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    ThemsuncastagoldenglowoverthevilgeasSukieandHanFenglingpreparedfortheday，sjourheyhadreceivedwordthattheDarkLord，sforcesweregatheringinanearbyregion，andtheyoscouttheareaandgatherintelligehevilgerswatchedthemwithamixofadmirationand，theirhopesrestingontheshouldersofthebraveduo.Astheysetout，theairwasfilledwiththestofbloomingflowersandthesoundofrustlingleaves.SukiewalkedbesideHanFengling，herheartbeatingwithamixtureofexcitementandtrepidation.Sheghim，hisstrongprofileoutlinedagainstthemlight，aasurgeofgratitudeforhisunwaveringpresence.＂Areyoureadyforthis?＂HanFenglingasked，hisvoicegefilledwithresolve.Sukienodded，hereyesmeetinghis.＂AsreadyasI，lleverbe.Withyoubymyside，IfeellikeIfaything.＂Hesmiled，reagouttotakeherhand.＂We，llgetthroughthistogether，Sukie.Wealwaysdo.＂Theirjourookthemthroughdenseforestsandacrossrockyterrain，thendscapegingastheyventureddeeperiory.Thefurthertheywent，themoretheatmosphereshifted，beingdarkerandmoreforeboding.Thetreesseemedtocloseinarouheirbranchesreagoutlikeskeletalfingers.Astheywalked，Sukiecouldn，tshakethefeelingthattheywerebeingwatched.Shegncedoverhershoulder，buttherewasnothingthere.Justthewhisperofthewindaantcallsofunseeures.＂HanFengling，＂shesaidsoftly，hervoigedwithunease.＂Doyoufeelthat?Likewe，rebeingfollowed?＂Hefrowned，hiseyessingthesurroundings.＂Yes，Isetoo.Weobecautious.＂Theytinuedonward，theirsensesheightened，everysoundandmovementputtingthemohetensioweenthemalpable，asilentuandingpassiweehattheyostayvigint.Astheynearedaclearing，Sukieheardarustlinginthebushes.Shetensed，herhandmovingtothehiltofhersword.HanFenglingpcedareassuringhandonhershoulder，histouchgroundingher.内容未完，下一页继续阅读＂Stayclose，＂hewhispered，hisvoicebarelyaudible.Theymovedforward，ingclosertothesourceofthesound.Suddenly，afigureburstfromtheunderbrush，stumblingandfallingattheirfeet.Itwasayounggirl，herclothestornanddirty，herfacestreakedwithtears.＂Helpme，please，＂shebegged，hervoicetremblingwithfear.＂They，reing.＂Sukiekbesidethegirl，herheartagatthesightofherdistress.＂Whoareyou?What，shappening?＂Thegirllookedup，hereyeswidewithterror.＂MynameisMei.TheDarkLord，ssoldiersattackede.Theytookmyfamily.Imaoescape，butthey，restilloutthere，seargforme.＂HanFengling，sexpressiondarkened，andhehelpedthegirltoherfeet.＂Wewohemharmyou，Mei.You，resafewithus.＂Justashespoke，agroupofsoldiersemergedfromthetrees，theirarmlintingmenaglyinthesunlight.Theysurrouhem，theironsdrawn.＂Hahegirl，＂theleaderofthesoldiersdemanded，hisvoicecoldandauthoritative.＂ShebelongstotheDarkLordnow.＂HanFenglingsteppedforward，hisstaective.＂You，llhavetogetthroughusfirst.＂Theleadersneered，raisinghissword.＂Sobeit.＂Thebattlethatensuedwasfierdchaotic.Sukiefoughtwithallhermight，hertrainingandmagicalabilitiesingtothefore.Shemovedwithgradprecision，herswordfshingassheparriedandstruck.HanFenglingwasawhirlwindofpowerbesideher，hismovementsfluidanddeadly.内容未完，下一页继续阅读Meiwatchedinaweandfear，herheartpoundingasthefightragedaroundher.ShecouldseethedeterminationinSukie，seyes，thestrengthinHanFengling，smovements.Theywereunlikeanyoneshehadeverseen，aaglimmerofhopeforthefirsttimesiheattahervilge.Finally，afterwhatfeltlikeay，thestofthesoldiersfell.SukieandHanFenglingstoodpanting，theirbodiesbruisedandbloodiedbutvictorious.Meirantothem，tearsstreamingdownherface.＂Thankyou，＂shesobbed，gingtoSukie.＂Thankyouforsavingme.＂Sukiehuggedhertightly，herheartbreakingfortheyounggirl.＂You，resafenow，Mei.We，llprotectyou.＂HanFenglinglookedaround，hisexpressiongrim.＂Weomove.Therecouldbemoresoldiersnearby.