The contestant is too old, sister Zhou is crazy

"Welcome back! You did it!" A young man rushed to the front and shouted excitedly.

Lin Hao smiled and looked at the people around him, his heart full of gratitude: "We did it, but the real battle has just begun. From today on, we will join hands to bring true light to this world."

Su Mei'er and Xu Mo stood on both sides of Lin Hao, their expressions were also full of determination. In the afterglow of the setting sun, the figures of the three people seemed unusually tall, like three pillars supporting the sky and the earth, announcing that darkness would eventually be replaced by light.

"Then, let's go together for the rest of the journey!" Lin Hao's voice resounded through the sky. It was not only spoken to the residents of the small town, but more like a declaration to the whole world.

The response from the crowd was an overwhelming mixture of surprise and deep respect.

"Not only did they come back alive, they also found a way to fight the Shadow!" a woman exclaimed, covering her chest tightly with her hands, tears glistening in her eyes.

"I can't believe that those methods in ancient legends actually exist!" A young man widened his eyes, his tone full of disbelief.

"Lin Hao and the others are simply legends!" another person exclaimed, his tone full of pride, as if their victory was also a part of his own.

"So, the era of shadows is about to end?" A little girl tugged at her father's clothes, her childish voice full of anticipation.

"Yes, baby, as long as we work together, nothing is impossible." The father lowered his head and responded gently, his eyes reflecting the bright future that was about to come.

Following Lin Hao's announcement, a new atmosphere began to spread in every corner of the town, a mixture of hope, determination and expectation. People began to talk about how to prepare and how to assist Lin Hao and his team in implementing the plan to fight the shadow, and every face revealed unprecedented determination.

"What can we do?" a blacksmith asked loudly, his hammer trembling slightly in his hand, as if he couldn't wait to contribute to the battle.

"Everyone has their own role, whether it's forging weapons, preparing supplies, caring for the wounded, or delivering information, each of us can contribute to victory." Xu Mo replied, and his words made everyone in the crowd feel their own value and importance.

Su Mei'er gently stroked a child's head, her smile warm and firm: "Children, you must also be strong. Your smile and innocence are our greatest motivation."

As night falls again, the town does not fall silent because of the threat of the shadow. On the contrary, the lights of every household are brighter than before, and every heart is closely connected by a common goal. At the bonfire party, people no longer just tell stories of the past, but discuss how to create their own new legends, and how to work with Lin Hao and others in the future to dispel the shadow and usher in the real dawn.

"As long as we believe, as long as we don't give up, light will always come." Lin Hao's voice echoed in the evening breeze. Every word was like a seed falling into the heart, nurturing hope and courage.

-

The three friends sat together by the campfire, looking at the starry sky and exchanging knowing smiles. Lin Hao spoke, breaking the brief silence: "Tomorrow, we will start a new journey. Along the way, there may be more challenges and unknowns waiting for us."

"But we are no longer alone." Su Mei'er said, her eyes gentle but firm, "We have each other, and all the people in this town who believe in us."

Xu Mo chuckled and flipped through the notes in his hand: "Besides, we have already grasped the key. What remains is how to unlock its secrets and bring light to this world."

Their conversation was brief and powerful, every word was so powerful that it seemed as if even the air around them was vibrating with their determination.

"But before that," Lin Hao suddenly changed the subject and looked at his companions with a smile, "Shouldn't we celebrate today's victory first? After all, moments like this are worth remembering."

"That's right!" Su Mei'er's eyes lit up, and her laughter was clear and melodious, echoing around the campfire. "Come on, let's toast to the prelude to light!"

The three of them clinked their glasses together. The crisp sound, accompanied by the cheers and blessings of the people around them, seemed to declare to the world: No matter how difficult and dangerous the road ahead is, as long as there is light in your heart, you will have the courage to overcome all obstacles.

On the other side of the campfire, an old man slapped his knees, his wrinkled face blooming with a childlike smile: "Listen, this is the music of life, the symphony of courage and hope!"

The child next to him tugged at the old man's sleeve and asked curiously, "Grandpa, can they really defeat the shadows so that we can go out and play at night like we do during the day?"

The old man bent down and stroked the child's head lovingly: "Child, believe in them, just like you believe that the sun will rise every day. Because of them, there will be no more night in our world."

At this time, a young woman came over with food and joined the conversation: "Besides, look around us, everyone is working hard. Even a small help is a force to fight against the shadow. We are an indivisible whole."

This remark resonated with the people around him, who nodded in agreement, and the atmosphere became even more lively. Around the bonfire, people of different ages and professions sat in a circle, their conversations came one after another, but together they outlined their infinite vision for the future.

-

"You know what? I have an idea." A craftsman suddenly stood up, the wine glass in his hand trembling slightly, and sparks of creativity flashed in his eyes. "If we can use the clues found by Lin Hao and others to create a tool or protective equipment that can resist the shadow, then we can take the initiative in actual combat!"

This proposal immediately aroused the interest of everyone present. Discussions broke out, creative ideas and suggestions continued to emerge, and every voice was filled with a desire for victory and fantasies about a new world.

"Yes! We can try to make talismans based on the rune knowledge recorded by Xu Mo to provide additional protection for our warriors." A middle-aged man who looked like a scholar pushed his glasses, his tone full of excitement.

"I will be responsible for collecting materials. My caravans are spread all over the place and will definitely be able to get everything we need." A businessman puffed out his chest and promised in a firm tone.

"I teach the children to sing songs of light, to convey courage through singing, and to strengthen their hearts." A woman who looked like a teacher suggested gently. Her eyes were soft, as if she had seen the children grow up in the singing and become fearless.

As the night deepens, the conversation around the campfire becomes more and more heated. Every word and every eye contact is weaving hope for the future and building a bright picture that belongs to everyone.

