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Join the ServerEllie Roth Charlotte shared her thoughts with Bai Yu.
Bai Yu nodded, finding Ellie Roth Charlotte’s reasoning sound.
After all, the current situation could easily be explained this way.
‘But is this place truly so terrifying, with such oppressive energy, or has this man himself committed some unspeakable act?’
Bai Yu squinted at the man, who, by all appearances, did not seem like a good person.
As Bai Yu considered this, her gaze fell upon the man’s massive carriage. A sudden thought struck her: ‘This fellow must be up to no good.’
‘Could he be a human trafficker?’
A jolt of alarm went through Bai Yu. This road was so close to where they had entered, implying it wasn’t a frequently traveled path.
The sparse weeds growing on it were clear evidence.
Coupled with the man’s suspicious behavior, Bai Yu concluded he had a guilty conscience.
Bai Yu quickly voiced her suspicions to Ellie Roth Charlotte.
Ellie Roth Charlotte listened, then lowered her head in thought for a moment, finding merit in Bai Yu’s words.
While it felt a little like meddling, Bai Yu would likely fret over it if they didn’t investigate.
Thus, Bai Yu and Ellie Roth Charlotte approached the rear of the carriage together, intent on discovering its contents.
The Man, still kneeling, instantly grew frantic. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he frantically kowtowed, pleading for mercy and babbling incoherently.
Bai Yu paid him no mind, simply opening the carriage door.
What met her eyes, however, was not a group of children, but a large quantity of grains—coarse ones, at that, clearly unappetizing.
‘Uh…’
Bai Yu scratched her head, realizing she had made a mistake.
She quickly shut the carriage door, pretending nothing had happened.
The kneeling Man, seeing that they hadn’t taken his grain, let out a profound sigh of relief.
Bai Yu and Ellie Roth Charlotte exchanged a glance. Unable to communicate with the Man, Bai Yu simply waved her hand, signaling him to leave.
His continued kneeling before them was making them quite uncomfortable.
It made them feel as though they were villains oppressing an innocent.
Bai Yu, after all, was a model citizen of Xian City, complete with awards.
The kneeling Man finally understood Bai Yu’s gesture. He hastily kowtowed a few more times, then quickly drove his carriage away, fearing Bai Yu might change her mind.
As he departed, he continued to babble, seemingly expressing his gratitude.
Bai Yu shrugged, dismissing the brief interlude.
They hadn’t gained any particularly useful information, only learning that the local populace had a low level of development and that there was a language barrier.
It also appeared that the people here weren’t living particularly well.
With a low level of development, such circumstances were understandable.
Bai Yu had no desire to meddle in these affairs; her only wish was to depart this place swiftly.
As for anything else, the true complexities were unknown, and she was content to let others handle them.
Bai Yu took Ellie Roth Charlotte’s hand, heading in the direction from which the carriage had come.
Even with the language barrier, Bai Yu could still make some basic judgments.
She could only hope to encounter someone who spoke their language once they reached a town.
Bai Yu sighed.
****
Meanwhile, the Man drove his carriage at a furious pace, heading towards a location etched into his memory.
His heart was gripped by terror. If his actions were exposed, not only would he perish, but his entire lineage, ancestors and descendants alike, would face annihilation.
His death alone would spell the demise of their entire organization.
Though he feared death, some things were far more terrifying.
The Man quickly arrived at a patch of grass and frantically began digging with his hands, clearing away the weeds.
What was eventually revealed was a sturdy wooden board.
*Thump-thump*, *thump-thump-thump-thump*, *thump-thump-thump*.
As the Man rhythmically tapped the board, the coded knocks reached the ears of those hidden beneath.
Soon after, the wooden board was opened, and an aged Old Man emerged from below.
“Have the provisions arrived? Did you encounter any trouble on the way?”
The Old Man questioned the Man, his face a mask of severity, wrinkles deepening around his eyes.
“Yes, but there was a slight… accident.”
The Man was drenched in nervous sweat, utterly intimidated by the Old Man’s presence, rendering him speechless.
“What? An accident? What kind of accident? Was it those nobles or the Church? How did you even make it back alive!”
The Old Man seethed with rage, seizing the Man by his collar, causing his face to flush crimson.
Such arm strength was far beyond that of an ordinary person.
“I don’t know why, but they suddenly let me go…”
The Man struggled painfully, his limbs flailing wildly in the air.
“And you dare to show your face after surviving!”
The Old Man glared at the Man.
“I wouldn’t dare, I wouldn’t dare.”
“Teacher, please release him. He did this for the organization, and we desperately need these supplies.”
A flaxen-haired Maiden approached, speaking to the Old Man.
“Laika, you don’t understand. If those people learn about our organization’s situation, everything we’ve done will be for naught.”
“But he hasn’t said whether he revealed our information to them. That doesn’t make him a traitor. Besides, the supplies were successfully brought back. Let’s discuss this calmly; we shouldn’t always resort to violence to solve problems.”
The Maiden, known as Laika, frowned slightly. She had always disliked violence, advocating for peaceful resolutions to all conflicts.
“Ah, you are still too young. In this world, kindness solves nothing. Only strength prevails.”
The Old Man’s brow furrowed. He had no children of his own, and he truly regarded this disciple before him as his own daughter.
‘Forget it.’
The Old Man tossed the Man to the ground and walked away without a backward glance.
“Send people to retrieve those resources. And you, you’d better explain yourself clearly, or the organization won’t let you off!”
The Old Man pointed at the Man, his words sharp and his eyes narrowed.
“Yes, yes.”
The Man apologized profusely, then quickly joined those responsible for moving the provisions.
Even the carriage was disassembled into pieces and taken into the underground passage, and the horses had their own designated stables.
This was clearly a place that sustained many lives.
The underground situation was incredibly complex, nothing short of a subterranean kingdom.
And that Old Man was none other than their leader, Resse the Mighty.
“Thanks to you, Miss Laika, otherwise Leader Resse would have surely beaten me to death.”
The Man, Saide, scratched his head, speaking with great embarrassment, looking quite miserable.
“Mr. Saide, you should first consider how you’ll explain yourself. Remember, those who betray the organization do not fare well.”
Laika offered no comfort to the Man, instead speaking with an impassive expression.
She wasn’t concerned for him personally, but rather, her philosophy was to resolve all issues peacefully. However, when it came to traitors, she would show absolutely no mercy.
You think this chapter was thrilling? Wait until you read The Moon Reflected In The Water! Click here to discover the next big twist!
Read : The Moon Reflected In The Water
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