＂Theytiheirjourney，MeiwalkiweenSukieandHanFengling，hersmallhandgrippingSukie，stightly.Astheytraveled，Meitoldthemmoreabouttheattahervilge，hervoicetremblingwithemotion.Sukielistenedily，herheartagforthesufferingMeihadendured.＂Don，tworry，Mei，＂Sukiesaidgently.＂We，llfindyourfamily.We，lldoeverythiohelpyou.＂Meilookedupather，hopeshininginhereyes.＂Thankyou，Sukie.Idon，tknowwhatIwouldhavedohoutyou.＂Astheymadetheirwaydeeperiory，Sukiecouldn，tshakethefeelingofuhatlingered.ShegHanFengling，whoseemedlostinthought.＂HanFengling，＂shesaidsoftly，hervoicebreakingthesilence.＂Whatareyouthinking?＂Helookedather，hiseyesfilledwithamixofemotions.＂I，mworried，Sukie.TheDarkLord，sforcesaregrowingstronger.Weobecareful.Arusteachotherpletely.＂内容未完，下一页继续阅读Sukienodded，herheartswellingwithdetermination.＂Itrustyou，HanFengling.Morethananyone.AndIkhis.Together.＂Hesmiled，hisexpressionsoftening.＂Itrustyoutoo，Sukie.Andwithyoubymyside，Ifeellikewefaything.＂Theypressedon，theirbondstrengtheningwitheachstep.Astheytraveled，theyenteredmnsoftheDarkLord，sinfluence:vilgesburotheground，familiestornapart，achedintothefacesofthosetheymet.Sukie，sresolvegrewstroheaewhorrortheywitnessed，herdeterminatiotheDarkLordunwavering.Oneevening，astheysetupcamp，SukieandHanFenglingsatbythefire，Meiledbetweehewarmthofthefmesandthequietofthenightprovidedamomentofrespitefromtheirarduousjourney.＂Sukie，＂HanFenglingsaid，hisvoicebreakingthesilehere，ssomethingI，vebeenmeaningtotellyou.＂Sukielookedathim，herheartpounding.＂Whatisit?＂Hetookadeepbreath，hiseyesfilledwithiy.＂Iknowwe，vebeenthroughalottogether，andIdon，twanttoaddtotheburdenyou，recarrying.ButIneedyoutoknowhowmueantome.Iloveyou，Sukie.Morethanwordsexpress.＂Sukie，sheartswelledwithemotion，tearsfillinghereyes.＂Iloveyoutoo，HanFengling.Withallmyheart.＂Hereachedout，takingherhandinhis.＂Nomatterpens，wewillalwaysbetogether.Ourloveisourstrength，anditwillguideusthroughthedarkestoftimes.＂Meiwatchedthem，asmallsmilepyingonherlips.Forthefirsttimeinalongtime，shefeltasenseofpeadhope.ShekhatwithSukieandHanFenglingbyherside，shewassafe.Astheysatbythefire，sharingtheirhopesandfears，theirbondgrewevenstroheywerenolongerjusttwopeoplebroughttogetherbyfate；theywereateam，afamily.Andtheywerereadytofacewhateverchallengesyahead.内容未完，下一页继续阅读Them，theysetoutoncemore，theirheartsfilledwithdeterminationandlove.Theytiheirjourney，gatheringinformationandaidingthoseinneed.Alongtheway，theyenteredmoreallies，peoplewhosharedtheirgoalofdefeatingtheDarkLordapeacetotheKingdomofLian.Oneday，astheyapproachedasmallvilge，theyweremetbyagroupofvilgerswhohadheardoftheirexploits.Thevilgeleader，anelderlymanwithakindface，steppedfreetthem.＂Wele，heroes，＂hesaid，hisvoicefilledwithgratitude.＂WehaveheardofyourbraveryandyhtagainsttheDarkLord.Wearehoohaveyouhere.＂SukieandHanFenglingexgedagnce，humbledbythevilgers，words.＂Thankyou，＂Sukiesaid，hervoicere.＂Wearejustdoingwhatwetohelp.＂Thevilgeleadernodded，hiseyesfilledwithrespect.＂Youreffortsmeahanyouknow.Please，staywithusforawhile.Restandrecover.Wewillprovideyouwithanythingyouneed.＂SukieandHanFenglinggratefullyacceptedtheoffer，andtheywereshowntoasmall，fortablehousewheretheycouldstay.Thevilgerswerekindandweling，themfoodandsupplies.Astheysettledin，Sukiecouldn，thelpbutfeelasenseofuheDarkLord，sforceswererelentless，atheirrespitewouldbeshort－lived.Butfornow，shewasgratefulforthemomentofpeace.Thatevening，astheysatbythefire，SukieandHanFenglingtalkedabouttheirjourneyandtheirpnsforthefuture.Meilistenedily，hereyeswidewithadmiration.＂WewilldefeattheDarkLord，＂HanFenglingsaid，hisvoicefilledwithvi.＂Andwewillrestorepeacetothisnd.＂Sukienodded，herheartswellingwithdetermination......