-

Finally, when the embers of the bonfire gradually died out, the town returned to peace again, but this time, the peace contained an unprecedented power - that is, the firm belief in the coming change and the fearless confidence that light will surely defeat darkness.

Under the night sky, Lin Hao and the other two stood shoulder to shoulder, looking at the sleeping town, their hearts filled with emotion.

"Everything we have done is for this moment." Xu Mo said softly, closing the notebook in his hand, but his heart was filled with more unfinished stories.

"Yes," Su Mei'er responded softly. Her eyes passed over the town, as if she had seen the bright future. "Tomorrow, we will set off with everyone's hope. No matter how long the road ahead is, we will no longer be afraid."

Lin Hao smiled slightly. He reached out his hand and held the hands of his two best friends tightly. "Then it's settled. No matter what greets us tomorrow, the three of us will hold hands until the light shines on every inch of land."

Under the moonlight, their backs were elongated, as if they were the guardians of the night, quietly guarding this land and waiting for the first ray of dawn.

"By the way, Lin Hao, what exactly do you mean by 'feel it with your heart'?" Su Mei'er suddenly turned her head, her eyes flashing with curiosity and expectation, "Are there more secrets that we haven't discovered yet?"

Lin Hao looked up at the starry sky, with a mysterious smile on his face: "That is a kind of intuition, a bridge between ancient wisdom and modern will. Perhaps, when we truly understand the power of the 'heart', we will no longer be limited by the rules in front of us."

Xu Mo tapped the notes in his hand lightly, frowning slightly: "This sounds both mysterious and exciting. If this is true, then our method of fighting the shadow may have to completely subvert tradition."

Their conversation attracted the attention of several young people around them, who gathered around them with curious looks on their faces.

"Brother Lin Hao, are you saying that the power of the mind is more powerful than martial arts?" One of the young men opened his eyes wide, his face full of admiration.

Lin Hao bent down and glanced at everyone gently: "It's not a question of how powerful they are, but a question of different methods. Martial arts strengthen the body, while mental strength strengthens the soul. Only with a firm soul can one overcome all difficulties."

The young men looked at each other, with shock in their eyes. One of them murmured to himself, "It turns out that true strength starts from within."

"Yes," Su Mei'er replied softly, "If your heart is facing the sun, you will not be afraid of sadness. This is also what we want to teach everyone."

In the glow of the campfire, their discussion resonated with more people. Even a few old men in the distance came hobbling over with crutches to join in this discussion about mind and strength.

"When we were young, we also chased after those seemingly illusory things." An old man spoke slowly with deep eyes, "Now it seems that you have found deeper answers than our generation."

Lin Hao bowed slightly to show his respect: "Seniors, we are just standing on the shoulders of giants. It is your experience and persistence that paved this road."

The old man smiled, his wrinkles revealing the wisdom of the years: "The waves behind push the waves ahead, and each generation is stronger than the previous one. This is inheritance. You still have a long way to go, but please remember that no matter when and where, this land and its people are your strongest backing."

The night is getting deeper, but every corner of the town is echoing with the vision of the future and the desire for light. In these words and hopes, there is not only the cohesion of strength, but also the exploration of the unknown and the understanding of the depth of life.

Just as the crowd gradually dispersed and prepared to greet the new day, a hurried sound of footsteps came closer and closer, and a messenger ran up to Lin Hao breathlessly and handed him a sealed letter.

"Lord Lin Hao, urgent news from our allies from afar."

Lin Hao took the letter, stroking the wax seal with his fingers, his eyes became solemn. He did not open it immediately, but turned to Su Mei'er and Xu Mo: "No matter what is written in it, we will face it. Because we are not only fighting for ourselves, but also for all the hearts in this world that yearn for light."

Su Mei'er and Xu Mo smiled at each other, their smiles showing indifference to the unknown and trust in each other. They knew that no matter how stormy the road ahead was, as long as their hearts were together, there would be no difficulties that could not be overcome.

Lin Hao opened the envelope and quickly glanced at the words on the paper. His face gradually became solemn. He was silent for a moment, and finally said only one sentence: "It seems that the real battle is coming faster than we expected."

After that, he handed the letter to Su Mei'er and Xu Mo. In the last bit of afterglow of the bonfire, the three of them stood closely together, with unprecedented firmness and determination burning in their eyes.

"Has the shadow force begun to act?" Su Mei'er's voice was low, but full of unquestionable power.

"Not only actions, the letter says that they have found an ancient and powerful secret technique that attempts to shroud the world in darkness forever." Xu Mo's eyes lingered on the letter, his brows furrowed.

Upon hearing this, several young people who had not yet left were horrified and began to talk in low voices.

"This...how is this possible? We have just seen hope, but we are about to be dragged into despair again?" a young man asked in disbelief.

"No." Lin Hao's voice was firm and powerful. He raised a hand and motioned for everyone to be quiet. "Remember, we have the clue of light in our hands, the support of each other, and the faith of the entire town and even more allies. As long as we unite, there will be no difficulties that we cannot overcome."

His words were like a warm current that warmed everyone's hearts. The discussions around them gradually subsided, replaced by a determined gaze.

"We are willing to follow you and fight against the shadow together!" A middle-aged man stood up with a firm tone. Behind him, more people responded, and the oath echoed in the night sky like thunder.

"Okay!" Lin Hao responded loudly, his eyes flashing with an unyielding light, "But this time, we need a more careful plan and more powerful strength. Xu Mo, it's time to put your rune research to use; Su Mei'er, your leadership and wisdom will be the soul of our team. And I... I will find the true meaning of the power of 'feeling with the heart' and bring the key to victory to all of us." (End of this chapter)