readytorunbook Chapter 257 Bravely Investigating the Enemy's Stronghold
Chapter 257 Bravely Investigating the Enemy's Stronghold
The night was deep, and the starlight was dim.
Zhuang Yu's figure moved like a ghost through the dimly lit corridors of the Alliance headquarters.
He clutched the note that read "Midnight, Soul-Severing Valley" tightly in his hand, his unease growing stronger, yet his eyes gleamed with unwavering determination.
In order to completely eradicate the Dark Night Demon Lord, this scourge, he had to take a risk.
Zhuang Yu's footsteps, like the beating of war drums, shattered the tranquil night.
He pushed open the door, and the biting night wind, carrying the scent of the mountains and forests, rushed towards him, making his robes flutter loudly.
The members of the alliance, already infected by his decisive and efficient demeanor, gathered in the courtyard. They knew that Zhuang Yu was about to take action again.
"Brother Zhuang Yu, are you leaving again?" The enthusiastic young man Xiao Wu stepped forward quickly, his eyes filled with worry. "Where are you going this time? We'll go with you!"
Zhuang Yu looked around at everyone, took a deep breath, and said in a low but powerful voice, "I'm going to investigate the Dark Night Demon Lord's stronghold. This trip will be extremely dangerous, and I can handle it alone."
These words immediately caused an uproar among the crowd.
Many people wanted to go with Zhuang Yu, but Zhuang Yu firmly shook his head, not wanting to put more people in danger.
Just then, a sharp voice broke the somewhat tragic atmosphere: "Wait! Zhuang Yu, aren't you being too reckless? How can the Demon Lord's stronghold be so easily discovered? If something goes wrong, wouldn't our alliance suffer even greater losses?" The leader of the Money Sect squeezed out from the crowd, his fat face filled with worry, but also mixed with a trace of greed.
"The most important thing now is to consolidate the strength of our alliance, not to take such unnecessary risks!" the leader of the Money Sect continued, his voice tinged with impatience, clearly for the sake of his sect's interests.
"Sect Leader Jin is mistaken!" someone in the crowd retorted. "As long as the Demon Clan is not eliminated, we will never have peace! Brother Zhuang Yu's actions are for the greater good!"
"Righteousness? I think you've been misled by him!" The leader of the Money Sect sneered disdainfully.
The league was once again embroiled in debate.
Representatives from various sects were divided. Some supported Zhuang Yu, believing that they should take the initiative to attack; others hesitated, worried about suffering too much loss.
Looking at his allies arguing endlessly over their own interests, Zhuang Yu couldn't help but feel a sense of helplessness.
He knew that uniting everyone would not be easy, but he had to make a decision as soon as possible.
Time was of the essence; he had to find the Dark Lord's lair as soon as possible and eliminate this threat.
His eyes narrowed, he glanced around, and slowly spoke, his voice, though not loud, resonating like a booming bell in everyone's ears: "Gentlemen, my mind is made up..."
He was about to continue speaking when he was interrupted by Mr. Zhuge, the Alliance strategist who rushed over. Mr. Zhuge had a solemn expression and walked up to Zhuang Yu, handing him something.
"This is..." Zhuang Yu looked down at the thing in Mr. Zhuge's hand, a hint of doubt in his eyes.
Zhuang Yu took the item handed to him by Mr. Zhuge. It was a completely black token, cold to the touch, with mysterious runes engraved on it, emitting a faint, eerie light.
"This is a unique pass for the demon race. I found it on a captured demon soldier. It might be of some help to you." Mr. Zhuge's tone was calm, and his eyes were full of trust.
Zhuang Yu's heart skipped a beat. He hadn't expected Mr. Zhuge to be so meticulous, even considering such details.
He gripped the token tightly, feeling its strange texture, which strengthened his resolve.
"Gentlemen," Zhuang Yu cleared his throat, his gaze sweeping over everyone, "I understand your concerns, but we cannot rest easy until the Demon Clan is eradicated. This investigation is not a reckless act; I have made thorough preparations."
