0087 The Little Girl Who Was Trafficked

The little girl's face changed the moment she heard the voice. But she was quite sensible; instead of crying out, she clapped her hands over her mouth and looked around desperately for a place to hide.

Jiang Feng strained his ears to listen to the commotion ahead. He made out three people: the first, whose footsteps were feather-light, was a martial cultivator who had reached entry level; the other two hadn't even achieved that and were of no consequence.

He patted the girl's head reassuringly. "Don't worry. I'll go ask them if they're willing to let you go."

The girl's eyes widened in alarm.

True to his word, Jiang Feng stepped out of the alley just as the trio arrived to search, bumping into them head-on.

Jiang Feng smiled faintly. "Are you looking for a little girl?"

The leader, a middle-aged man with a kindly, trustworthy face, had eyes glinting coldly. He nearly collided with Jiang Feng and was about to snap at him, but upon hearing the question, he quickly asked, "Yes, have you seen her?"

Jiang Feng tilted his head. "Why are you looking for her?"

"She's my daughter! She got lost, of course I'm looking for her!" the man replied.

Jiang Feng asked calmly, "Oh? Then may I ask, where do you live?"

The man hesitated, then barked, "Who are you? What business is it of yours?"

Jiang Feng smiled. "Just a passerby trying to help. Are you lost? Why not tell me? I can take you home."

The more the man listened, the more uneasy he became. Suddenly, he shoved Jiang Feng's shoulder. "Cut the nonsense. Get out of my way!"

Spying the girl behind Jiang Feng, his eyes lit up. "There you are, you little brat! Come back here!"

Jiang Feng reached out and caught his wrist. "I've never heard of a father calling his daughter that."

The man snapped impatiently, "None of your damn business—"

His words dissolved into a scream as his wrist contorted grotesquely in Jiang Feng's grip. Jiang Feng smiled gently. "Come now, just tell me. I'll take you home."

The man roared, "Let go of me!"

Suddenly, the energy within him surged like a tidal wave, trying to break free from Jiang Feng's hold and escape. But in that instant, an even greater pressure crashed down from above. The man's wrist gave a crisp crack and was broken by Jiang Feng just like that.

Jiang Feng spoke in a gentle tone, "Just give me a location. Then you can be on your way."

The ominous undertone chilled the man's spine. At that moment, his two companions realized something was wrong and rushed at Jiang Feng with wooden clubs, swinging for his head and shoulder.

There were two thuds, but Jiang Feng hardly seemed to move. The clubs snapped, and the two attackers were sent flying into the walls.

At the same time, Jiang Feng's body radiated an astonishing, overwhelming aura that pressed directly on the middle-aged man. It was like a mountain crushing him, making his bones groan under the strain. In that moment, the man felt as if every bone in his body might shatter just like his wrist.

He screamed, "Let me go, I'll talk, I'll talk!"

Jiang Feng eased the pressure slightly. The man gasped out, "I—I snatched her from the back street of Taicang!"

"Where is the back street of Taicang?" Jiang Feng demanded.

"N-north of the city! Anyone can tell you!"

Jiang Feng finally released him. A faint gleam flashed across his left hand and then vanished.

Just now, he had tried the function of his nameless ring for the first time, adjusting his energy fluctuations to that of a Yangming-level martial artist.

A Yangming cultivator was two ranks above Dawn level; such an overpowering aura was something the man could never withstand, and so he confessed everything. It was, Jiang Feng mused, a rather effective tool for interrogation.

Straightening up, Jiang Feng turned to the little girl, about to speak, when suddenly she rushed forward, snatched up half of a broken club, and swung it with all her might at the man's head.

The man was still reeling from Jiang Feng’s suppression; he screamed in pain, clutching his head and curling into a ball.

The girl rained blows on him, cursing, "Scoundrel! Scoundrel! I'll kill you! I'll kill you!"

Her eyes were wide with hatred and ferocity.

Jiang Feng allowed her this venting, then gently laid a hand on her shoulder to stop her. He spoke kindly, "Enough now. Your home is on the back street of Taicang. I'll take you there."

The little girl dropped the club, turned, and threw herself into his arms, sobbing loudly. "I want to go home, I want to go home!"

Jiang Feng hugged her lightly, his voice soft and comforting. "Alright, we'll go home."

Beneath his hand, the child's body was painfully thin, marred by uneven scars—wounds that couldn't possibly have accumulated in just a few days.

He said nothing, though, only soothed her until she calmed, took her hand, and led her toward the north of Taicang.

