MM Racing Page 431
Page 431
"What!" Zhao De frowned and quickly looked east. "Everyone get ready, Miss Liu and I will go take a look first."
“Let’s go together.” The red-clad witch stepped forward, holding a delicate wooden staff. Though petite, her eyes gleamed with determination and wisdom. “My power might be of assistance.”
The three quickly reached the edge of the forest, where, in the moonlight, they could vaguely see several blurry figures slowly moving towards them. "Are those... werewolves?" Liu Ruyan murmured, a hint of wariness rising in her heart.
"Whatever it is, we must be careful," Zhao De replied in a low voice, then drew a sharp short sword from his waist and handed it to the witch beside him: "If we need to fight in close combat, please protect yourself."
Chapter 1265 Spell
Chapter 1265 Spell
However, as they drew closer, they discovered that the seemingly hostile Zhao Dezi were actually just a few small, injured, and lost wild animals—more precisely, young forest deer. One of them appeared to have a serious leg injury and was crying out as it tried to stand up; the others, seeing their companion in such a pitiful state, stopped moving forward and circled around it, looking extremely anxious and helpless.
Seeing this, Liu Ruyan immediately lowered her guard and quickly squatted down to examine the more seriously injured fawn. "It's just some scratches on the skin, nothing serious." After saying that, she took out some medicine powder she carried with her and gently applied it to the wound. Perhaps sensing her kindness, the previously wary animals now obediently allowed this beautiful girl to pet and care for them. Some of the bolder ones even rubbed against her and sniffed her, looking extremely docile and adorable.
This scene instantly warmed up the tense atmosphere. "It looks like tonight won't be so dangerous," Zhao De said with a smile after looking around. "In that case, let's take these little ones who need care back to the village."
Hearing this, everyone present laughed. Even the red-clad witch, who usually gave off a mysterious and unpredictable impression, showed a warm smile. "Good idea," she said, gently touching the small animals' bodies a few times with her staff, as if casting some kind of spell to make them more obedient.
And so, the three carefully escorted the creatures who had unexpectedly gained friends through the night back to safety. Only after they finally settled into a makeshift hut and received enough warm food did everyone truly breathe a sigh of relief.
It was late at night when they returned to the campfire, and everyone sat together to share dinner. The air was filled with the aroma of food and the relaxed atmosphere of having just won the battle. The villagers expressed their gratitude for their bravery and sacrifice, and were especially impressed by the kindness shown by the herd of deer.
Laughter filled the air, and the aroma of wine permeated the atmosphere. Zhao De raised his wine bowl to the assembled heroes and champions, and proclaimed loudly, "To today's victory, and even more so to tomorrow's unknown challenges! Cheers!"
Everyone raised their glasses in unison, their shouts of "Cheers!" echoing through the night. Just then, soft, melodious music drifted from afar—a piece composed by a young musician to commemorate this momentous occasion. The notes danced in every corner, bringing boundless vitality to the small gathering.
As the melody gradually slowed down and ended, everyone fell silent, with only the occasional crackling of the flickering flames. "What a beautiful night..." a woman murmured.
“That’s right, but don’t forget, our mission has only just begun,” Zhao De said, gazing absently at the flickering flames.
Just as everyone was immersed in the beautiful moment when the night and music intertwined, an old man slowly rose. His figure appeared particularly solemn in the firelight, causing everyone to involuntarily quiet down and listen.
"Children, tonight we have indeed experienced an unforgettable adventure. But as Zhao De said, the real test may have only just begun." The old man's gaze slowly swept across each person's face. "From ancient times to the present, this continent has been filled with countless unsolved mysteries."
Chapter 1266 Mysterious Forest
Chapter 1266 Mysterious Forest
The legendary, mysterious forest harbors immense power, but also poses great danger.
Zhao De nodded slightly in agreement, saying, "The old village chief is right; we must proceed with caution. Who knows what we'll encounter tomorrow..."
No sooner had she finished speaking than Liu Ruyan suddenly interjected, "In my opinion, the most important thing is unity. Only through mutual trust and assistance can we overcome any difficulties and obstacles together!"
Her words were filled with unwavering determination. The red-clad witch nodded slightly in agreement, adding, "Furthermore, I can also cast some protective magic to ensure our safety during our adventure."
