Simulated Crime, This Criminal Doesn't Seem to Be Acting-Chapter 68

Ye Sangsang's black hair cascaded down her shoulders, with stray strands covering her deep, enigmatic eyes. Her already pale skin had become even whiter due to her sickly complexion. The striped hospital gown hung loosely on her slender frame, accentuating her delicate features that seemed sculpted by a master craftsman. Her physical appearance alone could evoke a sense of pity, but her current demeanor exuded danger. Her fair, slender hand lay by her side, and with a mere exertion of force, she could inflict harm on anyone approaching her. Especially since she was well aware of their physical vulnerabilities, making them as defenseless as rabbits. The tranquilizers they held posed no threat to her. Her dark pupils were like bottomless wells, and the two men who locked eyes with her found themselves nervously swallowing their saliva.

"Don't move... we won't do anything to you," said a younger doctor, his voice tinged with unease.

Su Xu spoke again, "Don't be afraid, she won't do anything! I am Ye Sangsang's attending physician. I have been overseeing her psychiatric treatment for several months now. You should trust me and ignore what Zhang Jingyue said about her already improving!"

"As you all saw this morning, the head of the hospital has appointed me as Ye Sangsang's attending physician. I am responsible for everything related to her care!"

Su Xu's words dispelled any hesitation and doubt among the other doctors and nurses, who began to cautiously approach Ye Sangsang.

Ye Sangsang looked at them and smiled, "Su Xu, I know what you are trying to do."

"Behave, just be a good girl, and I won't do anything to you," Su Xu gazed at her with what he thought was affection, but beneath it lay a fierce, unrecognized possessiveness.

Ye Sangsang leaned against the window, staring at him, "Has anyone ever told you that your eyes are disgusting?"

Su Xu's expression briefly darkened; he did not like Ye Sangsang's defiance.

"Don't think about it, no one will come to save you. Even if the police arrive, what can they do? You're a mental patient..." he suppressed his anger and whispered to Ye Sangsang.

Ye Sangsang raised her eyes, looking at the two doctors who had come within half a meter of her, "Think carefully, are you willing to risk your careers? Leave now, and you might just lose a job. Stay, and you could lose your medical licenses."

This threat was severe. After spending over a decade studying, no one willingly engages in wrongdoing. Losing the means to earn a living is devastating for anyone.

The younger doctor glanced at his colleagues, "We…"

Ye Sangsang's piercing gaze locked onto him, "Put down the tranquilizers."

The younger doctor immediately raised his hands, "Don’t, I really think you’re going crazy."

He was on the verge of tears, questioning why he had gotten involved in such a situation.

Ye Sangsang glanced at her bodyguard, signaling that she could begin to act.

The bodyguard subtly nodded, indicating she was ready.

Meanwhile, another doctor seized the opportunity and moved directly towards Ye Sangsang.

However, his movements were too clumsy in front of her. She swiftly extended her hand, effortlessly twisting his arm holding the tranquilizer and pressing him onto a nearby table.

The others present were just unaware onlookers, genuinely believing Ye Sangsang was having an episode and rushing in to help.

In the meantime, the female nurse and bodyguard seized the moment while Su Xu was distracted by Ye Sangsang. She broke free from the two black-suited bodyguards restraining her, delivering a punch that sent Su Xu crashing to the ground.

She knelt on him, pinning him effectively. Su Xu, no match for a trained bodyguard, could hardly even struggle.

The black-suited bodyguards prepared to step forward, but the bodyguard swiftly kicked them both to the ground with a sweeping motion.

"Ahhh!"

Under the bodyguard's foot, Su Xu let out a pitiful scream.

At that moment, the police entered the room.

Ye Sangsang was momentarily stunned; someone had actually called the police?

Was it Artificial Intelligence?

Given its ability to assess the situation, it might have deemed the crisis severe enough to warrant a call to the authorities.

Ye Sangsang took out her phone and dialed Lawyer Lin.

"Come pick me up," she said, her tone somewhat impatient. Was Lawyer Lin having trouble dealing with the opposition?

The response came quickly, assuring her he was on his way.

