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

Before the scout captain finished speaking, several figures quickly approached from the darkness. Qin Feng quickly stood up and looked around vigilantly. "Who is it?" he asked in a low voice, his longsword tightly gripped in his hand.

"Don't worry, we're here to help you," a familiar voice called out. Then, several warriors in various outfits appeared in the firelight. Leading them was a man with a stern face and sharp eyes. He smiled at Qin Feng and said, "I'm Jerome, leader of the mercenary group 'Shadow.' I heard you're in trouble, so I've brought some men to support you."

"So you are our allies. Thank you very much." Qin Feng breathed a sigh of relief and then introduced his team members to them.

Alia looked at the newcomers curiously, especially the tall, imposing female warrior. "This is Reina, our deputy commander," Jerome introduced.

"Nice to meet you." Reina smiled and extended her hand, shaking Alya's. "You're quite skilled. I hope we can have the chance to fight side by side."

"Of course!" Alia responded excitedly. She has always been eager to find more like-minded partners.

At this moment, the scout captain suddenly spoke up, "Everyone, time is running out. We must discuss countermeasures as soon as possible. There is a greater conspiracy behind those black-armored warriors, and we may just be the tip of the iceberg."

"Can you tell me more about it?" Qin Feng asked.

The scout captain nodded, his expression solemn. "According to our intelligence, this force originates from a place called 'Shadow Land.' Their target isn't just this area, but the entire continent. If we don't act quickly, the consequences will be disastrous."

"It seems we really need more allies." Mo Liusu pondered.

"That's right. Only a united force can defeat these guys." Jerome agreed. "We have already contacted some other allies, and I believe they will arrive soon."

At this time, a villager who was watching quietly approached and whispered: "Sir, if possible, I hope I can do something for the village..."

"It's good enough that you have this heart." Qin Feng replied with a smile, "Protecting yourself and your family is also the greatest support for us."

"Thank you, sir!" The villagers were so excited that they kept thanking him, their eyes full of gratitude.

"Okay, that's all for tonight." Qin Feng looked at everyone and said firmly, "Tomorrow morning, we will continue to move forward, search for more clues, and be prepared for battle."

"Agree!" The team members answered in unison, with determination flashing in their eyes.

As the night deepened, everyone gradually dispersed to rest. But Qin Feng's heart could not calm down. He walked to the campfire and stared at the dancing flames. Suddenly, the man who claimed to be the guardian appeared again and whispered, "What are you still worried about?"

"The road ahead is destined to be full of difficulties and obstacles." Qin Feng sighed, "I don't know if we can overcome everything."

The guardian smiled and comforted him, "Faith is the most powerful weapon. As long as we unite as one, there is no difficulty that cannot be overcome."

Qin Feng nodded, his determination gradually firming up in his heart. "You're right. No matter what, we will stick to it."

"So be it." The guardian turned and left, disappearing into the night.

Just as Qin Feng was about to return to his tent to rest, a low rumbling sound came from the distance. Lin Ze and Xiao Jie immediately ran to his side, looking warily in the direction of the sound. "What's going on?" Lin Ze frowned.

"I don't know, but we must be careful." Qin Feng said in a deep voice.

"Captain, look over there!" Alia pointed to the foot of the mountain in the distance, where something seemed to be moving.

"Let's go and take a look." Qin Feng waved his hand and led everyone cautiously towards the direction where the sound came from.

The night enveloped the land like a dream, and an inexplicable tension hung in the air. Just as they approached their destination, a figure emerged from the darkness and said in a deep voice, "You're finally here..."

"Who are you? Why do you know we are coming here?" Qin Feng asked vigilantly.

The man slowly turned around, revealing a familiar face—it was the scout captain who had been surrounded before!

"I have a lot to tell you..." he whispered, "and this is just the beginning..." Qin Feng and his team members' expressions instantly grew solemn. At the foot of the mountain in the night, the scout captain's expression was particularly mysterious. He slowly walked towards the fire, the surrounding darkness seemingly dispelled by him.

"What on earth is going on?" Qin Feng gripped his sword tightly, his tone a little wary. "Who are you?"

The scout captain smiled faintly, his eyes flickering with complex emotions. "My name is Raynor, and I'm your ally," he whispered, "but I'm also a traitor to the Shadowlands."

For a moment, everyone fell silent. The villagers whispered among themselves, their eyes filled with astonishment and anxiety. Reina couldn't help but ask, "So, you know the story behind those black-armored warriors?"

Raynor nodded, his eyes growing more resolute. "Indeed. The Shadowlands are a powerful force hidden deep within the continent. They possess a vast army and advanced technology. Their true purpose isn't just to conquer this land, but to control the entire world."

"So, what should we do?" Alia asked anxiously, a hint of worry in her eyes.

"We have no choice," Qin Feng said in a deep voice, "We must find the core stronghold of the Shadow Land and destroy it. Otherwise, not only this area, but the entire continent will be plunged into disaster."

Mo Liusu nodded in agreement. "But we obviously can't accomplish the mission alone. We need more allies."

"Don't worry," Jerome said with a confident smile, "The 'Shadow' Mercenary Group has contacted many reliable friends, and they will come to support us soon."

As soon as the words fell, hurried footsteps suddenly sounded in the distance. Everyone immediately became alert and tightened their grip on their weapons. A figure in a black cloak quickly approached. He stopped in front of them and lifted his hood, revealing a familiar and resolute face.

"Gar, you're finally here!" Jerome stepped forward, shook hands with him and hugged him. "How's it going?"

Gar nodded gently, his expression grim. "We've uncovered some clues. There's indeed a massive secret base in the Shadowlands. They say the defenses there are incredibly powerful, impenetrable by ordinary attacks."