At dawn, a low coastline appeared through the haze. Mei Qiao spotted the red lighthouse first and changed course to approach from the east. Han compared the sightline with her chart and confirmed the location.
“We have not reached White Orchard,” Han said. “There are still several days of travel inland.”
The others looked toward the coast. The mainland meant solid ground, but it was only the first stop. Sato wanted to find a clinic and a room where Meili could rest before deciding how far to travel. Bai planned to arrange the island families’ passage without opening their contract copies.
Yan sent a projection to the outer lantern buoy and checked the harbor entrance. It reported a clear channel and a damaged marker near the southern shoal. Mei adjusted her approach to avoid it. The prepared relay made the final entry simpler, while the captain and Han remained responsible for steering and route choice.
A port signal asked the convoy to identify itself. Han answered with the agreed merchant code and a list of passengers who had consented to be recorded. Sato gave her name. Meili held the travel card and watched Han repeat the code in the signal pattern.