He paused, then continued, "I will use this pass to infiltrate the demon stronghold, first ascertain its strength, and then formulate a detailed battle plan. I believe that as long as we work together, we will surely annihilate the demons in one fell swoop!" Zhuang Yu's voice was powerful and resonant, like the clash of metal, echoing in the courtyard.
"That makes sense!" A hot-tempered sect representative was the first to agree. "Rather than sitting and waiting to be killed, we should take the initiative!"
“That’s right, Brother Zhuang Yu is right!” another sect representative echoed.
Even the leader of the Money Sect, who had previously opposed it, lowered his fat head. He weighed the pros and cons and concluded that if the demon race could be wiped out, the gains would far outweigh the risks.
He forced a smile and said obsequiously, "Brother Zhuang Yu is indeed wise. We are willing to follow your orders."
Seeing that everyone was gradually reaching a consensus, Zhuang Yu was overjoyed.
He knew that the power of unity was boundless, and that as long as everyone worked together, they could overcome all difficulties.
Just then, Xiao Wu excitedly walked up to Zhuang Yu, his eyes filled with respect and determination, "Brother Zhuang Yu, I want to go too!"
Looking at the energetic young man in front of him, Zhuang Yu felt a warm current welling up in his heart.
He patted Xiao Wu on the shoulder and said with a smile, "Good brother, your words are enough. However, this expedition is indeed somewhat dangerous. If you stay in the alliance, you can provide me with backup."
Although Xiao Wu was somewhat disappointed, he still nodded heavily, "Brother Zhuang Yu, don't worry, I will definitely protect the alliance!"
Zhuang Yu looked around at everyone again. "Everyone, wait for my good news!"
As soon as he finished speaking, he leaped into the air, transforming into a black shadow and disappearing into the night.
"Brother Zhuang Yu, is it really possible to succeed?" Xiao Wu whispered, gazing in the direction where Zhuang Yu had disappeared.
"He will." Mr. Zhuge murmured, his eyes deep and a slight smile playing on his lips as he gazed into the distance, "He will definitely do it..."
The night was as dark as ink, and Zhuang Yu's figure blended into it, like a cheetah lurking in the darkness.
Holding the jet-black token in his hand, he felt a slight coolness emanating from it, which strengthened his resolve.
Behind them, the Alliance's elite followed closely, holding their breath and moving with light steps, like a group of ghosts moving through the dense forest.
The air was filled with the fresh scent of grass and trees, and a faint, almost imperceptible smell of blood, foreshadowing the battle that was about to begin.
They cautiously approached the Night Demon Lord's stronghold, a massive fortress hidden deep in a valley, surrounded by countless traps and patrols.
The cold wind howled, rustling the leaves as if whispering tales of the brutal battles that once took place on this land.
Zhuang Yu raised his hand to signal, and the group immediately stopped advancing. He squinted and carefully observed the situation ahead.
Hidden infrared beams flashed across the night sky, crisscrossing and forming the first line of defense.
Zhuang Yu's lips curled up slightly. He took out a few specially made pebbles from his pocket and threw them out suddenly.
With a few "whoosh" sounds, the pebbles accurately hit the infrared transmitter, and instantly, the infrared light disappeared.
Then, he directed the alliance members to quickly cross the first line of defense along the safe route cleared by the stones.
However, the Dark Lord's defenses went far beyond that.
Just as they passed through the infrared defense line, the ground beneath their feet suddenly trembled, and countless sharp spikes emerged from the ground, like venomous snakes lurking in the shadows, waiting for their chance to bite.
Zhuang Yu was prepared. He shouted, "Back off!" At the same time, he leaped into the air, his longsword drawing a graceful arc. Wherever the sword energy passed, the spikes broke off.
The alliance members immediately dispersed and used their skills to destroy the remaining spikes one by one.
After escaping the trap, they encountered a patrol team.
These demon soldiers, clad in heavy armor and wielding sharp blades, had bloodthirsty glints in their eyes.
Zhuang Yu's eyes narrowed. Instead of confronting them head-on, he cleverly used the terrain to divide the patrol team.
The alliance members immediately rushed forward, cooperating with each other, some casting spells, others engaging in close combat, creating a fierce yet orderly battle.