On the way, the girl gradually recovered her childish innocence and liveliness. Jiang Feng bought her a dough figurine; she gazed at it in delight, reluctant to eat it. Jiang Feng bought her a second one, telling her to eat one and keep the other to play with.

At last, she looked up and gave him a sweet smile. Beneath the grimy dust, she was truly a lovely child.

Her name was Amiao. She had lived all her life on Taicang’s back street and had never been elsewhere. She had a mother and a sister, and many fathers and brothers-in-law. Whenever the men came, she had to leave home alone and play in the street.

Some "fathers" were kind and bought her treats; others beat her to vent their anger. She had long grown used to it.

Her steps were light, her words cheerful—she was happy to be going home.

Jiang Feng held her hand, listening to her simple truths, his heart aching in spite of himself.

To return her to her home, to this life? But what else could he do?

He sighed inwardly, bought her a bag of candied hawthorns from a street stall for her to nibble on.

Soon after crossing the river, the streets narrowed, the houses shrank and grew shabbier, a stark contrast to the prosperity of the southern city. The air thickened with unpleasant odors, and now and then a pig or chicken dashed through the street, children chasing after them with peals of laughter.

The environment here was much like Nanjiang. Jiang Feng had never imagined such places could exist in a provincial city like Taicang.

Amiao pointed ahead. "I recognize it! My house is just up there!"

She broke free and skipped ahead, her face alight with joy.

In a short while, she led Jiang Feng to a small building—if one could see all with celestial eyes, it was the very spot where Jiang Huaiming had once been doused with foul water.

As Jiang Feng was surveying the surroundings, a basin of water suddenly poured down from above! It reeked of fishy stench, coming with no warning and at great speed.

But Jiang Feng seemed ready. He scooped up Amiao, darted aside, and kicked up a doorboard to shield them from the splash.

Amiao shrieked, "Mama, don't throw water—it's me, Amiao, I'm back!"

A head popped out from the second floor, screeching, "You little wretch! Where have you been? Gone two days without coming home—have you grown wild?"

The woman was hideous and enormously fat. Jiang Feng glanced at Amiao, unable to imagine such a lovely child could be born of her. Remembering what the girl had told him on the road, his expression grew stranger still.

Amiao stuck out her tongue and hurried upstairs, grumbling, "I was kidnapped! If not for this big brother, I wouldn't have made it back!"

The fat woman paid her no mind, simply flung a bucket at her and scolded, "Don't think you can slack off because you were snatched! No one's fetched water in two days—move it, go fill the vat!"

Amiao answered brightly, "Alright, I'm going!"

She lugged out a wooden bucket nearly as tall as herself and looked up at Jiang Feng. "Big brother, thank you for bringing me home. Otherwise, Amiao would never have made it."

Even in Nanjiang, Jiang Feng had never heard of mother and daughter like this. He sighed, took the bucket from her, and asked, "Where's the well? I'll help you."

Amiao bit her lip. "Big brother, you want to help me fetch water?"

He mussed her hair, smiling. "Your mother shouldn't make a little girl like you carry something so heavy."

Amiao bit her lip again. "My mother is very good. Don't speak ill of her."

Jiang Feng shook his head with a gentle smile. "Alright, I won't." It's only right for a daughter to defend her mother.

Suddenly, Amiao reached up, pointing to her forehead. "Big brother, do it again."

Jiang Feng was puzzled for a moment, then understood. He ruffled her hair again; Amiao's head turned with his hand, her eyes squinting in pleasure.

Jiang Feng smiled helplessly and asked again where the well was. Amiao answered without thinking, then her face changed abruptly.

At that moment, the woman's harsh voice shrieked from upstairs, "Amiao! Where are you? Get up here and boil the water!"

Amiao instinctively started back, but after two steps, she stopped and stared after Jiang Feng in a daze.

Suddenly, she spun around and dashed after him, shouting, "Big brother, don't go!"

The well was at the end of an alley. The bucket in Jiang Feng’s hand felt weightless; he walked quickly, planning to fetch several loads and help the girl before he left.

The alley was deserted, flanked by walls, houses, and trees that blocked out the light, making it dim and gloomy.

As Jiang Feng entered, he slowed his steps, frowning as he glanced around.

There was something about the air here—something oppressive and deeply unpleasant.

He switched to his energy vision; all was gloomy, with not a trace of energy fluctuation.

He was still puzzled when Amiao's voice came from behind him.

"Big brother, don’t go! Run!"

Jiang Feng immediately sensed something was wrong. His face changed dramatically.