The village square filled before noon. Word of the Registry offer had traveled from the council room with the morning carts. Yao stood beside Jian near the well. Sato arrived with her daughter’s clinic folder under one arm. Suyin came from the north pylon, where her neighbors had been waiting for the glaze shipment.
Han had posted the two evacuation routes and the signal codes on a board. Ruo set a tide chart beside them, explaining which path led to the sheltered cove and which road stayed clear for carts. The meeting was about the offer, but everyone could see the fleet holding the channel beyond the roofs.
Muo asked each household to speak for itself. He did not let one person answer for the whole village.
Yao spoke first. “I want the medicine shipment. I want a ward that holds when the next storm comes. I will keep my own adult share until we have a test that lasts longer than ten minutes.”
Jian feared the fleet could trap their boats. “If we refuse and the channel stays blocked, we may not be able to trade or fish. My family needs the harbor open.”
Sato held up the clinic folder. “Meili’s name is not part of a bargain. Her share was removed. I will not sign anything that puts her back on the roster.”
