North Line Waste Yard

At first light, the wind on the embankment blew straighter, and the pale hard surface of the old road shimmered faintly. The Support Shelter put away its lamps, and the outside help moved the vehicles north to clear a passage. Netero briefly went over the order again: patrol the east side as usual, send the North Line to inspect the Waste Yard, and leave two people at the Salt Shed. The team quickly split up, each taking their assigned position.

The group heading to the North Line consisted of Knov, Ryan, Knuckle, Shoot, and two support personnel bringing up the rear. The Waste Yard marked on the map lay farther out in Yorknew's northern suburbs. They had to pass two broken walls, then cross a stretch of empty warehouse grounds. The ash scattered thinly across the road, the wind was harsh, and the friction of their soles sounded crisp. Before the first broken wall, Knov reached the base first and brushed the back of his hand across a brick joint. The powder was dry, with no sign of new dampness. Ryan tapped the top of the wall three times. The tone and color were consistent, indicating that no one had stepped on it during the night. When Knuckle climbed over, he turned his toes inward by half an inch so the people behind him would land at the same angle. Shoot stepped sideways upon landing, leaving room for the support personnel to descend without stepping on the soft layer.

Behind the wall lay an old path, hard in the center and soft along the edges. A shallow ditch on the right exposed its sandy bottom, while the morning wind pressed down a few reeds before letting them rise again. Knov pressed a finger-width line into the center of the path