It took three full days for Leier and her team to map the Outer Region of Askiv—the slums that sprawled beyond the inner walls. The place resembled an anthill, chaotic and cramped, its streets spreading in irregular patterns. Homes had been stacked wherever space allowed, made of scavenged wood, broken bricks, and hay. Entire neighborhoods looked like they could collapse under the slightest breeze.
Leier stood in a dirty and narrow street, where the disgusting smell of death and hunger lingered, leaning against a crumbling house as she studied the parchment in her hands - "How many houses per street?" - she asked, her voice low.
beneath a crumbling awning, studying the parchment in her hands. "How many houses per street?" she asked, her voice low.
