Chapter 34 The Calamity of Shangxu: Shangxu

A blood prison was built here to detain women from southern Xinjiang.

Wang Shanyue felt a heaviness in his heart, but he suppressed his surging emotions and retreated to the corner, telling Xiao Fangliang everything he had seen.

Immediately, the group decided that he would lead a dozen or so hidden agents and skilled镖局 (security escort agency) members to prepare their weapons. With a wave of his hand, the stone gate was smashed open, and the group surged into the cave like arrows.

This attack caught the patrolling masked men completely off guard. Even though they put up a desperate fight in their shock and anger, their small numbers were no match for the overwhelming momentum.

The clash of weapons rose and fell, and before long, the battle was over. Blood splattered on the cave walls, and the corpses of men in black lay strewn everywhere. Only a few survivors remained, subdued by the bodyguards and hidden agents for later questioning.

The victory was too easy, and Wang Shanyue began to wonder: were there really too few guards in this place?

What he didn't know was that most of the masked men had been transferred away from here to search for and pursue Tang Yu and Xie Xingzheng.

As everything settled, the flickering firelight gradually subsided, and the eerie wind seemed to have ceased, leaving only the lingering stench of blood and damp decay in the air. A slight sense of relief washed over everyone, and they finally had a chance to look closely at the scene inside the cave.

Upon seeing this, a chill instantly ran down my spine, a coldness penetrating to the bone.

Just as Wang Shanyue had described, the top was crisscrossed with iron chains, forming a giant net that forcefully divided this vast grotto into two worlds. The chains were deeply embedded in the rock walls, suspending narrow cages that resembled flies trapped in a net, unable to escape, appearing both grotesque and bizarre.

The iron cage gleamed coldly in the firelight, and haggard faces could be vaguely seen inside. They were women imprisoned inside, each with a deathly pale face, emaciated body, and murky, lifeless eyes, as if their souls had long been emptied out, leaving only withered shells.

Imprisoned dozens of meters in the air, even if they manage to break free of the iron cage, they have nowhere to land and can only resign themselves to hanging in mid-air until they are trapped and die.

As the hidden agents leaped onto the iron chains and lit torches to illuminate the surroundings, everyone realized that the cage hanging high in the net was just the tip of the iceberg.

Previously obstructed by the chain netting, it was impossible to see clearly, but there were several stone chambers carved out of the surrounding rock walls, also firmly sealed with iron bars. Inside these chambers, even more women from southern Xinjiang were imprisoned, a chilling sight.

After the hidden stakes landed, their expressions turned grim. They hesitated, pondered for a long time, and then one of them whispered a detailed account of the scene in the upper cave.

"The women hanging in the cages seemed to have more than one kind of poison in their bodies. They were so tormented by the poison that they could hardly even speak. Some of them were so severely affected that their flesh ulcerated and the bone was visible."

At this point, even the well-trained undercover agents could not hide their instinctive disgust at this cruel scene. He let out a long breath and continued, "As for the women in the stone wall... although they still have human shapes, quite a few of them have swollen bellies, as if they are pregnant."

Wang Shanyue froze, looking up at the stone wall in disbelief. His voice trembled slightly with anger: "What exactly are Yueying and those people from the Southern Frontier plotting? Aren't these their compatriots? How could they be so cruel?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Fangliang frowned even more deeply. He looked around the grotto, his heart growing heavier.

Although this place is a natural cave, the crisscrossing iron chains and intricate mechanisms were not built in a day; they must have required countless manpower and resources. Why would the people of Southern Xinjiang go to such lengths, using the natural landscape to construct a blood prison to detain women of Southern Xinjiang?

The pregnant woman involuntarily reminded him of the "human-faced dog" case, in which people from southern Xinjiang deliberately abducted a large number of children. The two seemed like fragmented puzzle pieces, vaguely connected, yet lacking other pieces to complete the whole picture.

Even though he sensed the underlying crisis and conspiracy, he was just one step away from being able to deduce the answer.

Upon hearing this, the expressions of those around them changed slightly, and the veins on their hands bulged as they gripped their weapons tightly. They wanted to rescue her, but the place was full of traps, and rash action might backfire, not only failing to rescue the trapped woman but also triggering a trap.

For a moment, they were at a loss and all looked at Xiao Fangliang.

Xiao Fangliang suppressed his chaotic thoughts for the time being, his voice low and restrained: "Search first! We must find Su Yutang and Yueying."

The group then began searching the deep, vast cavern, and soon discovered a secret chamber sealed by a stone door in a corner. A faint weeping sounded coming from behind the door; it wasn't clear, but it was certainly not an illusion.

Xiao Fangliang and Wang Shanyue exchanged a glance, and the latter immediately understood. He struck out with a palm, and although the palm force was powerful, the stone gate did not budge an inch.

