The Tyrant’s Drama Queen Empress

CHAPTER 45: Ghost, Aaaaah!

　　Dazhu and Mazi brought the ropes over and slowly closed in on Shen Ling and Xie Yuanxun. The middle-age woman held a knife and said, “Don’t move around. If anyone moves, my knife won’t have eyes. There are only two of you, but we have plenty of people here. You can’t fight back, so you’d better listen to us obediently. That way you’ll suffer a little less. Otherwise, don’t blame Auntie Wang for getting ruthless!”

　　Shen Ling’s face remained expressionless as she listened to Aunt Wang’s threats. Her mind automatically started analyzing.

　　—Oh, oh. Her threatening routine is actually pretty complete. She clearly lays out the stakes and consequences. They must have done this plenty of times before. Even if the people they abducted wanted to resist, they’d be suppressed by the numbers on their side and that knife that’s clearly taken lives before. That tiny spark of resistance would slowly be crushed, until the victims obediently let themselves be locked up and sold like goods.

　　—Sure enough, not just anyone can become a human trafficker. If you don’t understand a bit of psychological warfare, you’re basically useless.

　　Dazhu walked over to tie Shen Ling up. Seeing her delicate skin and tender appearance, a lewd glint filled his eyes. He licked his lips. While tying the rope, he could take the chance to grope a little. A girl with skin this fair… even the women selling their bodies in the brothels didn’t look as good as her.

　　Just as Dazhu’s hand was about to touch Shen Ling, a powerful kick suddenly sent him flying. With a loud “bang,” he crashed heavily onto the ground a few steps away.

　　Dazhu curled up in pain as it spread through his whole body. “That hurts!”

　　Xie Yuanxun withdrew the leg he used to kick him. His face was dark, his expression full of disgust. “Who gave you permission to touch her?”

　　The moment Shen Ling heard that, her eyes instantly turned into spinning fried eggs of gratitude.

　　—So you’re finally about to show your power, huh.

　　—I knew it! Senior Eunuch Feng knows martial arts, so how could you not? Turns out you’ve been hiding it all along. You’re the type who never reveals your true skills until the final critical moment.

　　—Alright then. You may begin your performance.

　　Shen Ling grabbed onto Xie Yuanxun’s arm with both hands and took a deep breath. She was ready. Now she was just waiting for him to fly up with her like she once saw Senior Eunuch Feng do when he leapt into a tree, carrying her straight out of this human traffickers’ den. Or maybe he could beat everyone down like Bruce Lee, then wrap an arm around her little waist and walk out openly and confidently.

　　Shen Ling imagined several different ways they could escape, and she couldn’t help letting out a sneaky little “heh heh” laugh.

　　Xie Yuanxun said, “Get someone else to tie them up. You do it.” His gaze shifted to Aunt Wang, who was still standing there in a daze.

　　Shen Ling, “......”

　　—I! Am! So! Done!!!

　　—Damn it, men really can’t be trusted! Especially you, you damn dog of a man!

　　—With you around, I’ve truly experienced what they call the ups and downs of life.

　　Aunt Wang opened her mouth, about to start cursing. But the moment her eyes met Xie Yuanxun’s calm, indifferent gaze, the words got stuck in her throat and she swallowed them back down.

　　She turned her head away and shoved Tzuzi with a nasty tone. “Why are you still standing there like an idiot? Hurry up and help your father up! Didn’t you hear him shouting in pain? You useless brat with no eyes!”

　　Tzuzi hurried over, head bobbing nervously as he helped Dazhu to his feet.

　　Dazhu’s face was twisted with pain. That kick from Xie Yuanxun had clearly left his insides churning like a storm. Gritting his teeth, he snarled, “I’m going to kill you…”

　　Xie Yuanxun glanced at him.

　　Dazhu’s body instantly stiffened. In that single glance from Xie Yuanxun, there was a thick, chilling killing intent. Dazhu suddenly felt unbearably small, like Xie Yuanxun could crush him to death with just one finger. A terrifying pressure washed over him. His whole body went weak, and the thought of taking revenge vanished completely from his mind.

　　If the situation weren’t so wrong, Shen Ling would have already started clapping and cheering.

　　The king descends the mountain! All hail the mighty king! The king is powerful! The king is domineering!

