Chapter 43.2

In the distant expanse of the sky, where the human eye can perceive, the once dark blue night sky has now been tainted with a grayish-yellow hue.

Along the path leading to God's road, there is a multitude of people, yet there is organized chaos. Several previously assigned groups are embarking on different planned routes.

Two long lines of soldiers directly head towards the opposite end of the rift valley, one swiftly positioning themselves on the outskirts of the city, while the rest stand at the edge of the colossal pillar known as the God's Road, surveying the cliff below.

Oswald receives the weapons handed to him by the guards at his side and tosses a dagger and longsword to Kevin.

Kevin raises his hand to catch the dagger, gripping it firmly in his palm, before returning the longsword. He then turns his head towards the remaining Bronze Army and waves, stating, "I still have a preference for bows and arrows."

He places the quiver provided by the troops behind his back, grabs the longbow, and secures it to the horse's saddle, questioning Oswald, "So, how should we retreat?"

Oswald points towards the cliff beneath their feet and shouts to the group, "Jump!"

Kevin: "..."

"What in the world?!" He momentarily freezes, observing Oswald already leaping with Sinia in his arms, forcefully driving the dagger into the mid-air stone wall, sliding downward expeditiously.

"Don't hesitate! Jump!" Oswald's commanding voice resonates from beneath Kevin's feet.

Simultaneously, Sinia's excited scream echoes, "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh—"

Yet, it seems that this young royalty is not fearful, but rather exhilarated.

Kevin: "..."

"I'll carry you to safety below! You won't die!" Oswald adds.

This statement is uttered as if he doubts his capability.

Who are we kidding here? His Excellency Kevin Fassbender, once known as the God of Light, can simply ascend to the sky. This height poses no problem at all. He was simply taken aback by this seemingly "suicidal" means of retreat.

Truly, the imagination of mortals knows no bounds...

As Kevin prepares to jump, a heavy object suddenly grabs onto his leg.

Glancing downwards, he sees that the mischievous brat Ben has exhausted some of his energy, reverting to the form of a lion, with only his head retaining a semblance of human features. "Help me, I cannot employ the power of a dagger!!"

"So why in the world did you purposely transform back into an animal without the ability to use a knife? Are you looking for trouble?" Kevin inquires angrily.

Ban flicks his paw, pointing to the moon on the cusp of being obscured in the sky. "I did not wish for this either!! But have you forgotten that it is already the end of June?!"

The week that bridges June and July is known as Betan Day, signifying "the carnival of wild beasts" in the ancient language. It is during this week that beasts were first created in the age of gods. For these seven days, all wild animals are granted freedom to roam unrestrained.

However, for the subsequent giant beast race, the situation is less favorable. On this day, the blood of both giant beasts and humans involuntarily reverts to their animal forms, only returning to normal a week later.

In the blink of an eye, darkness descends once more. After Ben hastily explains this situation, he is no longer able to maintain his human face. Kevin does not waste any more time, allowing the lion to clasp onto his legs as they jump together.

The thin blade of the dagger effortlessly slices through the stone, as though cutting through soft tofu. Amidst the clattering of gold and stone, Kevin descends along the straight stone pillar. Numerous vultures also glide down the God's Road to the depths of the Great Rift Valley, their immense wings cushioning their descent.

The long and narrow terrain of the Great Rift Valley perpetually produces sharp whistling winds, masking the neighing of the vultures and the commotion of the people. Yet, as everyone glances toward the sky, they witness the shift to a grayish-yellow hue. The monstrously swift Sand Specters have likely penetrated the city, preparing to unleash havoc on Xuangong.

Oswald mounts his horse vulture, leading the formidable group to gallop through the bottom of the Great Rift Valley. They circle amidst numerous stone forests before finally coming to a halt in front of a mountain wall.

At first glance, this mountain wall appears rather unremarkable. However, upon closer inspection, one can discern two slightly darker areas on the wall, resembling embedded doors.

Without uttering a word, Oswald steps between the two doors and forcefully strikes a raised stone on the ground.

The doors burst open with a thunderous boom. Oswald waved his hand, barking a single command: "Left!"

The well-trained soldiers needed no further instruction. They whipped their reins, urging their mounts forward. The long line of horses and riders surged into the cave like a black dragon, its mighty tail sweeping up dust and debris in its wake.

Oswald looked up at the sky, his eyes narrowed. He could almost hear the sound of the gravel whirlwind swooping down. The clouds were swirling and darkening, and the air was thick with dust.

"Quick!" he shouted. "We must hurry!"

The soldiers spurred their horses on, and the line of riders surged forward. The cave entrance loomed ahead, and they plunged into the darkness.

Oswald kicked the horses' flanks, startling the vulture and driving the people in front of it into the cave. Before the vulture's hindquarters could enter, Oswald punched the stone wall with all his might, sealing the entrance shut with a thunderous boom.

Oswald pushed Kevin towards the hole where the rest of the army was waiting, but as they turned to follow, they saw that the sand ghost's whirlwind had followed them. In desperation, Oswald and Kevin turned around and led the sand ghost toward the hole on the right.