Rising from the Ashes (Andrew and Lauren)

Mohave glanced at Andrew, looking apologetic.

Andrew chuckled. "It's alright, Mohave. If you're not allowed to talk about it, don't worry about it."

After that, silence fell over the group as they continued their trek. A string of torches and flashlights flickered through the dense forest.

Andrew glanced back and saw that the lights from Gallow's End heritage hamlet below had dwindled to just two or three tiny specks-probably the last streetlamps still glowing in the village.

They were deep in the wilderness now, far removed from any trace of civilization.

They passed through a rugged canyon between two massive peaks, and over three hours later, Andrew finally spotted something up ahead.

Beneath the starlit sky, nestled between towering cliffs, was a hidden mountain valley. It was not large, maybe the size of a small village, but its sudden appearance in this remote terrain took everyone's breath away.

"Who could have imagined there'd be a place like this in these endless mountains?" Chantelle murmured in awe.

Tiana whispered, "This must be it... the forbidden zone. The old site of Gallow's End heritage hamlet."

Buzz's voice was quiet. "The original Gallow's End stood right here. Back during the Fallen Crimson Dynasty, when the world outside was wrapped in chaos- foreign invaders, warlords ravaging Etharia-we lived in peace. Our village stayed untouched, calm, and content."

He hissed, "But then... everything changed. It was all taken from us."

Suddenly, a burst of gunfire erupted from the valley below. The shots were frantic and chaotic-like a group caught off guard and desperate to survive.

Buzz's expression changed as he ordered, "Patoajo warriors, enter the valley immediately. But remember-absolutely do not set foot inside the forbidden area!" Andrew said quickly, "Follow Buzz and his men, use their firepower for cover. Before we figure out what dangerous things are in this Gallow's End forbidden area, we absolutely cannot rush in recklessly!"

Chantelle chimed in, "Mr. Lloyd, judging by these gunshots, it seems the Wright family's group has run into serious trouble. Should we lend them a hand?"

Andrew remained expressionless. "Their survival isn't our responsibility. We focus on keeping ourselves alive."

Chantelle shuddered and frowned but did not say much more. However, it was clear she did not entirely agree with Andrew's order.

The valley was right in front of them, but the path down was treacherous and steep. It was just a narrow mountain trail.

It took Andrew's group a full 20 minutes to reach the valley floor. During the descent, Chantelle even twisted her ankle and had to lean on Logan to keep pace. At the base, they saw the crumbling sheltof a long-abandoned village. In the darkness, everything was pitch black, making it impossible to see many details.

Andrew did not rush ahead but stayed close behind Buzz and his men. The Patoajo warriors were familiar with this place, so following them could not be wrong. He was not taking any chances.

As soon as the group stepped into the village outskirts, the thundering gunfire suddenly went dead silent as if it had never happened at all. However, the echoes lingering in their ears and the sharp gunshots they had just heard made everyone certain it was not an illusion.noveldrama

"What's going on? Why did the gunfire suddenly stop?" Magnus croaked, throat dry.

Ralph, the survival expert, was already pale with fear and answered pathetically, "Could it be that they were all wiped out?"

No one paid attention to him, but undoubtedly, everyone was thinking the same thing, including Andrew.

The Wright family people were probably all wiped out.

Just as that grim idea took hold,

several figures came stumbling aut of the village's front gate-tripping, falling, running like hell. They looked like men fleeing from the devil himself.

"Ghosts!"

"There are ghosts in there-run! The whole place is full of ghosts! You can't kill them!"

The screams came from every direction, raw and filled with absolute terror.

Andrew looked and saw the person in front was covered in blood and deathly pale —it was unmistakably Kevin, the head of the Wright family.