Chapter 58.2

The buzzing of voices spread gradually from the front to the back, resembling a swarm of bees.

However, this transformation was isolated to the front of the line; the larger forces behind continued to press forward, undeterred.

"Ah!!" A scream pierced the air as one of the soldiers in the front line finally succumbed to the immense pressure and was sucked into the swamp.

Wide-eyed and in a frenzy, he struggled vehemently, but within seconds, most of his body sank, leaving only his chest above the surface. True to its name, the boiling swamp emitted intense heat capable of scalding a person alive and stripping away layers of skin.

The soldier's wails faded, silenced at the depths of his throat. Together with his entire body, he sank into the swamp's black mire.

Once a breach formed in the human barrier, several others were inevitably drawn in, pulled into the swamp. In the blink of an eye, three soldiers involved in the barrier were consumed.

For a time, screams resounded from that area, sending shivers down the spines of those who heard.

The soldier with the youthful face persisted, pouring his strength into his heels. Yet, he could not withstand the relentless push and shove of two successive waves.

He was jostled and propelled by the crowd, unable to maintain his footing, and unintentionally took a step towards the swamp.

The black mire of the boiling swamp resembled the bloody maw of a ferocious beast; once it seized a foot, it refused to let go.

In desperation, he realized an irresistible suction was tugging his body deeper into the swamp, while the scorching black mud enveloped his ankles and calves...

Though he was a soldier, he was still young and quite possibly on the cusp of adulthood. Compared to many in the crowd, he was but a child who happened to be taller than most.

His eyes reddened as he screamed in agonizing pain. Simultaneously, he shouted at those behind him, "Stand back! Wake up, damn it!! Ah——"

Just as he felt the black mud creeping up to his knees, his life force rapidly draining away from the excruciating pain, he caught the piercing howl of a beast from above.

In a state of desperation and confusion, he glanced upward to behold a massive creature with its wings outstretched, hurtling towards them. Perched atop the creature's back was a tall and slender figure.

The man's hand slashed through the night air, and the beast beneath him unfurled its massive wings in unison. With a thunderous roar, the beast beat its wings, unleashing a gale that nearly toppled the trees.

The windstorm swept through the crowd, knocking the people off their feet and sending them sprawling into the swamp. The force of the wind was so great that it even caused the water in the swamp to ripple.

The thousand-strong army was thrown into chaos. Soldiers were trampled underfoot, and weapons were lost in the melee. In the blink of an eye, the entire army was brought to its knees.

The baby's face soldier, who had been carried along by the crowd, was one of the few who managed to stay on his feet. But even he was struggling to keep his balance. As he looked around in terror, he saw the devastation that had been wrought by the windstorm.

As he resigned himself to being swallowed by the black mud, he felt his neck tighten suddenly. A huge force strangled his throat, almost choking him to death.

The baby's face soldier was red with exertion, but he also felt a sense of relief. He had been spared, and he knew that this was no ordinary windstorm.

When he finally recovered from the severe pain and convulsions, he found that he had been pulled out of the swamp and placed on the ground, leaning against a tree. A thin figure was half-squatting in front of him, wrapping his calves up to his knees with clothes that had been ripped from nowhere.

The man's movements were swift and efficient, and the clothes were wrapped tightly around his calves. The man never looked up, but his voice was clear and strong.

"Look to see if anyone else has a belt or something like that. Pull out two, and cloth strips are also fine."

The man's words brought him back to reality. He was alive, and he was not alone. Someone had saved him from the swamp.

He opened his mouth to speak, but the words caught in his throat. He was still too weak to speak, and his throat was sore from the choking.

The baby-faced soldier froze for a moment, wondering if the man was talking to himself. But when he turned his gaze, he saw a ferocious beast squatting beside the man.

It looked like a snow wolf that had come down from the ice and snow plateau. It had beautiful fur, but it was so cold and fierce that no one dared to approach it.

However, the baby-faced soldier had never seen such a big snow wolf before, and it had a pair of wings!

He remembered how the pair of wings had suddenly overwhelmed nearly a thousand people, and he was amazed. When had the wings blown out such a strong wind?

It was as if a god had waved his hand and sent a gust of evil wind temporarily.

"Hurry up!" The bandager wrapped up the soldier's leg for the last time, and seeing that the giant beast hadn't moved, he slapped it on the body and drove it away.

The baby-faced soldier was dumbfounded. He couldn't believe that such a scary beast could be so easily shooed away.

But in the next second, he didn't have time to think about these things, because the pain in his legs climbed up again, causing him to take a deep breath.

"Be patient," the man said, his voice low and gravelly. "Don't touch or move for the time being, if you want your calf to grow back."

The man finished wrapping his calves and stood up. He looked down at the man, his face hidden in the shadows.

"You're lucky I was here," he said. "Now, rest. We'll need to move soon."

The baby-faced soldier opened his mouth with difficulty, his voice a hoarse whisper. "Thank you, thank you for saving me," he said.

"Can my calves grow back? I have seen people who fell into the boiling swamp, and their flesh was almost scalded. In a blink of an eye, only bones are left... I..."

The man raised his head and looked at him, his eyes dark and unfathomable. "I said if it can grow, it will definitely grow," he said.

The baby-faced soldier's eyes widened in surprise. "Your Excellency, Commander!" he said, recognizing the man.

It was none other than Kevin, the legendary commander of the army.

Oswald, tasked with finding cloth strips, quickly surveyed the crowd.

He observed the belts of each person, then muttered to himself, "Are the strips supposed to make a fluttering sound in the wind? Hmm... something seems amiss."