Taking the opportunity of traveling through books

The first rays of the sun break through the mist, opening up a new path

After escaping, Hao Yang and I supported each other and walked step by step towards the safe house arranged by Elder Wei. Our tattered clothes, dusty faces, and aching wounds all told of the danger we had just experienced.

The warm light in the safe house dispelled the chill from our bodies. Elder Wei, seeing us safely back, finally smiled from his tense face. He quickly stepped forward, carefully examining our injuries, and only breathed a sigh of relief when he was certain they were nothing serious.

"It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back." There was an imperceptible tremor in Elder Wei's voice.

We simply cleaned our wounds and changed into clean clothes. After drinking the warm tea, our tense nerves gradually relaxed. However, the joy of surviving the disaster was soon replaced by a solemn atmosphere.

We sat around the table, no one spoke, the room was so quiet that we could only hear each other's breathing.

I looked at Hao Yang. His face was pale, his lips were tightly pursed, and his eyes were filled with worry. I reached out and gently shook his hand. He shook mine back with such force that it seemed as if he was crushing my bones.

"No matter what, we have to face it together." Hao Yang's voice was low and firm, with an unquestionable light flashing in his eyes.

I felt the warmth and strength of his hands, and my heart was filled with emotion. I knew that no matter how many difficulties and obstacles lay ahead, as long as he was by my side, I would be fearless.

Elder Wei broke the silence and slowly said, "I'm afraid this matter is not that simple. We must quickly investigate the details of that mysterious organization, otherwise there will be endless trouble."

His words resonated like a thunderclap in the room. We all knew that Elder Wei was right. This mysterious organization was secretive and powerful. If we couldn't stop them in time, the consequences would be disastrous.

"Who are they? Why are they targeting us?" I couldn't help but ask, my heart full of doubts.

Elder Wei shook his head and sighed, "We currently have too little information to confirm their identities and motives. However, one thing is certain: they are definitely not good people."

We were lost in thought. The presence of the mysterious organization hung over our hearts like a dark cloud, lingering.

Hao Yang held my hand tightly, looked at me firmly, and said, "Yao'er, don't be afraid. I will protect you."

His words gave me great comfort and strength. I nodded and gave him a firm look.

"What should we do next?" I looked at Elder Wei, seeking his advice.

Elder Wei pondered for a moment and said, "First, we must strengthen our vigilance to prevent them from attacking again. Second, we must quickly determine their identities and goals and find their weaknesses so that we can effectively counterattack."

We discussed it and came up with a rough plan. Although it was still rough, it finally gave us a direction.

Late at night, the safe house was completely silent. I lay in bed, unable to sleep. My mind kept replaying the thrilling moments at the base. The moments of nearly losing Hao Yang flashed through my mind like a movie, leaving me with a lingering fear.

I stood up and walked to the window, looking out at the dark night sky. In the distance, it seemed as if a pair of eyes were watching us... Hao Yang's hands wrapped around my waist from behind...

Hao Yang's hands wrapped around my waist from behind. His warmth filtered through the thin fabric of my clothes, dispelling the chill in my heart. "Still thinking about those things?" His voice was low and gentle, like a soothing nocturne, calming my inner uneasiness.

I hummed softly and rested my head on his shoulder. Closing my eyes, those thrilling scenes resurfaced in my mind: the smoke filling the stronghold, the deafening explosions, and Hao Yang's selfless figure trying to protect me... My heart suddenly sank, as if I were back in that life-or-death moment.

I remember the moment a man in black suddenly leaped from the darkness, stabbing me with a sharp dagger. I froze in fear, unable to move. In the nick of time, Hao Yang shoved me away, only to be struck directly. Blood instantly stained his clothes, and my heart felt like it had been stabbed, the pain stifling my breath.

"Don't be afraid, I'm fine." Hao Yang endured the pain and gave me a reassuring smile. At that moment, I felt like the whole world had collapsed. I hugged him tightly, tears streaming down my face. What would I do if something really happened to him?

"Fortunately, we all survived." Hao Yang's voice pulled me back from my memories. He gently stroked my hair, as if comforting a frightened child.

"Yeah, fortunately..." I muttered to myself, but my heart was still filled with fear. I couldn't imagine what I would be like now if it weren't for Hao Yang, if the system hadn't given me a warning.

Suddenly, a gentle knock on the door broke the silence in the room. I was startled. Could it be those men in black again? Hao Yang also noticed my uneasiness. He protected me behind him and looked towards the door vigilantly.

"It's me." Elder Wei's voice came from outside the door, with a barely perceptible urgency.

I quickly opened the door, and Elder Wei walked in quickly, holding a scroll. "I found some information about that mysterious organization." His tone was filled with excitement, as if he had found a beacon in the darkness.

Hao Yang and I exchanged a glance, each seeing hope in the other's eyes. We quickly gathered around the table, and Elder Wei slowly unrolled the scroll, which was densely covered with words and symbols.

"According to the intelligence we currently have, this mysterious organization is called 'Shadow', and their purpose is..." Elder Wei's voice was low and powerful, and every word struck my heart.

I listened intently, afraid to miss a single detail. As Elder Wei spoke, a vast and mysterious organization gradually emerged before my eyes. Their influence spread far and wide, their actions were secretive, their methods brutal, and chilling.

"We must stop them as soon as possible!" I clenched my fists, my heart filled with anger and determination.

