Aik took out a glass test tube from the leather pouch at his waist, unscrewed the cap, and carefully dripped a drop of purple development liquid.
The moment the liquid touched the powder, it boiled furiously.
"Sss——" A puff of black smoke rose, accompanied by the stench of burnt feathers.
Aik made a retching sound in his throat, which was muffled by the gas mask.
He stared at the rapidly discoloring reaction liquid in the test tube, his fingers trembling slightly.
"Captain..." His voice tightened, "This isn't sand, there is soul remnants."
He used the tip of the trowel to brush away the surface powder, revealing the same stark white beneath: "This is bone ash."
A brief silence spread through the team.
Aik took a breath and finished speaking, "The whole expanse is paved with ground-up dead people, these plants drain the living and will decompose the corpses along with them; this place really eats people without spitting out bones."
