The women locked in the room all wore blank expressions. Their exposed bodies bore obvious scars, evidence of the harsh treatment they’d endured. When they saw Ji Chenai, crippled and tossed into the room, they didn’t speak. They gave him a glance before retreating into their numb silence.

Ji Chenai sat quietly for a while before softly asking. “How long have you all been here?”

After a moment of silence, a long-haired woman replied in a low voice. “More than ten days. Were you sold here by your family?”

“No,” Ji Chenai answered. “I helped catch a human trafficker and offended their people.”

The woman sighed at his words. “Then you’d better behave. If you cause trouble, we’ll all go hungry.”

Seeing that this woman was willing to talk, Ji Chenai asked more questions about the traffickers.

It turned out some of them had been deceived and sold by acquaintances, while others, like Ji Chenai, had been outright kidnapped. They’d been in this place for over ten days. Some had attempted to escape, but none had succeeded.

Whenever an escape attempt failed, everyone suffered the consequences. At best, they’d go hungry for a day or two; at worst, they’d endure a severe beating. However, the traffickers were careful not to harm their “merchandise” too much, ensuring the women and children were still sellable.

Even so, the limited food and harsh conditions were taking a toll. The women and children grew weaker by the day. Each person was given only a bowl of thin porridge and a small piece of dry bread daily—just enough to survive. The constant hunger sapped their strength, leaving them too feeble to even consider escape. Over time, they’d begun to resign themselves to their fate.

The woman who had answered Ji Chenai’s question had been sold by her husband. He’d racked up gambling debts and offered her as payment. She had tried to escape once but failed. After being starved for several days as punishment, she had sunk into despair.

Ji Chenai could tell that the women in the room were all relatively attractive, and even the children huddled in the corner, despite their pale and sickly faces, had features that hinted at future beauty. Remembering the traffickers’ words, Ji Chenai realized he had very little time to save himself.

But what could he do? With both legs crippled, he was at a severe disadvantage. The women and children, upon noticing his inability to move freely, quickly lost any hope in him. They had already resigned themselves to their fate.

After Ji Chenai’s disappearance, Zhou Yaoyun reported it to the police without delay. When the officers arrived at the scene, they reviewed the nearby road surveillance footage. They discovered a suspicious van without license plates passing through the park where Ji Chenai was last seen. The van then turned into an unmonitored side road and vanished from sight.

At the police station, Zhou Yaoyun encountered the same officer who had assisted Ji Chenai during the previous human trafficking incident. The officer recognized Zhou Yaoyun and, after hearing the details of the case, hesitated, showing a hint of something he wanted to say but held back.

Zhou Yaoyun, being highly perceptive, noticed the officer’s reluctance. Seizing the opportunity, he offered the man a cigarette and used the break as an excuse to discuss matters that couldn’t be openly addressed.

As they smoked, the officer spoke up. “I’m Xu Yidai. Just call me Brother Xu.”

Zhou Yaoyun lit his own cigarette and asked. “Brother Xu, do you think my brother can still be found?”

Xu Yidai fell silent for a moment before sighing. “Xiao Zhou, it’s not that the police don’t want to help. Do you remember the little girl you rescued last time?”

Zhou Yaoyun nodded.

Xu Yidai continued. “When we found that little girl, she was begging with a woman. You know as well as I do that if she were one of the ringleaders, she wouldn’t be doing something like that.”

Zhou Yaoyun understood the implication behind Xu Yidai’s words. The woman who had been sentenced to death was likely just a scapegoat.

Xu Yidai added. “About your brother’s situation…” He tapped his temple with a finger, then shook his head, hinting at something unspoken.

Zhou Yaoyun clenched his fists at his sides, his frustration barely contained.

Xu Yidai sighed and said. “Here’s my suggestion: try reaching out to the father of that little girl your brother saved last time. See if they can offer any help. Otherwise…”

“Otherwise what?” Zhou Yaoyun asked, his voice tight with tension.

Xu Yidai kept smoking, shaking his head at Zhou Yaoyun once more. Cases of missing persons were all too common. Even though Zhou Yaoyun insisted that Ji Chenai had been kidnapped, the grim reality was that unless the kidnappers initiated contact, the chances of finding him were slim. And with Ji Chenai’s leg disability, it was unlikely he could escape on his own.

“Thanks anyway.” Zhou Yaoyun said, his voice low.

“I’m sorry I can’t do more.” Xu Yidai replied, exhaling a puff of smoke. “This circle… it’s one you don’t want to mess with.”

Afterward, Zhou Yaoyun made a call to Yang Yuyi’s father. When the line connected, Zhou Yaoyun briefly explained the situation.

Upon hearing the story, Mr. Yang was visibly angered, even over the phone. Ji Chenai’s actions had saved their family and changed their lives. To think that Ji Chenai was now in danger because of it, was something Mr. Yang could not ignore.

“Younger brother Zhou, don’t worry.” Mr. Yang said firmly. “I’ll make some calls and see what I can do. First, we’ll locate your brother—then we’ll deal with everything else.”

Zhou Yaoyun thanked him and hung up. As just a student, there was little he could do now except hope and pray that Ji Chenai would be safe.

….

The porridge was so thin it was almost water, paired with a steamed bun no bigger than a child’s fist. Everyone devoured their portions ravenously, not leaving a single grain of rice behind.

