Chapter 996: Big Fish
Xu Huo walked up to the woman holding the child. “Give me the thing.”
The woman hugged the swaddled baby tighter. “What do you want?”
“The thing you just stole,” Xu Huo said. “Hand it over, and this matter is settled.”
“And if I don’t?” The woman took a step back, her nervous and timid demeanor vanishing as she raised her hand arrogantly.
Her accomplices, mixed in the crowd, began walking toward him.
Xu Huo glanced left and right, then calmly pulled out his communicator. “I think Xiaoyang City really values its tourism industry.”
The woman looked confused. “So what?”
“Peaceful world, harmonious coexistence. Before making a move, I plan to call the mayor’s hotline first. If a fight breaks out, it might damage quite a few things. But don’t worry, I’ll explain the whole situation. I’m sure the mayor won’t hold an Outer Zone Player like me responsible, since I’m only intervening out of a sense of justice after witnessing criminals working together.”
Xu Huo held the “Crimson Sword” in his hand, but his eyes were scanning the nearby buildings.
Although there were quite a few players with items coming and going in the square, the distinctly different atmosphere here had already attracted the attention of the mall’s security personnel. He could hit and run, but the woman’s group had to make a living here long-term.
Calling off her companions, the woman reluctantly took out the item she had stolen and said, “I didn’t steal from an Outer Zone Player. Why are you meddling?!”
“Righteous intervention.” Xu Huo put away the ownerless item and took public transportation to the trading market the young people had mentioned.
A place that could attract some naive young people was obviously not a legitimate trading venue. Besides the official distribution centers for certified goods, there were also specialized trading spots for items that weren’t for long-term sale, had difficult application procedures, or weren’t worth the time and money to go through the whole process. Merchants usually only needed to pay a small venue fee to rent a stall short-term, selling out and then moving on.
Although human trafficking in District 002 was almost an open business, the government cracked down hard on crimes involving the sale of children under ten. Additionally, the sale of body parts and bloody performances were strictly prohibited. Of course, just because it was forbidden didn’t mean no one did it—such businesses operated in places where even light couldn’t reach.
That was exactly where those young people were headed.
Xu Huo followed them in. He hadn’t taken many steps before he saw a child locked in a cage for sale. The black cloth covering it was lifted a crack, and a few middle-aged men and women with playful expressions were nearby asking about the price.
“This one has a bad temper. Whoever wants it can take it at sixty percent off. After selling this one, I have to go on a long trip,” the boss said, slapping the cage disdainfully, eager to offload this poor-quality product to recoup his costs.
A middle-aged man standing by the cage reached his hand inside. The moment he touched the child’s leg, the kid scratched him, drawing blood. The man winced in pain and kicked the cage hard, sending it tumbling to the ground. “Little brat, you’re asking for it! Boss, I’ll buy this one. I love breaking stubborn brats!”
The boss immediately grinned and agreed, bending down to chase after the rolling cage. As he grabbed the cloth, a foot stepped on it.
Xu Huo crouched down, looking at the little boy curled up inside the cage with his head in his hands. “How much?”
The boss sneered. “I don’t sell my goods to Outer Zone people…”
A hand landed on his shoulder. Through the cage bars, Xu Huo pulled him closer. “I’ll buy it at the original price.”
“Original price? Only if you pay double…” Before he could finish, the boss cried out in pain, his body leaning toward Xu Huo’s hand. “Let go! Let go! Original price! Original price!”
Xu Huo released his grip, tossed down a few White Notes, and opened the cage door. “Come out,” he said to the child peering out.
The child hesitated, tentatively extending his hands and feet, but the moment he was outside, he shed his earlier sluggishness and darted nimbly into a side street.
Laughter erupted around them.
Xu Huo didn’t chase after him. He glanced briefly and continued walking.
By then, the young people had run into trouble. The girl with the braids had touched a potted plant, and it died on the spot. The boss and a few of his companions surrounded them.
“I’ve never seen a flower that dies just from being touched. If you want to extort money, just say so!” the braided girl said, unafraid. “My dad deals with people like you all year round. Go ahead and wait—I’ll call someone to bring money right now!”
The five burly men exchanged glances. The leading boss laughed. “Little girl, you’ve got some fire. I like that. This flower isn’t worth much anyway. It’s dead, so it’s dead. I’ve got better stuff inside. Why don’t you pick something, and we’ll let bygones be bygones? No need to ruin the goodwill.”
“You know what’s good for you,” the braided girl snorted. “No need to send anything. I’ll let you off this time.”
The group didn’t follow the boss into his place as he suggested. The boss didn’t push it either, sending them off with a full smile.
“Do you think I’m stupid?” The braided girl adjusted her flashy, eye-catching clothes and casually took a selfie. “I’ll set a timed send. I’ll cancel it once we’re out of here.”
Brother Xuan didn’t care about such trivial matters. “What’s up ahead?”
“Probably performances,” the buzz-cut young man said quietly. “But those shows are a bit bloody. Might ruin your appetite…”
However, Brother Xuan’s eyes lit up, and he headed straight for one of the performance venues. The other three had no choice but to hurry after him.
The moment they entered, two people who had been following them since the market entrance and from the previous shop also slipped into the performance venue.
Less than two minutes later, the young people ran out, faces pale. The braided girl was vomiting uncontrollably, leaning against the wall, unable to straighten up.
At first, there were scattered laughs around them, but within seconds, the laughter vanished completely. The people nearby also drifted away in twos and threes.
The buzz-cut young man was the first to sense something wrong. Just as he was about to speak, the streetlights in this area suddenly went out. Trapped in a low, shadowy corner of the city, even the light from the main streetlamps seemed unable to reach here. The dim light stretched the buildings into long, dark shadows that covered three nearby streets.
“Someone’s here!” The buzz-cut young man instinctively pulled his companions together, tossed out a lighting item, and signaled them to use their communicators.
But the moment they pulled out their devices, they emitted a crackling sound and died within two seconds. The items they used in panic not only failed to work but ended up in someone else’s pockets.
“I told you these were some big fish,” the extorting boss said with a grin.
“Aren’t you afraid of the city government?!” the braided girl shouted. “When my dad gets here, you’re dead!”
The boss let out a strange laugh. “Don’t worry. By the time anyone comes looking, you’ll have been sold off to some remote little city. A dose of drugs, and you’ll be living in a drunken stupor every day. Forget your parents—you won’t even remember who you are!”
(Chapter End)