Chapter 222: A Human Traffickers’ Den?
Ning Xiyue had used Bright-Eye Eye Drops before, and her eyesight had reached 2.0 (5.3) — she could clearly see things from very far away.
Because of that, her visual range was very wide.
And within that range, the woman she spotted was holding a little boy in her arms — his cheeks flushed, eyes tightly shut. That boy was none other than Gou Dan, the child from their own production team.
Uncle Anguo and his wife treasured that boy like their life.
And yet now, their beloved child was being carried away by a strange woman they didn’t know, and by the look of him, something was definitely wrong.
Ning Xiyue knew all of Gou Dan’s family members — but she had never seen this woman before. She definitely wasn’t from their production team, and she couldn’t possibly be a relative.
The woman’s identity was practically screaming itself out.
Ning Xiyue almost blurted out a curse — “Damn human trafficker!”
The little girl she saw earlier might have been abducted too.
That house she’d noticed earlier could very well be a trafficking den.
To avoid alerting them, she didn’t make any rash moves. She didn’t rush forward, but instead subtly pulled her second brother to the right, turning onto another path, keeping their backs toward the woman while walking at a calm, steady pace.
The woman’s attention was fully on Gou Dan and she didn’t notice the siblings at all.
Perfect for taking action.
“System, spend ten points to activate the Small Mosquito Clone. I want it to track that woman and Gou Dan — and open shared vision.”
“Understood, Host.”
A tiny mosquito, smaller than an ink speck, silently landed on the woman’s head.
“Shared vision activated.”
“Yue?” Ning Qingyuan noticed they were taking the wrong road and that his sister’s reaction was odd. She hadn’t answered any of his earlier questions. Sensing something was wrong, he whispered her name.
Ning Xiyue focused on the image appearing in her mind through shared vision. She squeezed her brother’s hand, not answering yet.
Only after leading him out of the alley — far enough to be out of sight — and confirming with System that it was safe, did she stop. Her expression grew solemn as she whispered into his ear:
“First, I saw the little girl from the train. Then, I saw Gou Dan from our team. I think they’re human traffickers.”
Ning Xiyue looked her brother straight in the eye, speaking with urgency:
“Brother, you run faster than me. Go to the Armed Forces Department and find Comrade Li. Bring more people. Judging by what I saw, there are at least three adults in there. That house inside the alley is most likely their base. I’ll stay here and keep watch so they don’t run.”
Ning Qingyuan’s heart pounded in shock and worry. When he heard her last sentence, he grabbed her arm firmly.
“No, it’s too dangerous! Human traffickers are vicious. I’ll stay here and watch.”
“Brother, I don’t run as fast as you — we can’t waste time! This is a race against time. There might be many young children in there.”
Ning Xiyue’s eyes were unwavering.
“Don’t worry. I won’t act recklessly. I’ll just stay here and watch from a distance until you all come. I won’t risk my life, I promise.”
Here, she could guarantee her own safety.
But if her brother stayed, she’d be worried sick — just as he said, human traffickers were ruthless. If they discovered him, he’d be lucky to survive without serious injury.
“Alright then. But you mustn’t go out — stay right here and wait for me. I’ll come back as fast as I can. No matter what happens, don’t go out. Always remember our family — don’t act on impulse.”
Ning Qingyuan, though reluctant, chose to trust his sister.
After repeating his warning, he took off running — sprinting with all his strength toward the county Armed Forces Department. On the way, he borrowed a kind comrade’s bicycle and pedaled there at full speed.
Ning Xiyue, meanwhile, didn’t need to take risks. She crouched in a safe corner, watching the image displayed in her mind.
The moment the shared vision activated, she split her focus to observe.
Through the mosquito’s eyes, she saw the middle-aged woman still holding Gou Dan, walking calmly forward.
When she reached the alley, she turned and entered — right toward the house Ning Xiyue had noticed earlier.
Three short knocks, two long.
The door opened; after glancing around, the woman quickly slipped inside.
So it really was a den?
Inside the courtyard, plus the new woman, there were now three people — two men and one woman.
One man sat by the door, keeping watch. The other sat in the courtyard, twisting hemp rope with his hands.
After entering, the woman carrying the child nodded toward the man at the door, then walked to the one in the courtyard.
She held the boy out horizontally, showing him off proudly.
“Lao San, this is the new one. Look at this boy — round face, fair skin, sturdy build. He’s good quality, right? Should fetch a nice price.”
“No trouble, I assume?” the man called Lao San asked lazily, though his gaze was sharp and cautious.
The middle-aged woman shook her head.
“None. He’s from a rural area. I picked him up from the next town over. I was careful the whole way — no problems. But we should leave soon, just to be safe.”
“Good. Once the goods are complete, we’ll move this afternoon. No point risking it by staying overnight.”
Lao San looked at the child in her arms, a satisfied smirk flashing in his pale eyes.
“You got lucky. I’ve never seen a countryside kid look this good. Boys like him are in high demand — he’ll sell for a good price.”
As they spoke, the two of them carried the child into the kitchen.
There, another middle-aged woman was squatting by the stove, tending to a pot.
“Well, well, looks like you got a good one, huh?” she said, her narrow, upward-slanting eyes gleaming with amusement. Dusting off her hands, she stood up and leaned closer for a look.
She tilted the boy’s chin with her fingers, examining him like merchandise, as if estimating his market value.
Finally, she let go and laughed.
“Really is a fine one. This batch’s quality’s not bad — lots of good stock this time.”
After sitting back down, the narrow-eyed woman moved aside the firewood stacked behind her, revealing a wooden plank underneath.
Lao San lifted the plank — exposing a pitch-black hole below. Beneath it was a wide cellar.
When he shone his flashlight down, the scene illuminated below made Ning Xiyue’s eyes go wide.
She gasped sharply, clapping a hand over her mouth. Her face turned deathly pale in an instant.
