Morning arrived without warmth. The light spread slowly across the broken slopes, pale and thin, revealing stone layered upon stone as if the earth itself had been shattered and reassembled without care for symmetry. The column moved before the cold could settle too deeply into stiffened muscles. Rest here was never generous. The land allowed sleep only as preparation for further demand.The path ahead descended gradually, winding between fractured ridges that rose like jagged walls on either side. Unlike the narrow gorges before, this space felt open yet constrained, a false sense of freedom that tempted the careless to relax their guard. Su Yu did not allow it. His pace remained deliberate, unhurried but firm, forcing the soldiers to remain attentive to every shift beneath their feet.Linxue observed the subtle changes immediately. The ground here bore signs of repeated passage, faint depressions where feet had worn stone smooth, shallow grooves cut by weight and time. Others had wa

Morning did not announce itself. It simply replaced the dark.The land before them was stripped bare, a wide stretch of exposed earth and stone where nothing grew and nothing moved. The sky above was clear, but the light felt distant, as if filtered through something unseen. The column rose without instruction. Fatigue lived in their bones now, no longer sharp, no longer loud, but constant, a companion that did not leave.They moved.The ground was firm at first, almost forgiving. Boots struck stone with solid certainty, and for a short while the march felt ordinary. That was when danger crept closest. The land here did not rely on collapse or sudden violence. It relied on expectation.Su Yu sensed it before anyone slipped. The rhythm felt wrong. Too smooth. Too cooperative. He altered the pace slightly, forcing attention back into movement. Linxue noticed the shift and mirrored it instinctively, guiding the column into a staggered flow that prevented any single failure from spreading

THE BREATH OF THE FRACTURED EARTHThe column rose with the first light, moving across a plateau fractured by time and pressure. The stone beneath their boots was uneven, cracked, and brittle. Every step demanded attention. Every pause carried risk. The injured soldier was carried forward steadily, rotation practiced, hands steady, bodies synchronized. The valley pressed around them, subtle but relentless.The air was thin and dry, carrying the faint scent of mineral and dust. Sunlight struck the jagged spires, throwing long shadows that shifted with every step. The soldiers advanced without speaking. The rhythm of their movement replaced conversation. Each man relied on instinct and training, every motion precise. The valley did not tolerate error, and even minor missteps were recorded silently.By midmorning, the terrain narrowed into a corridor of jagged stone, walls rising sharply on either side. Loose rocks clattered beneath boots, and tiny tremors ran through the ground. The col

The first light of morning spilled over jagged horizons, turning the fractured valley into a mosaic of stone and shadow. Each ridge and fissure seemed sharper than the day before, each shadow longer, as if the land itself had grown taller and more oppressive overnight. The air carried a faint metallic tang, mixed with dust and the lingering scent of cold frost from the night. The soldiers rose from their minimal rest without hesitation, muscles stiff and throbbing, minds alert to the endless trial ahead.Su Yu moved forward first, boots striking the uneven stone with careful precision. Each step was deliberate, measured, testing the stability of ridges and ledges before committing his weight. The path ahead was deceptive. At first glance, it seemed wide enough for comfort, but closer inspection revealed brittle sections of stone veined with cracks, small ridges that could crumble under the slightest pressure, and loose gravel that threatened the unwary. The column followed silently, e

Morning arrived quietly, pale light spilling over fractured stone and jagged ridges that seemed to stretch endlessly into the sky. The valley had changed overnight. Where the plateau had appeared flat, closer inspection revealed hidden fractures, brittle ledges, and sharp protrusions of rock that caught boots and scraped armor. The wind cut through every crevice, cold and relentless, carrying the faint scent of dust and mineral. The soldiers rose without hesitation. Fatigue was heavy in their bones, but motion was a necessity, and no pause was tolerated.Su Yu led the column forward, boots carefully testing each ridge before weight was committed. The path was narrow, deceptively firm, but riddled with loose gravel and subtle cracks. A single misstep could send a soldier tumbling into hidden fissures below. Each movement required focus, coordination, and precise timing. The injured soldier remained carried, rotation of carriers smooth and practiced. Linxue stayed close, adjusting harne