Courtyard House: Report enemy agents at the start, and you'll take off immediately.

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Just then, Zhao De came over with two cups of tea and sat down beside her. "What are you looking at so intently?" he asked, handing one cup to the girl. "Here, this is for you!"

Leia took the cup, took a sip of tea, and smiled, "It's nothing~ I just feel that it's great to gain so many unexpected things after each adventure~ And this book is also about exploration and courage!" She excitedly waved the book in her hand.

Zhao De nodded in agreement: "Indeed! But speaking of which... why do you think the stars are so bright tonight?"

Leia looked up at the starry sky, pondered for a moment, and shook her head, replying, "I don't know... Maybe it's trying to give us some hints or guidance? What do you think?"

The two were chatting animatedly when they suddenly heard a strange sound in the distance—the sound of footsteps moving through the woods...

Zhao De immediately stood up alertly, preparing to walk in that direction, "I'll go see what's going on."

Leia grabbed him. "Wait!" She took a deep breath and said seriously, "Don't forget, we promised to support each other and move forward together. Whatever happens, we have to face it together!"

Hearing this, Zhao De smiled slightly, then nodded and led the girl into the darkness to search for the uninvited guest...

Meanwhile, on the other side of the village, people were also talking about the deeds of these young people.

Chapter 954 A Thrilling and Unforgettable Experience

Chapter 954 A Thrilling and Unforgettable Experience

"Did you know? They supposedly completed even such dangerous missions successfully!" a young man said with admiration.

My companion nodded in agreement: "Yeah, yeah! It's incredible! I'm so envious of them for having such a thrilling and unforgettable experience!"

Just as the two were sighing, they suddenly felt a strange pang of unease and couldn't help but smile at each other: "Perhaps we should go and see for ourselves?"

A gentle night breeze rustled through the treetops, carrying whispers that seemed to foreshadow impending events. Zhao De and Leia cautiously made their way through the woods, their eyes fixed on what lay ahead.

Suddenly, a shadow flashed by in the moonlight, and the two men immediately became alert. "What was that?" Zhao De asked softly. Just as they were about to follow to investigate, a slightly childish voice came from not far away: "Hey! Don't be afraid, it's us!"

Several young villagers emerged from the darkness, their faces beaming with excitement. One of them, a tall, thin young man, spoke first, "You must be the great heroes that's all the rage in the village, right? We've heard so much about you and are so envious, so we wanted to come and see you for ourselves."

Another girl, slightly shorter but with bright, alert eyes, added, "Yeah, especially when we heard you two were planning a nighttime forest adventure... we felt we couldn't miss such a great opportunity to learn something." She paused, then continued, "But it looks like we don't have to worry about anything now."

Hearing this, Zhao De breathed a sigh of relief and smiled slightly, "In that case, let's go together. It's always good to have more people."

So the group continued on and soon discovered the cause of the commotion—a wolf cub trapped in vines was struggling desperately to break free. "What do we do now?" the girl asked the others worriedly.

Leia thought for a moment and then suggested, "How about we clear away the vines and rescue it? Maybe the wolf was startled and that's why it attacked other animals."

Zhao De nodded in agreement, "Okay, let's try it as you said."

Just as the group began working together to rescue the small animal, an elderly man who appeared to be a senior citizen silently appeared not far away, observing every moment that was happening. A strange light flashed in the old man's eyes...

As the first rays of sunlight fell upon the earth the next morning, Han Lin and his companions began their busy day as usual, arranging their schedules. However, a large number of villagers had gathered outside the council hall, all drawn by the heroic deeds that had spread the previous night. The scene was quite spectacular, with much discussion and debate.

"Dear fellow villagers, listen up!" Han Lin announced loudly, "Thank you all for your continued support and trust. However, the current situation remains severe and complex, and we cannot afford to relax or become complacent."

Just as he was halfway through his speech, a messenger from afar galloped in on horseback. The messenger dismounted and hurriedly handed over a confidential letter: "Captain, we have just received an urgent report! There seems to be another unusual situation in the nearby area, and an unknown force is stirring... Please proceed to provide support as soon as possible!"

Everyone present was stunned after hearing the report, but quickly recovered and expressed their willingness to accompany the group. Just then, the scholar who had strolled in suddenly interrupted, saying, "Wait a moment. This matter is probably not simple. Before we act, it would be best to send someone back to ask the old gentleman from last night for his opinion. After all, he should know more about the hidden stories behind this land..."

