The scrape came after Jian had put away his practice sheet.
He waited for the ordinary water sound beneath it.
Metal scraped again.
At the culvert access, a service tag had been turned outward. A shaded lamp sat behind the retaining edge, low enough to hide its light from the main path.
Jian checked the duty record. No team was scheduled there before dawn.
He signaled the nearest watch and waited for the acknowledgment before going down to the outer chamber.
Three people stood beyond the entrance. Their leader carried a short weapon and a small angled shield. Another held a hooked pole. The third kept a tool case clear of the shallow channel.
The leader presented a technical access order.
