The garrison shifted from routine discipline to tightened readiness within minutes. Soldiers strapped on armor, strapped spears to their backs, and assembled in formation around the central yard. The tension was unmistakable—sharp, metallic, like the air before a storm.
Li Wei stood at the edge of the crowd with the workers, but even here whispers flared like sparks.
"Another scouting unit gone?"
"That's the third this month…"
"Are the tribes moving?"
"No… this feels different."
Mei Lin stayed close, eyes scanning everything, her expression tightened with concern. "This isn't random raiding," she muttered. "Someone's probing our defenses."
"Someone?" Li Wei pressed. "Not the tribes?"
She didn't answer.
A captain strode to the front platform, his voice booming across the garrison. "All able-bodied workers, stand ready! Commander Feng will address the situation."
Commander Feng appeared moments later, flanked by guards. His presence commanded silence even before he spoke. He looked older today—more burdened—yet his voice carried with controlled fury.
"Scouts from the northern ridge have vanished," he announced. "No tracks. No bodies. No signal fires. No survivors."
Murmurs rippled across the yard.
Feng continued, "This is not the work of raiders. This is not the work of beasts. This is coordinated."
The whisper grew louder, more fearful.
Mei Lin's jaw tightened. "I knew it…"
"Knew what?" Li Wei asked.
But before she could answer, the commander raised a hand.
"I will not allow this fort to fall. Reinforcements have been requested, but they will take time. Until then, every worker, soldier, and scout must be ready."
A soldier stepped forward, handing Feng a rolled hide message. Feng unrolled it—his brow furrowing deeper as he read.
And then he announced something that turned the entire garrison on edge:
"Tonight, all outer watchtowers will be reinforced. We are assigning temporary construction teams to hold them. Each team will have one soldier and one worker."
A critical assignment.
Dangerous.
Necessary.
"And," the commander added sharply, "anyone with knowledge of stonework or structural reinforcement will be placed closest to the northern ridge."
Every pair of eyes seemed to swing toward Li Wei.
The foreman stepped forward, clearing his throat. "Commander Feng… I have a worker skilled with stone support. He stabilized a collapsing section last week."
Feng's eyes narrowed. "Bring him forward."
Li Wei stepped into the center, keeping his head slightly bowed.
"You," Feng said. "You're Li Wei?"
"Yes, honored commander."
"You will be assigned to the northern watchtower with a scout unit." His gaze hardened. "Do you have the courage to stand where men vanished?"
Li Wei bowed. "I will do what the empire requires."
Feng grunted approval. "Good. You leave at dusk."
As the crowd dispersed to prepare, Mei Lin seized his arm. "This assignment is deadly."
"Then why choose me?" Li Wei asked quietly.
"Because you aren't just a laborer. And Feng isn't blind."
Her tone shifted, becoming urgent. "Listen to me carefully. When you reach the watchtower, study the ground. The ridge. The trees. The soil. The rocks. Anything that looks disturbed. The enemy—whoever they are—left signs. You must find them."
"Why me?" he asked again, softer.
Mei Lin's eyes held something he had not expected: genuine worry.
"Because you're the only one with enough caution to survive it."
He swallowed the tightness rising in his throat.
"Will you be there?" he asked.
She shook her head. "No. I have my own orders. But trust this—if anything happens, I will try to reach you."
He nodded.
Then a soldier approached, clapping him on the shoulder. "Li Wei. Prepare yourself. You'll ride with us."
Ride.
A rare privilege for a worker.
But also a sign of how dangerous the mission was.
As he gathered his few possessions—a cloak, a wooden water flask, and a small chisel he kept hidden in his tunic—the system chimed faintly.
[Situational Analysis Updated]
[Risk Level: Severe]
[Survival Chance Without Caution: Low]
[Recommended Action: Observe terrain, identify patterns, avoid isolated positions]
Li Wei exhaled.
He had survived the Great Wall.
The overseers.
The inspectors.
But this was different.
This was the frontier.
And something out there was picking off trained scouts like flies.
As dusk approached, he mounted a horse behind a soldier, the group ready to ride.
Mei Lin stood at a distance, arms folded, watching him go. Their eyes met for a brief moment—an unspoken promise passing between them.
Then the gates opened.
And Li Wei rode toward the ridge where men vanished without leaving even a whisper behind.
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Teaser:
Night falls as Li Wei reaches the northern ridge—where tracks vanish and unseen eyes begin to watch from the darkness.
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