Wei’s group reached White Orchard after three days on the southern road. Yan waited at the outer gate. When he saw Wei, he immediately asked for a spar.
“After the company has bunks, food and medical evaluations,” Wei said.
Ning stepped between them with a list of empty rooms. “You can help unload the carts first.”
Yan laughed and carried the heaviest trunk inside. It belonged to Mao Lin, who followed with a small box of copied orders and a bedroll.
Ning asked each soldier whether they were staying by choice. The Registry had called them deserters; she would not let White Orchard replace that command with its own. She told them they could leave whenever they wanted, and that the clinic would remain open to them even if they took no duties.
Huo asked for a corner room for a soldier with a bad knee. Ning showed him a small room near the clinic stairs. Mao asked where he could keep the consent copies dry. Ning assigned a shelf in the archive room and let him choose the box.
The soldiers moved their gear in without being assigned to guard Wei. One chose a bunk beside the door in case someone needed help moving. Mao picked a bed farthest from the yard so he could sleep through training noise. Another soldier asked for a room where he could pray in the morning. Ning showed him an empty alcove.
