After hours of grueling trekking under the scorching sun — with the noon light shining overly bright and unrelenting — they had to constantly shield their eyes from its harsh, blinding glare. At last, they finally stepped off the open road and arrived at the edge of a thick, massive, and incredibly dense forest that stretched out endlessly before them.
"Woah!" Yan-li’s eyes rose high to the tops of the towering, ancient trees that seemed to pierce the sky. "This looks really haunted… or filled with beasts way beyond our current capabilities." He sighed deeply, a mix of exhaustion and reluctance in his voice. "Well, our journey must sadly end here, brother."
Yan-li turned around abruptly, ready to retreat, but Bia-li grabbed him firmly by the shoulder, holding him in place.
"Hell no, Yan