　　But the moment she remembered that even if she cheered, she still wouldn’t be able to escape, Shen Ling’s excitement deflated like a balloon that had been popped.

　　This group were human traffickers. Xie Yuanxun wasn’t exactly a good person either. This was basically evil people running into an even bigger villain. In terms of aura alone, they were completely crushed.

　　Aunt Wang grabbed the rope and walked over to Shen Ling, starting to tie her up.

　　Shen Ling said, “Tie it a little looser, don’t make it too tight. Do you have a softer rope? Preferably the kind that won’t hurt the body or leave marks. Otherwise my skin will turn red from the pressure. My skin is very sensitive.”

　　A vein popped on Aunt Wang’s forehead. She forced a smile that didn’t reach her eyes and said, “You’ve got a lot of requests. Do you want me to respectfully invite you to the seat of honor too?”

　　Shen Ling said, “No need for that.”

　　Aunt Wang was just about to think that this girl had some brains, when she heard Shen Ling continue, “If I were to sit in the high seat, wouldn’t you have to kneel and call me your ancestor? I’m not going to take that kind of advantage.”

　　Aunt Wang’s face immediately darkened. If it weren’t for Xie Yuanxun, this girl’s sharp tongue would have made her want to strangle her with the rope right then and there.

　　But Shen Ling’s little mouth didn’t stop, chattering away, “And you think that’s a lot of requests? I’m only telling you what kind of rope to use. I haven’t even mentioned other things, like what I’ll want to eat later. Don’t bother with dragon liver or phoenix marrow, just something simple, like abalone and bird’s nest will do.”

　　Aunt Wang was speechless. Abalone and bird’s nest? And that counts as simple?

　　Shen Ling went on, “Which room am I staying in? I’ll remind you, I like rooms with good sunlight, facing south to north. It’s best if I can watch the sunrise in the morning and the sunset in the evening. The windows should have light curtains so the breeze can gently come in. And remember to put fresh bedding on the bed…”

　　Shen Ling’s words kept firing like a machine gun, nonstop.

　　Aunt Wang could only stand there in stunned silence.   

　　Aunt Wang couldn’t help but cut her off, “Have you forgotten that I’m the one tying you up?! You want abalone and bird’s nest, silk and brocade? Keep dreaming!”

　　She had imagined living like that herself.

　　Shen Ling snorted, “Keep dreaming? I think you’re the one who’s too stupid.”

　　Aunt Wang blinked, “???” Was this girl seriously provoking her? Not only did she dare to ignore her authority and demand all these ridiculous things, now she’s calling her stupid?

　　Did she even want to live?!

　　Shen Ling stared at Aunt Wang with that ‘I can’t stand how dumb you are’ expression, “If you’re not the stupid one, then who is? Tell me, you’re trying to take us out to sell for profit, right?”

　　Aunt Wang hesitated, “That’s… right.”

　　Shen Ling raised an eyebrow, “And you want to get a good price for us.”

　　Aunt Wang swallowed hard, “Yes…”

　　Shen Ling said, “So don’t you think you should treat us well first? That way, when you sell us, the price will be higher. Sure, if you’re willing to put in the effort, you’ll get something in return, but every finger has its length, right? More effort means more reward, less effort means less reward. It’s that simple.”

　　“If we live well and get sold happily, maybe by the time we’re out there, we’re doing so well we could even say a few good words about you to outsiders. All you need to do is invest a little more in the beginning. It’s basic, common sense—how do you not get it?”

　　Aunt Wang frowned and thought for a moment, “Hmm… what you’re saying actually makes sense…” When selling people, looking cheerful is way more appealing to buyers than frowning all the time. So yeah, she really should let Shen Ling have a nice room, a well-made bed, and good food…

　　Wait a minute!   

　　If she really went along with this, was she planning to bring back two “lords” to be served?!

　　Hiss! She almost agreed just now!

　　Aunt Wang glared fiercely at Shen Ling. “You better behave! Don’t say a word unless I tell you to!” She was afraid Shen Ling might actually confuse her mind and make her agree.

　　If she hadn’t remembered that her main job was being a human trafficker, she might actually have been brainwashed by Shen Ling.