"Hearing you say that puts my mind at ease!" The young musician smiled at everyone. "With reliable companions like you, what is there to worry about? Let's get some rest; I'm sure tomorrow will be a wonderful day."
As his gentle voice faded, soft, cheerful whispers filled the air once more, making even the night seem more warm and peaceful. People gradually dispersed, each seeking a place to sleep. Soon, only a few scattered fires and a few watchmen remained, quietly guarding the tranquility of the camp.
However, at that moment, the peaceful scene was suddenly interrupted by an anomaly—a faint yet unsettling sound could be heard in the distance, as if something was rapidly approaching them…
Zhao De was the first to notice something was wrong. "What's going on?" he frowned and asked in a low voice, "What was that sound? Could it be that the enemy is about to launch a sneak attack again?"
"No matter what, we must be prepared. Quickly raise everyone's alert." The red-clad witch said firmly before standing up immediately, gripping her staff tightly, ready to deal with any possible situation. Almost simultaneously, people around her quickly gathered to form a protective circle.
"Don't panic," Liu Ruyan quickly reassured everyone upon seeing the situation. "Although it is indeed unusual, we cannot yet determine exactly what happened."
Just as everyone was speculating, the ominous sounds gradually became clearer. It turned out that two large wolves had somehow entered the vicinity of the village. But to everyone's surprise, they did not show any aggression; on the contrary, the two wolves seemed to be carrying some kind of distress signal.
"Could something have happened in the village?" the young musician was the first to react. "Quickly go and see if anyone over there is in trouble."
The group of several people immediately followed the two strange messengers and moved quickly in the direction of their origin. Soon after, they found a stranger, Zhao De, lying on the ground. The man had multiple wounds and was bleeding profusely, clearly having suffered a severe attack. "We must bring him back and treat him immediately!" Zhao De quickly gave the order.
Back at camp, the stranger quickly regained consciousness with the help of the red-clad witch's skillful spells. "Thank you for saving my life," a weak voice escaped his lips. "My name is Thunderclap, an adventurer from a distant land seeking ancient secrets… but unfortunately, I was ambushed by a powerful enemy. Luckily, the pair of wolves guided me, preventing my death in the wilderness…"
Chapter 1267 Mysterious Zone
Chapter 1267 Mysterious Zone
"So, you were chased here by some force?" Zhao De asked, frowning. Lei Ming nodded slightly, his eyes showing a hint of weariness but also a touch of determination.
“Yes, my goal is an ancient scroll about the Lost City, which is said to be hidden in a mysterious area nearby,” Lei Ming said. “But along the way, I encountered some people from unknown forces, whose goals seem to be the same as mine.”
The red-clad witch frowned, tapping her staff lightly on the ground. "Are you referring to those legendary guards? They're said to possess immense power and harbor hostility towards anyone who attempts to approach the Lost City."
“That’s right. Those people possess a power that doesn’t belong to this world. And I also sense… there’s something far more unfathomable behind them, that’s what’s truly terrifying.” Lei Ming’s voice was much lower, clearly showing his apprehension about what he was describing.
Upon hearing this information, Liu Ruyan's eyes gleamed with keen interest. "In that case, why not join forces with us? After all, you are alone now and would certainly be no match for the entire enemy organization."
Faced with the invitation, Lei Ming hesitated for a moment before finally nodding. "Very well, it's much better to have everyone's help than to continue fighting alone. But I must warn you all, this will be a dangerous path, and a slight misstep could cost you your life."
"It's alright. Since this is a journey to explore a secret realm, everyone here has a heart full of adventure to some extent. Besides, the clues you provided are so valuable that they are definitely worth a try," Zhao Dehao replied with great enthusiasm.
And so, a new temporary team was formed. Over the next few days, while actively discussing strategies, everyone began gathering supplies and preparing for the upcoming mission. Meanwhile…
In the dead of night, in a grove of trees on the edge of the camp, several jet-black, bat-like creatures silently descended. They circled a massive old locust tree a few times before vanishing. At that moment, a careful observer would have noticed a faintly visible, extremely complex rune inscribed on the tree. Bathed in moonlight, the symbol emitted a ghostly blue glow, spreading visibly in all directions.
