Chapter 58.1

In the southern outskirts of Tagwa Town, a suburb of the Golden Lion Country, a nearly thousand-strong team trudged forward along the forest road that led to the Black Swamp.

Although they moved as a team, there was a distinct lack of camaraderie among them. A bird's-eye view would reveal that within this so-called team, people formed small groups of three or four, with hundreds clustered together, showing minimal interaction.

Upon closer observation, it became evident that these groups frequently intersected and changed, but remained relatively detached.

They resembled individuals who happened to be on the same path without any conscious connection, except for the outward appearance of their seemingly formidable presence.

This group hailed from the Golden Lion Country, consisting of a mix of civilians, soldiers, and mercenaries. Among them were men, women, the elderly, and even animals like cats, dogs, and mice, which somehow found their way into the crowd...

Due to the summer humidity, the forest was perpetually veiled in thick mist during the night, creating an eerie atmosphere. The team, shrouded in fog, appeared as a swirling mass of people, appearing both numerous and peculiar.

Rather than generating excitement due to their sheer numbers, the abnormal silence exuded a profound sense of gloom and peculiarity, reminiscent of the walking dead.

"How much longer, Mom?" a young girl asked in a hushed voice as she tugged on the arm of the young woman leading her.

Children's eyes are always wider than those of adults, their whites less pronounced. On ordinary days, they appeared vivid and full of life, but in the misty night, they carried an inexplicable emptiness, like puppets.

The young woman possessed the same captivating eyes, but they too were shrouded in a thin layer of mist, lacking focus.

She held the little girl's hand, mechanically walking with her eyes fixed ahead. After a moment, she let out a soft "shh--" almost belatedly.

Her eyes seemed lifeless, not even bothering to look at the little girl, as she spoke in a monotone and unwavering tone, "We're not there yet, be good."

The little girl's fingers twitched twice as if experiencing a sudden spasm, swiftly regaining composure, as if her slight struggle had been an illusion.

Mother and daughter walked at the rear of the procession, their pace slower than that of the soldiers and young adults leading the way, their breathing slightly labored, their steps lagging. They had clearly traveled a great distance and were growing physically weary.

The little girl turned her head slowly, casting a glance towards the end of the line, then widened her eyes as she turned back and asked dazedly, "Are those extra people at the back also with us? Are they going to the same place?"

When they departed from the small town of Tagwa, they began walking at the tailend of the group. However, after passing several refugee villages along the way, more people joined them, trailing not too far behind, but also not too close.

The young woman nodded and replied, "Yes, dear. They're traveling with us."

Every time they covered a certain distance, these individuals would instinctively raise their hands, tapping the center of their brows and lips, reciting a sentence almost inaudibly. It resembled a form of worship or prayer.

About tens of meters away from the crowd lay the infamous mire known as the Boiling Swamp, situated in the southern-central region of the continent.

A vast expanse of black, sludgy mud sprawled before them, bubbling with varying sized bubbles that emitted a faint "beep" upon bursting.

The continuous bubbling contributed to the only motion within the vicinity, accompanied by the simmering sound of "cuckoo cluck."

The surface of the black mud was far from smooth. With the bursting of each bubble, peculiar objects would emerge and float atop the surface, later vanishing within the murky mud.

Within a radius of ten meters around the swamp, vegetation was sparse and consisted mostly of drooping stems submerged in the mud.

Even before getting close, one could sense the heat emanating from the swamp along with a pungent blend of blood and musty soil.

Yet, the entire team seemed oblivious to the impending danger, mechanically and aimlessly forging ahead, solely fixated on their destination, seemingly unaware of the curves and detours.

A gust of wind, carrying the repulsive scent of the boiling swamp, whipped through the forest.

Possibly due to the overwhelming odor, a few young men dressed as soldiers at the front of the line frowned suddenly and blinked several times in succession. Their previously numb and vacant eyes finally regained some focus.

In a semi-conscious state, they became intimidated by the swamp ahead, causing them to abruptly stop.

However, the crowd behind them obliviously continued to move forward, unknowingly pushing the soldiers further ahead.

On one hand, these soldiers fought against their own minds, striving to increase their awareness and regain control over their limbs. On the other hand, they had to contend with the pushing and shoving of the crowd.

Driven by instinct, they nearly broke away from the crowd and attempted to step aside to avoid being squeezed into the swamp.

Yet, as one soldier with a youthful face struggled to turn his head, he caught sight of a group of elderly and young people behind him. The youngest among them was being carried by the soldier, unable to walk on their own.

The boy's eyes were much clearer than the others, yet he remained blissfully unaware of the danger.

When the soldier with the youthful face locked eyes with the small child, the toothless toddler stared back at him with their dark eyes and suddenly bestowed upon him a silly, childlike smile.

"Take-- take my hand!" The sight of the smiling child snapped the soldier out of his stupor momentarily. He turned to the soldier beside him and shouted in a less-than-courteous manner, "Quick! Stop... stop them!"

In response to his cries, the soldiers in the front row extended their hands one after another, clasping wrists to form a feeble human barrier even in their clouded state of mind. Their aim was to block the advancing crowd behind them.

Unfortunately, it proved nearly impossible for just a few soldiers to resist the nearly thousand people pushing from behind.

They strained to restrain themselves.

Amidst their shouts and attempts to rouse those behind them, they were steadily pushed closer and closer to the boiling swamp by the relentless crowd...

"Stop, stop!!" The soldiers in the middle reached the precipice of the swamp, their toes teetering on the edge. The shouting grew louder, almost shrill.

Yet, even so, they didn't hesitate. They could have chosen to put their hands down and step aside to safeguard themselves.

"Wake up!!" A very tall soldier on the far side appeared anxious, raising his foot and forcefully stomping on the person's behind.

A resounding "scoffed" echoed through the crowd. The once ordered procession devolved into chaos as several civilians were roused by the sound.