"Exactly! Human traffickers are utterly hateful. All for that filthy money—three hundred, two hundred—they destroy so many families. If you ask me, whenever you cops catch a trafficker, you should just shoot them," a neighbor said indignantly.
Little Third, who was helping at the liangfen stall, also sighed. "I used to think I had it bad enough. But after seeing those four older boys at the orphanage, I realized they had it much worse than me. Human traffickers aren't human."
Huo Baichuan snorted and casually rapped Little Third on the head. "Good that you know. Let's see if you still dare hang around with those little hooligans. Maybe one day when they need money, they'll sell you to traffickers."
Little Third covered his head, hesitating before he spoke. "It's not like I don't want to turn over a new leaf. Blade Brother sends people to look for me every day. He said if I don't go back, they'll break my legs."
"Hm?" Huo Baichuan had only been trying to scare him, but he had unexpectedly gotten something out of him. "Which Blade Brother? Why does he want you back?"
"What else could it be?" Little Third curled his lip. "The usual stealing and thieving. They said once you join the Little Knife Society, you belong to the Little Knife Society for life. No betrayal allowed. Otherwise, it's three cuts and six holes."
The old station chief was so angry he laughed. "Where did they learn all this nonsense?"
"That's what I said." Little Third clearly had not taken Blade Brother's threats seriously. "I told them to pass a message to Blade Brother. I said I didn't think the Little Knife Society had much of a future, so I quit on my own initiative. I'm following Brother Tao and Brother Huo