At dawn, Wuchen met Yan at the lower observatory with a sealed maintenance schedule and an invitation to inspect the central furnace. The engineers had set three raw barrier readings on the map table.
“I understand the role,” Yan said. “The method would harm my body, soul, and lifespan. My gift would reverse those personal costs. I also understand that the contract leaves the Registry’s authority to bind communities in place.”
He had not accepted or refused. The coalition still needed to know whether its repair plan could protect the provinces before the storm arrived.
Qinghe compared the three readings with the northern tower data. Two channels could be restored with regulators from the sealed treasury. The measurements matched the parts list they had brought from the tower.
“The components fit the diagrams,” she said. “We still need to inspect their condition before installation.”
Wuchen authorized a supervised inspection, but not the transfer of the regulators. The parts remained locked in the treasury until the readings were reviewed.
Wei returned to the schedule gaps. “We need the crew records and the missing completion reports.”
“The archive is incomplete,” Wuchen said. “I have ordered a search.”
