In the afternoon.
The winter sun shone brightly in the cloudless sky, illuminating the distant Ink Mountain Range.
The Ink Mountain Range earned its name from the stark contrast of its black and white geology, devoid of any vegetation. The only inhabitants of this barren terrain were groups of ink snakes.
The two-toned rocks of the mountain range overlapped in a striking pattern, resembling an ink painting spread out across the landscape when viewed from afar.
Six people sat atop one of the peaks in this ink painting.
The group of six sat in different spots - one person sat alone, another in the center, and the remaining four at the back.
The captain sat alone, perched at the highest point with a smug expression. He sat cross-legged and gazed past Xu Qing, fixing his eyes on the four individuals behind him.