At dusk, Luo Zheng stood coldly at the window of the wooden cabin, watching the sunset. The evening glow filled the sky with a crimson hue, extraordinarily beautiful. The sky was windless and cloudless, with only a few large birds squawking occasionally as they swept over the valley, quickly disappearing from sight. On the broad valley square, captives were tied to stakes, motionless, while dozens of guards kept a close, vigilant watch on the surroundings, wary of any rescue attempts.
The area around the valley had been quiet all day, as if the enemy had suddenly vanished. This calm before the storm was suffocating, and Luo Zheng felt as if a heavy stone was lodged in his heart, making even breathing difficult. His sharp gaze swept past the prisoners and onto a more distant wooden cabin, where the arms dealer who had come for negotiations was being held under house arrest.
