Chapter 304 - 171: ’Two-headed Dog Experiment’, ’Freak Show’, ’Beast Creation Technique!’, ’Prostitution!

The answer is... they were man-made.

If you can’t find someone born deformed, can’t you just throw sulfuric acid in a normal person’s face?

If you can’t find someone without a lower body, how about trying to saw off a normal person’s legs?

This subjected countless people to such torment.

Eradicating it was impossible because the freak shows themselves were "legal." Their society lacked the sophistication to foresee the consequences of such things.

The legality of freak shows, much like the "legality of prostitution," meant all the real harm was hidden in the shadows.

As for what happened outside the Western Country...

"In ’83, Xiao Li, you were still in the army. Xiao Zhao, you... you were probably still in elementary school."

"You both should know how many files on human traffickers we have in the records room, so you can guess how intense the crackdown on them was back then."

"But because it was so long ago, very few people stop to think about why the crackdown on human traffickers was so severe..."

Chu Linhai took a deep breath and recounted what he had seen and heard back then.

Why come down so hard on human traffickers?

Heads rolled, one batch after another, on the execution grounds.

You have to understand, for various reasons, punishments for human traffickers in the Eastern Country weren’t typically that harsh. But at that time, heads were rolling...

The main reason was... they weren’t human traffickers.

Or rather, the ones being executed were merely classified under the identity of "human traffickers."

Their real identity was...

The Beggar Gang.

It’s a familiar term. The name of their usual method sounds rather delicate: ’Life Collection and Cutting’.

The name breaks down: ’collection’ refers to selecting, ’life’ refers to living people, and ’cutting’ is just what it sounds like.

Put together, it means selecting living people to be cut and maimed!

This is a common technique of the Beggar Gang, one of the Lower Nine Professions.

What did they use this for?

Begging.

That’s right, begging. Breaking your legs, throwing acid on your face, and pretending to be pitiful to beg!

How much could they make?

Let’s put it this way: in a few tier-one cities, easily breaking ten thousand a month was simple. One person could make thirty or forty thousand without much trouble.

That’s right, it’s that outrageous.

Begging is very profitable!

"You should also know, once something is tied to making money..."

Chu Linhai said with a sigh.

"There will inevitably be people who break the law to make even more money."

"As for where they usually go..."

As for where they could usually be found...

For example.

Train stations, bus stations, or even large holiday markets in the countryside.

You’d be surprised to find that as soon as you step out, you’d see six or seven people sliding around on flat carts, a small speaker next to them, begging in the crowd.

They either had deformed lower limbs or facial burns, their bodies covered in shocking scars.

They look so pitiful that people who see them often give money out of instinct.

But...

Few people would stop to think about why they appear at these large markets.

First of all, these people are often illiterate, may not even be able to speak, and they don’t have cars, nor can they walk.

But they always manage to appear precisely in places with high foot traffic.

How do they do it?

Just with the flat cart under them?

No, someone must be pushing them. But if someone is pushing them...

What is the pusher’s relationship to the beggar? And why are they making them beg?

That’s the first point.

The second point...

You can go check the surgical ward of a hospital.

How many people who have accidents end up with such deformities?

Deformity, aside from congenital cases, is mostly muscle atrophy.

But the degree of contortion in the bodies of these people outside the train station... honestly defies what you’d see from a normal accident.

So, just like the first point.

There’s outside intervention...

But unlike the first point, the idea of a third party inflicting these injuries... is utterly chilling.

"The police weren’t aggressively pursuing human traffickers."

"It was these people!"

"Children in the hands of ordinary human traffickers are just sold to another family. Their lives might not be good, but for the most part, their physical safety isn’t threatened."

"But this kind is different. Their goal is to inflict a fate worse than death!"

"They’re more vicious than murderers, bloodier than executioners. You can’t even call them human; they are devils walking the earth!"

Chu Linhai said in a heavy voice.

The scene before him stirred up his angry memories from that time.

Twenty years ago, he was just a young detective. He was on the front lines then, personally taking part in the arrests!

"Once this kind of person is caught..."

"They will be sentenced harshly!"

This type of person has existed throughout history. Even in the most corrupt final dynasty, catching them meant immediate execution.

However, in ancient times, these people were very powerful and could collude with officials, so they often weren’t caught.

But modern times are different.

The authorities really do arrest them!

The judges really do convict them!

And the bullets are aimed right at their foreheads!

Therefore, the authorities launched a massive campaign against these criminals.

Unfortunately...

It couldn’t be eradicated.

These people are a product of their time. You can control them for a while, but not for decades.

Of course, being a product of the era, they naturally fade away as the era itself declines.

Coupled with the authorities relentlessly cracking down on them.

In his previous life, after 2010, when the Eastern Country developed at rocket-like speed, the number of these people gradually dwindled.

In 2015, there were still quite a few in the countryside, showing up at temple fairs and gatherings. But by 2020, the authorities had gradually purged these operations from the country.

But these operations still exist.

After all, it’s too profitable. One person brings in tens of thousands. It may not sound like much, but what if you have ten people under you?

Ten people together is hundreds of thousands, millions a year. You have to understand, even a small company can’t achieve that level of profit.

"So... the thi... this person in front of us was also created by them?"