The air still reeked of burnt corpses; a gust of wind blew over the charred stakes in the ground, stirring up black ash and taunting the bodies swinging from the trees. Cawing loudly, crows took flight after picking at the hollow eye sockets.
The corpses had not yet rotted, and the distinctive branding on their bodies revealed the deceased to be slaves from various plantation properties. Judging from the mismatched whip marks, scratches, and club wounds, these slaves were mistreated by their abusive masters.
Gazing at the grim scene outside the carriage, Li Lin silently soaked his throat with red wine.