"Can you feel it?" The red-clad witch, who was meditating and adjusting her breathing inside the tent, suddenly opened her eyes and looked at her companions who were already fast asleep beside her. A cold smile appeared on her lips. "The game has only just begun."
The next morning, as everyone was getting ready to set off, the sky suddenly became overcast. The once clear weather turned gloomy in an instant, and the rumble of thunder could even be faintly heard. "It seems the weather isn't very good today..." the young musician sighed, but no one was really worried about rain or Zhao Dexiang's operation. Instead, they felt that this might be a sign that the journey was destined to be anything but ordinary.
After traversing forests and traversing treacherous mountains, a winding river of silvery-white liquid finally came into view. The water appeared gentle, yet it exuded an extremely oppressive atmosphere. "This is it," Lei Ming, leading the way, turned to everyone and said, "To find the key to the ancient city gate, we must first solve this strange water flow. But the problem is, how to do this remains a mystery..."
Chapter 1268 The Source of the River
Chapter 1268 The Source of the River
Upon hearing this, Zhao De stepped forward, bent down to examine the water's surface, and then looked around at the surrounding environment for a moment before suggesting, "Since a direct assault won't work, why not try approaching it from another angle? For example, finding the source of the river might solve the problem."
“That makes sense.” Lei Ming nodded. “But the terrain here is so complex that finding the source won’t be easy. Besides, this place is fraught with danger, so we must be extremely careful.”
Just as everyone was discussing countermeasures, a melodious zither sound suddenly rang out from the back of the group. The young zither player had taken out his pure white seven-stringed zither at some point, and with a gentle gliding of his fingertips, he instantly made the originally oppressive and heavy atmosphere fresh and natural.
The red-clad witch frowned slightly, but she didn't stop it. Instead, she looked thoughtfully at the mysterious river: "Perhaps this will have an unexpected effect?"
Sure enough, as the music grew louder, everyone noticed a subtle change in the river—the current became calmer, and even the color lightened. "It's truly amazing!" Zhao De exclaimed.
Suddenly, ripples appeared on the river, and a huge crystal emitting a faint glow slowly emerged from its center. "It seems the key to the problem lies in this," the witch said slowly, "but getting close to and touching it won't be easy..."
Before she could finish speaking, an assassin as nimble as a swallow leaped into the river and swam towards the center at an astonishing speed. "You're too reckless!" Although he said this, Zhao De's eyes were full of admiration.
However, he soon realized that things were not so simple, because just when the assassin was only inches away from his target, the seemingly calm water surface suddenly boiled, and countless sharp ice shards attacked him like a storm!
At the critical moment, a fiery red whip lashed through the air, snatching away the most fatal ice pillar and averting the crisis. "Come back quickly!" the red-clad witch shouted sternly, "This is not the time to play the hero."
Despite their reluctance, the assassin had no choice but to return to safety when faced with a life-or-death situation. "As expected, direct action won't work; we need to think of another way," Zhao De said in a deep voice.
The young musician began playing the melody again, but this time the notes carried a solemn and dignified quality, as if they contained an inexplicable power trying to soothe the restless river. “I think we can try to communicate with this river,” he said. “After all, everything has a spirit, and perhaps in this way we can let it understand our hearts.”
The power contained within the music gradually spread, and an indescribable sense of harmony seemed to fill the air. The crowd waited quietly, watching the young musician's focused expression. His fingers danced lightly across the strings, each note seeming to be part of some mysterious language, attempting to convey a message to the unknown life form in the river.
"Perhaps your method is worth a try," the red-clad witch finally spoke, her voice no longer carrying its usual arrogance, but instead filled with caution and anticipation. "But we need more time to observe the river's reaction to the music..."
Chapter 1269 The Veteran
Chapter 1269 The Veteran
Before the words were even finished, the waters that had become even more turbulent due to the attack suddenly calmed down, and soft ripples of light even began to appear on the surface, as if responding to the musician's call. "It's responding!" A glint of joy flashed in the young musician's eyes.
Just then, a deep yet powerful voice came from afar: "In that case, let me lend a hand." As he spoke, a figure slowly emerged from the edge of the woods—the taciturn but unfathomably powerful veteran of the group. He carried an ancient longsword, each step leaving a clear imprint on the soft, damp earth.