The bodyguard was very considerate; seeing the police beginning to control the scene and clear the room, she fetched a wheelchair and assisted Ye Sangsang into it to leave.

Su Xu attempted to argue, but Ye Sangsang pointed out that the game system had a function to detect the surrounding environment and record events.

The moment Su Xu attempted to act dishonorably was already documented.

Even if he tried to deny it by claiming it was just a white cloth with no drugs, it wouldn't hold up.

Ye Sangsang refrained from speaking and simply accused him of attempted murder.

The truth was, Su Xu and the people behind him simply wanted Ye Sangsang to react violently, possibly even harm someone.

The knife on the table that wouldn't normally be in a mental hospital was there to provoke Ye Sangsang into an outburst to achieve their goal.

The same went for the metal fork previously placed by the nurse, all designed to trigger a violent episode.

They truly believed she was a lunatic who could snap at any moment and kill.

They described her as a cold, remorseless antisocial personality, lacking self-control, fear, a sense of responsibility, and any moral compass.

Apart from doctors, many people didn’t truly understand the nature of such conditions.

That was why Su Xu acted as he did - he knew what they were capable of.

He knew that once provoked, they would unleash destruction without regard for others.

Amidst a fit, even a child shouting too loudly could provoke their rage.

Their madness, brutality, and hatred were their defining characteristics, their mental stability as fragile as bubbles, ready to burst at the slightest touch.

By provoking her, they could enforce harsh treatments, driving her into a permanent state of lunacy.

This was a hospital where Ye's family held the majority of the shares. If Ye Sangsang really went mad, her estranged father, Ye Xiao, would become the sole heir to the fortune.

The months of delay in obtaining the inheritance had already exhausted his patience.

Those willing to act today were simply those siding with him.

When the potential gain is enormous, even high risks are worth taking.

The arrival of the police saved Ye Sangsang the trouble of reporting the incident herself.

After reviewing the recording, the police promptly handcuffed several individuals.

The head of the hospital rushed in hurriedly. Upon seeing Ye Sangsang, he trembled with unease, stuttering, "It's all a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding. This was just a more aggressive approach in our treatment."

"So, you were part of it too?" Ye Sangsang didn't attempt to prove her innocence, as that wasn’t what they were interested in.

Faced with that accusation, the head of the hospital dared not admit it and immediately fell silent.

Su Xu glared at the head of the hospital, "It was you! You're the one who instructed me!"

"Don't speak nonsense!" The head of the hospital quickly distanced himself, turning to Ye Sangsang, "This doesn’t involve me, I..."

Ye Sangsang interrupted him directly, looking at the police, "I believe the head of the hospital is also implicated. Consider taking him in for interrogation as well."

Given the video evidence and the individuals present in the room, it was clear this involved intentional harm.

Such a case obviously couldn’t be treated as a simple dispute. The police, hearing Ye Sangsang's suggestion, nodded in agreement.

The head of the hospital opened his mouth wide, "No...this isn't...it doesn't involve me!"

"And who do you think you are?!"

At that moment, a roar came from a distance.

The bodyguard thoughtfully turned Ye Sangsang's wheelchair, allowing her to see the newcomers clearly.

It was Ye Sangsang's estranged father, Ye Xiao, hurrying anxiously. He immediately declared, "My daughter is an antisocial personality, a mental patient, her words are not credible. As her guardian, I cannot let you frame proper treatment as harm and take the doctors away!"

He rambled on, glancing occasionally at Sangsang.

It was as if he were thinking, why hadn’t this nuisance already met her demise?

"My actual attending physician has already confirmed that I am in a stable phase," Ye Sangsang calmly stated.

Ye Xiao stepped forward, demanding, "Release them. The doctors are here for her own good."

"Can't do that. They’re implicated in a crime, and the police station isn’t run by me," Ye Sangsang smirked, her gaze cold as she looked at him.

Ye Xiao turned to the police, insisting, "I am her guardian. I can make decisions for her."

The people present were stunned; Ye Xiao's words made him seem crazier than the patients in the psychiatric ward.

The police were speechless, realizing that even in 2035, there were people who still didn't understand the law.

