How could I possibly be confined in a cage?

The camera was finally brought in.

Zhang Yan brought in a camera and, taking advantage of the midday hour, hid it in the bushes to the southwest, then threw a note with the location written on it to Qingru.

After Qingru determined the location, she had Qiushuang provide cover while she pretended to have a stomachache and hid the camera in the mass grave. She dug a hole and buried it, planning to retrieve it with Luchaibang'er that night.

It wasn't that Qingru didn't want to bring the camera back to the pipeline, but the foreman would come over to check on it every now and then, afraid of giving herself away.

When Qingru finally held the camera in her hands that evening, she was so excited she almost fainted.

Guo Zixing knew what she was going to do, so he specially found her a German Flürns camera, small and convenient, that could be hidden in her clothes. Fortunately, it was winter, and she was already wearing many layers, so she wasn't worried about being noticed. Besides, the factory guards only checked for smuggled items when people left work, and didn't care about that when people started work.

Qingru opened the leather bag containing the camera, and a piece of paper fell out. Looking at it, Qingru saw that it was a user manual personally written by Guo Zixing, and she felt a warmth in her heart.

Having memorized all the methods, he burned the note in the fire, leaving no evidence whatsoever.

They also taught us how to use reeds and planned to film the mass grave scene, exposing the horrific scene to the public.

Fortunately, Luchaibang'er was quick-witted and learned it in no time after Qingru taught him.

"We don't have much film left; every roll we use is one less. We must capture the most authentic footage, understand?"

Seeing Qingru's serious attitude, Luchaibang'er nodded, indicating that he would never let Qingru down.

I spent three days in such fear and trembling, and my camera already contained more than ten photos: female corpses lying haphazardly in the mass grave, arduous work in the factory, female workers being beaten at will, and food that tasted like pig swill... all of these were in the camera.

After checking several times and confirming that everything was there, Qingru began to consider backing out. As long as she had this evidence, rescuing these bonded female laborers was only a matter of time.

Therefore, after discussing it, Qingru and the others decided to split up. Qingru contacted Zhang Yan to meet them outside, while Luchaibang'er went to explore the dense forest to see if there was an exit.

Qiu Shuang and Gui Ying were responsible for providing cover.

"Lü Xiaocui".

Xing'er suddenly spoke, startling Qingru who was deep in thought. "What's wrong?"

Xing'er hesitated for a moment, looking around to make sure no one was watching before whispering, "Do you... also know Mr. Xia?"

"What?" Qingru was completely confused. What Mr. Xia? Why was Xing'er suddenly talking to her about this?

"It's nothing..." Xing'er changed her tone and didn't explain to Qingru. Just as she was about to ask, Qing's sinister gaze swept over her. To avoid trouble, Qingru had no choice but to suppress her questions for the time being.

He kept the name "Mr. Xia" in mind, planning to ask Xing'er after work. Although Xing'er was from the city, she lived in the southwest corner just like them, only her environment was slightly better. There were several temporary thatched huts, divided into many rooms, and each room could fit about ten people. However, she was better off than them because she had a roof over her head.

Even after finishing work, I didn't find a chance to ask Xing'er. But it was too late. Qingru and the others had set a date for tonight. Once midnight was over, they would leave that dense forest.

Luchaibang'er had already gone to explore the area several times under the guise of gathering firewood. There was indeed a dense forest there, lush and boundless, with the sound of babbling water and the roar of a waterfall in the distance, suggesting that there was a cliff there.

Qingru had a better understanding of the situation. Last time, when she was captured by Niu Ersao, she was stuffed into a cave under the waterfall. It was a deep cave, and if there hadn't been traces along the way, Guo Zixing probably wouldn't have been able to find her so quickly.

There were four of them in total. They only needed to cross the dense forest, find a hidden cave to hide in, and wait for Guo Zixing to come to their rescue after the search party had passed.

Thinking of the signal gun and medicine buried in the mass grave, Qingru felt more confident.

At this moment, Qingru looked pale and she and Qiushuang helped each other walk towards the pipe. When they arrived, Luchaibang had already prepared the meal, and Zhang Dali's family was sharing it.

They had just finished work and wouldn't get the thickest bowl; that was reserved for those going to work the night shift, to ensure they wouldn't faint from hunger. This was the only time the two groups could meet.

Qiu Shuang was leaving tonight. She looked at Qiao Feng and Xin Lan and hesitated, feeling reluctant to leave. She was about to escape, but her two good sisters had to stay here and suffer.

Qiaofeng kept a straight face, her expression already showing the cold indifference of an experienced female worker. She merely glanced at Qiushuang, taking it as a greeting.

