The rising sun cast warm, gentle light over the abandoned city, now overgrown with plants, exuding a refreshing and clean aroma devoid of industrial emissions and human chatter. A gentle breeze stirred, and dewdrops from the branches fell, shattering into eight petals upon hitting the ground.
A team of small ants, foraging for food, carefully dragged a bug shell and skirted around the droplets, continuing their march. Sadly, they hadn't moved several meters before a chameleon shot out its tongue and scooped them into its mouth.
The short-lived peace made the atmosphere around the fort even heavier. Dantai meticulously gathered the last letters of three fallen comrades and put them into his pocket.
Li Xinlan sighed as she distributed food and Sweet Spring Potion; Pang Meiqin approached Tang Zheng to ask about his condition.
"I'm fine, Dantai, call Qin Yan and the others back. Losing two Sub-castles, our defense system no longer works," Tang Zheng said.
