Tonight was destined to be an extraordinary night for Gu Family Village. Beneath the veil of darkness, countless houses shone with light, like stars twinkling across the village.
Every household stood ready, men and women, young and old, gripping all manner of weapons, prepared for whatever danger might descend.
Suddenly, a blurred black silhouette slowly emerged in the distance, creeping closer like a ghost.
Then came a second, a third... dark figures surged forth like an endless tide, gathering into a dense crowd in the blink of an eye.
Faint moonlight spilled over the earth, making the figures seem all the more mysterious, impossible to distinguish as friend or foe.
"Stay alert! Stay alert! Everyone, keep your guard up!"
A furious roar tore through the night, coming from a burly man. As he shouted, he urged his companions to sound the alarm bell.
In an instant, the bell rang out over the silent village, shattering the peace of the night and plunging all of Gu Family Village into confusion and panic.
Countless villagers sprang into action at the sound, rushing out of their homes with weapons in hand.
The quiet, peaceful village immediately erupted into a clamor of voices.
Their expressions grave, everyone stared at the mass of approaching shadows, not daring to relax for even a moment.
In truth, Gu Family Village was quite large. Rather than an ordinary village, it would have been more fitting to call it a small town.
Towering walls encircled the village, rising nearly ten meters high and giving an impression of unshakable strength.
The walls were also equipped with all manner of advanced defensive tools and installations, clearly the product of careful design and construction.
The villagers on the walls were especially tense. They gripped their bows tightly, watching every movement in