The team stepped cautiously onto the path revealed by the crumbled obelisk, their bodies and minds still heavy from the trials they had faced. The faint light of dawn filtering through the canopy above was a stark contrast to the oppressive darkness of the forest they had endured. Each step forward felt like an unspoken victory, yet none of them celebrated. The weight of their challenges lingered.
Mei Chen walked close to Li Wei, her gaze drifting toward the horizon. "What do you think it meant? That the greatest trials lie beyond this forest?"
Li Wei glanced at her, his expression unreadable. "It means exactly what it said. The forest wasn't testing just our strength or resolve—it was preparing us. Whatever comes next will make this look like a warm-up."
