Chapter 16: Human Traffickers?! Abduction?!

Ah, ah, ah! How could that little wench shout out so carelessly like that?! What if, what if... there were soldiers from the army nearby? Wouldn't she be exposed immediately?!

Sister Qing was truly anxious now—both angry and fearful—and began to regret ever provoking Lu Jiaor. This girl was too formidable, unlike any of the girls she knew. She must have seen the wider world; there was no way someone like her could fool her!

At this moment, Sister Qing wanted to back down. She just wished to safely reach her destination with her people and should not have entertained the fantasy of deceiving even one more person.

As soon as these thoughts crossed her mind, her movements slowed. She decided to simply ignore Lu Jiaor altogether, hoping that would calm the situation.

However, she had underestimated things. In this age, with no entertainment on the train and many onlookers eager for a spectacle, several people familiar with the military overheard Lu Jiaor’s words and detected something wrong.

“That girl’s words don’t add up. Do you think officers in the army need matchmaking? They’re in high demand, and their wages aren’t that high. I’ve heard only the mission allowances are substantial; the regular pay isn’t that much.”

“Right, my relative married someone in the army. Most captains, company commanders, and regiment commanders are already settled down. How could someone of that age still be unmarried and needing introductions? Even if they do, they look for doctors, nurses, teachers, or workers—not someone from the countryside!”

“It’s not that officers don’t marry rural girls; usually, it’s because the family elders insist. But nowadays, it’s rare for elders to make those decisions. Most find their partners within the army. Isn’t that better than marrying someone from the countryside?”

“I think that older woman might be a human trafficker, specifically abducting young girls.”

“Oh, you’re right! I hadn’t thought of that. Could she really be a trafficker? Selling a girl off in the mountains can fetch a few hundred yuan; three girls could bring in over a thousand!”

“Let me tell you, being sold into the mountains is terrible. Many men there can’t find wives; sometimes brothers share one wife, or several men in a village band together to buy one. It’s truly horrifying.”

“No way. I think they’re really up to something. We must report this and investigate thoroughly. We can’t allow innocent girls to be ruined because we stood by and did nothing.”

“Exactly! We all have parents and children. If our own kids were trafficked, it would be like having our hearts ripped out.”

“I’m going to find the train police and the conductor right now.”

“Hurry! We’ll stay here and keep watch.”

“Yes, we won’t let any villain escape, nor wrongly accuse anyone.”

...

The bystanders spoke loudly, as if afraid others wouldn’t hear them otherwise.

Moreover, in these times, earnest and simple-hearted people are abundant. With only a few words, someone had already gone to alert the train police and conductor.

It’s over.

This time, it’s truly over.

Just as Sister Qing stopped, she overheard the crowd’s words, feeling a chill run through her body. Her face turned pale with fright, panic and chaos gripping her mind. Instinctively, she wanted to flee.

But where could she run on a moving train? Unless she was willing to risk her life by jumping off.

Meanwhile, after hearing the passengers’ report, the train police and conductor immediately sensed something was amiss.

They knew Lu Jiaor was genuinely a soldier’s wife—how could she say such things otherwise?

Something was definitely wrong. There was trouble brewing.