Shen Jingqi fell into deep thought. He didn't know what conspiracy these strange individuals were plotting, but he knew they had to find them as soon as possible to thwart their plans.

"Everyone, don't worry. We will get you out. But you have to tell us, when do these strange people usually show up?" Shen Jingqi asked.

One of the students thought for a moment, then said, "They usually appear at night, as if performing some kind of ritual."

Shen Jingqi nodded and said, "Alright, then we'll wait for them here tonight. We must find out what they're up to."

As night gradually fell, the campus became exceptionally silent. Shen Jingqi and the others hid in a corner of the classroom, quietly waiting for those strange people to appear. Their heartbeats seemed especially loud in the quiet of the night.

Suddenly, footsteps came from afar. The steps were heavy and slow, as if each one pounded on everyone's heart. Everyone's spirits were heightened, and they gripped their weapons tightly, ready to face the impending battle.

The footsteps drew closer, and finally, several people dressed in black robes and wearing strange masks appeared on the playground. They gathered around where a net-like object once hovered and began murmuring.

Shen Jingqi and the others quietly approached, trying to hear what they were saying. But the voices were too low, and they could only catch some vague words like "soul," "power," and "control."

"What are they saying? I can't understand," a warrior said quietly.

Xu An furrowed his brow and said, "It sounds like some sort of evil ritual. They might be using that net-like object to collect souls or power to achieve their schemes."

Anger filled Shen Jingqi's heart as he said, "We can't let them succeed. Everyone, prepare to act!"

Just as they were about to charge out, those strange people suddenly stopped chanting. They seemed to sense something and turned to look toward the direction where Shen Jingqi and his group were hiding.

"We've been discovered! Attack!" Shen Jingqi shouted loudly and rushed forward.

A fierce battle erupted instantly. Although those strange people were dressed in robes, they moved swiftly. They wielded strange weapons that emitted eerie lights and attacked Shen Jingqi and the others.

Shen Jingqi swung his weapon, engaging in a fight to the death with those strange people. His eyes were filled with determination and anger, and each strike carried immense power. Yet, those strange individuals seemed to possess special abilities, making their attacks difficult for Shen Jingqi and the others to withstand.

"Be careful! Their attacks are bizarre!" Shen Jingqi shouted.

Xu An observed the attack patterns of those strange people, trying to identify a weakness. Suddenly, he noticed that when they attacked, the masks they wore flickered with different lights. He speculated that these lights might be linked to their abilities.

"Shen Jingqi, aim for their masks! That could be their weak spot!" Xu An shouted.

Hearing Xu An's words, a thought stirred in Shen Jingqi's mind. He immediately adjusted his attack direction, targeting the masks of the strange people. Sure enough, when his weapon struck a mask, the person let out a scream and staggered.

"It works! Everyone, target their masks!" Shen Jingqi shouted.

Taking his cue, everyone focused their attacks on the masks. Under their collective efforts, the strange people gradually fell behind.

However, just when they thought victory was near, the strange people suddenly gathered and started chanting a more complex spell. As they chanted, the surrounding space began to distort, and a powerful force emanated from them.

"This is bad! They're launching a final attack!" Xu An shouted.

Shen Jingqi watched the scene unfold, filled with concern. But he knew they couldn't back down. He took a deep breath, concentrated, and prepared to face this ultimate challenge.

The formidable force surged toward them as if to swallow them whole. Shen Jingqi and his team huddled close, using their weapons to brace against the force. Their bodies trembled under the impact, but they did not retreat an inch.

In this critical moment, Shen Jingqi suddenly felt a mysterious power surging within him. Like a volcanic eruption, it instantly filled his entire being. He let out a roar, wielding his weapon, and charged toward the overwhelming force.

"Boom!" With a thunderous crash, the two forces collided, creating a massive shockwave. The surrounding buildings crumbled under its impact, raising a cloud of dust.

As the dust slowly settled, Shen Jingqi and the others were surprised to find that the strange individuals had vanished without a trace. All that remained was a ravaged playground, silently recounting the fierce battle that had just occurred.

"Did they... escape?" a warrior exclaimed in disbelief.

Looking at the empty playground, Shen Jingqi's heart was filled with doubt. He didn't know where the strange people had gone or what new plot they might have devised. But he understood their fight was far from over.

"Let's take a breather, and then we'll figure out how to track them down. We have to unravel this mystery and thwart their plans," Shen Jingqi said.

They sat amidst the ruins of the playground, surrounded by the choking scent of dust. On everyone's face was written fatigue and bewilderment. The recently fought fierce battle had drained their physical and mental strength.

"Where exactly did those guys run off to?" a warrior angrily asked, pounding a nearby broken wall. His eyes were full of frustration, seemingly not yet recovered from the battle earlier.

With furrowed brows and his arms crossed, Xu An stared in the direction where the strange people vanished, lost in thought. After a while, he slowly spoke: "They won't just give up. This disappearance might mean they're hatching an even bigger conspiracy."

Shen Jingqi stood up, brushed the dust off his body, and said with determination, "Regardless of what they're planning, we can't back down. Our priority now is to uncover their origins and motives, and the secrets hidden within this campus."

"But where do we even start?" Another warrior asked, his eyes revealing a hint of helplessness.

Shen Jingqi glanced around, his gaze settling on the damaged buildings, and he said, "Let's search the campus thoroughly once more. There might be clues we've overlooked. Those strange people can't have left without a trace after doing so much here."

With renewed determination, everyone got up and began a new search throughout the campus. They moved through the dilapidated school buildings, leaving no corner unchecked.

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