Searching for Lana

Zhang Mu mentioned this, and Su Li suddenly remembered Yuanbao. She looked around; Yuanbao, who usually never left her side, was nowhere to be seen now.

Looking further, even Tudan was missing.

"Huh, where did Yuanbao and Tudan go?" Su Li asked in confusion.

At that moment, Yindou lifted the curtain and came in, walking up to Su Li. "I saw them. Yuanbao's brother-in-law said he and Tudan went to the foot of the mountain to look for Lanxiang."

"So they went to find someone, that’s good." After hearing Yindou, Su Li felt relieved. Two grown men like Yuanbao and Tudan going together shouldn’t be in any danger.

Qingmiao City, Flower and Willow Alley.

Though it was still before the first month of the lunar year, the alley was already bustling. This was a famous red-light district in Qingmiao City, where almost every open door was some kind of brothel.

Compared to the big brothels, the girls here were of mixed quality, but they had a certain 'stolen' charm.

The madams stood at the doors, waving handkerchiefs to beckon customers, their calls rising and falling. Yet no matter how lively the place, no one noticed two black shadows swiftly moving across the high rooftops.

Xiao Zetian was cloaked entirely in a black robe, standing atop a high pavilion, overlooking the entire Flower and Willow Alley.

Xiao Yun was also dressed in black, but his robe was simpler than Xiao Zetian’s—after all, with his rank, he wasn’t entitled to some of the patterns on Xiao Zetian’s clothes.

"That must be the den Li Da Niang mentioned," Xiao Yun said. "Li Da Niang is a notorious trafficker in Flower and Willow Alley. Many girls in this alley were sold by her."

"Tsk..." Xiao Zetian’s eyes looked especially cold behind his mask. He moved like lightning, instantly landing inside Li Da Niang’s small courtyard.

This was a trafficker’s den, not as lively as the nearby brothels where customers came and went.

Xiao Zetian had already scoped out the layout from the pavilion, so he headed straight to the room where people could be hidden.

Outside a room, muffled sounds of a man’s lecherous laughter and a girl’s terrified screams could be heard.

The man's voice was greasy: "Come on, before we move you, let this uncle break your cherry and taste your flavor, alright?"

The girl screamed heart-wrenchingly, "No... Help... Dad... Mom!"

Then the voice became muffled and sobbing, as if someone had covered her mouth.

Xiao Zetian stood at the door while Xiao Yun immediately kicked the door open and rushed inside.

Inside, a naked, greasy, obese man was lying on the bed. Xiao Yun moved swiftly and instantly appeared behind the man.

The fat man had just heard the door being kicked open and was about to turn around to see who dared to disturb his pleasure, when he felt something clamp around his neck.

Crack!

The fat man’s eyeballs suddenly popped out, his neck twisted into a grotesque arc by Xiao Yun. He maintained a grimacing expression as he slipped off the bed.

Dead...

Xiao Yun looked at the bed. A little girl lay on her back in panic, her torn clothes scattered all over the bed. A patch of fresh red blood was visible beneath her.

It seemed they arrived too late; the little girl had already been defiled by the dead fat man...

Xiao Yun just glanced once, then turned his head away politely, grabbing a nearby quilt to cover the little girl.

"Is it her?" Xiao Zetian’s voice came from the door.

Xiao Yun looked back at him and shook his head: "No..."