While Kulan was puzzled by Brand's strange proposal, Antitina and Qian arrived at an abandoned estate near Fir City. The ladies' carriage drove deep into the estate, where they were received by a few mercenaries who had been waiting for them. They got out of the carriage and immediately saw a group of noisy young people not far away in the open space.
This estate had been renovated some months earlier. The dilapidated broken walls were replaced with wooden fences, and its scale was considerably expanded. Red pines were planted around the perimeter, which would grow lush and green by the following year, hiding everything inside the estate from view.
Secret sentries were placed in the pine forest, providing mutual support with the visible sentries along the wooden fence. It was heavily guarded—it was the secret camp chosen by Brand and the future training ground for the White Lion Infantry.
