We agreed that you, a weak strategist, would fight against three heroes by yourself?

Before Elder Chen finished his words, the light of the treasure box suddenly dimmed, and the runes disappeared as well, as if everything just now was just an illusion.

Everyone carefully got up from the ground, rubbing the painful parts of their bodies, with anticipation for the treasure box and deep vigilance in their eyes.

They approached the stone platform slowly, taking every step with extreme caution, as if they were walking on thin ice.

The treasure box lay quietly on the stone platform, its simple surface glowing with metallic luster, and there was nothing unusual about it.

The air around them was unusually heavy, and an inexplicable sense of oppression enveloped everyone, making it almost hard to breathe.

The runes on the ground reappeared, this time they flashed more violently, the faint blue light flickered like will-o'-the-wisp, emitting an unsettling aura.

Xiaohong took a deep breath, slowly stretched out her hand, and gently touched the surface of the treasure box with her fingertips.

An electric current instantly spread throughout her body, and she suddenly pulled her hand back and exclaimed, "Ah!"

Suddenly, the lid of the treasure box opened automatically, and a dazzling light burst out.

Then, several magic puppets jumped out of the treasure box. They held various weapons in their hands, made clanging sounds of metal collision, and rushed towards the crowd aggressively.

"Be careful!" The man in white shouted softly, and his figure flashed and stood in front of everyone.

He waved his hands and a powerful wind force swept out, trying to force the puppet back.

However, these puppets were extremely agile. They rolled in the air to dodge and then continued to pounce on the crowd.

Hunter Li, who was standing nearby, clenched the hunting knife in his hand nervously, with beads of sweat oozing out of his forehead.

Luo Xiaoyu and Zhao the Blacksmith looked at each other, and they both roared at the same time, waving their weapons and rushing towards the puppet.

However, the puppets were numerous and worked in perfect harmony with each other, so Luo Xiaoyu and Zhao the Blacksmith were soon surrounded and put in trouble.

At this moment, an old figure appeared in front of everyone.

It was the mysterious old man who had led them here before.

Next to him, there was a rune elf emitting a soft light floating.

The old man and the rune elf stretched out their hands at the same time, muttering something, and a powerful magical wave spread in the air.

"Back off!" the old man shouted, his voice full of majesty.

The puppets came like a torrent of steel. Luo Xiaoyu swung his sword and chopped on the arm of a puppet, but only left a shallow scratch. The sharp sound of metal collision rang through his ears.

The other puppet took the opportunity to swing a mace and hit Zhao the blacksmith hard on the back. Zhao the blacksmith groaned, staggered a few steps, and almost fell down.

Doctor Zhang was dodging the attacks of the puppets while busy treating the wounded. The bitter smell of herbs filled the air, mixed with the smell of blood, which was nauseating.

Xiaohong's arm was scratched by the sharp claws of a puppet, and the blood instantly dyed her sleeve red. The severe pain made her gasp.

She fell to the ground, looking at the approaching puppet in horror, her body trembling.

The man in white was furious when he saw Xiaohong was injured. He tried hard to break out, but was entangled by other puppets. He was so anxious that he roared in anger.

The puppets were tireless and their attacks became more and more fierce. Gradually, everyone became exhausted and had bruises all over their bodies.

A feeling of despair began to spread among the crowd. They were like trapped animals, surrounded by a torrent of steel, without a glimmer of hope in sight.

Granny Lin, who had been silent all the time, suddenly took out a yellowed talisman from her arms, and everyone looked at her in surprise.

Granny Lin stuck the talisman onto a puppet with trembling hands.

Something unexpected happened. The puppet with the spell on it suddenly stopped moving and stood stiffly in place.

When everyone saw this, their spirits were lifted, as if they saw a ray of light in the darkness.

"My ancestral talismans seem to be effective on these metal creations!" Although Grandma Lin's voice was weak, it was full of power.

Everyone reacted immediately and began looking for similar items, hoping to find a way to restrain the puppet.

