Night fell, and the bright moon rose high.
The previous meal had been spilled, and Shouzi prepared some steamed buns and porridge to bring to the iron gate. Tapping the gate with an iron spoon, he shouted inside, "Hurry up and eat. Once you’re done, you’ll be released."
Mo Yan and two other girls took the porridge and steamed buns through the crack in the door little by little, making chewing noises as if they were eating. After Shouzi walked away, they dumped everything in a corner. After a while, they gradually put the bowls back one by one.
"In a little while, we should pretend to be knocked out. When someone comes in, no matter who it is, we’ll knock them out first."
In the darkness, Mo Yan solemnly advised the others and repeated what they had to do next. She made sure there were no omissions before finally relaxing.
Every step had been carefully calculated. Considering the greed of the traffickers, they wouldn’t just watch all of them die of smallpox. Therefore, tonight those of them who had not been ’infected’ would surely be moved somewhere else.
To prevent their own people from getting infected, they would likely send only one person to do the job. The best way would be to knock them all out, but the porridge and steamed buns tonight were most likely tampered with, no matter what, she didn’t believe they were safe.
Close to fifteen minutes passed, and eighteen people fell to the ground haphazardly in line with their previous plan. Mo Yan lay beside some steps, with another girl in front of her.
The night was very quiet. Before long, Mo Yan heard footsteps, the steps of a single person.
Shouzi stopped outside for a moment and listened attentively. Seeing that the previously noisy dungeon was now completely silent, he took out his key, "click" unlocked the heavy padlock, and pushed the iron gate open and walked in.
Hearing the footsteps getting closer, Mo Yan nervously pressed her right palm, ready to draw out the Treasured Sword from her Space. The Treasured Sword was previously left by Xiao Ruiyuan and she had placed it inside her Space, never expecting it would actually come in handy.
Shouzi held a lamp and descended the steps. When he saw someone lying across the ground, he brought the lamp closer, noting that her face was free of the telltale pox and she showed no signs of fever. He set the lamp on the ground and crouched down to lift the person onto his shoulder to carry her out.
His back was wide open, the perfect opportunity!
Mo Yan swiftly took the Treasured Sword out from her Space and held it against Shouzi’s neck, who was too slow to react. The sharp blade brought a chilling presence, silencing Shouzi’s about-to-shout voice in his throat immediately.
"Make a sound, and I’ll slit your throat!" Mo Yan threatened coldly. She then said to the others who were already standing, "Quick, gag his mouth and tie him up first."
"Oh, okay!"
The girls were half a beat slow in responding, but upon hearing Mo Yan’s words, they quickly sprang into action. They stuffed the cloth balls prepared in advance into Shouzi’s mouth and bound his hands and feet with ropes made from torn cloth strips.
The cloth balls were their socks, while the cloth came from their torn clothes.
Fortunately, they had practiced beforehand, so the two helpers weren’t too flustered. Shouzi was quickly turned into a human dumpling, lying motionless on the ground, his eyes staring fiercely at Mo Yan and the others, as if he wished he could devour them.
Mo Yan sneered, exerting pressure with her wrist holding the sword, and a cut appeared on Shouzi’s neck, "Behave, or don’t think I won’t go through with it!"
Shouzi felt pain in his neck and fear filled his eyes. Meeting Mo Yan’s cold gaze, he believed this grim reaper would do as she said.
Seeing that he had finally become cooperative, Mo Yan personally checked again, making sure the ropes wouldn’t loosen. Only then did she breath a sigh of relief, though the blade did not leave his neck.
"Talk now, where did you guys keep the children that you captured?"