"Form up!" a harsh voice barked from ahead.
Ling Yu's group was immediately herded toward a sectioned-off area near the gate where other groups of refugees clustered together.
A hastily constructed barricade of wooden posts and barbed wire created a holding pen of sorts. Beyond it, a large desk had been set up beneath a canvas canopy, lit by oil lamps. Several uniformed men and women sat behind it, their expressions tight with authority as they scribbled into thick ledgers.
One of them, a broad-shouldered man with a scar down his cheek, slammed a palm on the desk. "Next group!"
The group ahead of Ling Yu shuffled forward. A family of five, thin parents, two terrified children, and an elderly grandmother leaning on a stick. Their eyes darted nervously as the officials began to question them.
"Number of survivors?" "Five." "Any awakened among you?"
"N-no…""Occupation before the Fall?" "I was a… a mechanic. My wife was a teacher…"