Xinlan's eyes were filled with tears. Seeing Qiushuang frowning and looking at her with concern, she gritted her teeth, wanting to say something but not daring to.

Only when Qiu Shuang passed by did she tightly grab her sleeve and say in a trembling voice, "I...I'm so miserable..." Then she dared not say anything more, covered her face and ran away.

Zhang Dali's wife covered her spoon and cursed, "You little bitch, you're crying and wailing because your parents died, ptooey, shameless! I gave you a bowl of rice to eat and raised you into such an ungrateful wretch, a lowlife, rotten..." The following words were even more unbearable to hear. Qingru didn't know where she got so many dirty words from, all of them vulgar and low-class, and she even dragged in other people's parents and ancestors for eighteen generations.

For a moment, Qiu Shuang considered taking Xin Lan away, but she immediately suppressed it. This period of time had been tough enough. If her whereabouts were disrupted because of other matters, not only would she suffer, but Qing Ru and the others would also be in trouble.

Therefore, filled with deep guilt, all I could do was cast a sympathetic glance my way, but there was nothing I could do.

Qingru thought about it more deeply. Among Qiushuang's group, Xinlan was the most outstanding one. She had fair skin and delicate features, and she liked to dress up. Recalling Zhang Dali's lecherous look, as if he had just been pulled out of an oil drum, she had some guesses in her mind.

Moreover... the insults from Zhang Dali's family were so nasty, it's hard to say if it wasn't because Zhang Dali did something wrong.

Qingru has been so busy finding evidence and a way out these days that she has neglected the situation of these girls. Perhaps Xinlan and the others have had different experiences than she has.

When the Indian police patrolled the entrance, some of them would try to steal things. Luckily, Qingru had dressed herself up so badly that she looked like a stunted, burnt-out stick, that no one dared to mess with her.

But it's a different story with Shinran. She's new, fair-skinned, and stands out among the female workers. Who knows...

Qingru didn't want to think that way, but for a girl, it was too shameful and too tragic.

Luchaibang understood at a glance, and sighed almost imperceptibly. She had seen this kind of thing many times before, and knew what was going on at a glance. But she couldn't sympathize with her, because she was also pitiful and had no ability to save herself or others.

Xinlan still went to work with Qiaofeng and the others. Qingru could tell from her swollen face that she must have been beaten by Zhang Dali's family, who had chased after her.

They couldn't wait any longer; the dire situation here had to be exposed so that all the bonded female workers in the yarn factory could escape their misery. Zhang Dali's waving ladle was once again tossed into the pot, covered in some suspicious scum. But no one bothered her; after a day's work, they were nearly starving, and being given something to eat was a blessing.

It's clear that the foreman has a lot of authority over the female workers; even when she wasn't there, no one stole food.

Zhang Dali's wife stirred the food in the pot with a spoon and then handed it to Lu Chaibang'er, saying, "Here you go, share it. Every day, it's not enough to keep me busy. Eat, eat, eat until you all die! Even pigs can't eat as much as you..."

The crowd forgot about her insults; filling their stomachs was the most important thing now.

Lu Chai Bang'er took the large ladle and skillfully served the female workers their meals, just like Zhang Dali's family's, half water and half thin porridge.

In no time, the sounds of snoring and slurping food echoed throughout the southwest corner of the area.

"Hehe, what a bunch of pigs, scrambling around like pigs digging for food, haha..." Zhang Dali's wife swayed as she walked away, her laughter carrying far.

After eating, the female workers would rinse their mouths haphazardly with water from the buckets and go to sleep; there was no opportunity to take a bath at that time.

Qingru and the others huddled together by the reeds. Sun Qiao'er's body had already been moved to the mass grave. The three of them were now huddled together, waiting for midnight so they could escape with Guiying.

In the dead of winter, when it was freezing cold, several people were crammed into a pipe, huddled together for warmth. They were exhausted from the daytime and no one bothered to gossip about the weather, so Qingru and the others were not particularly noticeable.

The air inside the pipes didn't smell good, but no one paid any attention to it. The group looked tense, especially Qiu Shuang, whose breathing was rapid and whose body trembled involuntarily.

Qingru frowned, a hint of worry flashing in her eyes. "Qiushuang, how are you? Can you still walk?"

"Yes, I can," Qiu Shuang said. Her eyes were blank, as if she were trying to convince herself not to be afraid. Lu Chai Bang'er glanced at her, then at Qing Ru, looking rather disdainful of Qiu Shuang. Gui Ying, on the other hand, kindly hugged Qiu Shuang and offered her words of comfort and encouragement.

