C80 Midnight

As the moon ascended behind the clouds, casting the sky in a mix of light and shadow, the rural courtyard finally settled into a semblance of quietude.

The occasional croak of a frog would momentarily shatter the silence before the calm swiftly returned.

"At this time, the folks keeping watch outside still refuse to leave. I've got to hand it to them for their tenacity," Zhao Zhengping said