　　Seeing that her plan hadn’t worked, Shen Ling shrugged, not disappointed. If it succeeded, she and Xie Yuanxun wouldn’t have to suffer any longer. If it failed, it was just a little wasted breath.

　　Aunt Wang finished tying up Shen Ling, then turned to Xie Yuanxun, realizing he wasn’t tied up at all. Mazi stood nearby, shrinking back and not daring to move.

　　She was speechless.  

　　Aunt Wang shoved Mazi. “I’ve already tied her up, what are you dawdling for!”

　　Mazi’s face twisted in worry. “A-Auntie Wang, I don’t dare tie him… maybe you should…”

　　Aunt Wang opened her mouth to say she’d do it herself—after all, she’d already tied Shen Ling. Tying Xie Yuanxun would be nothing. Then she met Xie Yuanxun’s icy gaze, like he was looking at an ant at his feet. Fear ran through her. She spat toward Mazi. “You don’t dare, so do you think I do?!” (T/N: I can’t… The ML and FL are too funny here. One’s like the Grim Reaper, the other’s a joker 🤣)

　　Mazi hesitated. “So… we just don’t tie him? What if he runs away?”

　　Aunt Wang sneered. “You go tie him?”

　　Mazi went silent. No way, no way. He’d seen exactly how painful it was when Da Zhu was kicked by Xie Yuanxun, and he sure as hell wasn’t volunteering to get kicked too.

　　Aunt Wang chuckled coldly. “Cowards. Fine, if he doesn’t want to be tied, then we won’t tie him. His lady is already bound, I don’t believe he’ll leave her and run. Take them to a room alone, don’t put them with the rest of the captives. Don’t even give them food at night. Let them go hungry for a few meals. Keep a close watch on them. I want to see how he plans to escape!”   

　　Shen Ling: “!!!”

　　—Why isn’t he tied up? This is infuriating!

　　—I’m the only one bound, and I even went on and on talking to you—what a waste!

　　Seeing Aunt Wang dodge Xie Yuanxun’s gaze, Shen Ling understood immediately.

　　—Ah, that’s more like it. That look was just her being scared of him, not falling for him or anything—what a relief!

　　Xie Yuanxun said nothing.

　　He tugged on the rope binding Shen Ling, lifted it, then let it snap back.

　　“Ow!” Shen Ling yelped. She suspected he’d lost his mind. Did he think this was some kind of rubber band game?

　　Before being led away and locked up, Shen Ling looked at Aunt Wang. “Not bad for someone with the surname Wang. Your name’s clever—you can be called Old Wang, or maybe Little Wang too.”

　　—Calling you Old Wang makes me think of the neighbor, calling you Little Wang… well, that’s just Little Turtle.

　　Aunt Wang blinked, puzzled. “People actually called me Old Wang before. As for Little Wang, someone called me that when I was young, but not anymore.”

　　Mazi whispered, “……Auntie Wang, she doesn’t mean Little Wang. She means Little Turtle.” Little Wang… Little Turtle.

　　That finally made Aunt Wang’s face go black.

　　She didn’t bother with pleasantries, pointing her knife to guide Shen Ling and Xie Yuanxun into a separate room. Once they stepped inside, she shut the door.

　　Their conversation could still be heard from outside.

　　Aunt Wang said, “Dazhu, you’re so useless. You took one kick and you still can’t stand straight? Forget it, just go stand by the door and keep watch.”

　　Dazhu groaned, “What the hell do you know? I feel like all the bones inside me are broken.”

　　Aunt Wang frowned, “Seriously? That bad? You going to see a physician?”

　　Dazhu, still wincing, “Yeah, I’ll go.”

　　Aunt Wang nodded, “Mazi, you stay here at the door and keep watch. Dazhu and I will go see the physician.”

　　Mazi hesitated, “You two leave me alone here? What if someone comes by and notices something off…? Didn’t some officials pass by earlier saying a high-ranking officer from the capital came hunting in our area? That time they checked everything so carefully. If someone comes knocking, I won’t be able to handle it alone. Maybe Auntie Wang, you should stay and I’ll go with Dazhu to the physician.”

