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

Xiaomei asked with concern: "Isn't it dangerous for you to come out alone so late? Go back quickly."

Armin shook his head and said, "No, I want to go with you. I want to be a hero like you too!"

Lin Chen pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "Okay, but you must listen to our arrangements and don't act on your own."

"Don't worry!" Amin agreed excitedly, and then followed Lin Chen and his group.

They continued on their journey, passing through a dense forest, and finally came to an open area. Here was an abandoned village, with a desolate atmosphere revealed among the broken walls.

"What is this place?" Amin asked curiously.

The old man explained softly, "This is a forgotten place where an ancient race once lived. It is said that this place hides many secrets."

As they spoke, a sudden chilly wind blew, rustling the leaves. Lin Chen, perceptive enough to sense something was amiss, quickly drew his sword, and signaled everyone to be on guard.

"Be careful, there are unknown creatures here." He whispered.

Sure enough, several dark shadows slowly emerged from the ruins, gradually revealing their figures. They had sharp claws and red eyes, and emitted low roars, clearly ferocious monsters.

"Get ready for battle!" Lu Yan shouted, drew his sword, and quickly entered combat mode.

Amin stood nervously to the side, clenching his fists, trying to overcome his inner fear. Xiaomei patted his shoulder gently and encouraged him, "Don't be afraid, we will protect you."

Lin Chen faced the charging monsters, slashing with his sword. Each strike was spot-on, sending the monsters falling one after another. Meanwhile, the old man cast a spell, immobilizing a monster attempting a sneak attack. Lu Yan and Xiao Mei also displayed their magical powers, repelling the monsters one by one.

Amin watched in amazement, his admiration for them growing stronger. He vowed to himself: I must work hard to become stronger so that I can help these heroes in the future.

The battle was finally over. Several monster corpses lay on the ground, but they were completely unharmed. Amin ran over excitedly, exclaiming loudly, "That's amazing! You guys are truly heroes!"

The old man smiled slightly, put away the light in his hand, and reminded: "We can't let our guard down. This place doesn't seem to be simple."

Lin Chen nodded and looked into the distance: "Let's leave here quickly and find a safe place."

Just as they were about to leave, a deep voice sounded again: "What a battle! It seems you are quite strong."

Everyone turned around and saw a man in a black robe standing on the ruins, his eyes deep and sharp. This man was none other than the captain of the Tianlong Army they had met earlier—the man in golden armor, but now he was wearing a black robe, giving off a mysterious aura.

"It's you again!" Lu Yan gritted his teeth and said, "Are you still not going to give up?"

The man in golden armor sneered, "You have obtained the artifact, but the real battle has just begun. Hand over the artifact, and there may be a chance to survive."

Lin Chen snorted coldly: "Impossible! We will use our own strength to protect it."

A hint of admiration flashed in the eyes of the man in golden armor, and he slowly said, "Then let's make this battle even more exciting."

As soon as he finished speaking, more enemies emerged from the ruins and surrounded them. Lin Chen and the others quickly stood back to back, ready to fight.

"It looks like this will be a tough battle." Lu Yan said.

Lin Chen looked at everyone with determination: "We will definitely break through the siege, no matter how great the challenges ahead."

At this moment, a villager suddenly appeared not far away and shouted: "The village chief has sent people to support us!"

Lin Chen turned around and saw dozens of villagers, armed with weapons, running towards them. Although these people were not professional warriors, their courage and determination were admirable.

A Ming said excitedly: "I didn't expect the village chief to send reinforcements!"

"We must seize this opportunity and break out quickly!" Lin Chen said loudly.

With the help of the villagers, they quickly broke out of the encirclement and continued running into the distance. The enemy behind them was still chasing them, but their pace was getting slower and slower.

Led by Lin Chen, the group swiftly moved through the night. The villagers followed closely behind. Although they weren't battle-hardened warriors, their courage and determination were a huge inspiration to Lin Chen and his group. Xiaomei would frequently look back to ensure no one was left behind.

"Keep up! Don't let the enemy get close!" Lu Yan commanded the villagers loudly, his voice full of determination and strength. Although everyone's physical strength was gradually overdrawn, no one complained, and no one retreated.

Suddenly, several villagers rushed out from the bushes nearby, apparently sent to provide support. "Brother Lin, we are here!" one of the villagers shouted excitedly.

Ah Ming was so excited that he almost jumped up: "It's Uncle San and the others! That's great!"

Uncle San panted and said, "We followed your traces and found it. We didn't expect to find it. Come on, there are some favorable terrains here that we can use."

Hearing this, Lin Chen's eyes flashed with admiration: "Thanks to the support of the villagers. Now, we need to find a safe place to regroup before moving on. Anyone have any good ideas?"

"I know a place that is surrounded by mountains and is easy to defend but difficult to attack," replied Uncle San.

"Okay, lead the way!" Lin Chen gave the order decisively.

Following Uncle San's directions, they soon arrived at a secluded valley. This was indeed an excellent refuge, with a wide view and several natural barriers for defense.

Just as everyone was nervously preparing, a young villager walked up to Lin Chen and whispered, "Brother, you are truly amazing! I always thought those heroes were just legends in stories, but I never thought I would actually see someone like him in person."

Lin Chen smiled slightly and patted his shoulder: "Be brave, everyone has the potential to be a hero."

"Yes," the man nodded with admiration, "I will also work hard and hope to be like you one day."

At this moment, the sound of hurried footsteps interrupted their conversation. A man in golden armor appeared on a ridge not far away with a new group of men. His sharp eyes looked particularly terrifying in the moonlight.

"It seems they are chasing us." The old man said in a low voice.

Lu Yan stood up and drew his knife: "We must not let them succeed so easily this time!"

Amin swallowed nervously, but still mustered up the courage to stand at the front of the line. Xiaomei patted his shoulder gently and said, "Remember, stay calm and don't panic."

Just as the two sides prepared to clash again, a flash of lightning streaked across the night sky, followed by a roar of thunder. As if unwilling to see the battle continue, the heavens began to pour down rain. The raindrops pelted everyone's faces, but they couldn't extinguish the passion and determination in their hearts.