As time passed, the sky of the Ruins gradually took on an orange-red hue.
It was dusk.
Outside the fortress, among the rolling hills, figures appeared at some point.
They were all creatures about a meter tall.
Their arms and legs grew directly from their heads. They carried axes and shields, and as they ran, they let out shrill, incomprehensible cries.
They were the "Big Head Dolls" Ding He had mentioned to the Exploration team.
These strange creatures kept crawling out of caves in the hills. Then they formed orderly ranks like well-trained soldiers, running across the land in one group after another.
They were all heading toward the Ancient People's fortress ruins.
Among these creatures, some were rather special. They looked similar to the others, but stood two meters tall.
As a result, their heads appeared especially enormous.
These "giants" clearly held higher status within the group. Whenever they passed by, the other creatures kept far away and wore respectful expressions toward them.
When the black earth was almost covered by these creatures, dozens of them emerged from a hill cave, carrying a large wooden chair.
Sitting on that chair was a "giant" about two meters tall. However, this "giant" looked thin overall, with limbs somewhat longer than those of its kind.
It also carried neither an axe nor a shield. Instead, it held a bone staff carved with mysterious symbols, its tip crowned with the skull of a Mystical Beast.
At the same time, a totem had been painted on the "giant's" huge head in vivid colors. It looked like a great bird soaring with outstretched wings.
Thus, the creatures covering the hills surged toward the fortress like a tide.
At the same time.
Deep within the fortress, in the underground hall, Jia Miao continued interpreting the murals