As they approached Three-Branch Junction, Ah Dao called a halt to the group that was pressing on with their journey.
After all, not long ago, they had caused quite a stir at the Three-Branch Junction, and even though it was deserted when they left, more than ten days have passed, and he wasn’t sure what the place would look like now.
For safety’s sake, Ah Dao decided to first scout the area before making any plans.
Everyone had been to Three-Branch Junction before and they were all clear about what it looked like, knowing that it wouldn’t be easy to cross it this time.
So when Ah Dao said he would go scout ahead, no one had any objections and they all waited patiently in place.
Ah Dao’s agility and Kung Fu were the best among the Seven-Person Team, he swiftly infiltrated the Three-Branch Junction without a sound, and what he saw was alarming. Unlike when they left, the junction was now indeed re-staffed with more guards than before.
Seeing this, Ah Dao furrowed his brows.
He didn’t know what had happened at Three-Branch Junction, assuming these people had already readjusted internally.
Now they had a total of 15 people, but only 5 from the Seven-Person Team were capable of fighting; even with Sasa and Xiao Yu, that only made 7, the rest were all the elderly, women, and children.
Thinking about breaking through the checkpoint with the group to return to Ownerless Land indeed required a thorough plan.
Upon his return, Ah Dao reported the situation ahead to the group, and Manager Qiao, Shan Ci, and Lady Lin all sensed the severity of the situation.
Having recently suffered a setback, they were definitely in a state of heightened alert, prepared for an intense guard. Any carelessness could indeed lead to a fierce counterattack.
However, to cross Ownerless Land, they had to break through here.
What method could they use to minimize the losses while breaking through the checkpoint?
"What do you think of this method?" Lady Lin suddenly leaned in and whispered a few words to the group.
Approaching Zi Hour, two horse carriages slowly made their way to the vicinity of Three-Branch Junction.
The guards had already doubled their vigilance and now, seeing someone passing by, they immediately woke from their dozing state, watching the horse carriages with a guarded look.
At that moment, a beautiful woman poked her head out from a carriage, smiling and offering a greeting to them.
"Kind guards at the checkpoint, you really have the bad habit of forgetting acquaintances. I came over from Eastern Land just a month ago, and you’ve already forgotten me? I am Human Trafficker Lady Lin."
The guards were startled; they had been ordered by the lord to take over the duties at Three-Branch Junction, and although it had been a few days, this was the first time they encountered a merchant caravan, and it turned out to be a human trafficker.
At this moment, the genuine veterans of Three-Branch Junction duties had retreated back into the poisonous miasmas, leaving behind those dressed in the uniforms of the guards to watch the junction, albeit they were just decoys.
But the lord had instructed them to pose as guards and manage the area as usual, not allowing any flaws to show through.
So the people simply nodded calmly and instructed them to drive the horse carriages over.
The main guard immediately inspected Lady Lin’s vehicles; he saw that each carriage was driven by two old men and that all thr children inside were young, fitting the profile of Lady Lin the human trafficker.
These children, though dirty, were all well-built for their age.
The guard couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow: "Where did you get all these kids from? They don’t look like they come from struggling families."
The impoverished families they had seen were all skin and bones, unlike the children in the carriages, who, although dirty, were healthy and plump, not just the four- and five-year-olds but even the seven- and eight-year-olds.
Lady Lin laughed awkwardly: "I’ve been down from the Imperial Capital, and even the beggars there have more copper coins than those in other places, as you well know."