In Practice Year 110 a freight wagon stalled halfway through the fixed fold at Pearl Port. The crossing had carried baskets and people for years. This was the first time it had carried two loaded wagons together. The front axle came out at Mount Cangmang. The rear wheels were still on the pier. Between them, the floor of the crossing bent away.
Captain Shen had deserted the royal engineers with the men he could persuade to follow him. Now he shouted for both teams to let go. Bao’s young instructor still had the teamster by the sleeve. He refused to drop him.
Pei Jing sent the Armored Soul into the opening. It had learned to stand taller than a watchtower during tests on empty ground. Inside the fold it had to reach farther. For a few breaths the arm was as long as the pier. The teamster caught its fingers. Then the hand came apart. The instructor pushed the man into Bao’s waiting arms and went down with the rear of the wagon.
They brought his body back at low tide. His pupils waited on the shore. Bao had the damaged crossing taken down before anyone could ask him to try the other wagon.
