The cold night wind whipped through the valley, slicing across faces like a knife.
Louis led the team onto a path leading to Qingyu Territory.
The mountain path was narrow, with vertical rock walls on both sides, just wide enough for a single file of people to pass.
The horses could no longer proceed, so everyone dismounted, pulling the reins forcefully as they queued up one after another to move forward.
"How... how is there a mountain path here?" Yorn gasped, glancing at the deep valley below, his scalp tingling, "It's not marked on the map at all."
"It might be an old smuggling route," Louis responded casually, his expression calm, "An old hunter told me."
He didn't explain further and continued to lead the team forward.
Meanwhile, Bond silently observed the advancing team.
He was a secret envoy sent by the Governor, ostensibly to provide military advice but in reality to monitor whether the nobility was superficially compliant or betraying the Empire.