At this moment, the ancient scroll spirit floated gently in front of a puppet. The soft light it emitted shone on the puppet, and the puppet actually began to tremble. The metal body made a creaking sound, as if it was enduring great pain...

The light of the ancient scroll spirit became brighter and brighter, shining on the puppet. The metal body creaked under the heavy weight, as if it would collapse at any time.

The puppets' movements became slower and slower, until they finally fell stiffly to the ground one by one and turned into piles of scrap metal.

When everyone saw this, they cheered and their joy at surviving the disaster was beyond words.

As the puppet fell, the runes around the treasure box gradually dimmed, and the sense of oppression disappeared without a trace.

Xiaohong stretched out her hand again. This time, she did not feel an electric current, but a touch as warm and smooth as jade.

She pushed gently, and the lid of the treasure box opened completely, revealing the treasure inside - a crystal emitting colorful light.

The crystal was suspended in the center of the treasure box, rotating slowly, causing the air around it to distort, as if it contained enough power to change the world.

Everyone held their breath and stared at the mysterious crystal. They succeeded!

They solved the secret of the treasure box and became heroes of the village!

Great glory and wealth came like a tide and drowned them.

Xiaohong and the man in white hugged each other tightly, tears intertwined.

The man in white looked at Xiaohong affectionately, "Are you okay?" he asked gently, with a slight tremor in his voice.

Xiaohong snuggled in his arms happily and shook her head gently, "I'm fine, we succeeded..."

Everyone hugged each other tightly, feeling each other's body temperature, and the warmth of friendship flowed in their hearts.

After this thrilling adventure, the relationship between them became even stronger than a rock.

They fought side by side, faced danger together, and their trust and dependence on each other reached an unprecedented level.

Elder Chen stroked the crystal with trembling hands, a gleam of wisdom in his cloudy eyes.

"This crystal..." he muttered to himself, with an indescribable meaning in his tone.

"What kind of power does this crystal contain..."

Everyone held the colorful crystal carefully, and a warm current flowed in from their fingertips and spread throughout the body in an instant.

It is as smooth as jade, emitting a soft light, as if it contains the purest power in the world.

Feeling the rhythm of the crystal, everyone had a strong sense of mission in their hearts - they wanted to use this power to benefit this land and free the suffering people from poverty and disease.

When they walked out of the cave, everything before their eyes became completely different.

The originally barren mountains are now covered with lush green vegetation, blooming flowers and flying butterflies.

The air is filled with the fragrance of soil and the scent of flowers and plants, which is refreshing.

Those villagers who were suffering from illness were now radiant and had happy smiles on their faces.

An old man who had been paralyzed for many years suddenly ran towards them with great enthusiasm, shouting: "Thank God! Thank you!"

People sang and danced, celebrating this miraculous moment.

Their cheers resounded through the sky and shook the entire valley.

Xiaohong and the man in white smiled at each other, while Luo Xiaoyu and Zhao the blacksmith waved their fists excitedly with bright smiles on their faces.

Doctor Zhang carefully observed the changes in the villagers and recorded the data carefully in a notebook.

Granny Lin and Elder Chen looked at everything in front of them with satisfaction.

Their names, like shining stars, will be forever recorded in the annals of history.

They became legends and heroes passed down by word of mouth.

Their stories, like beautiful songs, have been passed down from generation to generation by villagers.

However, just as everyone was immersed in the atmosphere of joy, a strange black crack suddenly appeared in the sky.

It was like the gaping mouth of a monster, swallowing up the surrounding light. A cold and evil aura surged out from the crack like a tide, instantly covering the earth.

The air became stagnant, the cheers stopped abruptly, and were replaced by a suffocating silence.

The villagers looked at the sky in horror. Even those who had been smiling just now frowned.

The temperature around them suddenly dropped, as if they had entered an ice cellar. The eerie atmosphere made everyone feel frightened.

