Translator: Cinder Translations
--------
The woman's mother had been poisoned into silence, and the Qian family successfully sealed her lips. This made Jiang Cheng think of the poor woman who had been beaten and bruised but couldn't speak. Her throat was also tampered with by the Qian family, preventing anyone from recognizing her voice.
The same method, the same despicable and outrageous cruelty.
At this point, the plot of the mission was already clear, but they still needed to confirm the ghost's identity.
They needed to figure out the ghost's name.
However, the Qian family was nearly wiped out, and there were few survivors like the woman's mother who had firsthand experience. Where could they find the identity of the female ghost?
The woman slowly sat up and suddenly said, "According to my mother, the police made records for all the women who were trafficked. They detailed the time of their abduction and their subsequent experiences. These records should still be kept."
Chen Xiaomeng immediately asked, "Do you know where the records are?"
"I'm not sure," the woman replied uncertainly, "But I think there should be a record in the town, since Xiao Shijian Village is under the jurisdiction of Anping Town."
With most of the information gathered, they no longer delayed and prepared to leave.
"By the way," Chen Xiaomeng turned around and asked, "Have you seen or heard anyone in the village mention two women who came with us?"
"What's the matter?" the woman asked, her eyes widening in surprise. "Are two of your women missing?"
"Yes."
"When did this happen?"
"This afternoon."
The woman seemed to have thought of something, and her face darkened. After a while, she said, "That's not good. That ghost rarely harms women."
The implication was clear to Jiang Cheng and Chen Xiaomeng. Li Lu and Yu Man had probably fallen victim to the villagers' black hands.
"Understood."
Chen Xiaomeng had planned to rescue them if possible, but saving them now would be a waste of time, risking their lives for nothing. It might be better to leave them in the village, as they could delay some of the men and give them more time.
After this exchange, the two of them walked out.
"Where are you two going?" The woman caught up with them, her voice serious. "The village head might come to catch you tomorrow. Be careful and leave as soon as possible."
Chen Xiaomeng's gaze flickered as she replied, "We'll go to the back mountain's deep pool to avoid the wind and see if there are any clues."
The woman thought for a moment. "Alright. But be careful. If the village head catches you, you'll be sent back to the Qian family's estate."
Just before they left, Jiang Cheng turned around and said to the woman, "If you get the chance, leave this place."
The woman smiled bitterly and shook her head, not saying anything.
The two figures merged with the night.
When the woman closed the door and turned back toward the kang (a traditional heated bed), the door covered by a quilt opened, and a small face peeked out, calling out in a crisp voice, "Mother!"
The woman jumped in shock. After realizing it was her daughter, she quickly calmed down but still scolded her sternly. "Lower your voice, you'll wake up Grandma."
"Oh," the little girl, Hong Hong, stood in the doorframe, her large eyes glancing toward the window.
"Why aren't you sleeping? What are you looking at?" the woman asked.
Hong Hong swallowed nervously, her eyes dimming. "Mother," she paused. "They've left."
The woman froze for a moment, then nodded after a few seconds. "They've left."
"Then, can they get away?"
The woman looked out at the dark night, shook her head, and sighed. "I don't know."
"What about us?" Hong Hong suddenly turned her head.
--------
The two of them moved swiftly through the night, avoiding the smoother cobblestone paths, as stepping on them would make a sound. Instead, they walked along the dirt paths beside them, which, although muddy, offered greater safety.
The two moved in perfect sync, silent after leaving Hong Hong's house, heading toward the village entrance.
As for Chen Xiaomeng's mention of going to the back mountain's deep pool to avoid the wind, that was just a diversion; neither of them took it seriously.
The back mountain's deep pool was in the opposite direction from Anping Town.
Whether the woman betrayed them and actively informed the village head, or if their actions tonight were discovered, the village head's threats would only confuse their tracking.
By the time the village head and his men arrived at the back mountain's deep pool, they would have already finished their mission and gone home to rest.
In a nightmare, never trust anyone.
Chen Xiaomeng had already grown tired of hearing this phrase.
"Are you sure you can find your way back to the town?" Jiang Cheng crouched behind some bushes near the village entrance, glancing sideways. Chen Xiaomeng, in the same posture, lay beside him, her eyes fixed on the entrance.
Although they judged that the villagers were unlikely to move at night, they still remained wary of any surprises.
This was a perfect ambush spot and the only way out of the village.
"If you don't trust me, go ahead on your own," Chen Xiaomeng replied coldly, not even looking at him.
The night wind was strong, and the town was damp. Chen Xiaomeng's clothes clung to her body, her lips turning pale from the cold.
Jiang Cheng didn't feel much better, but he convinced himself that he was still in the room they had stayed in earlier, facing a blazing fire, warmth filling his body.
Soon, Jiang Cheng's complexion miraculously turned rosy.
After observing for a while, nothing happened except for the howling wind.
Finally, Chen Xiaomeng, who had been frozen for so long, couldn't bear it any longer. She bent over and carefully moved along the thickest part of the bushes toward the village entrance.
Jiang Cheng, light-footed like a playful deer, followed behind her. His footsteps were even lighter than Chen Xiaomeng's.
Fortunately, they passed through the open area near the village entrance unharmed. About 20 meters ahead, there was a large rock. Once they circled it, they would be out of the village.
Just as Chen Xiaomeng was about to speed up and reach the rock to catch her breath, Jiang Cheng suddenly rushed up and grabbed her.
Chen Xiaomeng's pupils trembled violently, a murderous glint flashing in her eyes. She instinctively prepared to throw this reckless man in a classic back slam, then break his neck.
But Jiang Cheng's words froze her in place.
"Don't move!" he said coldly. "There's a landmine."
(End of the Chapter)
---
Read (NS) ahead on (pa treon . com / CinderTL) – Chapter 234.
Early access starts at $1. Your support keeps this going!
Use Code CINDER2025 to get 50% first month discount on TUR and TUP Tiers. Valid Till 15Jan2025. \(^O^)/
$1 for this novel, or two novels for just $5, RDC/FF/MF Tiers. ;)
Translated 4 Series, 1.5K+ Chapters and 1.78M+ Words.