Upon seeing this, Zhao De's spirits lifted: "Senior, are you planning to take action personally?"
The old man simply nodded, saying nothing more. Then, he plunged the sword into the ground up to the hilt, closed his eyes, and stood silently by the river, chanting incantations. A moment later, wisps of smoke rose from the soil beneath his feet, gradually forming a faint halo around him. "Using the power of the earth to help you connect with the water," the old warrior said in an almost inaudible voice.
As two completely different forces—the music and the earth's essence—intertwined, gentle ripples appeared on the once cold and indifferent river's surface. This gave everyone a strange sense of intimacy, as if an invisible connection was being established.
“Keep playing your piece,” the witch said encouragingly to the musician, “and try to infuse it with your own thoughts.”
The young man resumed his performance as instructed, but this time he could clearly feel a change in the melody conveyed by his fingertips: it was no longer simply for the purpose of soothing, but rather carried a strong sense of inquiry and dialogue...
Just as everything was progressing positively, a sharp, piercing cry suddenly echoed from the depths of the nearby jungle. The temperature plummeted, and a dense, suffocating chill filled the air. "Looks like another uninvited guest has arrived," the woman in red said through gritted teeth, clearly aware of what she was about to face.
Sure enough, not long after, a group of agile monsters, their bodies shrouded in frost, came into view—these were extremely rare and dangerous creatures from the far north: Frostwolf. There were at least dozens of them, and each one displayed extreme hostility as they approached. "This is terrible," Zhao De said, his face grim. "If they get within range..." He was interrupted by the musician halfway through his sentence: "I understand how dire the situation is! But this is precisely the final test of whether we can successfully achieve our objective."
After saying this, he immediately sped up the tempo and adjusted the style of the music to be more exciting and stirring. At the same time, the witch began to chant incantations to summon flames to repel the enemy's attack. As for the old warrior who had just used his skills and was in the recovery period, although he could not directly join the battle at the moment, he tried his best to use his aura to intimidate those who were eager to attack...
The footsteps of the frost wolves drew closer, their chilling presence bringing the air temperature to nearly below zero. The young musician's fingers danced swiftly across the strings, his melody growing ever more stirring and powerful, like a battle horn rousing the spirits of everyone present.
Chapter 1270 The Mastermind Behind the Scenes
Chapter 1270 The Mastermind Behind the Scenes
The witch's fingertips began to glow with a fiery red light. As she chanted in a low voice, bursts of scorching flame shot towards the frost wolves like sharp swords, colliding with the icy power surrounding them and emitting a hissing sound.
"Zhao De, you and I will fight these guys together! We must try to keep them off the riverbank!" The woman in red, spear in hand, commanded resolutely. Although Zhao De was understandably apprehensive, he nodded firmly, "Yes, Captain." He then turned and charged into the frost wolf pack, fighting alongside his captain. The two sometimes attacked from opposite sides, sometimes cooperated in defense; every move was perfectly coordinated and sharp, causing the seemingly ferocious monsters to hesitate for a few seconds before launching another attack.
At that moment, the old warrior who had been standing quietly in place slowly opened his eyes. "Since that's the case, then let me add some 'warmth' for you." With that, he took a deep breath and then waved his hand sharply—instantly, a warm current rose from the ground and quickly covered the Frost Wolves; then, wisps of steam suddenly rose from the bodies that were enveloped in cold air, and their movements seemed to slow down considerably.
"Now's the time!" the musician shouted. The trio, receiving the instruction, launched another all-out attack, and the Frostwolf wolves, caught in a pincer movement, quickly fell into chaos. "We're almost there!" Although still in peril, victory seemed within reach.
Just when everyone thought the situation was under control, a gigantic frost wolf, more than twice the size of its companions, suddenly leaped out of the forest. Its eyes gleamed with an unusual red light, clearly indicating that it was the mastermind behind the attack. "Don't be too smug, you insignificant humans," the lead monster said in a low, hoarse voice, before accelerating and lunging towards the musician.
A flicker of alertness flashed in the red-clad woman's eyes as she reacted swiftly. "Watch out! Zhao De, follow me! We can't let it get close to the musician!" Before she finished speaking, she had already leaped up with her spear, the spear drawing a sharp arc in the air as it pointed directly at the enormous frost wolf.