After leaving Ilsa's residence, Ang returned to the garrison with a heavy heart. Although the recent battles had successfully weakened the evil spirits, they had also driven the troops' morale and stamina to their lowest point. The entire camp was unusually quiet. After enduring both intense combat and crushing psychological pressure, the soldiers had all returned to their barracks to rest, hoping sleep would ease their physical and mental exhaustion. As Ang patrolled the camp, he could feel the soldiers' grief and their mourning for their fallen comrades.
Ang knew very well that the evil spirits were no longer as easy to deal with as before. He realized that launching an attack rashly would only increase their own casualties. Therefore, he summoned the Brigade Leaders and instructed them to remain vigilant, but said they would not launch another offensive anytime soon. He emphasized that their foremost task was to restore the soldiers' strength and morale, ensuring they could face the evil spirits in peak condition in the next battle.
Early the next morning, scouts stationed on the outskirts of the mountains sent back the latest news: nearly all the evil spirits had mobilized and were sweeping through the entire mountain range. They were slaughtering every living thing without mercy, attempting to eliminate all potential threats. The scope of this purge was not limited to Mount Verki; it had begun extending toward Maidi as well. However, the evil spirits had no interest in human food, and Maidi's higher terrain gave the scouts hiding there a chance to conceal themselves, allowing them to avoid detection.
This situation made Ang realize that the evil spirits' pattern of behavior was changing. Both their aggressiveness and vigilance had clearly increased. This full-scale sweep meant the evil spirits had sensed the threat posed by outside forces