Wang Hao drove so fast his tires were practically smoking.
As he neared the village entrance, he suddenly saw Liu Renzhi's car approaching from the opposite direction.
He recognized it. He recognized it all too well.
He deliberately stopped his car in the middle of the road to block the way.
Lin Jiajun also saw Wang Hao and rolled down his window:
"Wang Hao, a good dog doesn't block the road.
"I suggest you get out of the way right now."
Wang Hao refused to budge. Assuming Lin Wanyi was still in the car, he got out, fully intending to drag her out of the vehicle.
But to his surprise, a burly man dressed in black stepped out of the car instead.
Without a word, the man picked up a large rock from the side of the road and smashed it against Wang Hao's car:
"Are you going to move or not?"
Scared out of his wits, Wang Hao obediently moved his car out of the way.
Lin Jiajun sped off, leaving Liu Chunlan cursing in the car:
"Barbarians! They're nothing but out-of-town barbarians.
"Sister, your in-laws are much better. People from the big city have higher standards."
Liu Xiulan smiled bitterly. What big city? What high standards?
She had been deceived back then, too.
It was only after living there for a few years that she realized they were all bloodsuckers. Every single one of them.
Wang Hao drove toward Liu Dabing's house. He found it strange; it was rare to see cars in this village.
But today, there was a car parked every few dozen meters.
What was going on?
Meanwhile, Liu Dabing still had a small knife pressed against his neck.
He no longer dared to act tough in front of Liu Renzhi and could only lower his attitude:
"It's not that I don't want to tell you, but I'm a businessman. I have to protect my clients' privacy, right?
"You look like a big boss yourself, so you must understand my difficulties."
Liu Renzhi sneered, "You call this doing business?
"You really have the nerve to flatter yourself. Liu Dabing, tell me the truth and I might just let you go.
"Otherwise, I'll end your life with one slice. You're a human trafficker anyway; no one will hold me responsible."
Liu Dabing remained defiant: "Am I one just because you say so? What proof do you have?"
Lin Wanyi said coldly, "Zhao Pei is the proof. She's at the hospital and will wake up soon.
"Liu Dabing, you'd better be honest, or you'll only die a worse death."
Liu Dabing's rat-like eyes darted around.
He was thinking, weighing his options.
Just as he closed his eyes, ready to confess, Wang Hao's car pulled up to the door.
Liu Chunlan threw open the car door and howled:
"Damn you, Lin Wanyi, what are you doing?
"You actually brought an outsider here to kill your uncle?
"A mother's brother is the most respected elder! Lin Wanyi, how can you be so utterly rebellious?"
Lin Wanyi didn't even spare her a glance and continued questioning Liu Dabing:
"Have you made up your mind?"
Liu Dabing screamed:
"Save me! Wang Hao, Chunlan, Xiulan, save me!"
Liu Xiulan immediately grabbed her phone: "I'm calling the police. I'll call the police for you right now."
"No!"
Liu Dabing shouted to stop her.
They couldn't call the police. Zhang Qiang had just been arrested, and the town police station had a whole new batch of officers.
He still didn't know the full situation. A new broom sweeps clean, and he might be their very first target.
Liu Xiulan didn't understand:
"They are being so arrogant, why not call the police?"
Liu Chunlan, however, knew perfectly well. She kept pushing Wang Hao:
"She's your wife, you deal with her. Save your uncle right now."
Wang Hao was confused. He asked Lin Wanyi:
"What are you doing? What exactly are you trying to do?
"What does my uncle have to do with you? Why are you suddenly acting crazy and refusing to let him go?"
Lin Wanyi finally looked at Wang Hao:
"Do you know what happened to Zhao Pei? Do you know she was trafficked here by Liu Dabing?
"Wang Hao, you know. You've always known, but you covered for Liu Dabing.
"You are a murderer too. You all are."
Wang Hao hurriedly explained: "I didn't know. I really didn't know any of this.
"When Uncle brought Auntie back, he said they fell in love freely. And for all these years, Auntie never said a word.
"Uncle never hit her either; she just rarely came outside.
"How could she have been trafficked?"
Liu Chunlan chimed in:
"Lin Wanyi, I think you're insane. Now you think everyone was trafficked here, right?
"Are you going to say you were trafficked here tomorrow?
"Let go of your uncle right now, or we won't be polite."
The tip of Liu Renzhi's knife pressed in deeper.
Liu Dabing's face turned pale, and he finally cried out:
"Stop! I'll tell you. I'll tell you everything.
"Write this down."
He rattled off the names of several families.
Lin Wanyi recorded them all on her phone.
Liu Dabing's face grew even paler after he finished speaking:
"I've told you everything I know. You should let me go now.
"Let... let me go."
Liu Renzhi glanced at Lin Wanyi, put away his knife, and then grabbed Liu Dabing by the collar:
"Move. Lead the way. House by house."
"Are you crazy?"
Liu Dabing struggled frantically:
"You want me to lead the way? Isn't that asking me to die?
"You're doing this on purpose, aren't you? They paid me money, and now you want me to expose them?
"I won't go. I absolutely won't go."
Liu Renzhi was indeed doing it on purpose. He wasn't sure if Liu Dabing was telling the truth.
So he wanted him to come along, to see for himself whether he was lying.
Liu Chunlan screamed again:
"Lin Wanyi, do you want your uncle to die? If he takes you there, how is he supposed to live here from now on?"
"Live? Only he gets to live?"
Lin Wanyi suddenly raised her voice:
"He gets to live, but what about everyone else?
"How innocent were those girls? At the prime of their lives, they were tricked by Liu Dabing into coming here to make money for him.
"What about their lives? Don't they deserve to live?
"Liu Chunlan, how can you be so heartless? How can you condone Liu Dabing doing such utterly unconscionable things?"
"You!"
"You what?"
Lin Wanyi continued, cutting her off:
"You are a woman too. Why don't you think about those girls? They did nothing wrong. Why should they be treated so cruelly?
"Liu Chunlan, I thought you just liked throwing your weight around in front of me. I thought you were at least human.
"Now I see I gave you too much credit. And you, Wang Hao..."
She turned to look at Wang Hao:
"Are you even a man? Do you have even the most basic human sympathy?
"These girls have been abused so terribly. If you won't help them, fine, I won't force you. But why are you trying to stop me?
"I'm asking you to get out of the way. Just step aside, okay?"
Wang Hao felt deeply ashamed by Lin Wanyi's words.
He silently lowered his head. She was right. Lin Wanyi was right.
He didn't have to get involved, but he shouldn't stand in her way either.
Thinking of this, he quietly stepped aside, making way for Liu Renzhi and Lin Wanyi.
Liu Chunlan couldn't understand:
"Haohao, why are you letting them go? They still have your uncle.
"Stop them! Stop them!"
Wang Hao said in a low voice: "If you want to go to prison, you stop them. Mom, Liu Dabing is scum.
"He's scum who drinks, gambles, and sleeps around. Even his own son doesn't care about him, so why should you?
"He's going to get you killed. Sooner or later, he's going to ruin you and our entire family."
"Nonsense!"
Liu Chunlan stomped her foot: "What nonsense are you spouting?
"He is my older brother! My own flesh and blood! If I don't help him, who will?
"Wang Hao, how did I raise you? How can you be so ignorant?"
