Chapter 201:Rest.
Silver spread a clean groundsheet beneath the shade of the acacia tree before setting their food down.
The plateau overlooked a vast stretch of golden savanna, and a gentle breeze rolled through the tall grass, carrying with it the scent of cooked meat, wood smoke and sun-baked earth.
After the constant hum of the engine throughout the morning, the silence felt refreshing. Well, as silent as nearly a hundred contractors could be.
Around them, the members of the convoy settled into their own routines.
One team quickly assembled a portable stove while another produced an iron pot large enough to feed ten people. Nearby, several contractors laughed as they argued over who had forgotten to buy seasoning before leaving the checkpoint.
Others weren’t nearly as enthusiastic. A few simply leaned against their vehicles while drinking nutritional solutions from metal pouches, preferring convenience over taste.
One young contractor emptied a packet into a bottle of water, shook it twice, and drank the mixture in one long gulp before making a face.
"...Still tastes terrible."
His companions laughed.
"You’ve said that every day for three years."
"It still tastes terrible."
Silver smiled faintly.
"They’re practical."
Ravenna looked over.
"The nutritional solutions?"
He nodded.
"They have the heart of stone, really, and they probably lack taste buds. Remember the ones we took."
Ravenna looked at the grey liquid with obvious disgust.
"We were really pathetic. I’ll continue sticking to real food from now on. I’d rather be caught dead than eat that thing."
"Tell me about it, I had been fascinated with them at that time. Don’t even know what I saw in them."
She grinned.
"I thought so but didn’t have the heart to tell you."
Silver opened their backpack before taking out several pieces of dried beast meat, preserved flatbread, smoked vegetables, and two bottles of water. It wasn’t luxurious, but it was filling, and most importantly... Ready to eat.
As they quietly began their meal, they noticed a small group nearby watching them with curiosity. Eventually, a broad-shouldered man carrying a wooden bowl approached with an easy smile.
"Mind if I sit here?"
Silver looked toward Ravenna. She gave a small nod.
"Go ahead."
The man lowered himself onto the grass with an audible sigh.
"Much appreciated."
He looked to be in his late thirties. His skin had been deeply tanned by years beneath the sun, while numerous old scars covered his forearms. A heavy axe rested beside him.
"I’m Seth." He extended a hand. "Escort contractor."
Silver shook it.
"Silver, and this is Ravenna."
Seth smiled politely toward her.
"Pleasure."
"Likewise."
For a few moments, the three simply ate. Eventually, Seth chuckled.
"You two don’t look like professional escorts."
Silver smiled.
"We’re not."
"I guessed as much. You travel surprisingly quietly."
Ravenna tilted her head.
"Quietly?"
"You don’t brag." He laughed. "You’d be surprised how many young contractors spend the first day telling everyone how many beasts they’ve killed."
Silver chuckled.
"We’ve met a few."
"I don’t doubt it."
Seth scooped another spoonful of stew into his mouth before speaking again.
"I saw your fight yesterday."
Silver blinked, his hackles rising.
"The bandits? You were behind us."
Seth nodded.
"We couldn’t turn around in time, but we saw enough."
Silver remained silent. Seth smiled.
"You handled yourselves well, especially considering there were only two of you."
"It wasn’t easy."
Silver answered honestly.
"No." Seth agreed. "It wouldn’t have been, but you kept calm. That’s the important part."
Before Silver could reply, another contractor wandered over carrying several skewers of grilled meat. He was younger than Seth and noticeably thinner.
"Mind if we join?"
"Plenty of room."
Within minutes, several more contractors had drifted beneath the tree. The atmosphere gradually became surprisingly relaxed.
People introduced themselves one after another. Most belonged to small independent teams traveling between Sanctuaries.
Some were merchants protected by hired escorts. Others were veteran hunters returning home after months in the wilderness.
One elderly contractor with a white beard laughed as he pointed toward Silver.
"You two are the youngest couple here."
Ravenna nearly choked on her water.
"We..."
Silver gently patted her back while trying not to laugh.
"...He’s not wrong."
She gave him an annoyed look.
"You aren’t helping."