"By the way, how did you discover his existence?" Han Lin asked, puzzled.

"Well, that's a question... we can talk about it on the way!" the scholar said with a mysterious smile, which made Han Lin even more confused, but at the same time aroused everyone's strong curiosity. They looked at each other and nodded in tacit agreement, deciding to do as he said.

The scholar's words piqued everyone's curiosity, and Han Lin was especially eager to know more. He waved his hand, signaling everyone to disperse, and followed behind the scholar: "We'll talk on the way? What exactly do you know?"

The scholar walking ahead turned back and gave Han Lin a meaningful smile: "No rush, Captain. That old gentleman last night was no ordinary person. Trust me, his insights will definitely be of great benefit to you."

By this time, a number of villagers who had heard about the incident had gradually gathered around, and they were all discussing it.

"Really? This scholar has an extraordinary air about him, could he really be some kind of master?"

"Oh my, our village has been quite lively lately. A while ago, two young men came back after completing such a difficult task, and now a mysterious old man has appeared..."

Just then, a middle-aged woman suddenly pointed to the distance and exclaimed, "Look, look over there! Isn't someone coming?" Everyone looked in that direction and saw Leia leading Zhao De and several other teenagers toward the council hall. The news of rescuing the wolf cub last night had spread throughout the village, so they naturally became the focus of everyone's attention.

"My goodness! Are these the legendary heroes who saved a life and resolved the crisis? They're so young!" a little boy exclaimed excitedly, holding his mother's hand.

Another slightly older girl added enviously, "And they seem to be good friends. I wish I could be as brave and kind as them, and meet such interesting friends too!"

Upon arriving near the council hall, seeing the warm welcome from their fellow villagers waiting at the entrance, Leia smiled and stepped forward to explain to Han Lin, "I'm sorry to bother you, but we feel that this gentleman might know some information that is very important to us. Since everyone is so interested, why don't we let him participate in the discussion?"

Before Han Lin could answer, the scholar eagerly chimed in, "Exactly! This way, we can all discuss how to proceed, and perhaps we can even use this opportunity to solve a long-standing mystery!"

Faced with this suggestion, almost everyone present agreed—after all, no one wanted to be unwilling to contribute to solving the problem, especially when they heard it might uncover a larger conspiracy. Just as they were about to send someone to fetch the elderly man to attend the meeting, a slight but unusually noticeable cough interrupted their conversation…

All eyes turned to the same direction once more, where the old man who had been silently observing everything was slowly walking into the crowd, each step he took radiating an indescribable powerful aura.

Chapter 955 Major Turning Point

Chapter 955 Major Turning Point

"Ahem..." He coughed a few times, then spoke in a slightly hoarse but clear and powerful voice, "It seems there's no need for you all to search. Regarding the challenges you are about to face and the secrets hidden in this land, perhaps I have some clues I can share with you."

For a moment, all around was so quiet that only the whisper of the wind through the leaves and the steady footsteps of the old man could be heard.

The villagers exchanged glances, their eyes filled with a mixture of surprise and curiosity; while Han Lin and the others watched with even greater tension and focus as the old man approached, as if every subtle movement could bring about a major turning point.

"Then, senior, please speak!" Han Lin broke the silence first, and the others followed suit with the same request.

The old man nodded slightly, his gaze slowly sweeping across each person's face before pausing for a moment before finally speaking: "Alright... the story begins a long time ago... but before that, I'd like to ask if any of you have ever heard of the Forbidden Land?"

These words were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples. Some in the crowd gasped, others fell into deep thought, and a few even jumped up, shouting: "What did you say? Aren't forbidden lands just things in legends?"

“No, it does exist. And tonight, I will tell you everything.” After saying this, the old man turned and walked away, seemingly looking for a more suitable place to talk.

"Follow me, and all the truth will be revealed... But remember, once these secrets are revealed, they can never be taken back."

Han Lin quickly made a decision, winked at his team members to follow, and called out to the villagers who were still standing there hesitantly, "Please go home and rest for now. We will tell you all the details about this matter later."

As night fell, the group followed the old man, who was shrouded in secrets, deeper into the unknown...

Just as they disappeared from sight, a little beggar who had remained hidden until now quietly emerged from the shade of a tree, a smile spreading across his face: "Heh heh, this game is getting more and more interesting..."

The council hall was brightly lit, and an atmosphere of both excitement and tension filled the air. After the villagers gradually dispersed, only Han Lin and his group, the scholar, and the mysterious old man remained. Leia and the others followed closely behind, their eyes filled with anticipation.

