I am the Holy Poisoner, the Empress advised me to calm down

The young red-haired woman paused and looked at Carol and the others provocatively. "Okay, then show me something that will convince me!"

Carol took a deep breath and slowly walked towards a platform in the center of the venue. "Then I'll get straight to the point. The key to the 'Guardian Legacy' lies in finding the four legendary core crystals that can lead to the ultimate secret location. Only when they are gathered and activated will the true answer be revealed."

At this time, the old man who had questioned him earlier slowly nodded. "So, you do know a lot. But do you know where these crystals are now?"

"We already have two of them, and another is said to have appeared near the ruins on the east side," Aiden replied, scanning the entire room. "If we can work together to find the last one, perhaps all the conflicts can be resolved."

Just as everyone began to discuss, another commotion suddenly erupted from the entrance—several figures quickly rushed forward through the chaotic crowd...

"Stop them! Those guys are holding the last crystal!" With a panicked cry, everyone immediately fell into tension and chaos. The newcomers were clearly hostile, and the dazzling crystal they held tightly in their hands made the air even heavier.

Carol gripped her staff tightly and looked at her companions with a determined gaze. "It seems the real drama has just begun... We must either join forces now or watch all our efforts go to waste."

-"We choose to follow your footsteps no matter what." Aiden responded without hesitation.

-At the same time, a subtle consensus gradually formed among the other faces: "It's time to temporarily put aside prejudices and work together to fight against external threats."

At this tense moment, an unexpected voice rang out from the depths of the cave: "Great, is everyone here? The grand showdown can now officially begin."

Everyone was stunned, unsure of the challenge ahead. In this sudden turn of events, everyone's gaze simultaneously turned toward the source of the voice—a figure slowly emerged from the darkness. Clad in a black cloak, their features blurred in the shadows, but their voice carried an unmistakable sense of authority and mystery.

"Who are you?!" Carol asked vigilantly, her hand tightly gripping the staff, ready to deal with any possible situation at any time.

The man in black did not answer her question directly. Instead, he looked at Aiden and the others, "I understand that you want to resolve the problem peacefully. However, in this maze, not everyone has the same goal. Some things are destined to be unavoidable." As he spoke, a thin layer of mist suddenly filled the surroundings, as if to add a bit of unknown and terrifying atmosphere.

Hearing this, the crowd started talking.

"Who is this guy? He's so arrogant."

"I don't know if he's a friend or foe. He doesn't look easy to deal with."

A passerby in coarse linen couldn't help but interrupt, "Hey, hey, hey, this hero looks like he's from an important background, right? Why don't we just behave ourselves?" His tone was full of uncertainty and confusion about the future, but he was clearly more inclined to find a safe solution rather than direct confrontation.

Another bystander, Person B, chimed in, "Sigh, this is truly bizarre. First, that new gang showed up with the crystal, and now this unidentified big shot shows up too. We ordinary people can't handle this kind of turmoil..."

As everyone was talking, Arya stood up and shouted, "Everyone, calm down! Although the current situation seems complicated, we are not hopeless. We already have three core crystals. If we work together to find the last one, we can end this conflict."

The man in black seemed interested. "It seems you're quite confident in the solution, young lady. In that case..." He paused, then pointed to a distant corner and said, "The final clue is hidden there, but the path is filled with traps and traps. If you're not careful, you could lose your life."

Aiden immediately responded, "In any case, to complete the mission, we have no choice but to take the risk. Could you please point out the route?"

"Oh, ha ha ha..." The man in black laughed chillingly. "I can tell you how to get to your destination, but in exchange, I hope to get one of the core crystals that have been found."

As soon as these words were spoken, they immediately caused an uproar at the scene.

- Everyone in the crowd started talking.

- "This guy is so bold to ask for something. He's asking for too much!"

"But without his help, it wouldn't be that easy for us to get the fourth crystal..."

"Forget it, forget it. Instead of dawdling here, let's get this done quickly. The sooner we finish, the sooner we can leave this troubled place."

After a brief exchange, the expedition team finally agreed to his request, and the man in black described the specific route to their target location in detail. "Go straight along this corridor, turn right at the first intersection, and continue for another 500 meters..." As his instructions concluded, the entire scene fell silent again.

Carol took a deep breath and said, "Okay, now that the plan is finalized, everyone will split into three groups. The first group will be responsible for clearing obstacles ahead, the second group will protect those carrying the crystals from surprise attacks, and the third group will follow behind me to cast supporting magic. Please be vigilant and don't underestimate the various threats that may arise along the way."

"I understand, sir!" Thrall nodded vigorously. "As long as we work closely together, I believe we can complete this mission successfully!" His words restored some confidence to the faces of his companions around him.

Immediately afterwards, the entire team quickly entered combat mode, each busily preparing to depart. However, just as everyone began to move, the young red-haired woman from earlier stepped forward again and interrupted them.

"Wait, wait... Why does this feel so unfair? Why should these precious things be handed over to you to manage? I also want to participate in deciding our future!"

Carol looked back at the other person and said calmly, "So, have you changed your mind now? Are you willing to go with us instead of going it alone? If so, of course there is no problem."