The farther we traveled from Unit Fifty, the quieter the roads became. Unlike the bustling, crowded streets leading toward Bao Li's residence, this side of the Barren Lands was eerily still.
The lively sounds of merchants and morning chatter gradually faded behind us, replaced by abandoned houses, overgrown fields, and long stretches of empty road where hardly another soul could be seen.
Han Fuji walked beside me at his usual leisurely pace, one hand resting lazily behind his head as though we were simply out for a casual morning stroll. Anyone who saw him would never imagine we were currently on our way to investigate one of Tiger Alley's secret weapon warehouses.
Several paces behind us followed six men from Unit Fifty. They had volunteered after everything that had happened in the village, and although none of them were seasoned fighters.