The world that was full of vitality just now has become gloomy and terrifying, making people feel as if they are in hell.

An unknown fear hangs over everyone's heart.

The man in white raised his head, staring at the dark crack with sharp eyes. He slowly clenched his hands into fists, as if suppressing the surging power in his heart. He pursed his lips tightly and said nothing.

The crack spread, like a huge black eye, staring coldly at the tiny creatures below.

Everyone looked up at the horrifying scene, with vigilance and worry intertwined in their eyes.

A biting chill seeped out from the cracks, quickly devouring the surrounding warmth, and the laughter was instantly replaced by dead silence.

The world seemed to be covered by a gray filter. The originally vivid colors became dim, and the air was filled with suffocating depression.

Xiaohong snuggled up to the man in white, her petite body trembling slightly, and fear spread in her eyes.

Suddenly, an evil force surged out of the dark cracks and transformed into a group of hideous demons. They bared their fangs and claws, making creepy screams, and pounced on everyone like a group of hungry beasts.

The man in white's eyes flashed, and he quickly formed seals with his hands. A powerful force of wind swirled around him, forming a solid wind wall, trying to block the demon's attack.

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"Be careful! They broke through the wind wall!" Luo Xiaoyu shouted in horror, her voice sounding particularly harsh in the trembling air.

The demons roared, and their sharp claws tore through the wind wall as they continued to pounce on the crowd.

"I'm coming!" Li the Hunter roared and rushed towards the devil with a spear in his hand. Zhao the Blacksmith followed closely behind him, swinging a heavy hammer.

However, the demons spewed out black magic from their mouths, hitting Li the Hunter and Zhao the Blacksmith. The two fell to the ground in pain, groaning.

At the critical moment, the mysterious old man and the rune elf joined forces, chanting ancient spells. A dazzling light shot out from their hands, forming a barrier that temporarily resisted the demon's attack.

The air was filled with the harsh sound of magic colliding, as if the whole world was shaking.

"This is not a solution..." Elder Chen looked at the approaching demon, his brows furrowed and his tone serious.

The demon's attack became more and more fierce, and black magic poured down like raindrops.

Screams rang out one after another. The devil's sharp claws cut Li Hunter's arm, leaving a deep wound that could be seen to the bone, and blood gushed out.

Blacksmith Zhao's legs were also hit by the devil's magic. He curled up on the ground in pain, his heavy breathing echoing in the air.

Doctor Zhang was busy bandaging the wounded. The scent of herbs filled the air, but it could not cover up the strong smell of blood.

Sweat beads appeared on his forehead and his hands moved faster and faster, but he still couldn't keep up with the increasing number of wounded.

Luo Xiaoyu waved the dagger in her hand, trying hard to protect Grandma Lin behind her.

Her movements became slower and slower, and her breathing became faster.

The demons surrounded her, and the stench made her feel nauseous.

She swung her sword, but the demon easily dodged it, and its sharp claws left several bloody marks on her arm.

She gritted her teeth, endured the pain, and continued to swing the dagger in her hand.

Xiaohong hid behind the man in white, tears welling up in her eyes.

She watched her companions fall one by one, her heart filled with self-blame and helplessness.

She clenched the talisman tightly in her hand, but did not dare to use it.

She was afraid, afraid that she was not strong enough to fight these terrible demons, afraid that she would be the next to fall.

At this moment, Elder Chen, who had been silent all the time, suddenly let out a roar. He rushed towards the group of demons, and the crutch in his hand emitted a dazzling light.

Everyone looked at him in surprise, not understanding why this usually timid old man suddenly became so brave.

Elder Chen used his cane to draw a complicated formation on the ground. Golden runes rose from the ground, trapping some demons inside.

The demons struggled and screamed in the formation, but were unable to break free.

"Let's go too!" Inspired by Elder Chen, everyone rekindled their fighting spirit.

They all picked up their weapons and attacked the trapped demon.

