Chapter 129 Book 3 Dark Forest Maze
Li An stood on the remnants of Duan Village's eastern wall, the morning light filtering through the mist that clung stubbornly to the charred remains of what had once been homes. The acrid scent of burnt wood and blood lingered in the air, mixing with the faintest hint of fresh earth as the villagers worked tirelessly to rebuild what had been lost.
The battle had been hard-fought, but the victory was a hollow one. As she sifted through the wreckage alongside the surviving villagers, a report arrived that chilled her more than the autumn breeze ever could.
A scouting party had examined the bodies of the man-beasts, expecting to find nothing but the grotesque forms of the creatures they had slain. Instead, they had found something much more disturbing—metal tags and nameplates, insignias of warriors from Qinglan State's royal clan, and some bearing the mark of a certain Count Bai. These were not mere villagers. They had once been warriors.
