Simulated Crime, This Criminal Doesn't Seem to Be Acting

Chapter 71

The woman hid in the darkness, her leg slightly crippled, and Ye Sangsang could only see the silhouette of her profile.

Approximately one meter away, with the light from the open kitchen door behind her, her outline was half illuminated and half shadowed, making it unclear for Ye Sangsang to see her clearly.

But Ye Sangsang had a good memory and recognized the owner of that silhouette.

It seemed to be one of the women who had worked at Li Da's funeral.

She was accompanied by another person, likely an accomplice.

Was she genuinely trying to escape? Or was this a trick or a test from some villagers? Ye Sangsang didn't know, but for now, she could follow along.

Why not try another possibility? What if they actually managed to get out?

She had specifically found a slightly thicker jacket from Old Lady Li's wardrobe to wrap herself in.

As she approached, the other woman quickly moved away.

Ye Sangsang quickened her pace to keep up.

Only when she was standing on the other side of the woman did Ye Sangsang get a clearer view of her companion's appearance.

She looked to be around the same age as Ye Sangsang, wearing a dark blue jacket, and walked with a limp.

The three of them silently agreed not to speak, as they risked being discovered.

The woman seemed accustomed to fleeing, leading the two of them through the village's back mountains, avoiding the main path out of the mountain.

The journey was surprisingly smooth, right until they reached the dense forest.

"Why did you contact me? And why bring me along?"

She fished out a flashlight she had found in Li Da's room, turned it on, and shone it ahead while probing.

The woman looked at the flashlight in Ye Sangsang's hand, her eyes flashing with curiosity. "Because of Old Man Li's death. You're involved, and I found a strand of your hair snagged on a branch in the mountains."

Finding a hair in the forest, especially at the spot where Old Man Li died, was almost undeniable evidence.

"So, you thought I'd make a good helper?" Ye Sangsang chuckled.

The woman nodded firmly.

The other girl remained silent, just quietly following along.

"She doesn't talk much anymore. Life here has been too exhausting for her," the woman sighed, seeing Ye Sangsang frequently glance at the girl.

Ye Sangsang trod forward on the slippery ground, the village now only about seven or eight hundred meters behind them. She turned back and could no longer see the village clearly, but the distant firelight stained the horizon a faint red.

Thinking of Old Lady Li likely being burned alive, Ye Sangsang's lips curled into a smile.

The woman noticed this and looked at Ye Sangsang curiously. "What's going on?"

"I burned a house," Ye Sangsang stated simply, describing what she had done.

The woman's face changed instantly upon seeing the faint firelight. "Let's hurry."

She quickly urged.

The girl nodded hastily, realizing that once the fire was discovered, they would surely notice something unusual.

Such as someone having escaped.

For these people, putting out the fire wouldn't be their top priority.

The silent girl finally spoke, "You were a bit too impulsive, and... and..."

"You're implying I killed someone?" Ye Sangsang continued walking, finishing her sentence.

The girl nodded silently but didn't stop moving.

"You didn't listen carefully earlier. There's also Old Man Li," Ye Sangsang added.

"You... you... you're amazing..." The girl stammered, swallowing hard to finish her words.

Ye Sangsang chuckled, finding the girl's reaction amusing.

**【My Sangsang is indeed amazing, but I can't figure out why she had to set the fire! Wouldn't it have been simpler just to kill them?】**

**【The little girl got so scared she stuttered! But after all, seeing dead bodies, even if they're bad people, is still shocking for an ordinary person.】**

**【Don't be afraid, little sister. Sangsang is just upholding justice. They would’ve been caught if they just ran away. The fire will reduce the number of people chasing them.】**

The barrage discussed the escape, and Ye Sangsang's decision to flee relieved many.

If ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‍Old Lady Li's death was found out the next day, even the villagers wouldn't be able to ignore it.

When that happened, outnumbered as she was, Ye Sangsang might be re-sold or even killed to eliminate the threat.

Ye Sangsang wasn't aware of these discussions in her bullet comments. If she had been, she would've just said it was unnecessary concern.

She hadn't intended to kill Old Lady Li outright.

Had that been her plan, she would’ve just cut her down on the spot instead of tying her to the bed and leisurely going to eat.

After a hushed discussion, the three quickened their pace, weaving deeper into the forest.

Ye Sangsang realized this was an experienced move by the woman.

It seemed she wasn't a first-time escapee.

She watched the woman's back, wondering if she had some skill.

The path was treacherous—after a heavy rain, the ground was muddy, and the wet leaves made every step slippery.

They were heading toward the highest mountain in the village.

The highest peak stretched into a vast forest, almost like an untamed wilderness.

Ye Sangsang estimated that once they entered the heart of the forest, they could lose anyone trying to catch them.

This aligned with her earlier analysis upon entering the dungeon and considering the "escape to freedom" mission.

The woman was clearly taking this course.

Ye Sangsang followed her, wondering if this path would actually work.

