The northern barrier tower stood above a ravine, its upper stones stained blue where the storm pressure had struck. Yan arrived with Wei, Nara, and four engineers. They climbed the narrow path single file. Wind ran over the ridge and tugged at their coats.
Nara knelt beside the cracked anchor. “The furnace is below this stone. The old brace kept the chamber intact, but it cannot carry a new load.”
Wei stationed two guards at the path and sent the other pair to watch the ravine. “No one goes below without a rope and a second person.”
The engineers opened their cases. They carried a pressure gauge, a length of insulated line, and a slate copy of Gu’s measurements. Nara set the gauge on the upper ledge and held it steady while one engineer checked the reading against the tower’s old marks.
“It’s climbing,” she said. “The crack is drawing current from the anchor.”
Yan could feel the pressure against his Dao Domain, a hard, uneven pull. The tower’s other channels were holding, but the injured anchor had started to leak force into the stone. He wanted to reach down and pull the current clear. He kept his hands at his sides while Nara measured.
