All those in attendance were momentarily stunned; goosebumps immediately appeared on their backs.
With expert training, the heavily armored cavalry pulled on their reins with a resounding "clang--" and swiftly formed a semi-enclosed circle. Mi Ao even commanded, "Draw your swords!"
The armored soldier who found himself surrounded appeared somewhat bewildered. He glanced back and forth, then hurried to protest, "Have you mistaken me for someone else? I have never been coming over to any dungeon!"
Kevin touched the dagger at his waist and, positioning himself in the gap between the soldiers, blocked their only path of retreat. Without looking back, he asked, "Shaw, have you seen him?"
"I remember his hand. A friend of mine bit off his little finger," Shaw replied resolutely. "The bite marks are still visible, so there can be no doubt."
The cavalryman examined his fingers, shook his head quickly, and protested, "Can you identify people just by their hands? That's far too subjective! Do you remember his face? Wait, let me remove my outer armor, and you can speak further once you've seen it."
The armor he wore clung tightly and weighed heavily. Every movement he made was accompanied by the clanging of colliding metal. In this tense atmosphere, an indescribable sense of dread filled the air.
"I will remove my first layer of armor and present it to you. You must have mistaken me for someone else, you must have..." muttered the cavalryman as he pressed a buckle at the base of his neck.
There was a series of cracking sounds as the buckles were released one by one.
At that moment, everyone's nerves were taut like a bowstring, and every detail seemed to be playing out in slow motion.
The cavalryman lifted off his armor, exposing a flustered and innocent face with a horizontal scar on his neck. He approached Kevin and Shaw eagerly, asking, "You must have made a mistake, right?"
"It's you!" exclaimed Shaw.
Just as he spoke, the baby-faced individual's countenance suddenly collapsed, like a deflated rubber doll. The youthful, plump skin instantly sagged and peeled away.
"Watch out, danger!" Kevin shouted.
He forcefully pushed Ben and Mai out of the way, flipping back to ensure his safety.
The heavy armor that had draped the baby's face unfolded and collapsed to the ground with a resounding thud. Simultaneously, a pair of empty skins fell to the ground together with the armor.
A whirlwind made of fine sand swirled rapidly above the armor and skin, resembling a long, twisted snake.
"Sand Ghost!" somebody screamed.
The cry was like pouring boiling water into hot oil, and the encampment erupted in pandemonium. The vultures shrieked, and the sound of metal colliding filled the air.
"Only one! Charge!" commanded the heavily armored cavalry, who rushed forward in an instant.
There are two reasons why sand ghosts are challenging to combat. Firstly, when a group of sand ghosts appears, individuals temporarily block their eyes and ears, and secondly, they often transform into sand shapes, making them highly mobile and difficult to hit.
However, despite their ability to evade capture and their elusive nature, being tricky does not mean that sand ghosts do not possess vulnerabilities.
After contending with sand ghosts for many years, Kevin and the others have discovered ways to defeat them. For instance, when a sand ghost transforms into a sand shape, though it appears to be boneless, it still has a central core. The heart is enclosed in the flowing fine sand, and a single hit can prove lethal.
Another instance is that sand ghosts are very sensitive to water. When they are in the form of sand, if doused with sufficient water, their movements become sluggish and sluggish, forcing them to the ground, where they transform into human form.
Naturally, sand ghosts are extremely fleet-footed, and sometimes it is not easy to use these methods when confronting them.
However, now there is only one!
One sand ghost alone cannot cause blindness!
"Over thirty heavy armored cavalrymen, ten bronze elite soldiers, and three giant orcs encircle one sand ghost. I would feel embarrassed if we could not kill it! If I cannot kill it, I will grab its head and kick it like a ball!" Mi Ao declared, brandishing his sword as he rushed forward. He raised his long arm, seeking to push Kevin, who held only a short knife, behind him.
Something is wrong!
Something was amiss!
It was even more troubling that there was just one sand ghost!
Kevin grabbed Mi Ao by the collar and tossed him aside while shouting at the besieging crowd, "Stand back!"
Before he could finish his sentence, the heavily armored cavalry lunged forward and thrust their swords into the swirling sand nest. Their swords hit with such force and precision that scarcely half of their arms entered the sand.
"It has reached the heart!" one person cried out, crossing their arms and attempting to use this momentum to sever the sand ghost's heart directly.