Shou Yi turned and looked at Cheng Zimò.
He was asking for his opinion.
What opinion could Cheng Zimò have? What he wanted to know now was whether the human trafficking matter was related to the Hengyuan Merchant Association. If they were allowed into the city, this lead would essentially be broken.
He stood beside Shou Yi and rolled up his sleeves.
Only then did the escorts from the Hengyuan Merchant Association turn their attention to Cheng Zimò. This person looked somewhat familiar, as if he had seen him somewhere before.
"Young Master Cheng?"
One of the escorts remembered. Wasn't this Cheng Zimò, the son of Cheng Chongyu!
"Since you all recognize me, you know I have been looking for a child," Cheng Zimò gazed at the escort in front of him and asked in a low voice, "Can you tell me what all this has to do with the Hengyuan Merchant Association?"
Cold sweat broke out on the hands of the escorts who were holding their long sabers. They could not answer this question. If they did, death would not be able to atone for it.
The escorts exchanged glances. Since things could not be resolved peacefully, they might as well fight!
The escorts' silence was the answer, and Cheng Zimò understood.
"Monk, leave them alive!"
He leaned into Shou Yi's ear and whispered. Before Shou Yi could answer, he charged towards the escorts like a broken string arrow.
The leading escort did not retaliate. Instead, he ordered a retreat and shouted at Cheng Zimò, "Wait a moment, we'll take you to find the people. They are fine, really fine!"
Shou Yi pulled Cheng Zimò, who was about to fight desperately. The most important thing now was to find the abducted young women.
As soon as Cheng Zimò thought that Xiao Jun might have been abducted by these scoundrels from the Hengyuan Merchant Association, he wished he could tear them to pieces. However, compared to killing them, Cheng Zimò wanted to know Xiao Jun's whereabouts more.
If it were just abduction, he would find Xiao Jun one day. But if… Cheng Zimò dared not look at the urn in the truck. His nose was not as sensitive as Shou Yi's, but as they got closer, he also smelled a thick, almost unresolvable scent of blood.
"I'll push the cart!"
Shou Yi patted Cheng Zimò's shoulder and walked towards the truck.
The escorts looked at the leading man. The leading man did not say much, but simply stepped back two paces to make way, allowing Shou Yi to grab the handles of the truck.
Shou Yi did not expect them to be so cooperative. Cheng Zimò understood Shou Yi's intentions, walked to his side, and looked at the escorts of the Hengyuan Merchant Association vigilantly.
The leading escort signaled to the others. They lined up, turned, and walked towards the cave, exposing their backs directly to Shou Yi and Cheng Zimò.
They showed their sincerity.
...
The narrow mountain cave was damp and dark, with a faint smell of blood lingering in the air. Shou Yi's gaze was slightly heavy as he looked at the escorts leading the way. The wheels of the cart rolled through the rugged mountain cave, and the escorts' hearts were all in their throats, afraid that the porcelain urns on the cart would be overturned if they were not careful.
The sound of the wheels grew louder and closer as they entered the cave. Nan Shiying looked up towards the cave entrance.
"Your Ladyship!"
Upon meeting Nan Shiying's gaze, the escorts of the Hengyuan Merchant Association trembled all over, as if a basin of cold water had been poured over their heads. They shivered uncontrollably.
Shou Yi and Cheng Zimò exchanged a glance. Shou Yi let go of the cart and, together with Cheng Zimò, pushed aside the escorts who were blocking their way.
The altar standing in the spacious cave and the bleeding corpses hanging from the iron hooks on the altar shocked the nerves of the two. Shou Yi and Cheng Zimò's expressions changed drastically, but in the next moment, they saw the young women sitting in the corner.
Compared to the black-robed figure hanging upside down from the iron hook, these young women were more like victims of abduction.
"This..."
Cheng Zimò and Shou Yi were momentarily speechless. They had considered countless possibilities, but they had never imagined that after rushing into the cave, they would see the scene before them.
Nan Shiying was slightly stunned.
Cheng Zimò... and that monk from the Linlong Temple?
How did they get here?
Cheng Zimò and Shou Yi did not see the "Your Ladyship" mentioned by the escorts. They rushed to the altar and shielded the young women behind them.
"Don't be afraid, we are here to save you!"
Cheng Zimò quickly explained. Shou Yi looked at Nan Shiying and the cook, who were unharmed, and the worry in his heart finally subsided. He clasped his hands together and recited, "Amitabha Buddha!" to Nan Shiying.
Nan Shiying: "..."
This monk, wasn't he looking for her?
Cheng Zimò and Shou Yi quickly shifted their attention and looked around vigilantly. Their entire attention was focused on finding the "Your Ladyship" who had not appeared, completely failing to notice the slightly strange expressions on the faces of the young women behind them.
The escorts twitched their mouths. So, one of the Luan sisters that this monk was looking for was actually that bloodthirsty walking Yama?
And this Yama needed you, this stinking monk, to save her?
It was simply unnecessary!
The leading escort bowed and apologized, "Please forgive me, Your Ladyship. This martial monk from the Linlong Temple and Young Master Cheng intercepted us and insisted on checking the porcelain urns. We originally wanted to risk our lives to escort the urns back, but when we heard they were looking for you, so..."
"So you brought them back?"
"Yes, yes!"
Upon hearing Nan Shiying's displeased tone, the escorts of the Hengyuan Merchant Association all knelt down, their heads almost touching the ground.
Hearing the voice from behind, Cheng Zimò and Shou Yi turned back in disbelief. Nan Shiying smiled at the two of them, but Cheng Zimò and Shou Yi could not smile at all.
"It's you?"
"How could it be you?"
"You..."
Nan Shiying raised her hand, stopping the unfolding misunderstanding. She explained, "The mastermind is over there." Nan Shiying pointed at the black-robed figure whose heart had been gouged out and blood drained, and concisely summarized the entire matter: "I am just an imperial envoy hidden among the victims."
Cheng Zimò and Shou Yi were at a loss for words for a moment.
It was Nan Shiying who asked them a question: "How did you find this place?"
Cheng Zimò and Shou Yi exchanged a glance. Cheng Zimò had too many questions to ask, and his mind was somewhat confused. Shou Yi recited a calming mantra once, and then he came back to his senses from the chaotic thoughts and replied, "After hearing that Madam and her sister had gone missing, this humble monk descended the mountain to search. Later, in a small alley at the corner of Jilin Street, traces of dragging were found. Then, together with Young Master Cheng, we started a door-to-door investigation with Jilin Street as the center and the distance from Jilin Street to Linlong Temple as the radius. Later, we learned from a beggar that you two sisters were abducted and taken out of the city by 'flower snatchers'."
"A beggar?"
"A beggar witness?"
Shou Yi nodded, not quite understanding why the Luan sisters suddenly sneered.
Nan Shiying looked at Shou Yi and Cheng Zimò and could only say that they were lucky. However, thinking of Cheng Chongyu, Nan Shiying's gaze towards Cheng Zimò carried another layer of inquiry.
I am abducting my son to find someone.
How ironic!