The storm had quieted to a distant hum, but tension lingered thick in the air as they gathered around the table. The ambassador stood at the head, sleeves tucked neatly, his posture elegant but assured. He gestured to the map his aide laid out on the table, several sections already marked with quick notations.
"We've already mapped the key camps," Ambassador Jiang Yijun said, tapping marked spots on the old parchment map. "They operate in clusters—three primary bases and several smaller outposts. We believe the child was taken to this one."
Wrye leaned over the map, nodding. "Fits the pattern we've seen—larger, centralized. Easier to guard prisoners."
"Our contact spotted increased movement near the cliff routes two days ago. They've reinforced their perimeter, but they still use the canyon for supply drops. That could be our entry point."
"What about guard rotations?" Wrye asked.