And if it did, maybe it would save her from having to kill more people.

Not out of pity, but simply because she found it uninteresting.

As she walked, Ye Sangsang pondered while following alongside.

She used the flashlight at its lowest setting, its weak light forcing the three of them to squint as they moved carefully.

The girl with the crippled leg was at the back, gritting her teeth to keep up.

The woman led the way, estimating the direction.

"They're

All they could do was try to run as far as possible.

[Alas, we can't escape. I've spotted someone at the corner ahead.]

[It was too chaotic back then.]

[I could already foresee the consequences.]

Sure enough, ten seconds later, they halted.

Four or five men surrounded them from both sides.

The next moment, a loud screech of brakes rang out beside them, and a van door opened.

Sister Hong stepped out, smirking, then made a waving motion.

Two burly men immediately moved forward, forcefully pushing the two women into the van.

Once inside, Ye Sangsang and Sun Nian were viciously slapped across the face several times.

"Never thought you'd be so restless," Sister Hong snarled, grabbing Ye Sangsang's chin roughly. "Where's the other one?"

Ye Sangsang and Sun Nian stayed silent.

Then came a few more slaps.

Their faces quickly swelled up.

Ye Sangsang licked the coppery taste of blood from her mouth, her dark eyes calm as she quietly said, "I ditched the other one. She was a cripple, a burden. I left her by the side of the road."

"Don’t try to fool me! You won't cry until you see the coffin!" Sister Hong narrowed her eyes, glaring at Ye Sangsang.

Ye Sangsang sighed, "It's true. Why would I lie to you? She was just a crippled girl."

Sister Hong snorted coldly, waving her hand to signal the van to move.

They soon arrived at a courtyard, where the two were pushed inside.

The room was filled with other girls and boys. Several big men entered and began sizing the two newcomers up without a word.

The beatings came in rapid succession, forcing the two women to curl up and shield their heads, doing their best not to get beaten to death.

Ye Sangsang could feel that her ribs had been broken by the force of the impact, while pain radiated from her legs and head.

With the symptoms of a concussion, Ye Sangsang felt a dizziness overwhelming her.

She wasn't the least bit regretful.

There was bound to be a discovery, so keeping one of them alive was the better option.

Otherwise, at the hands of these ruthless people, they might be killed in the street and then dumped, all without exposing the secret of being human traffickers.

These men were outlaws, driven by desperation.

Sun Nian had realized this, which was why she had chosen to sacrifice herself for Wen Ya’s survival, deliberately walking into what seemed to be a secluded spot with Ye Sangsang, throwing herself into the trap.

If she died, Ye Sangsang would have to start over.

But if she survived, then sorry, she had already found the location of the ringleaders.

The assault continued, like rain pounding relentlessly.

Ye Sangsang could feel the metallic taste of blood growing stronger.

"Bang"

She was kicked hard to the side, and her temple collided with a corner of the wall, creating a searing pain.

Blood quickly covered half of her face, while her messy black hair obscured her eyes, hiding the emotions in those dark orbs.

"Stop, don’t beat them to death."

Sister Hong's voice rang out.

The sound of beating bodies ceased.

Sister Hong crouched down, lifting Ye Sangsang's chin again, her gaze locking onto hers.

"Tell me, and I'll spare your life. You can still be sold off to be someone else's wife." She paused, "Otherwise..."

The rest of her words went unsaid.

As someone in the business, Sister Hong had a keen eye, so she had immediately identified Ye Sangsang as the leader.

Ye Sangsang looked at her, her expression calm, her voice hoarse, "A teenage girl, only sixteen or seventeen years old, and a cripple at that. Why would I bring her along?"

Sister Hong glanced at Sun Nian, who had already fainted. She was a relative, so she would have to be sent back. Sister Hong wasn't planning to kill her and then replace her with someone else for her relatives, as that would be too wasteful.

"Then you can wait until I find her and verify your story," Sister Hong mused, flinging Ye Sangsang's chin away and standing up coldly.

Ji Qing was pretty and hadn't borne any children, so for Sister Hong, she could still fetch a few thousand yuan.

So she wasn't planning to kill her outright. Instead, she would sell her off, and the buyer could keep a close eye on her. If she misbehaved, break her legs and lock her up—that way, she wouldn’t be able to run away.

Looking at the two women, barely breathing, Sister Hong stood up and walked out, followed by the men.

The iron door slowly closed behind them, plunging the room into darkness, the only light coming through the small iron window.

Ye Sangsang lay stiffly on the ground, unable to move without excruciating pain gripping her.

Sister Hong had probably gone looking for the others.

Hopefully, Wen Ya would bring back some good news.

But if not, it didn’t matter. She extended her hand, placing it on the inside of her curled-up calf.

Tied there with a thin rope was a knife she had gotten after entering the county town.

Her head gently leaned against the cold concrete floor, and a faint smile rose to her lips.