Qingru knew that Luchaibang'er meant that he was afraid Qiushuang would hold him back, but Qingru couldn't bring herself to abandon him halfway, so she secretly shook her head at Luchaibang'er.

Fortunately, the other two didn't see Luchai Bang'er's disdain, otherwise Qingru would have had to go through the trouble of explaining.

He took out his pocket watch and glanced at it in the moonlight. It was already past eleven o'clock at night. Everyone was physically exhausted, but their spirits remained high, making them look both haggard and energetic.

Qingru estimated the time it would take for everyone to reach the mass grave, and then asked the others, "Have you brought everything?"

They didn't have much luggage; their travel permits and other documents had been taken away by the tour guide, so only a few pieces of clothing were their "only property."

Having received affirmative answers from several people, Qingru gritted her teeth and resolutely said, "Let's go!"

Despite having Guo Zixing outside to provide support, Qingru was still uneasy. She wasn't just escaping alone; she was leading so many people. If anything happened to them, her conscience wouldn't be at peace.

The moon was high in the sky, and although it was still cold, the snow had melted, so the light on the ground wasn't very bright. The four of them, avoiding others, secretly slipped out from the other side of the pipe they had prepared beforehand.

Fortunately, these pipes, though ventilated on both sides, ended up being a boon for them.

She dared not turn on her flashlight, relying entirely on the reeds she had practiced these past few days. When she went out to collect firewood, she would close her eyes to find her way, so as to ensure that she could find her way even at night.

It was cold at night, and the night patrollers were reluctant to come out, but they still remained cautious.

Reeds led the way, Qingru was at the back, and Qiushuang clung tightly to Reeds, making it difficult for her to move around.

"Squat down."

The sound of rustling reeds suddenly rang out, and the group quickly crouched down in the bushes. A bright light shone down, and the group was so frightened that they dared not move.

Qingru looked up and saw that it was the Indian policeman, tall and dark-skinned, patrolling the area with a flashlight.

The group held their breath and waited, knowing he would leave soon if nothing happened.

The Indian policeman, however, seemed unhurried, swinging his flashlight around. The light swept across the area several times, almost revealing the location of Qingru and her group.

The patrolman, dressed in a coat, stood there imposingly like a gatekeeper, humming a song that Qingru couldn't understand—perhaps some kind of local folk song.

Seeing that he seemed to be waiting for someone, Qingru patiently continued to wait.

Qiu Shuang was timid and was trembling uncontrollably. Lu Chai Bang'er disliked her, fearing she would be a burden to him.

About fifteen minutes later, the patrolman grew impatient and started tearing at the weeds and stamping his feet to vent his frustration.

Suddenly, Qingru, who had been paying attention to him, noticed another figure approaching from a distance and quickly lowered her body even further.

Upon recognizing the voice of the person who approached, they were so surprised they almost cried out.

Xinlan?!

Luchai covered Qiushuang's mouth first to prevent her from crying out.

The group exchanged horrified glances, completely bewildered. Qiu Shuang, on the other hand, was relieved to learn that Xin Lan knew this patrolman. Had she not been able to resist telling Xin Lan about it earlier, they would likely have been exposed.

The patrolman couldn't wait to hug and kiss Xinlan, and started touching her inappropriately. Xinlan looked resistant, but she didn't push him away, letting the patrolman take liberties with her.

What would happen next was self-evident, and everyone fell silent. Could they really let this absurd thing happen before their eyes? Qingru knew she couldn't do it, especially since Xinlan might not want her secret exposed, even if forced.

Qiu Shuang tugged at Qing Ru's sleeve for help, tears streaming down her face, her expression full of pleading.

Qingru wanted to brush her hand away, but she insisted, "Are we just going to sit idly by? Xiaocui, I know you have a way, you must have a way, right?"

After much deliberation, Qingru could only nod heavily. She herself couldn't bear to look at the baby so badly. The most crucial thing was that these two were blocking their way to the mass grave, and they couldn't avoid them. They had to find a way to lure them away.

Qingru lowered her head and thought for a moment, then suddenly raised her head and said, "Big Dog, those dogs."

Luchaibanger was the first to understand Qingru's intention: she wanted to release a dog to create chaos, but this would also easily expose them.

Ignoring Luchai'er's attempts to stop her, Qingru patted her hand to reassure her, "Don't worry, I'll be fine."

But deep down she wasn't sure either. She had no experience raising dogs, and she didn't have the agility to dodge them. All she could do was pray to God for a safe journey.