One strand, one strand, then another...
As Brando plucked out his hair strand by strand, a dense crackling sound like popping beans came from far away outside, growing louder and more urgent.
This continued for several minutes. After reaching a peak, it seemed to encounter some obstruction and was forced back bit by bit until it vanished completely, leaving the night outside deathly silent.
Brando stopped pulling out his hair and looked toward the door with a racing heart, instinctively sensing that something was wrong.
Sure enough, the sound returned the next moment—much sharper, much more massive, rolling toward the room in waves.
Closer and closer.
By the sound alone, it was already only a few hundred meters away.
Xide's expression changed. After thinking for a moment, he waved at a Black Armor Soldier beside him. "Go outside and take a look. Come back and report the situation."
"Yes." The Black Armor Soldier who had been called nodded, walked out the door, and quickly disappeared into the darkness beyond the courtyard.
But after leaving, he never sent back any news. Only the sound in the distance continued to press closer toward the room.
Several minutes later, Xide's expression grew grave. Certain that the Black Armor Soldier had met with trouble and would not be returning, he turned to the Blue Armor Soldiers beside him and pointed. "You, you, and you."
This time, Xide selected three people. "Go outside together and take a look. Be careful, stay alert, don't split up, and report back immediately once you figure out what's happening."
"Yes, sir." The three Blue Armor Soldiers nodded, walked out the door, and entered the darkness on guard.
In the blink of an eye, several more minutes passed. The three soldiers seemed to have been swallowed by the night and