stonecrandall Page 274
Page 274
Chapter 573 Attack by Unknown Creatures
Chapter 573 Attack by Unknown Creatures
Suddenly, a boy in the crowd mustered his courage and asked loudly, "Lord Zhao De, is the giant beast really not coming back?"
Zhao De gazed into the distance, his expression complex: "The power of the behemoth stems from fear and despair. As long as there is light and love in our hearts, it can never be resurrected. But we must also be vigilant, for darkness will never completely disappear, and we must always be prepared."
At this moment, an elderly wise man, leaning on a cane, slowly approached: "Children, today you have proven the power of light, but please remember that greater challenges often lurk after victory. Stay vigilant, and never forget your original aspirations."
Arya stepped forward and gently patted the boy's shoulder: "We still have many unfinished business, rebuilding our homes and comforting people. These all require our joint efforts."
"So... what should we do next?" The boy's eyes held both confusion and anticipation.
Zhao De looked at everyone with a firm gaze: "First, we must ensure the safety of this land. Then, together we will plan for the future so that everyone can live freely and happily under this sky."
Just as everyone was immersed in their beautiful dreams for the future, a messenger rushed in and broke the peace: "Lord Zhao De, something terrible has happened! The village to the east has been attacked by an unknown creature, and the situation is critical!"
The crowd stirred again, but this time it was no longer panic, but rather a sense of determination and preparation for the challenges to come.
Zhao De and Aria exchanged a glance; no words were needed, their understanding was unspoken. "We'll depart immediately," Zhao De said in a deep voice. "Protecting our people is our responsibility, and also our honor."
As Zhao De finished speaking, the surrounding villagers sprang into action. Some busied themselves preparing their equipment, while others rushed home to inform their families and join the rescue efforts. A tense yet determined atmosphere filled the air.
A middle-aged woman held her child's hand tightly, her eyes filled with determination: "Look, those are our heroes, Lord Zhao De and Miss Arya. No matter what difficulties we encounter, as long as they are there, hope will never be extinguished."
The child looked up at his mother, his eyes sparkling with admiration: "Mom, when I grow up, I want to be like them and protect everyone."
Not far away, several young soldiers were excitedly discussing the upcoming battle. One of them shouted, "We can't fall behind this time. We couldn't fight alongside Lord Zhao De last time, so we can't miss this opportunity."
Another person joked, "You just don't get so scared your legs go weak. But seriously, being able to fight alongside Lord Zhao De is something many people dream of."
Just as everyone was busy preparing, Aria walked to Zhao De's side and asked softly, "Do you think this attack might be related to the remnants of the giant beasts?"
Zhao De frowned and thought for a moment, then shook his head: "It's too early to draw conclusions now, but in any case, we must prepare for the worst. Prepare the carriage; we need to get to Dongcun as soon as possible."
With the carriage ready, Zhao De and his entourage quickly embarked on their journey. Villagers along the way stopped what they were doing, waved to them, and looked at them with admiration and trust.
"Lord Zhao De, you must return safely!" an old man cried out in a trembling voice.
"Don't worry, sir, we will bring peace back," Zhao De replied with a confident smile.
Chapter 574 Searching for Survivors
Chapter 574 Searching for Survivors
Traveling several miles east, they finally arrived at Dongcun, the village that had been attacked. The scene before them shocked everyone—houses collapsed, dust billowed, and everything was in ruins. Villagers scattered in all directions, their terrified cries echoing throughout the village.
"What...did this do this?" a young soldier exclaimed in a low voice, his eyes filled with disbelief.
Zhao De frowned and quickly scanned his surroundings: "Separate to search for survivors, while being careful. With this level of destructive power, the enemy is no ordinary foe."
Just as they were searching anxiously, a deep roar suddenly came from the depths of the ruins. Then, a huge creature they had never seen before slowly came into view, exuding an ominous aura. The villagers were terrified when they saw this.
Arya immediately stood beside Zhao De. The two looked at each other, conveying boundless courage and determination without needing to say a word.
"Everyone be careful, prepare for battle!" Zhao De shouted, his voice echoing through the ruins and inspiring everyone.
The villagers huddled around Zhao De and Arya, trembling. Fear filled their faces, but seeing the two warriors' resolute eyes, a spark of hope was rekindled in their despair.
