The screams lasted only a breath after they rang out before abruptly ceasing!
Only then did everyone truly distance themselves from the houses, their faces filled with shock.
No one had anticipated that the seemingly safe houses would be so perilous!
Shangguan Yun said grimly, "Why are these houses so peculiar?"
Zhang Liang sighed, "Back in the city, some houses would also present such situations, but only those that were forcibly opened would behave this way."
Everyone then recalled that whether it were the tightly shut shops on the commercial street or the houses in the residential area, besides those that were already open for entry, the ones that couldn't be opened also held dangers.
This was because some people had forcibly broken open closed houses and met with accidents after entering.
But to think that in this City Lord's Mansion, even the houses that could be easily pushed open were so terrifying!
"There's no movement inside anymore, did the people die?" Xu Shian swallowed, feeling a lingering fear.
He had been the last one to exit the house. Not long after he stepped out, the house had automatically closed.
Didn't that mean if he had been a moment slower, he would have been the one screaming inside?
...
In another side hall.
Ye Cangtian and Gu Yue also looked at the tightly shut doors with solemn expressions, as several people had been trapped in one of these rooms just moments ago.
Gu Yue frowned, "These houses are strange, and those few people seem to be dead!"
They had also heard the sounds from outside and had hurried out of their rooms. Then, in an adjacent room, several individuals from an armed faction had been trapped inside before they could even exit.
After a few screams, they had fallen completely silent.
"It seems they are dead!"
Ye Cangtian nodded, his eyes fixed on the closed room with a hint of confusion. While he had heard that some houses outside could exhibit similar phenomena, he had never personally encountered it.
In an empty room, what could possibly cause several living people to scream?
With this thought, he slowly approached the adjacent room and reached out to push open the door.
"Be careful!" Gu Yue said worriedly from behind.
Ye Cangtian smiled and nodded, then gently pushed the door. The door, which had closed automatically, actually opened with his gentle push!
Looking inside from the doorway, Ye Cangtian froze.
No one?
Where had those armed personnel gone?
Although he had previously speculated that these armed personnel might be dead, the actual situation left him somewhat stunned!
Gu Yue also peered in from behind, exclaiming in surprise, "They just vanished into thin air? Could it be they didn't die?"
"No, they are likely dead!"
Ye Cangtian shook his head and stepped inside.
Gu Yue hesitated to speak, thinking this fellow was too bold to just walk in like that.
She wavered, but then gritted her teeth and followed him.
Inside the room, as before, it was empty. There was nothing!
Ye Cangtian crouched down and touched the ground, then shook his head. "There are no traces at all, but the room is still filled with the smell of blood. It seems these people are indeed dead!"
"Could it be related to the outside..." Gu Yue thought of something.
Ye Cangtian nodded, similar to what happened outside, after these people died, their bodies and everything else were corroded.
Or rather, absorbed by the ground!
This made him furrow his brows deeply. What was the situation with this entire city? Why were bodies absorbed after death?
And what had killed those armed personnel?
Yet, the entire room was empty, with nothing in it! The more Ye Cangtian thought about it, the stranger it felt.
...
At the same time, in the main hall behind the Goddess statue.
A fierce battle had erupted here. Stone figures appeared one after another in the vast hall, with the weakest being at the level of a Stone Soldier Captain.
Eighteen Stone Soldier Captains, and one extremely powerful Stone General.
This Stone General was clad in armor, incredibly formidable, wielding a heavy mace. He was simultaneously facing the Cardinal and Qing Dao, without being at a disadvantage!
The Light Hall faction and the Dark Association, with over a hundred people combined, were instantly decimated when facing the eighteen Stone Soldier Captains.
The Dark Association's dozen Yellow rank members and three Black rank members, including Xuan Shi who had been heavily injured earlier, found it difficult to resist even with the fearless Kai Sa Mercenary Group fighting alongside them.
The Heavenly Net, on the other hand, was in a slightly better situation. A dozen Divine Envoys plus four Purple Robed Bishops, the surviving assassins from Heavenly Net were all still quite strong. Although heavy casualties were also widespread, the situation was much better.
Qing Dao glanced back and couldn't help but angrily exclaim to Cardinal Haas Al, "Haas Al, are you still holding back? If my men suffer too many casualties, I'll just take my people and retreat."
This old fox! Although he was fighting the Stone General together with him, Qing Dao could clearly see that the other party was slacking off.
Currently, the Light Hall had the advantage in numbers, while his own side was already at a disadvantage. The whereabouts of Xuan Qi and a few others were unknown. The Dark Association was finding it difficult to resist those stone figures.
The opponent had clearly noticed this, and had been slacking off and delaying the fight, with the intention of causing heavy casualties to the Dark Association.
How could Qing Dao let the other party have their way?
At worst, he would take his people and withdraw, letting them deal with these stone figures. Once they were mostly dead, he would join in.
Who couldn't play dead?
Across from him, Cardinal Haas Al smiled and replied with a wry smile, "Lord Qing Dao, I have no such intention. I am merely concerned about whether there might be hidden members of the Yin organization from Huaxia. If you and I deplete our strength too much, wouldn't that be playing into their hands?"
"I don't care. If my people suffer heavy losses, I'm done!" Qing Dao snorted.
Whether the other party truly thought that or was aiming to deplete the Dark Association, he didn't care. But now, he couldn't afford to suffer too many losses on his side.
Otherwise, once his subordinates suffered heavy casualties, how could he possibly contend with these fellows from the Light Hall with his own strength?
Seeing his angry expression, Cardinal Haas Al could only sigh helplessly, "Alright then, let's deal with this Stone General as quickly as possible, and then we can resolve the remaining stone figures."
The Stone General was very strong. If either of them faced him alone, it might be difficult to defeat him.
However, with their combined efforts, it would be relatively easier to subdue him.
Cardinal Haas Al no longer held back, and his attacks became much more powerful. Each strike could force the Stone General back a few steps.
Qing Dao also continuously swung his long saber at the Stone General. With each powerful blow, fragments of the Stone General's armor would chip off.
The Stone General was clearly no match for the two of them!
However, he showed no intention of retreating at all. It seemed his duty was to guard the divine hall, for whenever he was repelled, he would still grip his mace and charge forward time and again.