How could I possibly be confined in a cage?

Sergeant Zhang indeed had extraordinary connections; he found out the details in just one day, but the news was not optimistic.

"what happened?"

Police Chief Zhang, who had just returned home close to the end of his shift, frowned deeply. He tossed his snow-covered overcoat into the lobby and strode in.

Chief Zhang glanced at Qingru, a complex look that held both resentment and gratitude. "This Japanese cotton mill is indeed problematic. Some people privately call it a 'yin-yang' factory. The 'yang' factory is where normal work is done every day, while the 'yin' factory is different..."

"How is it different?"

Chief Zhang hesitated for a moment, but continued after seeing Guo Zixing come out, "The other side of the yarn factory is that it employs a large number of 'indentured laborers,' which are essentially slaves who are sold into servitude. They do dirty, hard, and tiring work, and no one cares if they get sick or die."

People who left in the morning gradually returned, and upon hearing the news that Chief Zhang had inquired about, they were quite saddened, especially those whose families had members working in the factory, who were extremely worried.

Qingru then asked, "How can I get in to become the 'indentured laborer' you mentioned?"

Chief Zhang glanced at Guo Zixing and hesitated, "Those human traffickers may be operating openly, but they're in cahoots. If we explain things clearly, they won't help. The only option is to use an undercover identity to send you in. But..."

Guo Zixing listened quietly, and seeing the troubled look on Chief Zhang's face, he asked, "What's wrong? Is there anything else you're worried about?"

“It’s just too bitter, I’m afraid Qingru won’t be able to endure it.”

"No," Qingru said firmly. "I am determined to save those girls. How can I save them if I can't get deep into the enemy camp? Don't worry, I will definitely lead these girls out."

Seeing that Chief Zhang and the others dared not respond, they looked to Guo Zixing for help.

Guo Zixing said, "Let her go, but make sure she protects herself and does what she can."

Chief Zhang breathed a sigh of relief and said, "My younger sister also works in a textile factory. I'll tell her when I get back that you should send her a message every two days to let her know you're safe. If you miss one, the operation will be canceled, and we..." He glanced at Guo Zixing's expression, "...and Deputy Director Guo will definitely come to our door to demand it back."

With everything explained clearly and Qingru agreeing, they had no more worries. The group then discussed various details and key points, striving for perfection and minimizing harm.

With the moon high in the sky, Guo Zixing said, "Alright, everyone go back and rest. We'll officially start the operation first thing tomorrow morning."

"Yes," everyone said goodbye, and Guo Zixing took Qingru back to the villa.

A biting wind whipped at their clothes, making them flutter. Guo Zixing and Qingru walked through the snow, their footsteps crunching under their umbrellas.

Although it was late tonight, Guo Zixing did not drive, and Qingru sat next to him without saying a word.

Guo Zixing broke the silence first, pondering as he asked, "That Japanese cotton mill might be very dangerous. Aren't you afraid?"

Qingru frankly admitted, "Of course I'm afraid. But if I'm afraid and don't do it, then I'll be letting myself down. Since I've made this grand vow, I'm bound to do it."

Guo Zixing saw that her eyes were bright and sparkling, even in the darkness, and that the radiance reflected in the snow could not compare to them. He, who had been so determined to use her, suddenly felt a pang of pity. "If you don't want to go, I can find someone else."

“No need,” Qingru said firmly. “Who is more suitable than me? I have met those people and I remember what the girls from Niujia Village look like. I am the most suitable one.”

Guo Zixing stopped trying to persuade her and forced his heart to harden again. He opened the umbrella properly and walked side by side with Qingru.

On the pristine white snow, only their footprints remained. By tomorrow morning, the houses along the street would sweep them away, and they would be nowhere to be seen.

……

"Sister Qingru~"

From afar, Xiao Erlang rushed towards Qingru.

Qingru was overjoyed, "Little Erlang, don't run, be careful not to fall."

He rushed over like a little dumpling, almost knocking Qingru backward. If Guo Zixing hadn't caught him in time, he would have knocked her down.

"Thank you!" Qingru's eyes sparkled, shimmering with a moist light.

Guo Zixing suddenly felt a little afraid to look directly into those eyes filled with gratitude and trust.

"You're welcome. Just do your job well; that's already a huge help to me."

The next morning, Guo Zixing went to find Commander Guo.

"What are you here for?"

Guo Zixing had witnessed his power before and was still somewhat intimidated, so he was very respectful. "This time, I've come to report to you on my work and also to report something to you."

General Guo, puffing on his hookah, wondered what important matter Guo Zixing had come to see him about. "Oh? Just say it."

"Yes," Guo Zixing didn't waste any words and directly explained the human trafficking case involving Niu Da and his wife, as well as the second brother and sister-in-law. "...When we verified their identities, we found out that the 'second sister-in-law' Niu Da mentioned was actually a fake. She was actually a man who had used many nicknames in the underworld, but only this 'second brother and sister-in-law' was commonly used in our area. The rest of the time, they were called 'second boss' and 'second boss's wife.' In fact, their real names were Chen Erlang and Liu Yan. Originally, Chen Erlang had a wife and children, but somehow he got involved with Liu Yan from the same village, and the two ran away from home, hiding their identities and living as a fake married couple."

Commander Guo frowned deeply, a hint of disdain in his eyes. "Over the years, how many cases have these two committed? How many people have they trafficked? How many places have they been involved in? And why haven't they been caught yet?"

"This is precisely why I wanted to explain to you. These two have been away from home for over ten years, but have been involved in human trafficking for twelve years. Before that, they were like Niu Da, luring people and then contacting suppliers to sell them. After leaving home, they started working as suppliers, roaming around, befriending people like 'Niu Da,' and recruiting people to sell. Currently, they have spread to 32 townships and more than 40 villages in three provinces. The number of women, children, and even men who have been trafficked is roughly estimated to be over 500. Because they have always used aliases and have locals as insiders, even if someone reports a crime, it is difficult to suspect them. Moreover, the roads have been dangerous these past few years, and not every place is as peaceful as our Sifang City. In some provinces, the people in power today are Zhang San and Li Si, and under such circumstances, no one cares about these things, allowing them to get away with it all these years."

Commander Guo's face was grim, filled with anger and sighs. "Damn it, in a famine, human life is worthless. You handled this matter very well. I'll assign you another group of men and give you a secret order so you can mobilize troops along the way. No human traffickers are allowed to appear in any area under my jurisdiction. And what about that Japanese cotton mill you mentioned? I remember it was run by the Japanese, right?"

"Yes, his name is Namio Hayakawa. He's a Japanese comprador who runs a textile factory outside our city. He hires female workers, and there are also women from the city working there. However, these women are different from the girls from the countryside. It seems there's some reason for this. So my son hired an assistant to go undercover in the textile factory to see what's going on there and whether those girls are still alive."

Marshal Guo took another puff of his cigarette, deep in thought. "Recently, the Japanese have been quite restless. You handle this carefully. Don't offend them too much. Even if you're trying to rescue someone, don't involve the Marshal's Mansion. Don't mess things up."

Guo Zixing nodded in agreement. Commander Guo glanced at him with satisfaction, "Once you've accomplished this task brilliantly, you should also learn the art of governance, strategize, and take on your responsibilities as soon as possible."

"Yes," Guo Zixing suppressed his excitement and forced a smile as he left.