Ransoming People

"Grandma! Grandma!" the little girl anxiously looked around, calling out loudly.

Seeing her grandmother leave her alone, she covered her face and burst into tears, "Waaaah."

She was finally abandoned.

Seeing the little girl, about ten years old, crying so sadly, Yun Ling couldn't help but feel pity. She walked over, forced herself to half-crouch on the ground, stroked the girl's bun, and gently comforted her, "Little Jingjing, don't cry. Grandma is just going to save your father. She'll be back in a few days."

Her family ran a porridge shop, and they saw a lot of customers every day. Her memory was also exceptionally good, so she knew almost everyone in the Sky Fortune Tribe.

Chen Jingjing had only been a few years old when she came to the porridge shop with her father, Chen Zhou, to eat porridge. At that time, she had even teased the little baby.

Grandma Chen didn't have the surname Chen. No one knew her actual surname. Everyone called her "Grandma from the Chen family," and over time, it just became Grandma Chen.

While comforting her, Yun Ling pulled Chen Jingjing into her arms.

"Grandma, I want Grandma!" the little girl cried even louder.

Ziyan and Muyang stood there like two wooden stumps, at a loss, not knowing what to do.

After Yun Ling had calmed the little girl, she tried to stand up, but her leg suddenly went numb, and she fell back onto the grass.

"Sister!" Chen Jingjing cried out in alarm and hurried forward, wanting to help Yun Ling up, but she was too weak.

Seeing this, the two women who had been standing idly came online.

They rushed forward in a flash, one on each side, linking their arms with Yun Ling's, and easily helped her up.

"Thank you," Yun Ling said, looking around at the three women, giving a sweet smile. Two dimples appeared at the corners of her mouth. "Come on, let's go home. I'll treat you to something delicious."

With the three of them accompanying her, she probably wouldn't be lonely anymore.

Tianyun Plateau.

Xian He escorted Grandma Chen all the way to the southern exit of the Sky Fortune Tribe.

The Sky Fortune Tribe had four exits: east, west, south, and north. The east exit faced the slave market, the west exit faced the road down the mountain, the south exit faced the Black Oil Forest, and the north exit faced the farmland and Muyang Forest.

The transaction location on Greedy Wolf's ransom note was near the Black Oil Forest. The Black Oil Forest guarded the forbidden area, Black Spring, and was very dangerous and terrifying. It was said that Greedy Wolf had set up headquarters in the Black Oil Forest because Greedy Wolf's men frequently appeared in the vicinity.

Seeing that no one was around, Xian He untied his money pouch and handed it to Grandma Chen, instructing, "Keep the money safe and don't drop it on the way. I can't accompany you any further."

"Thank you, young man!" Grandma Chen excitedly tucked the money pouch into her clothes, her cloudy old eyes filled with hope.

With this money, she could redeem her only son.

Xian He smiled and waved his hand, saying, "You're welcome. Just pick out a few more useful maids for me in the future. I'll wait for you at this intersection. Come back quickly." He shielded his eyes with his hand and looked up at the sun's height. It would be noon in another hour or two.

"Alright, this old servant will depart now!" Grandma Chen, leaning on her cane, walked away unsteadily.

Few people went to the Black Oil Forest, so there was no main road leading there, only a winding, rocky, and thorny rugged path.

Grandma Chen gritted her teeth, leaned on her cane, held her breath, and walked deeper into the path. The vegetation grew denser and denser.

After an unknown amount of time, a group of masked men blocked the road.

Some held large sabers, some carried iron spears, and some wielded huge stone hammers. They exuded a terrifying killing aura.

On each of their masks, a character for "wolf" was embroidered.

"Halt! This mountain is mine, this tree is mine. If you want to pass, leave your toll!" The masked swordsman at the head brandished his gleaming saber, glaring menacingly at the prey in front of him.

"Thump!"

Grandma Chen knelt on the ground, kowtowing as she said, "Please spare this old woman, esteemed Greedy Wolf sirs. This old woman has come to redeem her son."

"Redeem someone?" The masked swordsman narrowed his eyes and asked coldly, "Who do you want to redeem? Blacksmith Li, Tailor Zhang, or Carpenter Zhao?"

"None of them. My son grows Muyang Trees. His surname is Chen, and his name is Chen Zhou," Grandma Chen said, trembling.

"Gardener?" The masked swordsman was taken aback and turned to ask, "Is there anyone like that among the hostages?"

"There seems to be a gardener who grows trees, but he escaped last night, attacked us, and injured our brothers. He was cut down by a flurry of blades," a subordinate recalled.

After hearing the subordinate's report, the masked swordsman showed no emotion and asked indifferently, "Where is the body?"

"I'll go get it right away!" The subordinate called two companions and quickly left.

At this moment, Grandma Chen's face had lost all color.

Her son... was dead?

No, they must have made a mistake. How could Chen Zhou be dead? He was such a cowardly person, he wouldn't run away, let alone attack someone? They must have made a mistake, they must have.

"Greedy Wolf sirs, did you make a mistake?" Grandma Chen asked.

A flicker of impatience flashed in the masked swordsman's eyes. "Whether it's a mistake or not, you'll know soon. Hand over the ransom first!" He gave a signal to his subordinate behind him.