Shen Yue found him three nights later with a date. She didn't waste time on greetings, just pressed a folded scrap of paper into his hand behind the drying racks and told him to burn it after reading. The transport left in five days, dusk, same route, same fork by the split pine tree, six captives this time instead of three, and two guards instead of the usual one man waiting to receive them.
"Six," Wei Liang repeated, staring at the paper before it caught flame between his fingers. "That's double the last shipment."
"Rong's accelerating the quota. Word from the records room is the regional alliance court is pushing harder this season, more resources demanded, less patience for shortfalls." Shen Yue's voice stayed clinical, the way it always did when she was frightened and refusing to sh
