The cold evening air of the upper mountain tier whipped against the white stone balustrade of the inner boundary wall. Ye Chen stood straight in the crisp gray uniform of an Upper Outer Disciple, his polished silver badge glinting beneath the fading starlight. Around him stood four other promoted recruits, all assigned to the outer perimeter escort detail tasked with guarding the grand marble gates leading into the inner administrative sectors.
An inner court sergeant named Master Zhao marched down the stone corridor with heavy boots clicking sharply against the flags. He carried a brass ledger tucked beneath his thick arm and glared at the newly assigned guards with undisguised contempt.
"Listen closely because I will only explain your patrol route once," Sergeant Zhao barked, his voice