　　Aunt Wang rolled her eyes, “Fine, you go with him. I’ll stay here. How many times have I told you, we won’t be discovered? Haven’t you forgotten my cousin's daughter is the county lord’s concubine? We’ve never been caught before, and this time will be no different.”   

　　Mazi said, “Auntie Wang, do you think these two might have something to do with the group that came hunting from the capital?”

　　Aunt Wang scoffed, “No way. If they really came from the capital, would they show up without a single servant and still fall into our hands?”

　　Mazi frowned, “I just… have a bad feeling.”

　　Hearing that, Aunt Wang’s brows furrowed. In their line of work, sometimes instincts could save your life. She gritted her teeth and said, “I said it’s fine, so it’ll be fine. Worst case, we sell them somewhere else, farther away. Then even if someone comes looking, they won’t find them.”

　　Their voices gradually faded into the distance.

　　Shen Ling muttered, “…… Damn, they really think this through. It’s not like there’s surveillance back then. If they really follow through and sell us off to another city in the Empire, it’d be nearly impossible to track us. After all, some people in the Da Liang Empire might never have left the place they grew up in their entire lives.”

　　Shen Ling looked up at Xie Yuanxun and asked, “When do you think they’ll sell us off to another city?”

　　—Ugh! Senior Eunuch Feng, hurry and come find us!

　　Xie Yuanxun didn’t answer. He pulled Shen Ling, still tied up, into his arms, his chin brushing against her hair as he quietly held her without doing anything else.

　　Shen Ling said, “E… cough cough, help me untie the ropes.”

　　—Calling him Your Majesty out here? Better not. No one’s going to believe I’m talking to the real Emperor. The Emperor is so far removed from ordinary life. Who would believe he’d come to a small town—and get kidnapped along with me by traffickers?

　　Xie Yuanxun said, “You’re fine like this, tied up.”

　　Shen Ling blinked, speechless.   

　　—Good for you, huh? You’re not the one tied up, of course you’d say it’s fine.

　　—Let’s see you get tied up instead, then?

　　Xie Yuanxun leaned close and bit her ear. “How about we just leave you tied like this and let you serve me in bed?”

　　Shen Ling’s face turned bright red.

　　—What the hell are you thinking about!

　　—We’re in a trafficker’s hideout, not the Imperial Palace, and definitely not a temporary residence! And here you are thinking about… rolling in bed? What the actual hell.

　　Shen Ling said, “Untie me.”

　　Xie Yuanxun thought for a moment. “I remember there’s rope in the Taiji Hall, and a whip too. It’s short. Not sure who sent it to me, never used it before.”    

　　Shen Ling stayed silent.

　　—So you’re planning to use it on me, huh!

　　—So not only am I going to be tied to the bed with your rope and then… that, but you’re also planning to whip me? The moment I get back to the Imperial Palace, I’m heading straight to Taiji Hall to find your whip and burn it so thoroughly you won’t even find a speck of ash.

　　She repeated her request for Xie Yuanxun to untie her, but he didn’t answer.

　　Frustrated, Shen Ling pulled out her ultimate move. “Fine, untie me, and I’ll agree to this whole… serving-in-bed plan you’re talking about.”

　　—Heh.

　　—Stalling tactic.

　　—The second these ropes are off, just wait. I’m totally going to renege on this!

　　Xie Yuanxun nuzzles against her cheek. “Why untie you? I just want to keep you tied like this.”    

　　Shen Ling sniffled, “Wuu… wuu…”

　　Xie Yuanxun’s face darkened. “Do you really think that just because you cry, I’ll agree to everything?”

　　Shen Ling cried even louder, “Wuuuuuu!”

　　His fingers pressed against her mouth. “Let’s see how you cry now.”

　　Shen Ling let out two little chuckles.

　　—So that’s your plan, huh? Think blocking my mouth will work?

　　She tilted her head back, resting it against Xie Yuanxun’s chest. Her mouth stayed still, but tears streamed from her eyes. This kind of quiet crying, no wailing, just letting the tears fall, was the kind of crying that made people’s hearts ache just looking at her.    

　　Xie Yuanxun paused, and Shen Ling thought maybe her new crying technique had stunned him. Instead, he burst out laughing. “You know, I’ve seen this kind of crying too many times. The women in the harem all cry like this. Don’t tell me you think I’d feel sorry for you.”

