As dawn broke, the town gradually came back to life. Max and Lina walked along the cobblestone path toward the town square, where people were gathering to prepare for their operation. Along the way, they encountered many villagers busy reinforcing their defenses or discussing their next steps.
An old man with a cane walked over, his eyes full of concern. "Children, I heard that Istra and his friends have returned. Thank God, with them here, our little town finally feels a little safer."
“That’s right, grandpa.” Max nodded, a confident smile on his face. “We need to go help!”
"Good lad, brave!" The old man nodded approvingly, then said to a young man beside him, "Son, quickly get some breakfast for these two young warriors. We can't let them go hungry on such an important mission."
The young man smiled and took a bag of steaming bread from the side, handing it to the two of them. "Here, this is homemade. You must eat your fill to have the strength to protect your home!"
As Max received the food, he felt a warm glow inside. "Thank you, this is wonderful."
Upon arriving at the square, they saw that even more residents had joined the ranks, and everyone was extremely busy: some were distributing equipment; others were training the hastily formed militia; and even several elderly veterans had volunteered to join the front lines. The whole scene was filled with an unprecedented atmosphere of unity.
"Hey! Look this way!" Ares's voice came from afar. He waved a huge map in his hand and explained to the crowd gathered around him, "Listen up, everyone—this is a map drawn based on the intelligence we have so far. The enemy's attack is very likely to start from the northeast. Please keep this in mind and increase manpower in that area for monitoring."
Upon hearing this, the villagers responded one after another: "We understand! We will definitely protect this land!"
Just as everyone was discussing animatedly, Sophia suddenly frowned, as if deep in thought. "Something's not right..." she muttered to herself, "If that mysterious enemy we mentioned earlier really does have stronger support, then relying solely on our current arrangements will probably be insufficient to completely defend against their attack."
Upon hearing this, many people present showed expressions of confusion and even fear. "Really?" Caroline couldn't help but press, "Aren't you overthinking this? Haven't we done more than enough? What's missing?"
However, Sofia simply shook her head slightly, then turned to look at Istra, who had just walked in. "I think it's necessary to hold another meeting to discuss in detail the specific steps and countermeasures to take next."
Seeing this, Istra immediately realized that things weren't as simple as they seemed. He stopped and looked at Sofia: "Have you discovered anything? Or do you think the enemy will make a bigger move?"
“Both,” Sofia said bluntly. “Last night I kept thinking about what the general said before he left. He said that a ‘more powerful’ being would appear—that makes me very uneasy.”
“Hmm…we certainly can’t ignore this possibility.” After a brief consideration, Istra made a decision. “Alright, in that case, let’s hold an emergency meeting immediately, invite everyone to participate, and discuss solutions together.”
Just as preparations were in full swing, a boy in the crowd suddenly stood up and asked loudly, "Then how should we face the enemies that may be even more ferocious in the future?"
Istra took a deep breath, her gaze sweeping over everyone present before finally settling on Max: "Just as this child said—we need to rely on everyone's strength. No matter what trials await us ahead, the most important thing is to remain united and trust each other!"
"That's right! No matter what happens, we will not give up hope," Ares shouted, raising his fist.
"Let's join hands to greet each dawn!" Lilia added with a gentle smile.
Max, filled with unwavering conviction, gazed at his comrades-in-arms and the faces of the many brave and fearless villagers behind him. "We'll protect this place until the very last moment," he whispered, yet clearly.
As the emergency meeting approached, the villagers' emotions became noticeably complex; some had a resolute glint in their eyes, while others revealed unease. Max sensed an indescribable pressure quietly weighing on everyone's hearts.
A makeshift wooden platform was erected in the center of the square. Istra and the others quickly organized the crowd to sit down, waiting for the discussion to begin. "Everyone, please be quiet and find your seats as soon as possible!" he announced loudly, and personally went forward to tidy up everything. At this moment, several young women came over with homemade pastries and warm tea to distribute to everyone—at least during this difficult time, they could enjoy some warmth and care.
"First of all, thank you all for gathering here at such a critical moment." Istra looked around at the faces of the densely packed people sitting or standing listening to him, and slowly said, "As we have already realized, the enemy may be far more powerful and cunning than we imagined. Therefore, we must prepare for the worst and do our best to meet the challenge."
Just then, a boy who looked about fifteen or sixteen years old couldn't help but interrupt, his tone impulsive and childish, "Uncle Istra... what if an even more terrifying monster appears?"
Someone nearby immediately comforted him, "Don't be afraid, kid. Don't we have so many brave heroes?" However, this answer didn't seem to reassure the boy. Instead, it drew more similar concerns: "But I've heard that those 'more powerful' things are no match for them!"
Sofia coughed lightly, stood up, and walked onto the stage. Her calm gaze swept over each questioner. "Everyone has fears to some extent. But that's precisely why we need the courage to face and overcome them. Remember, you are not fighting alone here; we all together form this strong fortress."
These words seemed to give everyone a shot of adrenaline, and the room erupted in enthusiastic applause.
Just as everyone was feeling energized, a strange woman strode quickly towards them from a distance. "Wait!" As her voice fell, the woman, with her cold expression and capable attire, quickly attracted everyone's attention. "I am Lia, who just arrived from the neighboring town, bringing the latest intelligence—there is indeed a large army marching this way, and they have an unknown mastermind supporting them."
Upon hearing the news, the crowd, which had been gradually calming down, was instantly plunged into panic again. "What...what are we going to do?!"
Seeing this, Lina firmly grasped Max's hand. "Believe in yourself, and believe in your companions!" Then she released his hand, took a few steps forward, and asked Leah, "Do you know the specific details and what actions they might take?"
"According to intelligence provided by our informants, the enemy commander is extremely shrewd and ruthless; however, it is also worth noting that he reportedly possesses a very mysterious secret weapon that has not yet been activated. The specifics are still unclear," Leah replied.
Upon learning this information, Istra frowned and pondered for a moment before finally breaking the silence: "In that case... we should monitor their movements more closely and adjust our responses accordingly. Furthermore, I believe that in addition to relying on our existing strength, we can also try to unite with several friendly villages or even cities in the surrounding area to jointly resist the invading forces. At the same time, we should continue to strengthen our defensive fortifications and improve our overall combat effectiveness. After all, unity is the greatest strength!"
This proposal received the approval and support of the majority, with everyone expressing their agreement: "That's right! Only by working together can we protect our home!"
Just as the atmosphere was heating up again, a member of the reconnaissance team rushed into the field to report: "Captain! Reconnaissance ahead has detected a large number of suspicious troops gathering! It's estimated that they will launch an attack soon!"
Everyone gasped upon hearing this. Max glanced at Lina, and both of them saw the unspoken determination in each other's eyes—no matter what, they would never allow their home to be destroyed!
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