Bai found Yan beside the infirmary steps, trying to tie his sleeve over the clean wrap on his palm without pulling the knot too tight. He had just finished a bowl of rice. His appetite had come back before the nurse had cleared him to leave, and he had eaten while standing.
“You have a flour sack,” Yan said.
“I have something more interesting than flour.” Bai lowered the bundle onto the bench. “And less useful for bread.”
The packet inside was folded in a sheet stamped for disposal. Bai kept the corners together and did not let it touch the damp stone. Gu came out of the treatment room when he saw the Ashfall seal. Wei followed him, fastening the strap on his bracer.
“Where did it come from?” Wei asked.
“The record tent’s discarded stack. I went back for the wrapping sheet they’d used under the sample trays. These were tucked into the fold.” Bai tapped the sack. “I did not sort them there. Too many people were walking through.”
Yan’s palm throbbed under the bandage. He flexed his fingers once, then stopped. “Show us.”
Bai unfolded the outer sheet across the bench. Several pages had disposal marks in red ink. The first bore a list of candidates marked withdrawn for health. Beside a few names, another hand had written that they should receive additional testing after the public examination.