　　Shen Ling stayed silent, tears dripping down steadily.

　　He huffed, “You’ve soaked my clothes.” As he spoke, he reached over and untied her ropes, casually tossing them to the floor.

　　Shen Ling’s eyes sparkled with satisfaction.

　　—Told you, a woman’s tears really are a hidden weapon.

　　Xie Yuanxun lifted her chin, commenting, “These are tears you really held back, huh? Look at your eyes, all red, just like a rabbit’s.”

　　“Now I’m craving rabbit.”

　　Shen Ling rolled her eyes in her mind. “This isn’t some Imperial Palace where you can just order anything. Don’t even think about eating rabbit, you won’t even get the fur.”

　　Xie Yuanxun bit at her face. “There's no fur on your face.”

　　Shen Ling froze.

　　—Seriously, is he trying to seduce me on purpose?

　　She shook her sleeve, then pulled out a small piece of the bitter root she had snapped off at the pawnshop earlier. She pinched out rice-grain-sized bits and fed them to Xie Yuanxun. “Cool yourself down.” Calm that burning head of yours, stop thinking about rolling around in bed all the time.”

　　That was all the bitter root she had; the rest had been taken by Aunt Wang. Shen Ling glanced toward the door. If she remembered correctly, the guy called Mazi was stationed outside. There were quite a few people in this hideout. Besides the ones she’d already met, Aunt Wang and Dazhu, a few others hadn’t returned yet. From their conversation, Shen Ling realized they’d already kidnapped a batch of people but hadn’t sold them yet.

　　So Shen Ling thought to herself, she absolutely had to get this bunch thrown into a jail.

　　Otherwise, who knew how many more people would suffer.

　　Shen Ling whispered, “What should we do now?”

　　“There’s only one person outside. We might as well escape, and maybe we can save the others who got captured like us.”

　　Xie Yuanxun asked, “You really think there’s only one person?”

　　Shen Ling hesitated. “But didn’t that Auntie Wang say…” Crap! Were they tricking them? After all, Xie Yuanxun wasn’t tied up, so they probably weren’t taking any chances.

　　Xie Yuanxun’s voice was calm but sharp. “I hear four sets of footsteps outside.”

　　Shen Ling stayed quiet.

　　—Your ears are so sharp, huh? Then why can’t you just fly?!

　　Xie Yuanxun kicked the rope to her feet. “Behave, or I’ll tie you up.”

　　Shen Ling stared at him, completely speechless.

　　—Are you really on my side, or are you secretly in cahoots with these human traffickers?

　　She scanned the room. There was only one door and a single window, but the window had been nailed shut from the outside with boards. Shen Ling crept over and pressed her fingers against it. Solid. Couldn’t budge it. “They really locked everything down tight.”

　　Xie Yuanxun muttered, “Yeah, such a dump. Not even a proper bed.”

　　Shen Ling just stared.    

　　Shen Ling glanced at Xie Yuanxun sideways. “You walked straight into this thieves’ den yourself. Just having a room to stay in is already lucky. What’s with wanting a proper bed too?”

　　Xie Yuanxun raised an eyebrow, a faint smirk playing on his lips. “The one who walked into a trap isn’t me.” He’d known from the start that Aunt Wang was up to something.

　　Right. The one who walked into a trap wasn’t him—it was her. Shen Ling cleared her throat and puffed out her chest, trying to save face. “Actually, I noticed she was suspicious a while ago. I just didn’t tell you. I’m doing reconnaissance deep in enemy territory, learning about the enemy, biding my time!”

　　—Biding your time my ass!

　　—All I really want to ask right now is: Senior Eunuch Feng, where the hell are you!

　　Shen Ling was convinced that, knowing Senior Eunuch Feng, if Xie Yuanxun went missing, he would have turned the entire Da Liang Empire upside down looking for him. It was just her foot slipping by the river that caused all this. If she hadn’t slipped, they wouldn’t have fallen into the water, and they wouldn’t be locked up here in Yongning Town.

　　It was all her fault!

　　Shen Ling climbed up to the window and peered through the gaps in the boards. Sure enough, Aunt Wang—the one who was supposedly going out to see the physician—hadn’t left. She saw them rifling through Shen Ling’s packages. Shen Ling didn’t care about the clothes; her eyes were fixed on what Aunt Wang held, grinding her teeth. “That’s my Coptis chinensis!” It was for brewing for Xie Yuanxun!

