Small cages were haphazardly strewn across the muddy ground, and the people inside them also appeared disheveled.
The light was dim, and Gu Mian could only clearly make out the attire of the people nearby.
They wore vibrant, varied masks, somewhat resembling clown masks. These large masks covered their entire faces, leaving only two gaping holes for their eyes.
Beneath the masks, they wore ragged, single-layer clothes in faded, dull colors, with clearly visible patches.
Their clothes didn't fit well; most were too short. Their thin trousers rode up their bent legs, exposing much of their calves.
The huddled figures could only clutch their exposed calves and ankles, trying to preserve what little warmth they had.
It was still dark, a time that should have been for sleep, but the cold had awakened those in the small cages. Some sat with eyes wide open, hugging themselves, while many others trembled with their eyes closed, apparently trying to force themselves back to sleep.