"What kind of monster is that?! Can we defeat it?" a thin boy asked, his voice so soft it was almost swallowed by the wind, but the fear in it was clear.
“Trust Lord Zhao De; he has never let us down.” A middle-aged woman beside him held the boy’s hand tightly, her words filled with unwavering conviction.
Zhao De drew his longsword, the tip lightly touching the ground. His gaze sharpened as he surveyed the surroundings: "No matter who our opponent is, we will not back down. Protecting ourselves and those around us is our only way out."
Arya drew her twin daggers and leaped lightly onto a pile of rubble. Her figure appeared exceptionally resolute in the sunlight: "I'll cover everyone. Zhao De, you find an opportunity to deliver the fatal blow."
With their roles clearly defined, the surrounding soldiers and villagers began to disperse in an orderly manner, searching for usable weapons or safer places to take refuge.
"Look over there!" a sharp-eyed villager shouted, pointing to a pile of rubble. "There are children trapped inside!"
Zhao De frowned, glanced at the monster approaching step by step in the distance, and then looked back at the helpless faces. "Alia, you take a few people to rescue them, I'll hold that guy off."
"Zhao De, are you sure you can manage on your own?" Aria asked worriedly.
"I must do it." Zhao De smiled, his eyes gleaming with unyielding spirit. "Go quickly, time is of the essence."
Arya nodded and led several strong men toward the pile of ruins, while Zhao De walked alone toward the slowly moving unknown creature. Every step he took was steady and powerful, as if stepping on everyone's hearts.
"Come on, monster, let me see your strength!" Zhao De shouted, pointing his sword at the sky, an indescribable power seemingly gathering around him.
The monster seemed to understand the challenge from humanity, letting out a deafening roar and quickening its pace, causing the earth to tremble. A seemingly impossible battle was about to unfold.
Just as the two closed to a dangerous distance, Zhao De suddenly flashed, appearing like a ghost on the monster's flank. He slashed down with his sword, the sharp blade cutting through the monster's thick skin and leaving a bloody gash.
Chapter 575 Unyielding Will
Chapter 575 Unyielding Will
"How is this possible!" the villagers exclaimed in astonishment. They had never seen anyone able to harm such a terrifying being.
The monster roared and its attacks grew increasingly fierce, but Zhao De handled the situation with ease, each exchange leaving the villagers in awe. In this battle where the odds were stacked against them, Zhao De not only displayed his martial arts skills but also ignited the indomitable will to fight against despair and pursue survival deep within the people's hearts.
Just as the battle reached a stalemate, the sound of children crying came from afar, followed by cheers—Arya had successfully rescued the trapped children.
"Zhao De, look!" Aria shouted, waving her hand to signal everyone to retreat.
Seizing the moment, Zhao De leaped over the monster's head, leaving a deeper wound on its back. This caused the monster to turn around angrily, ignoring the receding crowd.
"Let's go!" Zhao De shouted as he was the last to retreat. His shadow stretched long in the setting sun, making him appear exceptionally lonely and heroic.
Once everyone was safely away, Zhao Decai stopped and turned back to stare at the monster, already having made up his mind.
“This time, we escaped. But next time, I will definitely deal with you completely and protect this land and its people.” Zhao De muttered to himself, his eyes resolute, a new plan already quietly taking shape in his mind.
"Brother Zhao De, you're amazing! That monster has thick hide and tough flesh; even the old hunters in the village said it would be difficult to deal with, yet you managed to injure it!" A young villager ran to Zhao De's side with admiration, excitedly exclaiming. People around them also gathered around, chattering about the thrilling scene they had just witnessed.
"Yes, Zhao De, your swordsmanship is like a divine weapon descending from the sky, it makes my heart pound!" A middle-aged woman exclaimed with deep emotion, her eyes shining with hope. "With you in our village, we will never have to be afraid of those monsters again."
Zhao De smiled and shook his head humbly, saying, "I'm no hero, I just did what I should do. True courage is like Arya, stepping forward in a moment of crisis to save the children. She is the real warrior."
"Zhao De is right, Arya is our hero too!" a child in the crowd shouted, and others echoed him, creating a lively atmosphere.
Arya arrived, panting, her face still dusty, but her eyes were filled with determination. "Zhao De, the children are safe. Thank you for giving me time." She looked at Zhao De gratefully, a subtle tenderness in her eyes.