　　Shen Ling kicked the corner of the wall. The wall didn’t hurt, but her foot did.    

　　Shen Ling hopped on one foot and shot Xie Yuanxun a glance. “This wall feels so soft when I kick it.”

　　Xie Yuanxun said, “I see. Since you say it’s soft, keep kicking. Maybe you’ll even break through it. Then you can escape, right?”

　　Shen Ling let out a low hiss, muttering, “Not falling for that one.”

　　Xie Yuanxun pulled her close. “Does your foot still hurt?”

　　Shen Ling shook her head. “No, it’s fine.”

　　“Sit down. Let me take a look,” he said.

　　Shen Ling looked around. “Sit where?” she asked, then suggested, “Why don’t you just squat down?”

　　Xie Yuanxun went silent.

　　After a moment, Xie Yuanxun got up from the floor. Shen Ling looked up at the ceiling and pulled out the tiny half-piece of coptis she had pinched off with a fingernail. “Here, consider it a snack.”

　　—Think of it as a reward for you, though, technically, it could also count as a punishment.

　　Xie Yuanxun’s expression flickered slightly, but he still took it.

　　As dusk fell, the number of people outside grew. Listening closely, she could hear the voices of seven or eight adults, but only one child’s voice—Tzuzi. Thinking of him, Shen Ling’s eyes darkened with a mix of worry and thought. If he wasn’t guided properly, he could grow up to become a human trafficker himself. No, maybe he’d already done things similar to Aunt Wang, since kids often slip past others’ notice.

　　She hadn’t realized before that Tzuzi’s peeking at the door was actually him keeping an eye on them.

　　Late at night, the noises outside quieted down. Shen Ling pressed her ear to the door, listening carefully. She could hear the people outside yawning, but she wasn’t in a hurry. In her hands was a strip of cloth about the length of her palm, torn from her own clothes, wrapped in straw to make a firm rectangular shape. It was thick enough to slide through the crack under the door.

　　Shen Ling stepped back, and Xie Yuanxun was already asleep, eyes closed. She didn’t wake him. He had only just broken his fever. He could sleep, but she couldn't.

　　She touched his forehead for a moment, letting her fingers linger, “Mm, not hot at all anymore.”

　　Outside, a stranger’s voice sounded, “Mazi, you can go sleep now. It’s my turn to watch.”

　　“Alright then, Shitou, don’t fall asleep, okay? Watch out they don’t try to run.”

　　“They won’t. There are so many people outside, the moment they hear a sound, they’ll rush over. Plus, those two inside haven’t eaten, they don’t have the strength.”

　　Shen Ling blinked and listened carefully to their conversation.

　　This Shitou must be the one Wang Aunt mentioned, the guy who brought people to the brothel to find girls. Shen Ling had thought he’d open the door to check inside, or at least stay alert while guarding. But…

　　“Zzz—snore—” That Shitou had fallen asleep snoring.

　　Shen Ling, “......”

　　Even though she was the one locked up, Shen Ling couldn’t help thinking that this shift change was completely useless. Swapping someone who’s yawning for someone who’s snoring—what’s the point? Well… actually, for someone like her, who was itching to escape, it was priceless.

　　Shen Ling moved slowly and carefully, lifting the hard cloth from the door. Outside, a wooden rod about the width of a forearm was resting on the latch. She shifted it little by little, keeping her movements gentle so it wouldn’t fall. Soon, the rod slid off one side of the latch. Holding her breath, she pushed the door open just enough for her arm to slip through, then grabbed the rod and pulled it out completely.

　　Peeking outside, she saw the man called Shitou leaning against a pillar, asleep with his back to her. No one else was around. Even so, Shen Ling didn’t rush. She observed carefully for a while before stepping out from behind the door. Rod in hand, she approached Shitou from behind, aiming for the spot where his skull met his neck, and struck. His snore cut off instantly, and he slumped softly against the pillar before sliding to the ground.    

　　Shen Ling exhaled sharply, “I’m dizzy.”