Soon, Lawyer Lin arrived.

Police quickly arranged to take statements, as the matter here needed to be clarified.

Ye Xiao kept muttering something during this period, but no one paid any attention.

Ye Sangsang didn't pay much attention to anything else, because everything that happened was inevitable.

But there was one good thing: she was pushed out, legitimately leaving the mental hospital.

When she entered, it was winter; when she exited, it was a vibrant green, with the sun shining brightly.

Lawyer Lin was a very capable and spirited woman, already 40 years old. After coming out, she approached Ye Sangsang and said, "Sorry, on the way out, some small-time punk cut in front of me, and dealing with it delayed us a bit."

It was supposed to be handled today as scheduled, but they arrived a step late.

"It's fine," Ye Sangsang shook her head.

Needless to say, it must have been intentional.

Ye Xiao and Ye Zhe were bound to interfere; they certainly didn't want her to be released.

That's why they acted quickly, even resorting to torture to make it difficult for the lawyer to find her.

Unfortunately for them, they were a step too late.

Ye Xiao had no idea that Ye Sangsang had quietly done so much.

The stable setup he thought he had was already starting to crumble.

She glanced at Ye Xiao, who was getting on a business car.

This time, once he entered the Public Security Bureau, it was uncertain when he would come out again.

After taking statements, Lawyer Lin immediately submitted the collected evidence, communicating and verifying it with the case handlers.

Before Ye Xiao could react, the police brought by Lawyer Lin had already handcuffed him.

"You are suspected of intentional homicide, and we are arresting you according to the law," the police presented various pieces of evidence.

Seeing the drug purchase records, the fingerprint comparison on the replaced medicine bottles, and that short surveillance video, Ye Xiao's expression shattered for a moment.

Then he started shouting that he was innocent, that he wasn't the one, that he hadn't done it!

Ye Sangsang chimed in, "I suspect that this incident was also ordered by Mr. Ye!"

"I'm your father!" Ye Xiao shouted at Ye Sangsang, "Why are you framing me!"

Ye Sangsang looked at him, "Framing? Are the evidences in front of you still framing? Don't be ridiculous."

The police nodded to Ye Sangsang and took Ye Xiao away.

Lawyer Lin paused, looking directly at Ye Sangsang and smiled, "You're free now. I'll apply to the court for a reevaluation of your mental health status. Your condition has been stable all along; you don't need to stay in the mental hospital, nor do you need a guardian."

"Thank you, Aunt Lin," Ye Sangsang said with a smile on her face.

Lawyer Lin reached out and stroked Ye Sangsang's head, "That's right, smile more, you're Ye Xin's child."

Ye Sangsang lowered her eyes and smiled, "Then, Aunt Lin, please get rid of Ye Zhe as well. I don't really want to see him."

"Alright," Lawyer Lin nodded.

Ye Sangsang thought for a moment and didn't forget about Su Xu, who had designs on her. "Su Xu attempted murder. He has narcissistic personality disorder and will certainly try to escape punishment by claiming insanity. Contact his family and offer to pay for him to be forcibly restrained at Qingshan Mental Hospital. Of course, if they refuse, we won't force it; we'll just try to get him sent to prison in court."

Qingshan Mental Hospital was the only fully enclosed mental hospital in Hai City.

Forcibly restrained, without thorough certification of recovery, it was almost impossible to get out.

"Alright, I'll do my best. Everyone who harmed you, we'll send them all in!" Lawyer Lin adjusted her glasses, her eyes glinting with shrewdness.

Ye Sangsang still returned to the mental hospital; she needed to wait for the mental health assessment.

When she arrived back at the hospital, Zhang Jingyue hurried back upon hearing the news.

In fact, what was supposed to be a three-day vacation, Ye Sangsang discovered during a meeting with other hospital leaders, was no vacation at all—Zhang Jingyue had been dismissed.

Zhang Jingyue hadn't heard much; she only stumbled upon Su Xu's mental health records.

Realizing her dismissal had some hidden reasons, she felt something was off.

Hearing about the "three days," she came to remind Ye Sangsang.

