Bengal kingdom, Outskirts of chittagong port, near Karnaphauli river, Rangunia village, 3rd March 1557.
The sun dipped low in the sky, its rays filtering through the dense forest canopy as twenty traders laboriously pushed their heavy carts along a narrow, winding path. The carts were laden with supplies of sugarcane and rice. They were accompanied by a detachment of thirty soldiers from the Bengali Delta Merchant Group, dressed in light leather armor.
Leading the escort was Subanto, a seasoned soldier renowned for his keen eye and sharp mind. He raised a hand to signal a halt to the procession, his gaze narrowing as he scrutinized the path ahead. "Hold," he called out, his voice cutting through the stillness.
The traders and soldiers halted in unison, their gazes fixed on the scene ahead. Instead of a clear path, they confronted a shattered wooden bridge dangling precariously over a wide gap. Once robust, the bridge now lay in ruins, its planks splintered and ropes frayed.
