Tomorrow's Inspection Opens, but Six Groups of Visitors Arrived Early at West City

When the red-stringed wooden plaque arrived at the shop, Yan had just finished breakfast.

The messenger had run all the way there in a panic. He slapped the plaque onto the counter. "Something happened in West City!"

Hu Liena immediately stood up. "What happened?"

"The activity field opens tomorrow, but people are already lining up outside!"

Xie Yue picked up the wooden plaque.

A neat line of small writing was inscribed on it: Former drying yard west of the city. Inspection opens tomorrow. Three instructors from the Basic Partnering Class are requested to arrive before noon.

"Inspection opens tomorrow," he read slowly.

The messenger caught his breath. "Right, it opens tomorrow!"

"There are also the words 'inspection' after that."

The messenger lowered his head and read it again. "So I ran here for nothing?"

Yan had already reached the door, then turned back. "So it isn't open yet?"

Hu Liena stuffed the plaque into his hands. "Let's go see the people waiting in line first."

The old drying yard lay outside Spirit City's West Gate and had once been used for spreading out fodder to dry. It was not large; circling the outer fence took less than a quarter of an hour. Inside stood an old canopy, a packed dirt path, and two patches of freshly cut short grass. A shallow drainage ditch remained along the wall.

The Basic Partnering Class planned to add an outdoor trial session, so the General Affairs Office had cleared out this place first.

When the three arrived, six groups of people were indeed waiting by the gate.

A-Li stood second in line with Lillipup. The young trainee who had attended class yesterday had come too, with Sentret peeking out from beside his feet and staring intently at the empty field inside. The others all