A Needle in a Neck

As Hong Zhao silently waited with Li Wei for her brother to either return, or hear news from Shadow, the second patrol team made their way along the forest edge in the opposite direction of Yuan City, moving towards the outskirts of Rantori Village. A line of ten cultivators opened ranks to almost a quarter mile in between. They wanted to leave nothing out of their search. The first patrol which headed towards Yuan City was nothing compared to the one which spread through their old home. Li Wen had stressed the importance of being thorough with the search. As they went through the village, they checked each and every home and estate. With the voice transmission pearls, the group leader could drop in on any of the others as they searched. If she heard a single person rummaging through a home, She would reprimand the cultivator and send him or her back to base with an escort. She didn't care if it was their own home.