Ji Chenai finished his share as well, his mind returning to the conversation between Lao Si and the woman they called Big Sister. He realized he had to make use of the “Invincible Flying Leg” skill’s cooldown period. If he didn’t act soon, he might truly be sold like a piece of cargo to some faraway place.

On the second day of Ji Chenai’s disappearance, Zhou Yaoyun still hadn’t received any updates. That evening, he called Mr. Yang, who told him that efforts were underway to contact the relevant people but that it would take more time. Mr. Yang reassured him. “Don’t worry. I won’t let Ji Chenai be sold.”

But how could Zhou Yaoyun not worry? He’d searched every possible place, revisited the police station, and reviewed all available surveillance footage. Yet there was nothing—no clues, no leads. Either the kidnappers were extremely skilled, or someone had deliberately erased the evidence.

When Zhou Yaoyun returned home that night, he saw Ji Chenai’s abandoned wheelchair. Walking over to it, he sat down, running his hands over the handles. Silent, he bowed his head and pressed a gentle kiss onto the chair, his heart heavy.

Ji Chenai had no idea what was happening outside. However, starting on the second day, he noticed the traffickers were becoming increasingly irritable. They kicked the door to the room several times, venting their frustration.

The “Invincible Flying Leg” skill still had about eight or nine hours left before its cooldown ended. Ji Chenai gritted his teeth and resolved to endure this period, no matter what.

Morning came on the third day. Ji Chenai heard a string of curses from outside, followed by the creak of the iron door being unlocked. The man known as Lao Si walked in, his expression dark and unfriendly.

When the man entered, the women and children in the room shrank back in terror, pressing themselves against the walls. They trembled, desperate not to draw his attention and risk punishment.

Ji Chenai, however, remained calm. His skill had finished cooling down at 4 a.m., giving him a newfound sense of confidence. As Lao Si, the angry trafficker, approached him, Ji Chenai quietly asked. “What do you want?”

Since his arrival, Ji Chenai had deliberately acted weak and submissive. Coupled with his physical disability, the traffickers hadn’t considered him a flight risk.

Lao Si grabbed Ji Chenai’s arm roughly and began dragging him toward the door. “You’re quite something, you little cripple.”

Ji Chenai didn’t resist, letting himself be pulled out of the room. The others in the room watched in horror, their faces filled with dread, but no one dared to speak up.

Lao Si dragged Ji Chenai back to the warehouse where he’d first been brought. Standing in the middle of the space was the woman known as Big Sister. Her expression was one of pure disgust as her gaze landed on Ji Chenai.

“Lao Si,” she said coldly, “when you’re done playing with him, gouge his eyes out, cut off his tongue, and don’t forget to break his hands.”

Lao Si chuckled darkly. “Big Sister, you can trust me to handle it. But if I mess him up like that, won’t the boss chew me out?”

“Chew you out for what?” Big Sister snapped. “This cripple’s going back to where he came from anyway. He’s seen our faces—letting him live is already a favor to those people. Hmph. We’re sending him back, aren’t we? What more do they want?”

Hearing this, Ji Chenai finally pieced everything together. Even the slowest person would have understood by now. Their sudden irritability wasn’t without reason—someone outside was interfering with their plans.

However, even with external pressure, the traffickers were unwilling to let Ji Chenai leave alive after seeing their faces.

Ji Chenai didn’t hesitate any longer. He activated his Sunlit Gaze skill.

Big Sister glanced at him again after finishing her orders. Her feelings toward Ji Chenai should have been filled with hatred—her younger sister had been sentenced to death because of him. Yet, for reasons she couldn’t explain, she found herself less repelled by him. Looking at Ji Chenai’s bruised and battered body and his pitiful expression, she even felt an unexpected pang of sympathy.

Clearing her throat awkwardly, she said. “Don’t do it here. Take him to the bed. I don’t want this place getting messy.”

Lao Si quickly nodded in agreement, then picked Ji Chenai up in a cradle carry and started heading toward their quarters.

This small shift in attitude was proof that Sunlit Gaze had some effect. Without it, Big Sister would never have allowed Lao Si to move Ji Chenai so carefully. And Lao Si, for his part, wouldn’t have carried him gently. He’d have dragged Ji Chenai like a sack of grain, just as he’d done earlier.

Ji Chenai carefully calculated the timing. As soon as Lao Si placed him on the bed, he activated Invincible Flying Leg.

Lying on the bed, Ji Chenai looked at Lao Si, who was leering at him with a disgusting grin. He trembled deliberately and said in a shaky voice. “Can you… be gentle? I’m afraid of pain.”

Lao Si chuckled sinisterly. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. I’m the gentlest man you’ll ever meet,” he said, laughing as he reached out to strip Ji Chenai’s clothes.

Just then, Ji Chenai’s gaze suddenly shifted past Lao Si, fixing on the door with a look of alarm. “Who’s that?!” he shouted in a panicked voice.

Instinctively, Lao Si turned his head to look at the empty doorway. The moment he realized he’d been tricked, a searing, indescribable pain exploded from his lower body. He let out an ear-splitting scream, doubling over and clutching his crotch. Blood began to seep through his pants. His expression froze in disbelief before his body crumpled to the floor.

Xiao Qi’s voice echoed mockingly in Ji Chenai’s mind: “Ji Chenai, the Egg-Crushing Fiend…”

“Shut up,” Ji Chenai snapped, brushing off the comment as he readied himself for whatever came next.

=^_^=