Chapter 1596: Trafficking II

Lory and Zhao Li Xin moved through the suffocating darkness, their flashlights cutting narrow paths across the container’s cold steel walls. The beams trembled over unmoving bodies, limbs tangled, faces drained of color, breaths shallow and uneven.

Lory’s gaze hardened as she took it in. There was no pattern. No distinction. They took men, women, and children without care. As though they had simply been gathered... like cargo.

However, Lory recognized some of them; they were the same people she had seen at the harbor. It dawned on her that it wasn’t just them. Others had also been kidnapped just like them. Lory wondered if everyone at the harbor was involved, or perhaps everyone in that city.

But what do they want for them? prostitution, illegal labor, organ harvesting... or something far worse? Lory’s grip on the flashlight tightened, knuckles paling.

All of a sudden, Zhao Li Xin’s voice sliced the oppressive silence, "Wife... they’re here."

Lory stilled for only a fraction of a second before snapping back to herself. She moved at once, quick but careful, weaving between the bodies; she doesn’t want to accidentally step on these poor people. Lory moves carefully; she tries to avoid contact, avoiding sound.

When she reached his side, she lifted her light to follow his. The beam settled, and there they were, the little girl lay next to her parents, all three lying in an unnatural stillness, but the problem was the girl’s face looked so pale, there was not even color on her small lips.

Lory’s breath hitched. She dropped to her knees beside them, setting the light down as her hands moved quickly, then checking the father, then the mother of that little girl, thankfully they are all alive.

But when her fingers reached the child—

She froze; the little girl’s breath was too faint, and she was barely breathing. Lory’s expression tightened in an instant. Without hesitation, Lory steadied herself and placed her palm gently over the girl’s chest. Her eyes softened, focus sharpening into something deeper, more precise. 𝐟𝒓ℯⅇ

A faint purple glow bloomed beneath her hand. Soft at first, then gradually stronger, pulsing in a quiet, steady rhythm. The light absorbed by the child’s fragile form, then a second later, the girl’s chest rose sharply, pulling in a deeper breath. Another followed, steadier this time. Color, faint but visible, began to return to her pale face.

Lory exhaled slowly, the tension in her shoulders easing at last. "Thank goodness..." she murmured softly. "She was in a critical state. It took a bit longer than usual to heal her... but she’ll be fine now."

Zhao Li Xin observed the girl in silence, his gaze thoughtful.

"...She’s fortunate to meet you," he said solemnly, remembering he was also saved by Lory the same way.

Lory glanced at the child, her expression turned gentle, and a small smile touched her lips. "Well...It’s fate, I guessed."

"Indeed..." Zhao Li Xin muttered quietly, almost as if talking to himself.

All of a sudden, a violent jolt shook the container. Lory stiffened at once, her balance faltering as the steel floor vibrated beneath her. Zhao Li Xin swiftly holds her waist and pulls her closer in a protective way, then a deep, creaking groan follows, accompanied by the harsh clang of metal striking metal, echoing through the enclosed space.

Then came a second shift, but this time more controlled. The floor beneath her feet tilted slightly before rising. It wasn’t the undulations of a wave, but a steady, deliberate lift.

A moment later, the entire container moved sideways, the motion smooth but heavy, as if it had been hoisted by machinery and was now being transferred elsewhere.

Lory’s expression sharpened; she knew this feeling and sounds. They were moved by crane or perhaps some kind of loading system.

Zhao Li Xin holds her tighter, his gaze darkening. "It looks like we’re being transported."

Here’s a cleaner, more natural version with a strong novel tone:

"Yes," Lory replied, her voice low but steady. "This is how it usually works. The boatmen act as collectors; they gather the victims and deliver them to a designated location. After that, whoever hired them takes over, moving the victims again and erasing any trace of them."

She paused briefly, her gaze darkening. "...Once that happens, it becomes almost impossible to track them."

Lory pulled out her phone, though she already knew what she would find. Yup, no signal. It means the whole place is still jammed.

Zhao Li Xin studied her in silence for a moment. "You want to know where they’re taking us." It wasn’t a question, but a quiet statement of understanding.

Lory nodded without hesitation. "Yes. There have been too many reports of people disappearing. And then there was the unidentified body Fargo found at the Blackfog hill. We uncovered several suspicious details, but nothing conclusive. No clear motive, no trace of who was responsible, and most importantly, how all those corpses got there." She lowered her gaze slightly, her expression turning thoughtful. "So, when this happened... I couldn’t help but wonder if it’s all connected."

Her voice steadied as she continued. "After the Dark Ages War, the human population plummeted. Every country is trying to rebuild—including Harland. Human trafficking is now not only illegal, but also strictly enforced. The penalties are much harsher than before. So I wonder... who would dare take such a risk?"

