The road was long and quiet.
Zhen Yu Woon rode in the back of a metal transport cart. Iron plates covered the sides. Two Zhen guards sat at the front. A warden rode ahead on a black mount.
No one spoke.
Mountains slowly gave way to dry land. Trees became thin. The air felt heavier.
By sunset, they arrived.
Red Hollow Outpost stood on cracked red stone. High walls circled it. Watchtowers rose at each corner. Old blood stains darkened the ground near the gate.
The gate opened.
Inside, the outpost was rough and worn. Buildings were low and packed close together. The warriors looked tired, and many of them bore scars.
A man waited near the centre.
He wore Warden armour.
"Warden Seo Garan," he said. His voice was calm. "You are late."
The escort bowed. "The roads were clear with no delays."
Seo Garan looked at Yu Woon.
"Name."
"Zhen Yu Woon."
"Age."
"Fourteen."
Seo Garan nodded once.
"You belong to the Zhen family. That means nothing here," he said. "Only your results matter."
Yu Woon listened.
"You will be assigned to the outer patrol unit," Seo Garan said. "You will watch the perimeter. You will report anything strange that you see."
Another man stepped forward. He was older and broad.
"This is Han Torak," Seo Garan said. "He leads the patrol."
Han Torak looked at Yu Woon."He's small," he said.
"He'll grow," Seo Garan replied.
Yu Woon was taken to the barracks. The room was shared by six warriors. The air smelt of sweat and iron.
One of them looked up. "I'm Rin Kael," he said. "Don't die."
That night, Yu Woon lay on a hard bed.
He thought about the training yard and the Judgement Hall.
Here, there were no elders watching, and any mistakes could get you killed.
Somewhere beyond the outpost walls, something was waiting.