By the time they returned to Climber Rift, the sky had already begun turning orange beneath the thick clouds. The settlement was noticeably busier than when they had left that morning.
Freebound patrols moved through every street in pairs, checking inns, taverns and temporary shelters while occasionally escorting restrained civilians toward the quarantine camp outside the settlement.
The atmosphere had become tense enough that even the merchants lowered their voices, sensing that something far more dangerous than the Eternal Snow was quietly unfolding around them.
As soon as the truck entered the main gate, Jade unfastened her seatbelt and turned toward Gideon, her expression already focused.
"I'll arrange the meeting with the Merchant Guild and a couple of smaller guilds first," she said.
