The sky grew steadily darker, and as midnight approached, a light rain began to fall. Outside the window, everything was pitch-black; they could barely have seen their hands in front of their faces.
Atamu was delighted instead. "The gods are watching over us. The darker it is, the harder we'll be to spot. Let's get moving."
With that, he picked up the enormous canvas bag and led Li Yichen and Ouyang Hai out the door.
Once they left the inn, Atamu took two flashlights out of the bag and handed them to Li Yichen and Ouyang Hai, then continued heading east.
After walking for about an hour, Atamu stopped and said quietly, "The mining area is just ahead. Let's rest here and get our strength back before crossing it in one go. Whatever you do, don't stop along the way."
He put the flashlights away as he spoke. "The light might attract the patrols, so we'll have to feel our way through the dark from here."
Even with his sturdy build, carrying several dozen pounds of supplies had taken its toll on Atamu. Breathing heavily, he plopped down on the ground.
Li Yichen, on the other hand, was perfectly fine. To him, night was no different from day.
Ouyang Hai was getting on in years, after all, and he had spent so long living in comfort. The walk had left his back and waist aching. Seeing that they could rest, he lay straight down without caring about the rainwater on the ground, unwilling to move another muscle.
"Li..." Ouyang Hai panted. "This isn't going to work. The mining area is at least ten kilometers across. If we have to cross it without stopping, these old bones of mine will be half-dead by the end."
"That is a problem." Li Yichen