On the outskirts of the town, several Herb Gardens enclosed by low wooden fences were clearly visible in the sunlight. Rows of short green shrubs stood neatly arranged, and some leaves flipped over in the wind, revealing the silvery-gray sheen on their undersides.
Farther out lay the tree line.
The afternoon light could not penetrate that dense forest, drawing a clear boundary between the open ground at the town's edge and Gulin.
Where sunlight reached was the town. Where it did not was the forest.
The Night Watchers' small base stood at the northern end of the town.
It was a two-story building of stone and wood. A copper plaque hung by the door, carved with the Night Watchers' emblem. The lights were on.
When the carriage stopped at the base entrance, the door was already open.
A man emerged from inside. He was over sixty, with a lame left leg that made his body lean to the right as he walked.
The wrinkles on his face were deep and hard, carved into his skin one after another. His graying hair was cut short. He carried no cane, but the way he walked showed that his leg had been lame for many years.
Old Harold.
He stood in the doorway and gave Lu Yuan a thorough once-over. His gaze paused on the Night Watcher's Badge, shifted to Lu Yuan's face, then returned to the badge.
"You're Lu Yuan?"
"Mm."
"You're younger than I expected."
Harold's way of looking at people was direct and utterly unceremonious.
He did not exchange much small talk. Turning, he headed inside. "Bring the things in first."
Boer and Lu Yuan carried the wooden crates from the back into the base's storage room one by one. The crates were heavy, filled with concentrated medicinal solution. Glass