.

"Damn it!" Hero Wu's eyes were wide open with anger, and he chopped down an assassin with a knife, but more assassins rushed up and surrounded him.

Just when everyone was about to collapse, Su Yao suddenly shouted: "Their eyes! Attack their eyes!"

Su Yao's discovery was like a flash of lightning in the dark night, illuminating everyone's hope.

The assassins wore masks with only their eyes showing. This was originally intended to hide their identities, but it became their fatal weakness.

Everyone immediately changed their tactics and attacked the assassin's eyes.

Hero Wu's long sword, with a whistling sound, went straight towards the assassin's eyes.

The assassin was unable to dodge and fell to the ground with his eyes covered, screaming.

Others followed suit, and for a moment, screams were heard one after another, and the assassins were in chaos.

"Good job!" Hero Wu shouted excitedly, and the long sword in his hand danced even more vigorously.

The assassins were caught off guard, their original offensive collapsed immediately, and they began to flee in a panic.

The crowd took advantage of the victory and pursued the assassins like a tiger descending from the mountain, chasing them in all directions.

After the battle, everyone was excited and surrounded Su Yao to express their gratitude and admiration.

"Ms. Su, you are so smart!" Zhou Xiaomei excitedly pulled Su Yao's hand, with admiration shining in her eyes.

"Thanks to Miss Su, we were able to turn defeat into victory." Pharmacist Wang also praised sincerely.

Su Yao showed a faint smile on her face.

The morale of the crowd was greatly boosted.

During the battle, the man in white always stayed by Xiaohong's side, blocking all attacks for her.

Xiaohong snuggled up to the man in white, and the people around them looked at them with envious smiles on their faces.

Liu the blacksmith and Wang the pharmacist supported and cared for each other, showing their deep friendship. (End of this chapter)