Her intention was only to warn Ye Sangsang; she was just an ordinary doctor, and even if she reported it, no one would believe her.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Jingyue hurried back to face Ye Sangsang, feeling somewhat guilty.

For her, Ye Sangsang was her patient, and she had deceived her, almost letting her patient suffer a relapse.

Ye Sangsang didn't care much; her emotions were only a little stirred, her mindset relatively calm.

With Ye Xiao in prison, Ye Sangsang took over the hospital's reigns.

She immediately made drastic changes, dismissing all doctors and nurses aligned with the former president's faction and replacing them.

Zhang Jingyue temporarily took on the role of acting president, handling hospital affairs.

The number of people wasn't large, so the hospital's operations wouldn't be affected.

In fact, removing these freeloaders improved both the atmosphere and the hospital's operations significantly.

Zhang Jingyue had a compassionate heart as a doctor, and Ye Sangsang decided to assign a management talent to ensure the hospital would continue to improve.

After handling these matters, Ye Sangsang resumed her regular, quiet life.

For someone like her, quietness was more important than constant stimulation.

Ye Sangsang also picked up the knife she had thrown away and handed it to the new nurse caring for her, instructing her to give it to the police who would come to retrieve it.

In the evening, after washing up, Ye Sangsang went to bed and fell into sleep.

For her, dealing with these matters was no different from not dealing with them; everything had been expected.

During the day, it was full of upheavals, but at night, Ye Sangsang didn't rest. She directly entered a game.

In between, Ye Sangsang also looked into Dongdi, as she had found something familiar when she first saw it.

It turned out to be something her mother had mentioned to her before, though she hadn't paid much attention to it.

Only later did she realize that her mother had competed with Dongdi before, but they had won using some underhanded tactics.

At the time, she was only a few years old, and her mother had brought it up when she was just born, so of course, she didn't remember it clearly.

All she knew was that later, after Dongdi City Construction was found to have used substandard materials, a large group of people were prosecuted.

After paying fines, Dongdi rebuilt the problematic second phase of the project, but it couldn't sustain itself and went bankrupt within two years.

They weren't short of money; they just wanted to earn more.

After all, the greed of capital knows no bounds.

About Wang Ziyang's case, Ye Sangsang learned through Lawyer Lin.

Lawyer Lin mentioned that Wang Ziyang's final statement served as a negative example for many lawyers advising criminals, a must-mention case.

There was even a video of Wang Ziyang's remorseful interview before his execution.

Wang Ziyang later explained in the interview before his death why he had been so reckless and arrogant.

It was purely because he didn't want to go to prison; he just wanted to die cleanly.

For him, the punishment of detention and the loss of freedom were the most terrifying things in the world.

Even as the execution was about to take place, he still regretted it.

But unfortunately, there's no such thing as a second chance.

As for Lawyer Qi Qin, Lawyer Lin also knew him, and she even knew Zhang Xiaoxiao.

Updated from freewёbnoνel.com.

Zhang Xiaoxiao later became an exceptionally outstanding lawyer. Many female lawyers in the industry had interacted with each other, especially as the internet developed and information became more accessible.

Lawyer Qi Qin was over 70 this year and had retired.

Zhang Xiaoxiao had informed Lawyer Lin, who told Ye Sangsang that she had shown Qi Qin the "Truth" copy.

And ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‍she explained that he wasn't entirely selfless.

During a period of confusion, he had met Zhao Jiang on a trip, and they had talked happily and found common ground. Qi Qin had even encouraged Zhao Jiang to intern at his law firm in the future.

He had brought a camera at the time and even taken a photo of Zhao Jiang, intending to give it to him the next time they met.

Unfortunately, they never had the chance.

So when Lin Xiu and Zhao Yue came, it wasn't too difficult to convince him.

This chance encounter, he had never mentioned.

Zhang Xiaoxiao thought Ye Sangsang might want to know, so she told her.

After learning this, Ye Sangsang was able to resolve the doubts in her heart. As for other thoughts or feelings, she didn't have any.

To her, everything had ended at the moment the case was closed.

After entering the game, Ye Sangsang pushed all thoughts aside.