The old man sat down at the table, his gaze calmly fixed on the group of young and courageous children before him. "Are you ready to listen?" His words seemed to carry an unspoken power, causing everyone to fall silent involuntarily.

"Of course!" Han Lin said firmly, "No matter what dangers or challenges lie ahead, we will face them together!"

Zhao De nodded in agreement: "That's right. After going through so much, we know that unity is the most important thing."

“Excellent,” the old man replied with a smile. “Then let us begin with the ‘Forbidden Land’—where secrets that could overturn this continent are hidden, and the key to its gateway lies beneath this ancient land.”

These words shocked everyone. "Is...is this true?" one of the boys asked in a trembling voice.

The old man nodded: "That's true. For thousands of years, countless heroes have gone to search for the entrance, but none have returned successfully. Legend has it that it is protected by many seals, and anyone who dares to break in will face unprecedented trials or even annihilation."

Upon hearing this, a complex expression appeared on everyone's faces, a mixture of worry and longing. "So what should we do now that we know about this? Should we go straight in and find the answers?" Leia asked, frowning.

The scholar suddenly spoke up, interrupting the contemplative atmosphere: "Perhaps we can try to unravel the various mysteries surrounding the 'Forbidden Land' first, after all, acting rashly may not be the best approach."

Zhao De added, "Yes, just like when we rescued the village last time, it's always wise to understand things clearly before making any plans."

Just as everyone was deep in thought, hurried footsteps sounded outside the door. A little girl ran into the room, breathless, and said, "Outside...there's a group of people of unknown origin outside, claiming they want to talk to you!"

This news immediately drew everyone's attention. Han Lin immediately stood up, "I'll go see what's going on," and strode towards the door.

A large crowd had gathered outside the council chamber, all looking at the new faces in uniform with a mixture of curiosity and unease. One of them, a tall woman with sharp eyes, stepped forward and said, "We are members of an organization that guards the secrets of the 'Forbidden Land.' Please allow me to introduce myself; I am our captain, Lin Yu."

A slight commotion arose in the crowd; clearly, most people were hearing about such a thing for the first time.

Leia couldn't help but interject, "Since you're in charge of protecting that place, why are you here to talk to us now?"

Lin Yu did not answer her question directly, but continued to explain: "We have learned that an evil force is also secretly plotting against the 'Forbidden Land'. In order to prevent more innocent people from being harmed, we need to use your help to fight against the enemy and at the same time explore the true historical truth."

Han Lin looked at his companions and asked, "What do you think?" Although there were many doubts among them, everyone realized that the most urgent task at present was to unite and fight against the unknown threat.

“Okay, cooperation sounds good,” Zhao De finally said.

Just as everyone was discussing their next move, several low, strange cries came from afar, startling everyone present. "What's that sound?" the scholar asked warily, looking toward the source of the sound.

Immediately afterwards, several dark figures swept across the sky, appearing exceptionally ferocious and terrifying in the moonlight.

Lin Yu's expression changed drastically: "This is bad! The enemy has probably attacked! We must evacuate from here immediately and find a safer place to discuss this further!"

After saying this, everyone present sprang into action and headed toward the pre-arranged shelter... but they all knew that this was just the beginning.

In the night sky, that unknown entity coldly observed all the changes below, secretly plotting its next move...

"I wonder where this adventure will take us..." Han Lin murmured to himself as they traveled.

Zhao De, who was walking beside him, smiled slightly after hearing this, "No matter how difficult the future may be, as long as we are united, there is no difficulty that we cannot overcome."

As they hurried toward the designated safe location, the group's steps were quick and powerful.

The night was as dark as ink, and the occasional bird calls broke the silence, making people even more nervous.

Lin Yu led the group to a secluded cave entrance, which was almost completely hidden by a row of dense trees and weeds.

"This place should be safe for now." She quickly scanned her surroundings and only breathed a slight sigh of relief after confirming that there were no pursuers.

Chapter 956 Boundless Darkness

Chapter 956 Boundless Darkness

As soon as they entered the cave, the scholar couldn't wait to ask, "Just who exactly is this so-called enemy of yours?"

“They are members of the Dark Council.” Lin Yu’s eyes grew even colder when he mentioned the name. “They have been coveting the power of the ‘Forbidden Land’ for years. They believe that as long as they master its secrets, they can gain power that surpasses all living beings.”