At dawn, the first convoy moved only as far as the staging camp beyond the border gate. The barrier lights flickered again, and Han kept a small force at the station while Gu and Sella monitored the bypass. The northern breach remained closed, but the lamps could not yet be trusted through a full cycle.
Ning stayed with the families, counting arrivals and planning the next leg toward White Orchard. The camp was only a short distance beyond the gate, but it let the wagons rest without blocking the station road. Families unloaded blankets and grain, then set their carts facing the direction they had chosen. Ning moved through them with the list, checking who would sleep near the clinic wagon and who could travel in the morning. The camp had no walls, only a low ridge and a line of lanterns. Han set the watch posts where they could see the station gate without showing a bright light to the bridge. Yan helped move the water barrel behind a stone wall, then went back to the upper path to check the signal lantern. She divided the household list between those who could continue and those who needed medical care near the border. The relief team had enough water for the first travel day. Bai arranged a resupply cart from the station and kept a separate tally of food and bedding.