She interacted with the audience as usual and thanked the super intelligent alarm system before beginning to select a copy.

Skimming through the copy, she chose one that seemed slightly more exciting.

Upon clicking into the instance, Ye Sangsang's vision went dark, and her mind sank into it.

When Ye Sangsang opened her eyes, everything was still dark.

But unlike the darkness in the blind copy, she could vaguely see shadows in the dark.

At that moment, she felt a jolt, and she lost her balance, falling to the side.

She had expected to bump into some hard object, but instead, she felt warm flesh.

The skin was smooth.

She guessed it was a young girl.

She didn't touch further because she could clearly feel that her hands were tied behind her back.

The girl Ye Sangsang bumped into let out a muffled groan but didn't scold her.

【I can't see a thing, the darkness isn't making me angry, it's making me scared.】

【Watching the crime files in "Crime Archive" feels terrifying, even though all the gory parts are censored.】

【Especially seeing Sangsang, not only scared of criminals but also being lectured about not committing crimes, or the consequences will be worse and worse.】

The live stream viewers, seeing the dark screen, were neither in a hurry nor scared, because the broadcast hadn't started yet, so they chatted while waiting.

Ye Sangsang sat up straight, took a deep breath, and the various smells in the cramped space rushed into her nose, making her frown.

And then, the game's instance task appeared.

Player, hello, you have entered the game, please follow the rules, and start the "The Cage" instance.

【Your identity card has been drawn.】

【Victim】

You need to escape in this instance.

The duplicate task appeared in the air for a moment before dissipating like smoke.

The Cage, was this the cage she was in now?

She had thought she might draw a criminal identity card this time, but it turned out to be a victim card.

Seeing the task objective, Ye Sangsang frowned, escape.

This made her curious about what the task objective dungeon, where one could be injured or killed, would be like.

Her thoughts returned to the replica's name.

The Cage, these two words gave a strong sense of oppression.

She was now a girl, facing the cage of being a woman, which was never a good place.

Ye Sangsang started looking at the information.

She was now a fair-looking girl with a childish face, just nineteen years old, a college student named Ji Qing.

Born into a scholarly family, her parents and grandparents were all professors or teachers.

She herself was also a top student, a model student.

The game copy provided it directly regarding the case.

It was a human trafficking case, and she was one of the kidnapped girls.

The environment she was in now was inside a sealed van transporting them, and the girl next to her was also a victim.

What was even more despairing was that the current time was 2003.

That meant many technological means of escape were impossible.

Even mobile phones were extremely rare in some remote areas.

Combined with the sealed environment, their chances of escape were practically zero, which was why it was called The Cage.

After reading the information, Ye Sangsang felt the jolt from the vehicle moving and her face darkened.

This copy! Ahhhhhhhh!

It's suffocating, indeed, the victim copy is so hard.

Even though Sangsang is great, I still feel sad; the "victim" copies are all so bitter.

The live stream viewers, watching Ye Sangsang look through the information, many were excited.

After the rapid development of internet technology in 2035, human trafficking had almost been eradicated, but the past suffering was well known to many people.

From TV dramas, documentaries, movies, and novels, they had all seen it, and even in reality, some might have encountered victims, as it wasn't long ago!

Upon seeing the human trafficking copy, countless comments and messages poured in.

Even within a game copy, many felt sad and suffocated.

However, there were also some younger people who left comments saying it wasn't that big of a deal, as they hadn't truly experienced the terror.

Regarding these comments, some rebutted with examples, but most simply waited quietly to see the result.

The "Crime Archive" immersive game was always very realistic, and soon they would feel that despair too.

After Ye Sangsang finished reading all the information, she shifted her body to find a suitable corner, leaned against it, and closed her eyes to rest.

In this dark environment, the best strategy was to conserve energy and stamina. Guessing the time was inaccurate, and observing the outside environment was impossible, so it was better to rest directly.

This was a junk second-hand van, with no shock absorption, and the bumpy mountain road made the ride unbearable.

Not long after, Ye Sangsang felt pain all over her body.

But by the sounds from the others, she could tell there were three girls in the van.

