Nangong May left protective barriers beside the soldiers who had died unexpected deaths, ensuring that their remains could safely avoid attacks from the mountain beasts that night. By tomorrow morning, other Kingdom Army soldiers would naturally come searching for the missing men. She and Hao Ren did not rashly go to inform the other outposts in the mountains—after all, it would be difficult to explain why two outsider mercenaries who had never applied for a patrol mission or registered their presence were near the Kingdom Army's defensive positions in the middle of the night. With Leighton Town in a panic and both the Kingdom Army and Church Army on edge, it was best to avoid any unnecessary trouble.
However, they had barely gone far when she suddenly sensed the protective barrier she had left behind being touched by some strange energy. Immediately afterward, the environment around the barrier underwent an unbelievable change. She called out to Hao Ren, "Go back! Something's happened!"
Hao Ren had no idea what was going on, but he immediately followed Nangong May back to where the fallen soldiers lay. The two of them instinctively concealed their auras as well. When they returned to the small clearing, they happened to witness an unbelievable sight: the corpses of the fallen soldiers were gradually being swallowed by the earth!
The solid rocky ground churned as if it had softened into mud, silently and swiftly writhing as it dragged the soldiers' remains underground. The scene was as eerie as a living swamp. Many of the corpses had already vanished, leaving behind only a small amount of blood and lingering stench of blood. The remaining bodies had almost been completely submerged as well. By the time Hao Ren and Nangong May arrived, they could only watch several pieces of armor