The archery grounds were already crowded by the time Jin Yue arrived.
Unlike the earlier fields of chaos and noise, this one held a different kind of pressure. It was quieter. Sharper. The kind of silence that only existed when failure could be decided by the smallest movement. Rows of spectators had gathered beyond the marked boundary, their voices low and restrained, as if even speaking too loudly might break someone's concentration. Ahead, several narrow wooden platforms had been raised from the ground, each one no wider than a single steady stance. Beside them stood racks of bows and bundles of arrows. At first glance, the arrangement seemed straightforward.
Then Jin Yue saw the iron cuffs.
They rested on a long tray near the officials...dark, polished, and heavy-looking, each set made to fit around the wrists. Even from a distance, he could tell they were not for decoration.
His steps slowed just slightly.
Behind him, Mu Qing noticed at once. "Those are for this round?"