Zhao De smiled slightly and replied, "We're partners, aren't we? Your courage is equally admirable. Now, we need to discuss how to completely resolve the monster problem."
Upon hearing this, everyone immediately fell silent, looking at Zhao De with a mixture of tension and anticipation. Zhao De glanced around and, seeing that everyone was listening intently, began to explain his plan.
"Although that monster is powerful, it is not invincible. I noticed that although its movements are fierce, it is not agile in turning. If we can design a trap and take advantage of speed and the environment, we can give it a fatal blow."
"A trap? How do we do that?" A clever child in the crowd asked impatiently.
Chapter 576 Self-Defense Skills
Chapter 576 Self-Defense Skills
Zhao De squatted down and patiently explained, "We need to use the terrain around the village to dig some deep pits, cover them with camouflage nets, and then use animal meat as bait. When the monster chases the meat into the trap area, we will use ropes and pulley systems to quickly pull the meat, causing it to slip and fall into the pit. Then, we can work together to subdue it."
After hearing this, the villagers looked at each other in bewilderment. Although they felt that the plan was both bold and risky, they were filled with hope again when they thought of Zhao De’s heroic feat of fighting the monster all by himself.
“It sounds crazy, but I’m willing to give it a try!” A burly man patted his chest, expressing his support.
"I'll join too!" "Count me in!" Other villagers responded enthusiastically, and confidence and courage spread through the group.
Just as everyone was rubbing their hands together in anticipation of action, Arya suddenly spoke up, her voice calm yet undeniable: "But before that, we must intensify our training, and everyone must learn basic self-defense skills. Only in this way can we protect ourselves and each other in the worst-case scenario."
Zhao De nodded in agreement and said to everyone, "Alia is right. We will begin training first thing tomorrow morning. It's not just to defeat the monsters, but also to protect our home and our future."
As night fell, the crowd dispersed, preparing for the challenges to come. Zhao De and Aria walked side by side on their way back, their conversation low and resolute in the darkness.
"Zhao De, do you really think this plan can succeed?" Aria turned to look at him, her eyes flashing with worry but also trust.
Zhao De stopped and looked at the hazy mountain shadows in the distance, his tone filled with unprecedented determination: "We must believe in ourselves and in the power of the team. Countless miracles in history have been created under seemingly impossible circumstances. We have wisdom, courage, and most importantly, each other—this is our greatest weapon."
“You’re right.” Arya smiled gently, her smile appearing especially tender and strong in the moonlight. “No matter how difficult the road ahead may be, as long as we’re together, nothing is impossible.”
The next morning, as soon as the first hint of dawn appeared on the horizon, the village was already bustling with activity. The villagers gathered in the open space in the center of the village and, following Zhao De and Ailiya's instructions, began their intense and well-organized training.
"Watch your step, keep your balance!" Arya's voice was clear and strong as she instructed an elderly villager on how to quickly dodge in an emergency.
Beside him, Zhao Dezheng personally demonstrated how to make simple weapons using the surrounding natural environment. "Watch closely, a sturdy branch and a resilient vine can become your makeshift bow and arrow." As he spoke, he drew back his homemade bow, and the arrow whistled out, accurately hitting a distant target, drawing gasps and applause from the children watching.
"Wow, Brother Zhao De is so amazing!" a little boy exclaimed, his eyes wide with admiration.
"Yes, he's practically a hero straight out of a legend!" The girl next to her chimed in excitedly.
"Hero? Haha, each of us can be our own hero." Zhao De smiled and walked over, squatting down to look the children in the eye. "Remember, courage and wisdom are more important than any weapon."
Chapter 577 The Enormous Monster
Chapter 577 The Enormous Monster
Several days later, an unprecedented sense of unity and fighting spirit permeated the village. The villagers' eyes no longer held only fear, but rather anticipation for the future and a determination to fight.
Finally, the day of the decisive battle arrived. As the sun rose, the entire village mobilized, laying a trap according to Zhao De's plan. The deep pit was cleverly hidden beneath dense grass, and the aroma of animal meat wafted on the wind, luring the monster in the distance step by step into the trap.
"It's here!" The boy on guard duty shouted urgently, breaking the silence and making everyone's heart clench.