　　She turned around. At first, she had planned to wake Xie Yuanxun and slip out quietly, but then she remembered there were others who had been kidnapped too.

　　So she didn’t rush to wake him. Instead, she closed the door behind her, leaving the wooden rod that should’ve been placed back on the latch aside.

　　She glanced around and then headed to the right.

　　After Shen Ling left, Xie Yuanxun, who had been supposedly asleep, opened his eyes. He didn’t move his body and said, “Follow her. Don’t let her get hurt.”

　　“Understood.” A low voice answered from above.    

　　Shen Ling walked alone through this unfamiliar place. There were no lanterns around, but the moonlight above gave her enough visibility to see the path. If it had been cloudy, she would have been completely screwed.

　　She pumped herself up. She was a lone hero!

　　A hero doesn’t fear the dark!

　　She stopped in front of a room where the window had been nailed shut, just like the one she had been in. Quietly, she muttered, “This must be where they keep people.”

　　Still, just to be safe—like in case she opened the door and ran straight into a bunch of kidnappers drinking and playing mahjong—Shen Ling pressed her ear to the door to listen. She heard faint sobs, and someone saying things like “I’m scared,” “I want to go home,” “Father, mother...”

　　That confirmed it for her. She could open the door and go in.    

　　Shen Ling pulled the wooden bar from the door latch. The moment she moved, the faint sobs and murmurs inside the room went completely silent.

　　She opened the door and whispered, “Shh! Don’t make a sound.”

　　Bathed in the moonlight spilling through the doorway, Shen Ling could just make out the scene inside. Five girls were huddled together, tied up. Their eyes were wide with terror, and when they saw someone unfamiliar—Shen Ling—they went from fear to utter confusion.

　　The girls whispered among themselves: Who is she?

　　Shen Ling said, “I was kidnapped by them too. Do you want to escape? I’ve knocked out the guards outside. If you’re careful and stay quiet, there’s a chance we can get out of here.”

　　One of the girls in green spoke up, “Y-you knocked someone out? But… but there are so many of them. We can’t escape.”

　　“Waaah…”

　　“We can’t escape, I’m so scared.”

　　Shen Ling said, “How do you know you can’t escape if you don’t even try?”

　　The green-clothed girl shook her head. “I just know we can’t. If they catch us, they’ll hit us. How about this—you go out first, then get the authorities… no, wait, not the authorities. Go find our families to rescue us. If you can promise we’ll get out safely, you can protect each of us one by one as we leave.”

　　Shen Ling stayed silent for a moment, “…”.

　　“Oh, so if you’re not escaping, then I’m leaving.” She was giving them a chance, and they refused. Shen Ling wasn’t some kind of superhero. Coming here to give them a heads-up was already her being kind. What, did they expect her to serve them till the very end? Even if she was going to help anyone out, it would be for Xie Yuanxun.

　　The green-clothed girl and the others hadn’t expected Shen Ling to not only refuse their request but also seem like she was planning to leave them behind to fend for themselves. That was completely unacceptable.

　　The green-clothed girl said, “Don’t leave, what would we do if you go?”

　　A girl in blue beside her added, “You said you were kidnapped too, didn’t you? Are you just going to stand by and do nothing? Leaving us behind, don’t you have a conscience?”

　　Shen Ling chuckled softly. “Coming here to find you already proves I have a conscience.”    

　　“You’re the ones refusing to escape. Do you expect me to kneel and beg you to run? Are you still dreaming? I’ll ask one more time—who’s coming with me?”

　　The green-clothed girl and the others stared stubbornly at Shen Ling, as if to say: we won’t obey unless you do exactly as we say.

　　Shen Ling rolled her eyes. “...”

　　She stepped in and untied their ropes one by one. Their faces immediately lit up with joy. The green-clothed girl lifted her chin and said, “My family runs a grain shop. When I get back, I’ll give you some silver. For now, just get me out of here first.”

　　Shen Ling kept her expression calm and asked, “Who else wants to escape with me? When we go out, you do exactly as I do. Without my permission, no one makes a sound.”    

　　She wasn’t some saint with an obligation to save anyone. She just didn’t want their lives ruined by human traffickers, and if she could help, she would.

　　No one ever said that saving people had to follow their rules.