Lory lifted her gaze again and gave a small shrug. "I don’t know... maybe it’s nothing. Just ordinary human trafficking." A faint, wry smile touched her lips. "At the very least, we’re saving innocent people from it, right?"

"Mm. Since you want to pursue it, go ahead. I’ll help you either way," Zhao Li Xin replied, his tone soft with quiet indulgence.

Lory’s cheeks warmed. "Aww, honey—"

Before she could finish, Zhao Li Xin pressed a finger gently to her lips. "Shh. Someone’s coming."

In one smooth motion, he pulled her down, positioning her on top of him as both of them went still, feigning unconsciousness.

Lory’s mouth twitched faintly.

Again? She didn’t get the chance to protest as the container door creaked open, and a harsh beam of light cut through the darkness, sweeping over the bodies. Footsteps followed, heavy and unhurried. Then a hoarse voice sounded from outside.

"How many did you bring this time?"

"Fifty," another man replied—his voice unmistakable. The captain from earlier.

A low snort. "Fifty million, then."

There was a brief pause before a third voice cut in, hesitant.

"You’re sure this won’t be traced back to us?"

The first man let out a mocking scoff. "Getting nervous now?" A dull thud followed—the sound of something being tossed. "Relax. We’re still expecting the next shipment. Work faster."

The door slammed shut. Then darkness enveloped the container again, and for a moment, neither of them moved... once Lory was sure they weren’t coming back, her eyes snapped open, sharp and clear.

"...This isn’t their first time," she whispered.

"Mm. And they’re planning more," Zhao Li Xin replied lazily, as if discussing something trivial.

Lory shifted slightly, then paused, her brows knitting. "...Li Xin, can’t you breathe down there? Why do you keep putting me on top of you?"

Zhao Li Xin rested one arm behind his head, utterly at ease despite their situation. "For a very good reason," he said lightly. "It happens to be my favorite position."

Lory stared at him for half a second, then smacked his chest. "Enough. You’re not allowed to play with Fargo anymore!"

Suddenly, Lory heard a weak groan near her, then came another from another direction. Soon after, one by one, the unconscious began to awake.

Bodies shifted against the cold steel floor, breaths turning uneven as awareness returned in fragments, confusion first, then discomfort... then fear.

A man jerked upright with a gasp. "W-where is this...?"

Someone else coughed, clutching their head. A child whimpered.

Within seconds, the fragile silence was shattered.

"What is this place?!"

"Why is it so dark—?"

"Where are we?!"

Panic spread like fire. Thin beams of light flickered to life as a few managed to pull out their phones, hands trembling. Screens lit up pale, ghostly faces, but no signal.

"No service...? Why is there no signal?!"

"It’s not working, nothing’s working!"

The realization hit all at once once they realized they were trapped, and possibly being trafficked somewhere. A woman screamed in fright as if it would help her, then someone lunged toward the wall, fists pounding against the steel, screaming to the top of their lungs.

"Helpppp! Somebody help us!" The hollow clang rang out violently, echoing through the container.

Others followed.

Bang—bang—bang!

"Let us out!"

"Is anyone there?!"

"Help! Please!"

"SOMEBODY!"

Voices overlapped, rising, breaking, desperate, and raw. The confined space amplified every sound, turning fear into chaos. A man kicked at the door, another slammed his shoulder into it, but the metal didn’t budge, obviously.

Children began to cry, and it only enhanced the stress. Someone finally broke down and sobbed. The air grew tight, heavy with panic, breaths coming faster, louder—too many people, not enough space.

It was total chaos.

"Oh... they’re all awake now." Lory let go of Zhao Li Xin and then sat leaning against the wall, looking at the chaos around them. Panic rose and then spread wildly; soon, voices overlapped, panicked movements, and fear filled the air.

"So loud," Zhao Li Xin muttered, sounding more annoyed by the noise than their situation.

"Mommy...?" a small, trembling voice called out.

"Sara? Where are you?!" The mother’s voice broke with panic as she fumbled with her phone, its flashlight flickering wildly as she searched through the dark.

"Joan—Sara!" the father called, his voice rising, edged with fear.

It took only seconds. They were close—just a few bodies apart.

But those seconds stretched, heavy with dread, until finally—

"There!"

The light caught her.

The little girl.

The moment they found each other, they rushed forward, pulling her into their arms. Relief, fear, and lingering panic tangled in their voices as they held on tightly, as if afraid she might disappear again.

Lory watched them quietly through the flickering light of another flashlight. A faint ache welled up in her chest.

Then she raised her flashlight and pointed it at them. "Hey... are you guys okay?"

They paused for a moment, then the mother’s eyes widened, "You are the one in the boat!"