The old man laughed heartily.
"No need to be embarrassed. My wife and I started traveling together at your age."
He pointed proudly toward an older woman sitting beside another vehicle.
"Forty-three years together."
Ravenna smiled warmly.
"...That’s impressive."
The woman waved from across the clearing.
"It only works because he knows when to stay quiet."
Everyone burst into laughter. Even the old man nodded.
"She’s right. I learned eventually."
The relaxed conversation continued naturally. People exchanged stories about dangerous roads, difficult beasts, mechanical failures, and strange ruins they had discovered throughout the years.
Silver mostly listened.
He found that experienced contractors often revealed useful information without realizing it. One woman warned everyone about traveling during beast migration season.
Another described how quickly the weather could change once they approached the mountain ranges between Delta Four and Delta Two.
Ravenna also found herself joining the discussions. Unlike when they had first met, she no longer hesitated to speak with strangers.
She asked practical questions: how often convoys stopped, what types of beasts were common in the Yellow Zone, and which checkpoints had reliable mechanics.
The contractors answered willingly. There was very little competition on the road. Helping one another usually meant increasing everyone’s chances of survival.
After lunch, Seth stood and stretched before looking toward the enormous ravine in the distance.
"First time crossing a ravine?"
Silver nodded.
"It’ll be interesting."
Seth laughed.
"Interesting isn’t the word I’d use."
He crouched beside the dirt before drawing a rough map using a stick.
"The ravine stretches for nearly thirty kilometers." He drew two parallel lines. "The road follows the bottom."
Ravenna frowned.
"So we’re trapped between cliffs?"
"Pretty much." He nodded. "Some places are only wide enough for two vehicles, and the cliffs rise over a hundred meters."
Silver studied the drawing.
"If something attacks..."
Seth tapped the map.
"It usually comes from above, or..." He pointed toward several small marks beside the road. "...from caves."
Ravenna immediately understood.
"Ambush predators."
"Exactly. The terrain hides them; you’ll hear them before you see them."
Silver nodded thoughtfully.
"So staying with the convoy matters even more."
"It does." Seth smiled approvingly. "Don’t chase wounded beasts, don’t leave the road, and don’t stop unless the lead vehicle stops. Even if you think you’ve seen something valuable."
Silver raised an eyebrow.
"Has that happened before?"
Seth laughed.
"Too many times. Every year some rookie spots a rare herb halfway up the cliff. They climb after it, then either fall... or become lunch."
Several nearby contractors nodded in agreement. One of them added, "The beasts know where the herbs grow; they wait nearby."
The conversation gradually shifted toward tactics. Silver found himself asking about convoy formations. Another veteran explained how the strongest contractors rotated between the front and rear depending on the terrain.
Someone else described emergency signals used if vehicles became separated. None of it felt like boasting; it was simply knowledge passed from one traveler to another.
Silver appreciated that.
By the time the discussions ended, nearly an hour had passed. Contractors began packing away cooking equipment. Portable stoves disappeared into storage compartments. Camp chairs folded neatly.
The smell of food slowly faded as fires were extinguished one after another.
Silver and Ravenna also stood. She dusted the grass from her trousers before looking toward him.
"I like them."
Silver nodded.
"So do I."
"They’re..." She searched for the right word. "Normal."
He smiled.
"Not everyone outside the Sanctuaries is trying to kill us."
She laughed softly.
"That’s reassuring."
A loud whistle echoed across the plateau. Everyone turned toward the lead vehicle. The convoy leader stood once again atop its roof.
"Time to move!"
Conversations ended almost immediately. People climbed back into their vehicles with practiced efficiency. Within minutes, engines roared to life across the resting area.
Silver loaded the last of their supplies before opening the driver’s door. As he climbed inside, he looked one last time toward the distant ravine. From here, it resembled a dark wound carved into the endless golden plains.
The road disappeared into its shadow. Beyond it, no one could see what waited. Silver started the engine as Ravenna fastened her seatbelt.
The convoy slowly rolled forward once more. Leaving the safety of the open savanna behind, they began their approach toward one of the most dangerous stretch of road in the Yellow Zone.