　　The green-clothed girl frowned. “What do you mean? Aren’t you here to save us? I already said those guys are scary. We’re too afraid to go out.”

　　Shen Ling glanced at the other girls. “Do you all feel the same way as her?”

　　“Just do what she says,” one said.

　　“I’m too scared to go out too.”        

　　“Anyway, aren’t you brave? You even knocked someone out. Then just do a bit more. When I see my parents, I’ll give you some silver too.”

　　“That’s right, me too.”

　　Shen Ling clicked her tongue. Honestly, she couldn’t help but think, no wonder these girls got kidnapped. She had repeatedly reminded them how to save themselves, and yet they still wouldn’t listen.

　　Shen Ling said, “I’ve opened the door for you. Figure it out yourselves.” Then she turned and walked away, leaving the green-clothed girl and the others staring at each other, wondering why she’d just leave without trying to persuade them more.

　　Shen Ling understood their fear. They were weak, and the traffickers were mostly big, strong men. It was only natural they wouldn’t dare resist. She wasn’t angry, she just didn’t see why they wouldn’t move. She had to push them to go.   

　　At most, she would just leave with Xie Yuanxun, go to the authorities, and have this whole trafficker’s den exposed. Then the captains and officers would naturally come to rescue them.

　　Back when Shen Ling used to scroll through forums, she had seen people whose homes caught fire. The firefighters came to put out the blaze, and the first thing some of the rescued did wasn’t thanking the firefighters, but shouting for them to save their phones, bank cards, computers, and jewelry first. So now, as she came to the green-clothed girl and the others, they weren’t grateful. They expected her to treat them like royalty. Shen Ling wasn’t mad. Some people just couldn’t be reasoned with, and it was fine to do what she wanted.

　　Shen Ling calmly headed back to find Xie Yuanxun. Thinking about him made her steps lighter. Right now, Xie Yuanxun was the “princess” surrounded by thorns, and she, the white knight, was going to rescue him. Hehe!

　　¹Shen Ling lightly rubbed her chest with her hand, and wow, that red scarf of hers looked even brighter!

　　Just then, two men’s voices drifted from ahead, a little groggy.

　　“Why is Shitou asleep again? Every time we make him guard the door, he just dozes off.”

　　“I think he’s worn out from playing with that girl in the brothel today.”

　　“Haha, forget him. Anyway, the people in that room aren’t going anywhere. Let’s hurry to the toilet, I can’t hold it any longer.”        

　　The men’s voices were getting really close. Shen Ling didn’t have time to run, and even if she tried, her footsteps might give her away. There was nowhere to hide either. She didn’t panic, though her heart skipped a beat. Instead, she started thinking rationally about an escape route. That’s when, out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a thick hemp rope hanging from the eaves.

　　She walked over and grabbed it. The rope stretched from the eaves to a big tree on the other side. Shen Ling frowned, wondering what it was for. A swing, maybe?

　　A swing for kidnappers, seriously? That’s hilarious.

　　The men’s footsteps grew louder, and Shen Ling stopped overthinking. She wrapped the rope tightly around her wrist, stepped back a few paces, and then lunged forward. The rope caught her, and she swung into the air.

　　Up in the air, Shen Ling couldn’t help but feel like some kind of ape swinging through the jungle. She let out a low, wild yell, “Oooohhhhhh!”

　　At that moment, the two men heading to the toilet saw Shen Ling. Their eyes went wide. In their view, there was a wild-haired figure with long black hair, features obscured, her body a pale, blurry shape in the moonlight, floating in midair like a ghost—and the ghost was screaming.

　　They even felt a chilling wind brushing the backs of their necks.

　　The two of them froze, their bodies shaking like leaves. “Aaaaahhhhhhh! A ghost!!!”

　　Meanwhile, the secret guard—sent by Xie Yuanxun to follow Shen Ling—remained hidden. He was the one who had set up the rope she was using, and he was the one who had blown that “chilling wind” at the men. He was the true unsung hero here.

________________

Glossary:  

¹Shen Ling’s action—rubbing her chest and noticing the bright red scarf—is a playful little exaggeration to show her “hero moment” energy. Like, in her head she’s the heroic, bold type ready to take action, and the red scarf is her “superhero emblem.”    

    

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