In Panhua County in late autumn, frosty wind swept through the mountains carrying a chill, yet the wasteland north of the city radiated a scorching heat.
Tens of thousands of refugees scattered across the vast land like swarms of ants. The sounds of pounding earth, sawing timber, and rhythmic work chants wove together into a symphony that shook the heavens. Xia Huai'an stood atop the newly erected watchtower, gazing out at the miles-long labor site, and a smile finally touched the corner of his lips.
This once lifeless wasteland was being transformed by millions of hands into a fortress against the bitter winter.
Chapter 96