Volume 1, Chapter 57: The Terrifying Little Mud House

Under my frantic kicking, the wooden door finally yielded a crack.

I caught sight of the night sky, starlight, and a crescent moon.

Not far away, dark silhouettes resembled tall trees.

I kept kicking until the gap grew wide enough for me to squeeze my body through.

I could now clearly see my surroundings: a dense forest dotted with low bushes.

The place where I had been locked up just moments before was a small adobe hut nestled within this woods.

The hut had a small window high up on the wall, sealed shut with wooden boards, which explained why I could see no light from inside.

The forest, the shadows, and the unfamiliar environment left me utterly at a loss.

My phone was gone, making it even more impossible for me to contact the outside world.

I took deep breath after deep breath, telling myself not to panic, and forced my eyes wide open to discern my surroundings in the faint moonlight.

Faintly, I spotted a narrow path winding through the trees.

Clutching the scalpel tightly, I cautiously moved forward.

Before long, I came upon a wider path through the forest, one wide enough for vehicles, and my spirits eased slightly.

I followed this road, walking onward with steady and unyielding determination.

Dawn broke!

I saw the Qingyun Reservoir, its surface rippling with gentle waves, and a small boat drifting upon it.

I couldn't help but offer a bitter smile; the exact same scenario had played out twice now, and I had somehow been abducted back to that very same small patch of woods.

Yet, the differences were stark.

Last time, that gang merely wanted to prevent me from taking the college entrance exam.

This time, however, they had bound me and locked me away inside a small earthen hut.

Had no one discovered me, I surely would have starved to death in there—this was murder in a different guise.

I, your father, have survived this catastrophe, and I will certainly not let you off!

Filled with rage, I clenched my fists and pressed on, my footsteps never faltering for a second.

A little past seven in the morning, I entered the county town, passing right by the Anhe Residential Community.

Patting my pocket, I found my community pass still there; the kidnappers must have deemed it useless and hadn't bothered to search for it.

They had merely taken my phone and my cheap wristwatch.

I stood outside for a moment before making a major life decision: I showed the guard my pass and entered the Anhe community.

I found Chang Yong's home and knocked on the door.

Soon enough, the door swung open.

Meng Wanying appeared in the doorway, dressed in a pink pantsuit, exquisitely made up and strikingly pretty, looking as though she were just about to leave for work.

Behind her stood Hanghang, also wearing a miniature suit, peering out at me with curious eyes.

"Xiaoyan, what brings you here?"

Meng Wanying asked, half in pleasant surprise and half in confusion.

After all, the time agreed upon for tutoring sessions was supposed to be the afternoon two days later.

"After I left here last night, I was abducted on my way, barely escaped with my life just now, and my phone is gone."

I gave a brief account of events.

At this, Meng Wanying was utterly stunned, looking me up and down.

At that moment, I looked utterly exhausted, my suit was stained with grime, and my legs were trembling uncontrollably from fatigue.

Meng Wanying believed me. She ushered me inside while shouting loudly into the apartment.

"Old Chang, hurry up and come out! Xiaoyan has been kidnapped."

Chang Yong walked out of the bedroom in a hurry, throwing a coat over his shoulders, and likewise looked me up and down.

"Xiaoyan, sit down quickly and have some water."

Meng Wanying supported me with concern, and suddenly a sourness hit the bridge of my nose as tears welled up and fell.

"Don't cry!"

Meng Wanying's eyes also turned red, and she tenderly wiped my tears away before saying to Chang Yong, "Old Chang, look at this. The boy has been bullied to this extent; we simply have to intervene."

"Tell us what happened."

Chang Yong rummaged through a drawer, pulled out a pack of cigarettes, lit one, sat down opposite me, and forced himself to look alert.

His expression also betrayed exhaustion; he must have returned home very late.

I recounted everything that had happened the previous night without omitting a single detail.

I purposely mentioned that it was using the scalpel Chang Sisi had given me that I had cut through the ropes and managed to escape.

"Zhou Yan, come with me. The county public security bureau will handle this case directly," Chang Yong said, rising with a solemn expression.

"Let Xiaoyan have something to eat first!" Meng Wanying protested.

"To the hospital first. If we delay too long, certain substances can no longer be detected."

Chang Yong waved a hand.

I only drank half a cup of water before heading out the door with Chang Yong and getting into his car.

After making a quick call to an officer at the station, he drove straight to the county hospital.

Two police officers had already arrived in advance. They arranged for doctors to collect valid forensic samples from my body, draw blood for testing, and conduct a comprehensive physical examination.

In the end, I was hooked up to an IV drip and laid down on a hospital bed.

I was utterly exhausted, lacking even an ounce of strength, and so sleepy I could barely keep my eyes open, drifting off into a deep, heavy slumber.

When I woke up, it was already afternoon.

The first person to walk into the hospital ward, much to my surprise, was Chang Sisi, carrying a lunchbox in her hand.

"You brat, you really are down on your luck!"

Chang Sisi smiled as she opened the lunchbox, which contained four delicate vegetable dishes, white steamed buns, and a bowl of millet porridge.

"Sisi, I'm so sorry to put you to this trouble," I said, feeling both apologetic and touched.

"Pfft, as if I'm doing this out of the goodness of my heart. I'm just trying to butter you up so you'll teach me your exclusive study secrets."

Chang Sisi rolled her eyes before urging, "Eat up quickly. The doctor said there's nothing wrong with your health; you're as strong as an ox."

I finally chuckled. Realizing how truly hungry I was, I buried my head and ate.

In no time, I had polished off the entire meal, and I felt my strength returning.

"Sisi, thank you for the scalpel you gave me."

"Haha, aren't I just full of foresight? Consider me your savior, then?" Chang Sisi blinked a few times, not forgetting to claim credit.

"Your immense kindness will never be forgotten!"

I gave a cupped-fist salute and added sincerely, "I will definitely help your studies catch up so that you get into medical school."

"You'd better keep your word, or else my scalpel won't show any mercy," Chang Sisi teased with a mischievous smile.

"A real man's word is worth its weight in gold!"

"Hehe, that gives me a bit of confidence. I'll wait for you the day after tomorrow."

Chang Sisi packed up the lunchbox and turned to leave.

Not long after, two police officers entered. The first thing they did was return an item to me—my phone.

"Where was it found?" I asked, pleasantly surprised.

"Picked up in the small woods," one of the officers replied.

As he spoke, he took out a small notebook, laid it flat on his knee, and began taking notes.

The other officer took out a voice recorder to archive the statement.

They questioned me in detail about the entire kidnapping incident, repeatedly asking about specific details and also inquiring about the case involving the college entrance exam, recording everything together.

"Zhou Yan, for safety's sake, don't go out at night for the next few days, and definitely don't get into a stranger's car."

One officer admonished me sternly, while the other reminded me, "Given the gravity and complexity of the case, once you leave the hospital, keep quiet about it for now to prevent any leaks."

I nodded vigorously. The two officers reassured me not to be afraid and to call the police if anything seemed amiss, before standing up and leaving.

I borrowed a charger from a nurse and plugged in my phone.

Lying idly on the hospital bed, gazing at the warm sunlight filtering through the window, I recalled my ordeal in the small earthen hut last night—it truly had been a terrifying nightmare.

Who on earth were they?

Why didn't they just kill me?