The moonlight over the Southern Marshes was pale and watery, filtering down through a gauzy veil of mist. A week had passed since the beast tide and it had been relatively 'safe' for everyone in this period other than the occasional beast attacks.
Though none were as big as the tide before.
The camp's perimeter glowed faintly with the blue shimmer of the elders' protective barriers, casting eerie reflections on the stagnant pools and half-submerged roots that surrounded them. The faint hum of formation qi harmonized with the constant drone of insects beyond the wards, an unending chorus that no one could escape, even in their sleep.
Han Yu sat cross-legged on an overturned root at the edge of the inner firelight, a simple wooden bowl in his hands.
The stew inside was thick, heavy with whatever meat and marsh-safe greens the logistics division had scraped together for the night. It wasn't bad, but he found his thoughts wandering more toward his own concerns than the flavor.