Time passed silently. After about ten minutes, Ye Sangsang felt a burst of light and opened her eyes.

Having not seen sunlight for a long time, her eyes reflexively closed again when exposed.

They had arrived at a place, probably a platform, and all three of them were forcibly pulled out of the van.

After getting used to it, Ye Sangsang didn't start observing the surroundings but looked at the three of them.

"Behave! Once you're here, accept it and don't think about running. Maybe they'll treat you well," a man said to them with a sinister voice.

A woman came over.

This person was the key to Ji Qing's abduction.

She had tricked Ji Qing by pretending to be a pregnant woman who couldn't carry things, asking Ji Qing for help carrying a bag.

Ji Qing was well protected by her family and seeing the pregnant woman struggling, she helped.

It was just a short distance, and there weren't any dark alleys.

But she hadn't noticed that there was an alley nearby.

Ji Qing was effortlessly drugged, tied up, and taken to the van along with the other two girls. Within a very short time, they were transported out of the city.

After a series of long-haul transfers, they arrived here.

Seeing the woman, the other two girls immediately became agitated.

The long-haired girl sobbed, "You'll get what's coming to you! You human traffickers will get what's coming to you!"

"I thought you were a good person, never imagined you were a human trafficker!" The girl with a ponytail glared at the woman.

The woman's belly had disappeared, and she had red wine-colored curls, holding a cigarette in her hand.

Then she stepped forward, slapped each of them hard.

She slapped so hard that her hand hurt, and she shook it off, "Blame your own stupidity, and besides, we're doing a good deed, the men in this village don't have wives. You studied and grew up just to marry a good man? I'll just fulfill your wish for you."

Both girls' faces immediately swelled up, and their cries stopped abruptly.

At this moment, they clearly realized that these people would really hurt them.

Ye Sangsang's silent expression also attracted the woman's attention. She walked up to Ye Sangsang, circled around her once.

"I advise you not to think about running away. The mountains here aren't like the city, filled with forests and hills, and the villagers are all on our side." She stared at Ye Sangsang, implying, "Tell you this, if you behave and live peacefully, nothing will happen. But if you don't, some have died."

Ye Sangsang trembled, pretending to be scared and lowering her head.

The other two girls' faces turned deathly pale as they truly realized what kind of hell they had entered.

Seeing the three of them obedient, the two men and one woman exchanged glances and dragged them onto another tractor.

This time, they were blindfolded.

After a long, long time, Ye Sangsang skipped about an hour and a half in time, and they were finally able to see again.

The dirty rags covering their eyes were pulled down, and they were in a dimly lit room.

It was a house made of mud walls and wooden beams, and looking up, there wasn't even any electrical wiring.

If others were also without electricity, then this village could indeed be called cut off from the world.

The other two were weeping in despair over their impending miserable fate.

Being sold to a mountain village meant living a life not worth living, completely severed from the past.

Villages that traded girls were naturally ignorant, so what they would face might be violent subjugation, forced violation and bearing the children of their violators.

They might even be treated like animals, chained at home, with no dignity at all.

Such a village believed in the idea of beating, if one wanted to run, they'd break their legs and not treat them. If they were too stubborn, they'd just beat them to death and throw them somewhere to bury.

Since the entire village was made up of trafficked people, and everyone was even related, everyone, even the children, were informants, making escape impossible.

Even in extreme situations, the police might not be able to take the girls away.

The final result was that some were integrated into the mountain village, some were crippled and locked up, and only a small portion ended up as bones.

In the eyes of these people, women were nothing more than naked, valuable, and tradable goods.

They were truly objectified.

Growing up in the future, Ye Sangsang didn’t have much understanding of this.

Human trafficking was just a term she had heard of, but she had never witnessed it herself.

All she knew was the simple concept: she was about to be sold as a commodity. Then, she would be forced into a marriage with a man, tasked with continuing his family line.

Ye Sangsang watched the two girls cry, pretending to sob herself, until they were eventually approached by those looking to buy them.

The buyers had placed advance orders, specifying what they wanted, and upon delivery, they paid the remaining balance and took them away.