"Wait! These runes..." Xiaohong suddenly pointed at the formation drawn by Elder Chen, her eyes full of surprise.

Xiao Hong pointed at the formation and exclaimed: "These runes are exactly the same as the runes of the ancient scroll elves!" Everyone then noticed that the runes drawn by Elder Chen were very similar to the runes usually used by the ancient scroll elves.

The ancient scroll elf floated to the center of the formation and hummed softly. The ancient runes suddenly glowed with golden light, and a powerful force burst out from the formation like a shock wave, blowing away the surrounding demons.

The demons screamed miserably, and their bodies gradually dissipated in the golden light, turning into wisps of black smoke.

"They are afraid of the runes of the ancient elves!" Luo Xiaoyu shouted excitedly.

The scroll elf seemed to feel its own power as well. It floated in the air, forming seals with its hands and muttering something.

Golden runes flew out from its hands, streaking through the night sky like meteors, accurately hitting the demons that tried to approach.

The demons were pushed back one after another, howling in pain.

As the demons were defeated, the dark rift began to show signs of shrinking.

The originally expanding crack is now slowly shrinking, as if a huge eye is slowly closing.

The air around also became fresher, the depressing atmosphere gradually dissipated, and was replaced by the hope of victory.

"We succeeded!" Li the Hunter shouted excitedly, covering his injured arm.

Everyone cheered. They successfully resisted the first wave of attacks from the demons, which gave them a boost of confidence and made them feel that they had the ability to fight against this evil force.

Xiaohong looked at the man in white with gratitude. He gently protected her behind him, his eyes full of love and a sense of security.

Luo Xiaoyu and Li Liehu supported each other to stand up. They smiled at each other, filled with the warmth of friendship.

Everyone looked at each other, felt the power of unity, and their relationship became closer.

“Take advantage of now, we…” Elder Chen looked towards the dark crack with a determined gaze, without finishing his words.

Elder Chen pointed at the gradually shrinking dark crack with a sharp gaze, and said in a deep voice: "We must seal it completely now!" Upon hearing this, everyone became high-spirited and responded one after another.

They know that if they do not take this opportunity to completely resolve this hidden danger, they will face greater crises in the future.

The man in white rushed towards the dark crack first, condensing powerful wind power in his hands, forming sharp wind blades, cutting towards the edge of the crack.

Xiao Hong followed closely behind, the talisman in her hand glowing with golden light, adding to the attack of the man in white, doubling its power.

Luo Xiaoyu and Li Hunter cooperated with each other, one wielding a dagger and the other throwing a spear, and they eliminated the remaining demons that tried to escape from the cracks one by one.

Blacksmith Zhao swung a heavy hammer to completely crush the demon remains on the ground to prevent them from resurrecting again.

However, just when everyone thought victory was in sight, an even more powerful evil aura suddenly surged out from the dark cracks, making everyone shudder.

What emerged from the cracks were no longer the low-level demons from before, but monsters that were larger in size and more terrifying in power.

They exuded a disgusting stench, their eyes were bloodshot, and they let out deafening roars, as if they wanted to devour the entire world.

Everyone's heart sank, realizing that the real battle had just begun.

The man in white took a deep breath and poured all his strength into the power of wind, forming a huge tornado that swept towards the monsters.

Xiaohong kept chanting spells, injecting golden runes into the tornado, making it more powerful.

Luo Xiaoyu and Li the Hunter also tried their best to fight the monster to the death.

The battle was extremely fierce, with deafening collisions and screams one after another, and the entire space seemed to be shaking.

Their bodies were covered in blood and dirt, but they did not retreat at all.

At this moment, a stronger evil aura suddenly emerged from the dark crack, stronger than any previous time.

This atmosphere was full of oppression, as if a mountain was pressing down on everyone's hearts, making it almost impossible for them to breathe.

The dark power around the dark crack also became more intense, like ink, making it difficult to see what is hidden inside. (End of this chapter)