Elder Wei nodded and said solemnly, "I've come up with a plan..." Before he could finish, Hao Yang suddenly interrupted him, "Wait, I think this plan is too risky..." Elder Wei stroked his beard, his eyes fixed on the red dots marked on the map. "Several important strongholds of 'Shadow' are located here. My plan is to split our forces into three groups and simultaneously raid these strongholds, catching them off guard."

Hao Yang frowned, tapping his fingers lightly on the map. "Elder, these strongholds are heavily guarded, and we don't know enough about their internal situation. If we attack rashly, we might fall into their ambush."

"I know there are risks," Elder Wei said, raising his voice a few notches, "but this is the fastest way to dismantle their power! We can't delay any longer!"

"But we can't joke with everyone's lives!" Hao Yang retorted without hesitation, "Knowing ourselves and the enemy ensures victory in every battle. We should first send people to infiltrate these strongholds, find out their details, and then formulate a specific battle plan."

The two exchanged words, the atmosphere growing tense. I sat by, watching them argue, and I understood that they were both striving for the same goal, albeit with different perspectives. Elder Wei was intent on swiftly eradicating the "Shadow," while Hao Yang prioritized everyone's safety.

The air in the room seemed frozen, the only sound being the crackling of burning wood. I took a deep breath and tried to remain calm. They all had a point, but if we continued to stalemate, we would only waste precious time.

I coughed softly, breaking the silence. "Elder, Hao Yang, I think what you both say makes sense." I walked over to the map, pointed to a red dot, and said, "We might as well choose a relatively weakly defended stronghold and launch a tentative attack. If successful, we can then consider raiding other strongholds. This will quickly verify the accuracy of our intelligence and reduce unnecessary casualties." I added, "At the same time, we can arrange personnel to secretly investigate the specific conditions of other strongholds and prepare for the next step."

Elder Wei and Hao Yang both looked at me, lost in thought. After a moment, Elder Wei nodded, "Yao'er is right. This plan is indeed more reliable."

Hao Yang also agreed. "This way, we can seize the initiative and reduce risks." He turned to look at me, his eyes full of admiration. "Yao'er, you always come up with the best solution."

I smiled, but I didn't feel any more relieved. Although this plan seemed feasible, it would certainly encounter various problems in practice.

The three of us discussed the specific steps of the operation in detail, including personnel arrangements, weapons and equipment, retreat routes, etc. It was not until late at night that we finally finalized all the details.

"There is no time to lose, we will set off tomorrow." Elder Wei said in a firm tone.

I nodded and looked out the window at the dark night sky. Suddenly, a strange feeling of unease rose in my heart. I walked to the window and opened it. A cold wind blew in my face, making me shiver.

"What's wrong?" Hao Yang walked up to me and asked with concern.

I shook my head, "Nothing, just feeling..." I suddenly stopped, my eyes fixed on a dark shadow in the distance. The shadow flashed by so fast that if I hadn't had sharp eyes, I wouldn't have noticed it at all.

"What do you feel?" Hao Yang followed my gaze, but saw nothing.

I stared closely at that direction, with a bad feeling in my heart... "Someone is watching us."

Hao Yang followed my gaze. The night was thick, and apart from scattered lights in the distance, nothing could be seen. "Are you seeing things? This desolate wilderness..."

I shook my head, dismissing his assertion. "No, my senses are always accurate. That feeling of being watched is as chilling as a venomous snake." I closed my eyes and slowly released my spiritual energy, carefully sensing the movements around me. A faint scent of blood hung in the air, almost imperceptible, yet lingering. I'd smelled this scent on members of the Shadow before.

I suddenly opened my eyes and grabbed Hao Yang's arm, "We must leave here immediately!"

Elder Wei also noticed my abnormality and asked in a deep voice, "Yao'er, what happened?"

I didn't have time to explain too much, so I just said briefly: "We've been discovered!"

We quickly packed up and quietly left the cabin. I used the system to scan the surroundings and, as expected, spotted several faint spiritual energy fluctuations rapidly approaching. They were well-trained and their movements were stealthy. If I hadn't used the system, I'd have been hard-pressed to detect their presence.

"They're coming!" I whispered, quickening my pace.

The three of us ran wildly in the night, and the spiritual power fluctuations behind us were getting closer and closer. It was obvious that the other party had discovered our whereabouts and was chasing us with all their might.

We ran into a dense forest and, under the cover of the trees, temporarily escaped the pursuers' sight. "We must find a way to shake them off," Elder Wei said, panting.

I looked around for a place to hide. "Let's go up the tree first!"

The three of us quickly climbed a tall old tree and hid among the dense branches. The pursuers soon arrived and searched everywhere under the tree, but they still couldn't find any trace of us.

"It seems they can't find us." Hao Yang breathed a sigh of relief.

I didn't dare to let my guard down, and I kept my eyes on the movement under the tree. Those people didn't give up, they spread out and continued searching in the woods, and kept sending out signals, as if calling for reinforcements.

I knew in my heart that it was only a matter of time before we were discovered. "We can't stay here for long. We must find a way to leave as soon as possible."

Just then, I noticed a man in black walking towards the tree we were hiding in. He raised his head, as if he had discovered something, and his eyes were fixed on the branch where we were.

I held my breath, not daring to move. The man in black slowly raised his weapon and pointed it at us...

"It seems that we need to change our plan." I whispered to Hao Yang and Elder Wei, "This stronghold is much more difficult to capture than we thought." I glanced down from the tree and saw that the man in black was gesturing to his companions, and more men in black were gathering here... My hand slowly touched the dagger at my waist.