The district signal board showed uneven light after the command strips came out. Some barriers shone steadily on independent circuits. Others stayed dark because their coils or frames were broken. Qinghe read each report and marked three different conditions: deliberate disconnect, equipment failure, and uninspected.
A dark mark did not always mean a crew had chosen to open its release. At the west node, the team had isolated a split frame. At the river station, the independent coil held, but a nearby mill remained unprotected. The crew had moved the workers to the school and was waiting for a replacement plate.
Wei sent a message from the north wall: the local barrier remained lit. A river runner carried the mill report, including the names of workers moved to shelter. Qinghe placed both on the board without treating them as the same outcome.
Yan kept the central furnace anchored. Each cycle of Final Offering added strength and vitality to him. He watched the board while the storm pressed through the vents.
“Should we lower central pressure?” he asked.
Qinghe checked the readings before answering. “One mark. The east relay is holding, but the south return is close to its limit.”
Yan turned the inner ring to match her setting. The needle dropped by one division. The independent nodes remained within their tested ranges.