It was like selecting pigs at a livestock market, grabbing and hauling them off.

The first one to enter was a man in his thirties, his mouth wide open, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth. His dark, sallow skin made him look older than he actually was. His eyes roamed over the three of them, the desire and greed in them almost spilling over.

In the end, he pulled out the slightly chubbier girl from the group, stuffed some cash into the woman’s hand, and dragged the girl away despite her cries and protests.

The second was an even older man, likely an old bachelor in the village. Reluctantly, he placed the money in the woman’s hand and took the girl next to Ye Sangsang.

The girl resisted fiercely, pulling back with all her strength, refusing to go.

The man, having worked on the land all his life, easily lifted her and slapped her face hard several times. The force knocked her into a semi-conscious state, and he carried her away.

It was swift, crude, and primitive, chilling everyone present.

***[My back is tingling, this is terrifying.]***

***[There’s no concept of the law here at all, it’s so frightening.]***

***[Sangsang, please leave this place, I’m suffocating just watching.]***

Ye Sangsang remained silent, her head lowered.

“You’re really quiet,” the woman remarked, looking at Ye Sangsang.

Ye Sangsang didn’t respond, knowing there was no point in speaking.

The woman leaned in closer and advised her, “Actually, what I’m doing is a good thing. You’ll eventually have to marry. If you’re obedient, there are good men in this village who won’t harm you. And once you’re here, don’t even think about leaving.”

“If you can get along with your husband, and after a few years, when you have two kids, maybe you can return to your parents with your children. At that point, they’ll have grandchildren, and your life will be complete.”

Ye Sangsang still didn’t speak, as she knew there was no point in trying to change the woman’s warped perspective. The woman was just trying to control her, not genuinely empathizing with her.

In one sentence, taking her words seriously would only lead to losing this battle. Ye Sangsang had her own understanding of the situation.

Ye Sangsang’s silence made the woman uncertain. She walked out and muttered a few words with the person about to enter.

Shortly after, a middle-aged man with a sharp, triangular gaze stepped in, his wrinkled face filled with a ruthless demeanor.

“Don’t worry, she’s not getting away from me,” he said, turning back to the woman.

After giving her a handful of cash and watching her count it, he grabbed Ye Sangsang and left.

Ye Sangsang looked at him, her eyes filled with danger.

She was taken outside, and the true appearance of the mountain village came into view.

She was in a valley surrounded by towering mountains that stretched endlessly. The lush greenery in the distance turned into deep shades of dark green.

The houses were made of earthen walls and wood, with a few brick and tile structures scattered throughout the valley.

Every household seemed to blend seamlessly with the mountains.

***[This is the real ten thousand mountains…]***

***[I can see now, even running away, I wouldn’t know where to go.]***

***[How is Sangsang going to escape!]***

Ye Sangsang remained speechless as she was led away, and her captor also stayed silent, except for the cruelty that gleamed in his eyes, making it clear he was not someone to be trifled with.

To her surprise, the man who bought her was not alone; there were many people gathered in his home.

As Ye Sangsang was led halfway, a red bridal veil was placed over her head.

Her hands were bound behind her back, leaving her with no means to resist.

Despite her efforts, she was forced to kneel in a makeshift wedding ceremony.

Then, the sound of celebrations and the call to eat filled the air, creating a stark contrast with Ji Qing’s anguish as the “bride.”

Everyone ignored Ye Sangsang, who was bound and struggling, even considering all of this normal.

She was pushed and shoved into a room, not even catching a glimpse of the house’s exterior.

The room soon emptied, and Ye Sangsang managed to shake off the cloth covering her head by moving her own.

She looked around and found no sharp objects nearby.

Suddenly, her gaze fell to the ground.

There were several chains and iron rings, welded to a stone block at the other end. The chains were stained with dark brown, blood-like marks.

Ye Sangsang’s expression turned dangerous.

The ropes were tied tightly, and even with all her efforts, she couldn’t break free.

As time passed and Ye Sangsang still couldn’t think of a way out in the dimly lit room, the sound of a padlock being opened came from outside.

The wooden door creaked open.

The man staggered in.