The clanging of metal clashing with the roars of the demon soldiers echoed through the valley, sending chills down one's spine.
Meanwhile, the strategist of the alliance, Mr. Zhuge, silently watched all of this from the darkness.
Seeing Zhuang Yu's composed command and the excellent teamwork of the alliance members, he couldn't help but nod in approval.
His wise gaze was filled with admiration and affirmation.
Meanwhile, the Night Demon Lord was leisurely sipping fine wine in his stronghold, completely unaware that danger was quietly approaching.
He believed his stronghold was impregnable and invincible.
However, when he heard the sounds of fighting outside, the wine glass in his hand trembled violently, and the crisp sound of it shattering broke the silence of the night.
"What's going on?!" he roared, his voice filled with disbelief. He couldn't believe that anyone could find this place.
He stood up abruptly, a look of terror on his face. He hurriedly organized a defense, but it was too late.
Zhuang Yu has led the alliance members to break through the outer defense line.
With a deafening roar, the outer wall of the stronghold was blasted open, billowing thick smoke and sending debris flying everywhere.
Zhuang Yu's figure appeared in the smoke, his eyes like the brightest star in the night sky, full of fighting spirit and determination.
He glanced around, a knowing smile playing on his lips. "Looks like the show's about to begin..."
The shouts of battle were deafening, the air was thick with smoke, and flames soared into the sky within the Valley of Broken Souls.
Zhuang Yu took the lead, his long sword dancing like a dragon, its sword energy crisscrossing, and wherever it passed, demon soldiers cried out and fell to the ground.
The alliance members followed closely behind, each displaying their unique abilities, and engaged in a fierce battle with the demon army.
The clanging of swords clashing, the booming of spells exploding, and the groans of the wounded intertwined to create a brutal symphony of war.
The stench of blood filled the air, stimulating everyone's nerves.
The leader of the Money Sect, who is usually greedy and stingy, is surprisingly brave at this moment.
He brandished his glittering magical weapon, like a golden spinning top, charging around and knocking down the demon soldiers blocking his way.
He kept shouting, "Charge! The treasure is all ours!"
Despite his low cultivation level, the passionate young man Xiao Wu was fearless.
He wielded a long sword, slashing left and right, his body splattered with the filthy blood of demons, but he was oblivious, his eyes fixed only on the raging flames of battle.
Meanwhile, the alliance's strategist, Mr. Zhuge, planned and directed the actions of the alliance members from the rear.
He gently waved his feather fan and chanted incantations, causing arrays to appear out of thin air, trapping the demon army and creating favorable battle opportunities for the alliance members.
The battle lasted for several hours, leaving corpses strewn across the Valley of Broken Souls and rivers of blood.
Ultimately, under Zhuang Yu's leadership, the alliance successfully defeated the main force of the Dark Night Demon Lord.
The Demon Lord's lair was magnificent and filled with rare and precious treasures.
The leader of the Money Sect's eyes lit up, and he rushed in impatiently, stuffing all the treasures into his storage bag.
Other alliance members also scrambled for the spoils, their faces beaming with the joy of victory.
However, Zhuang Yu did not join in the celebration.
He frowned, carefully searching every corner of the nest.
He felt a vague unease, as if something was amiss.
Finally, he discovered a secret passage behind the Demon Lord's throne.
At the entrance of the passage, a faint spatial fluctuation remained.
Zhuang Yu's heart sank. He immediately realized that the Dark Night Demon Lord had escaped.
"Oh no! The Demon Lord has escaped!" Zhuang Yu shouted a warning, his voice sounding particularly abrupt in the noisy lair.
The alliance members fell silent. They looked at each other, their joy gradually fading and replaced by a hint of fear.
Zhuang Yu looked at everyone, his eyes filled with solemnity, "I know that the Dark Night Demon Lord will definitely make a comeback, and he might be even more insane..."
As soon as he finished speaking, dark clouds suddenly gathered above the Valley of Broken Souls, accompanied by lightning and thunder, as if foreshadowing an even greater storm to come.