Chapter 328: River Valley
Two days northeast.
The terrain changed after the first morning. The ridge stone that had defined Zone Six gave way to open plain — flatter ground, older stone below it, the compressed highland character replaced by something slower and wider. The valley approach began on the second afternoon. Ground descending gradually toward the north, softer stone at the edges, harder stone where old fault pressure had pushed deep layers close to the surface.
Kai read the ground as they walked.
Not with the carrier function. The Ambient Map ran at surface level without effort — a low, constant awareness that had been present since Zone Six's conducting event. Six zones behind him. All six present at the edge of his attention.
