Chapter 119: An Unspeakable Tragedy
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Just as the executioners were about to swing their blades, an angry shout of “Stop!” rang out. In the next instant, dozens of martial experts leaped in from all directions.
A barrage of hidden weapons flew through the air, striking the executioners on their wrists. The executioners’ blades fell to the ground with clanging sounds.
“Clang, clang, clang,” the sound echoed as the executioners were swiftly subdued by the intruding experts. By the time the last executioner was pinned to the ground, an old woman who had been keeping watch outside burst into the courtyard.
“It’s bad! They’re here—” Her words were cut short. She froze in place, her eyes wide as she stared at the scene before her—the courtyard filled with her subdued companions. Realizing the tide had turned, she turned to flee but was promptly kicked back by one of the guards trailing behind Yu Zhi Yi.
Because, after all, families should stick together.
“Hey, you! Isn’t that a bit much? That old woman hasn’t provoked you…” a previously outspoken young nobleman muttered, dissatisfied. He moved to check on the old woman.
However, as soon as he stepped outside, he froze in his tracks. “Wha… What… is this?”
Before him, their guards were holding down a group of unfamiliar men and women. These strangers struggled violently, shouting for help as they saw someone approach.
Aside from these captives, the courtyard was largely populated by the elderly, infirm, and disabled. To call them old was a misnomer; most were just crippled. Some were missing arms, others had one leg shorter than the other, and some lacked ears or eyes. Their clothes were in tatters, their bodies emaciated to the point of appearing skeletal.
Though their injuries varied, their faces all bore the same expression of defeat. When the strangers entered and restrained others in front of them, not one made a sound. Instead, their hollow eyes turned collectively toward the doorway.
Even the brazen young nobleman couldn’t help but feel unnerved under so many lifeless gazes. He involuntarily took a step back, his voice trembling, “They… they… What’s going on here?”
Yu Zhi Yi’s brows furrowed slightly at the sight of these disabled individuals. Though she had heard about their plight, witnessing such human suffering firsthand was still unsettling.
Even the calm expression of the young woman in the blue dress faltered. Her eyes showed both pity and bewilderment. “Physician Yu, what’s going on here?”
Just as Yu Zhi Yi was about to explain, a middle-aged man pinned to the ground suddenly shouted, “You’re trespassing on private property! I’ll report you to the authorities!”
An old woman joined in, her voice filled with rage: “You little brats, do you even know who we are? How dare you touch us! Release us immediately, or you’ll regret it!”
Ignoring their outbursts, Yu Zhi Yi began her explanation. “These people belong to a child-snatching syndicate. But unlike other syndicates that abduct children to sell them, these people are even more heinous. Those who are sold might have a slim chance of survival, but those in their hands are drained of every ounce of value before meeting a miserable end.”
She glanced around the courtyard, her gaze sweeping over the disabled individuals. Most were children, with only a handful of adults.
“After abducting children, they deliberately maim them,” she continued.
Her words caused an uproar among the young noblemen and women. “What?!”
Yu Zhi Yi pressed on, her tone steady. “They sever limbs or inflict other injuries, then send these children to crowded areas to beg.”
“In this world, there’s no shortage of kind-hearted people who can’t bear to see disabled children starve. Even if only a few dozen people in one place offer some coins, these children can earn tens or even hundreds of coppers a day.”
“In densely populated areas, where wealth is more common, it’s typical for individuals to give a few coins. If they encounter a sympathetic young lady from a wealthy family, it’s even possible for them to receive a small silver ingot in one go.”
“These pitiful children are exploited to line the pockets of this syndicate.”
“But these children, used as tools for profit, receive no proper care or medical treatment. With such severe injuries, even with the best care, survival is uncertain. Without it, they have no chance.”
“As a result, most of the abducted children die during the wound recovery stage. Ironically, during this time, they earn more from begging than those whose wounds have healed.”
“In such an environment, very few children survive to adulthood. These dozens of disabled individuals you see here are the lucky ones who managed to live out of the thousands of children they abducted. Imagine the unspeakable suffering the adults among them must have endured to survive this long.”
Yu Zhi Yi’s voice was calm, but the horrifying details she shared stirred a storm of emotions in her listeners. Pity, anger, and a profound sense of injustice filled the air.
The outspoken young nobleman clenched his teeth and stormed forward, delivering a flurry of punches and kicks to the middle-aged man who had been shouting earlier. “You scum! You beast! How dare you commit such atrocities!”
The middle-aged man cried out in pain, cursing as he did. “You little brat! Do you know who I am? I’m Wang Hu, and in Gaoliang County, I’m king! Offend me, and none of you will leave here alive!”
“I don’t care who you are!” the young nobleman snarled, stomping on his leg. “You’re a monster!”
The other captives also began shouting, nodding in agreement with Wang Hu. “That’s right! Everyone in Gaoliang County knows we’re philanthropists! We couldn’t stand to see the disabled suffer, so we took them in, fed them, clothed them, and treated them!”
“But these people barged in without a word and attacked us! Magistrate, they’re bandits! You must seek justice for us!”
At that moment, a squad of county constables stormed in, swords drawn. The leader, an official in robes, bellowed, “Stop right there!”
Wang Hu immediately began weeping theatrically. “Magistrate! Thank heavens you’re here! If you hadn’t arrived, we’d all have been killed by these villains!”
The young nobleman’s face turned red with fury as he pointed at Wang Hu. “Nonsense! You’re the villain here!”
The official’s expression darkened as he glared at the nobleman and his group. “How dare you cause trouble in my Gaoliang County! You will all be arrested!”