Blissful ignorance

The quaint village of Lao was tranquil. The inhabitants were so scarce that they barely counted three hundred people and the majority of whom were women, children and elderly. Despite this, the people seemed amiable and were welcoming and hospitable despite being so close to the front lines. And while rumors and gossip were ripe in villages as such, Hou Ruyen was pleasantly surprised that not a single soul uttered a word about the flares that arched up into the sky.