The group had just stabilized from a sudden vortex of darkness, and everyone nervously observed their surroundings. This place was nothing like the forest they had been in before—eerie light filled the air, purple mist floated in the sky, and a suffocating atmosphere permeated the atmosphere.
"Where...where are we?" the young villager asked, trembling. He gripped the knife tightly in his hand and looked around for any potential threats.
Hag gently patted his shoulder. "Don't be afraid, we'll face this challenge together." He looked at Chen Ge, his eyes filled with expectation and trust. "You agree, right, Captain?"
Chen Ge nodded. "That's right. Everyone stay alert and pay attention to any changes around you."
Just as the team was discussing their strategy, a cry of alarm came from not far away. "Hey! Look over there!" Following Mela's pointing finger, a group of ragged prisoners were slowly moving, dragging their exhausted bodies. Their eyes were empty and vacant, clearly having lost their self-awareness, existing like walking corpses in this alternate dimension.
One of the elderly men, who seemed to be the leader, suddenly stopped and said in a hoarse but joyful voice, "Finally, someone has come to save us? Quick... quick, come and help these poor souls!"
Selena immediately stepped forward to try and find out more. "Can you tell us where we are? Why is everyone like this?"
The old man sighed, “Alas, this is a distorted dimension created by Nightblade. Creatures sent here are gradually stripped of their hearts and hopes, until they become puppets to be manipulated.” Halfway through his sentence, the frail old man suddenly knelt down.
Seeing this, everyone rushed forward to offer assistance. "Don't worry, old man, we'll start thinking of a way to get everyone out of here now," Wright encouraged.
At that moment, a chilling aura quietly spread, as if an even more malevolent force was approaching. Then, a figure appeared on the horizon—it was Vesker, whom we had mentioned earlier. "Looks like we need to speed things up, or we'll be stuck in this damned place forever," he said to the others, placing his hand on his weapon behind his back, ready to face any unknown attack.
Chen Ge looked at the other team members, "Now we must find Nightblade's true hiding place. Only by defeating the source can we save all the persecuted lives and our own destiny!"
Suddenly, a sharp, cold laugh echoed through the surroundings, "Hehehe... You courageous little heroes! Want to find me? Then how about a cat-and-mouse game with me~"
As these provocative words fell, the surrounding environment began to change rapidly. The previously blurry scenery became increasingly clear and specific: countless stone walls rose from the ground, blocking the road; numerous traps and mechanisms were hidden among them, ready to trigger danger at any moment; even the clouds floating in the sky instantly transformed into highly aggressive energy storms...
"Hmph, since that's the case, let's accept the challenge and face it head-on." Vesker tried to boost morale. "Trust in our comrades and rely on each other's strength, we will definitely overcome the difficulties!" After he finished speaking, he took the lead and strode forward.
What followed was a brief but intense exchange: Hag slashed at obstacles in his path; Mela accurately shot down the rain of rocks falling from above; Wright used various spells to protect the entire squad from surprise attacks; and Selena set up defensive fortifications in the most suitable positions to ensure safety... Everyone gave their all, utilizing their strengths and skills, striving towards that ultimate goal.
After a difficult journey, the group finally arrived at their destination—a palace-style building. The gate was tightly closed, with no gaps to be seen, except for a bronze mirror with intricate carvings hanging directly above, which stood out conspicuously.
At this moment, a young businesswoman looked at the spectacular scene before her in astonishment and exclaimed, "It's unbelievable... I've never seen such a powerful combination of characters actually make a miracle happen! But what's next?"
Chen Ge looked up at the building before her, lost in thought for a moment, then turned resolutely to her companions. "As long as we work together, even the strongest door can be opened. Are you ready? We're going in to take care of everything!"
Hag clenched his fist and nodded emphatically in agreement, "No problem!"
So everyone rallied their spirits again, mustered their energy, and sprinted toward their goal...
The moment Chen Ge led the group through the door, a chilling aura emanated from within. In the center of the room floated a massive energy crystal, surrounded by thick iron chains that bound a terrifying, gigantic beast – clearly the mastermind controlling this realm.
At the same time, a familiar figure slowly emerged from the shadows—still dressed in black, wielding a dagger, his expression as cold and indifferent as a frosty night blade. "Hehehe~ Welcome everyone. I hope you'll all be satisfied with my new toy."
Everyone held their breath at the sight before them, their hearts filled with a mixture of tension and excitement...
Chen Ge raised his longsword, pointing it at the enemy ahead, and said firmly and forcefully, "It's over. This time, you will not escape!"
Viske chuckled and chimed in, "Indeed, it's time to put an end to this whole farce."
"Let's witness this moment together!" the other team members responded in unison, then assumed battle stance...
Chen Ge raised his longsword, his eyes sharp as if he wanted to pierce through the enemy in front of him. The surrounding team members gripped their weapons tightly, and the atmosphere became so tense that it was almost palpable.
Just then, a passerby—the young businesswoman from before—spoke again, her voice filled with astonishment and admiration: "That's amazing... Can you really handle that monster?" She pointed to the beast-like figure in the center, her tone a mixture of fear and awe.
Visik turned back and gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry too much. Everyone here is a top performer in their field." Then he said to everyone, "Remember, unity makes us stronger."
Hag grinned and brandished his giant axe to sound intimidating: "Listen up, guys, don't let this little difficulty scare us!"
“Well said!” Wright immediately agreed, and quickly chanted a spell, instantly creating a layer of shimmering protective film under everyone’s feet. “With me here, please feel free to cast the spell.”
"Then I'll go first!" Mela swiftly drew an arrow from her back and shot it towards the beast-like creature, accurately hitting one of the chains. With a crisp snap, the entire chain vibrated violently.
Seeing this, Selena quickly set up a defensive barrier to reinforce the surrounding security. "We must untie the restraints as soon as possible."
Nightblade coldly observed all of this, a contemptuous smile playing on his lips: "Hmph, what a waste of effort. These are chains made from the strongest materials."
But no one was swayed by his words; everyone focused on preparing for battle. Chen Ge, as captain, charged forward without hesitation, shouting, "We will not back down! We will overcome any obstacle we face!"
Just as the two sides were about to engage in a fierce battle, the entire space suddenly trembled violently, and even the palace-like building began to shake slightly. This caused Nightblade's expression to change drastically: "What... what's going on?"
Taking advantage of the opening, everyone quickly adjusted their positions to form an encirclement. Chen Ge seized the opportunity and used all his strength to slash at the energy crystal, shouting, "No matter the cost, I will bring everyone back!" Immediately, a dazzling light flashed, and tiny cracks appeared on the surface of the crystal, as if something was about to break out.
The surrounding prisoners grew excited, cheering them on. "Go, little heroes! Defeat that demon!" "This is amazing! I've never seen such an intense battle!"
At this moment, an old man asked with a puzzled expression, "But what exactly happened? Why is the earth shaking so much?"
Upon hearing this, everyone turned their gaze outside the palace, only to find that even more strange creatures had gathered there. Many who had previously lost their minds had even regained their senses and were joining forces to try and break free of this cage-like confinement…
Just then, an even more violent earthquake struck, this time tearing the air apart with eerie sounds. As everyone was filled with disbelief, Chen Ge suddenly realized something crucial and said, tense yet excited, "I know! This place isn't isolated at all; it's supported by external forces. If we can find a contact point, maybe we can solve the problem once and for all!"
After saying these words, the group rallied again and charged toward their final objective...
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