Chapter 132
$ 78%▪
+5
Bill and the other two men were driven to distraction by the passengers and nearly prevented from getting off the train.
“No, we’re not selling her to you. Get lost!” Tobias, already at his wits‘ end, brandished a knife in one hand and gripped Quinlyn’s collar with the other. He cursed his misfortune in not having gagged her earlier, which had led to this current predicament.
Over the past three days, Quinlyn had been unusually obedient.
Apart from an incident on the first day, she had mostly stayed within the carriage, helping others by fetching water, preparing instant noodles, and occasionally giving shoulder massages to a few women.
Before they realized it, she had endeared herself to everyone on the carriage.
Some of the wealthy women even offered a high price for her, and had it not been for orders from above, Bill and the others would have gladly accepted the offer right then and there.
Throughout the journey, people kept greeting Quinlyn.
“Kid, remember to stay strong in the new place. If you make it big, give me a call. I’ll take you out for fun,” one woman said.
“Right, as long as you’re alive, you’ll never run out of options. Just contact us once the money is in hand, and we’ll come for you,” another added.
Quinlyn thanked everyone for their kindness before getting off the train with the group.
A SUV was waiting at the station to pick them up. As soon as they got in, the driver, glancing at them through the rear–view mirror, remarked in surprise, “Why are you guys nabbing kids now and hauling them such a long distance?
“Still, this girl’s really good–looking, with such delicate skin. On previous trips, after a few days on the train, the women were all a mess. This one, though, looks full of life and color.”
At this, the three men fell silent. Of course, Quinlyn appeared vibrant; she had been eating well and sleeping soundly, living a more comfortable life than they had.
Right now, she was casually eating snacks given by a passenger and taking in the scenery outside.
Tobias, annoyed by the sight, snatched the snack from her and starts munching on it himself.
Quinlyn turned to him and muttered, “That’s mine.”
Bill, feeling a headache coming on, said helplessly, “Tobias, leave the kid’s snacks alone. She won’t be able to eat for long anyway.”
Only then did Tobias, with a sullen look, tossed the bag back to her.
Quinlyn checked how much he had eaten and felt a pang of regret. After all, there were few amenities at the borderlands, and no one knew how long it would be before she could enjoy such treats again.
They switched to a jeep after the SUV handover and continue north until the sight of yellow sand signaled their stopping point in a small town.
The first thing they did upon checking into an inn was bathe. After nearly ten days, everyone felt absolutely filthy.
After their bath, Quinlyn and Harriet received a pleasant surprise: new clothes. They each received a white dress.
1/3
Tue, 25 Mar
Chapter 132
78%
When Bill and the others saw the two girls came out in their new dresses, their eyes lit up. Harriet was lovely and Quinlyn was mysterious. They knew selling the two together would be a lucrative deal.
However, looking into Quinlyn’s calm eyes, Bill had a change of heart..
“Hey, what if we keep Quinlyn here?” he said.
Tobias was stunned. He frowned and said, “Are you insane? Ms. Lynch specifically wants to deal with her. If you let her go, you’re basically committing suicide.”
“That’s not what I mean.” Bill shook his head to calm him down. “Over the years, we’ve been the ones running the goods while Ms. Lynch takes the lead. We do all the dirty work, but she gets the lion’s share of the profits.
+5
I don’t believe you two haven’t thought about this before. Now that the borderlands are sealed, Barrow has been looking for new faces to run the route. Didn’t he want a lookout before?
“Since there’s no age limit, let’s recommend Quinlyn to him. If it works out, we’ll be her benefactors and can make more money together. If not, we can always sell her. We won’t lose anything.”
Bill was known for his smarts and strategic thinking, and the other two often followed his lead. They considered his words and found them reasonable.
“Alright, let’s do it.” The three agreed and changed their plans without telling Yolanda. They also altered their route.
That afternoon, as the car approached a village and the road became familiar, Quinlyn had a bad feeling.
Meanwhile, Bennett and Joseph, who were monitoring the tracking device in the border office, also became worried. “Oh no, they’re going through the village where Quinlyn grew up!”
“Hey, isn’t this where we came to find that lookout before?” Tobias leaned out of the window and patted the frame. “I remember this village has great wine. Let’s buy a few jars.”
“Sure.” The two others agreed, tempted by the thought of the wine.
Harriet, sitting behind, noticed Quinlyn’s tension. She was puzzled. ‘How can someone who has befriended criminals on the train show such an expression?”
The car soon stopped. Bill rolled down the window, and a villager approached, asking, “What do you gentlemen need? Guidance or accommodation?”
He glanced at the two children in the backseat, one with a lowered head, seeming familiar.
Before he could look closer, Bill tapped the window frame. “We want some old wine.”
The villager hesitated. “The last fire destroyed the distillery, so we have no old wine now. But the new batches are not bad; I can sell you a few jars cheap.”
Bill and the others were disappointed but still wanted the wine. “Who should go buy it? Quinlyn…”
“I’ll go.” Harriet suddenly volunteered.
Bill glanced at Harriet, handed her 30 dollars, and didn’t stop her.
As Harriet was about to get out, she noticed Quinlyn watching her. Harriet pursed her lips in annoyance, and slammed the
car door hard.
“Hey, she’s at it again. Quinlyn, she doesn’t appreciate you at all. Why keep protecting her?” Bill said, looking in the rear–view mirror with a much friendlier attitude than before.
2/3
Chapter 132
78%
+5
Everyone liked dealing with smart people, especially a sharp kid like Quinlyn. On the train, if not for her, Harriet, with her foolish actions, would have been taken down several times already.
Though quiet and not close to Harriet, Quinlyn had secretly helped her several times, a trait that even Tobias respected.
“She just wants to survive,” Quinlyn replied insightfully.
She knew better than anyone how hard it was for an orphan without protection to survive.
Harriet, initially lucky to be adopted and live in luxury, couldn’t adjust to suddenly becoming an orphan again. Quinlyn understood and didn’t hold Harriet’s attitude against her.
But Bill warned her, “Being kind isn’t wise. That kid’s different from you. Didn’t you see her crazy eyes? Watch out for a stab in the back.”
Quinlyn looked down and didn’t respond. She remembered that Harriet was a hostage. According to the 901 Military Base rules, hostages should be protected as much as possible.
Meanwhile, Harriet, guided by a villager, went to buy wine. She wasn’t doing it to help Quinlyn but out of panic.
If Quinlyn could stay by proving her worth and avoid being sold, Harriet had to perform well too to seize any chance of survival.
The villager was a human trafficker with small eyes and a fierce look, talking to her while walking.
“You city girls are truly something else. You’re so delicate, with skin like it’s full of moisture. There used to be a girl of your age in our village, but she was all skin and bones, only her eyes are decent,” he said.
Harriet, though not wanting to respond, was reminded of Quinlyn’s eyes by his mention of eyes. “You said ‘used to. Where is she now?” she asked.
AD
3/3
