Everyone knew that although the giant beast had been subdued, the island's peace still needed constant protection. Zhang Shi led the soldiers in a comprehensive upgrade of the island's defenses. They reinforced the seaside watchtowers, replacing the original wooden structures with a more robust combination of stone and metal. New magical binoculars were installed on the tops of the towers, allowing for a clearer view of the distant sea and expanding the early warning range several times over.
The magic attack system of the defensive towers was also improved. Ge Dalong collaborated with several magicians on the island to redesign the magic convergence array, increasing the attack power of the defensive towers by nearly 50% and significantly shortening the firing interval. In addition, magical traps were set up in the shallow waters surrounding the island. Once any unidentified ships or creatures approach, the traps will be triggered, releasing paralyzing electric currents or creating giant waves to block their approach, ensuring the safety of the island in all aspects.
Zhao Feng volunteered to form an elite patrol team, which regularly sailed out to sea in specially designed warships. These warships were decorated with intimidating magical runes, which could resist seawater corrosion and magical attacks to a certain extent. The patrol team sailed along the waters surrounding the islands, clearing out sea monsters and pirate gangs that might threaten the islands' safety.
During a patrol, they discovered a group of pirates attacking a merchant ship. At Zhao Feng's command, the patrol swiftly launched an attack. Utilizing their superior combat skills and the advantages of their warship, they routed the pirates and rescued the merchant ship. The merchant ship's captain was deeply grateful and presented them with generous supplies as a token of appreciation. These supplies further replenished the island's reserves, allowing it to steadily progress on the path of protection and development.
...
Despite the old man's warning that the treasures inside the volcano should not be retrieved, Zhang Shi's curiosity grew wildly like weeds, making it difficult to suppress. This led him to take a series of risky actions.
Zhang Shi, keeping it a secret from everyone, gathered Ge Dalong and Zhao Feng. On a dark and windy night, they quietly set off towards the ancient volcano with simple packs and weapons. The island was fraught with danger at night, the paths rugged and difficult to discern. Relying on his memory and the faint moonlight, he cautiously traversed the dense jungle. The roars of nocturnal beasts in the jungle occasionally sent chills down his spine, but driven by curiosity, he gritted his teeth and continued on. As they approached the volcano, the scorching geothermal heat made the ground beneath his feet increasingly soft, each step steaming hot, as if he might sink into molten lava at any moment. Ignoring the danger, he climbed the steep mountain path, attempting to explore hidden corners of the volcano unseen during the day under the cover of darkness, hoping to find clues related to the lizardmen and the secret treasure.
The three of them finally made their way to the vicinity of the volcano in the dark. Under the moonlight, the pitch-black entrance resembled the gaping maw of a giant beast, exuding unknown danger. Zhao Feng frowned and lowered his voice, saying, "Stone, are we really going to do this? It's pitch black, what if something goes wrong..." Zhang Shi's gaze was firm, and he gently patted Zhao Feng's shoulder, "Brother Feng, I know what I'm doing. Just this once, maybe we can solve the mystery that has been troubling us for so long." Ge Dalong silently channeled his magic, gathering a small ball of soft blue light in his palm to illuminate the way for everyone.
As they approached the crater, a gust of hot wind carrying the pungent smell of sulfur assaulted their senses, causing them to cough incessantly. Zhang Shi, enduring the discomfort, crouched low and led the way. After a few steps, a slight tremor suddenly came from beneath their feet, as if something was awakening underground. Ge Dalong's expression sharpened, and he warned, "Something's wrong. The flow of magical energy inside this volcano seems to have become disordered. Everyone be careful." Before he finished speaking, wisps of dark red magma slowly seeped from the surrounding rock walls, winding down like eerie vines.
Zhao Feng quickly swung his battle axe, holding it horizontally in front of him. Golden magical light shimmered on the blade, ready to chop down anything that came his way. Zhang Shi, meanwhile, used Shadow Step, his figure moving like a ghost through the treacherous passages, trying to find the ancient runes hidden by the lava. Before long, he discovered a stone wall densely covered with symbols around a corner. These runes were more complex and mysterious than those he had seen before, faintly radiating magical fluctuations.
Just as Zhang Shi leaned closer to examine it closely, Zhao Feng suddenly exclaimed in surprise behind him. Turning around, they saw a monster engulfed in eerie blue flames, resembling a lizard but with wings, burst forth from the ground. It opened its blood-red maw and spewed out pillars of scorching fire. Ge Dalong reacted swiftly, his hands moving rapidly, instantly erecting a thick ice wall in front of everyone. The flames struck the ice surface, producing a sizzling sound, and the ice wall melted at a visible speed.
"What the hell is this thing!" Zhao Feng roared, charging towards the monster. His battle axe, imbued with powerful magic, cleaved fiercely towards the monster's head. The monster nimbly dodged, its long tail sweeping across, knocking Zhao Feng back several steps. Seeing this, Zhang Shi seized the opportunity, his sword, the Old Duan sword, gleaming coldly as he unleashed a fierce sword strike, aiming straight for the monster's vital abdomen. But the monster possessed an equally astonishing self-healing ability; the blade merely grazed its skin, scattering a few eerie blue sparks, before its flesh rapidly healed.
In the midst of the fierce battle, Ge Dalong cast defensive spells on his teammates while taking a moment to observe their surroundings. He noticed that each time the monster attacked, certain runes on the ground would briefly light up, seemingly related to its source of power. "Zhang Shi, Zhao Feng, watch out for the runes under your feet while attacking it!" Ge Dalong shouted.
The three worked together with increasing finesse. Zhang Shi focused on attacking the monster's lower body, using his agility to disrupt its movements; Zhao Feng seized opportunities to swing his battle axe and strike with all his might; Ge Dalong continuously used magic to restrain and defend. After several rounds, the monster gradually showed signs of fatigue, and the flames on its body weakened.
Just as everyone thought they were about to subdue the monster, a deep rumble suddenly came from the depths of the volcano, followed by a powerful surge of magical energy that swept in like a tidal wave. The ground shook violently, rocks tumbled down, and the entire interior of the volcano seemed about to collapse. Zhang Shi's expression changed drastically: "Damn it, we've triggered a deeper seal on the volcano! Let's go!"
The three dared not delay for a moment and sprinted towards the exit with all their might. Zhao Feng wielded his battle axe, splitting the rolling boulders to clear a path for them; Ge Dalong continuously cast ice magic behind them to slow the flow of lava and block the surging heat that could engulf them at any moment; Zhang Shi used Shadow Step to scout ahead, looking for the safest and fastest escape route.
However, the mountain path was rugged, and his vision was obstructed in the chaos. Zhang Shi stumbled and almost fell. At the critical moment, Zhao Feng reacted quickly, grabbing him and shouting, "Shi Tou, be careful!" But this delay allowed the lava behind them to surge forward. Ge Dalong's magic power was depleted, and the barrier of his ice magic was becoming increasingly weak.
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