“It seems that forcing our way in is useless…” Xiao Fangliang sighed, and then ordered everyone to disperse and search for the mechanism.

Fortunately, it wasn't hard to find. In no time, someone spotted a slightly protruding rock nearby. With a gentle turn, the heavy stone door slowly opened, the creaking sound echoing in the cave, followed by a strong smell of blood.

The firelight illuminated the scene, making it suddenly clear. The bloodstains on the rough stone bed had long since dried, but still emitted a pungent, fishy smell.

Blood, seemingly from nowhere, gushed from the crevices of the surrounding rocks. It wasn't a clear mountain spring, but a dark red, murky liquid with a foul stench. In the firelight, it resembled rolling, churning blood, creating an indescribably strange sight.

The group did not realize the purpose of these stone beds, nor did they examine them closely. Instead, they were drawn to the sound that resembled weeping and sobbing, and walked deeper into the stone chamber.

Upon reaching the end, a breathtaking view suddenly appeared before us, revealing an opening leading to the outside of the cliff face.

"It really is a bottomless abyss..." Looking out over the mountain, one could see that this place was located in the middle of the cliff, with churning lake water and dark reefs below. If one fell down, one would surely die.

On the stone platform at the edge of the cliff, some decaying flesh and blood remained. Wang Shanyue squatted down to examine it closely, and his expression changed instantly. It was definitely not the remains of an animal, but... human flesh and blood.

Just then, a sharp cry pierced the sky, followed by a wild eagle swooping down and whipping up a gust of wind. Everyone was startled and hurriedly took a few steps back, just as someone bumped into a large urn by the wall.

The moment the torch was moved over, the lid was lifted.

But the scene before them made everyone stop breathing and feel a chill run down their spines, as if their blood had frozen.

Inside the urn were the corpses of infants, some unformed, some full-term, all stiff and silent, their faces pale and bluish, appearing particularly horrifying in the firelight.

"Ugh—!" Xiao Fangliang only had time to glance at it before he abruptly turned around and gagged.

Wang Shanyue hurriedly stepped forward, blocking Xiao Fangliang's view. Suppressing his nausea, he glanced again at the rotting flesh on the ground, cold sweat beading on his forehead. He instantly understood the original owner of that flesh.

"You beast...!" Wang Shanyue cursed under his breath, almost grinding his teeth to powder.

Even though the journey of escorting goods is often bloody and one is used to fighting in the martial arts world, one has never seen such a cruel scene.

Xiao Fangliang's back stiffened, and he dared not look again. It took him a while to recover. He looked up at the clear blue sky outside the cave, but a chill ran through him.

The stone platform outside was presumably used for disemboweling infants. Those babies, either stillborn or not meeting their expectations, were ultimately discarded into this urn. The eagles, by feeding on the carrion and corpses, erased the last traces of these children.

This place is not a path to the outside world and light, but a path to death and darkness.

Women, pregnant women, children, infant corpses... everything can be pieced together, yet it is all the more incomprehensible, leaving only a chilling feeling.

As everyone's emotions were in turmoil, the clanging of chains suddenly echoed from outside the secret chamber, like a warning that struck their hearts. Immediately afterward, the heavy clanging of armor and footsteps approached from afar.

"Someone's there!" The hidden agent immediately drew his sword and faced the source of the sound, and the atmosphere suddenly became tense.

The group quickly retreated into the cave, holding their breath in anticipation. Suddenly, a stone door slowly opened from the shadows on the other side, and in the flickering firelight, a tall, somewhat slender figure emerged from the darkness. Behind him stood a line of iron guards, clad in dark, powerful armor, their steps heavy and their presence chilling.

Xiao Fangliang's eyes turned cold as he stopped Wang Shanyue, who was about to step forward to protect him, and said in a deep voice, "Director Lu."

Lu Ya stood with his hands behind his back, slowly entering the cave. His gaze first swept over the cages and bloodstains filling the cave, and finally landed on Xiao Fangliang.

"Young Master Xiao, what a coincidence." He smiled slightly, his voice light and lazy, the firelight reflecting in his peach blossom eyes, adding a touch of alluring charm.

Xiao Fangliang's expression was icy, showing no inclination for pleasantries. The members of the escort agency and the hidden agents were even more wary, and the atmosphere became tense.

Lu Ya smiled faintly, raised his hand and waved it. The soldiers behind him immediately dispersed and took control of the entire cave in an instant, even taking over the masked men who had not yet been dealt with.

"What does Chief Justice Lu mean by this?" Xiao Fangliang asked coldly, his voice sharp with sarcasm. "Is he showing himself now just to wait for us to break the deadlock so he can reap the benefits?"

Lu Ya raised an eyebrow, a half-smile playing on his lips, seemingly unconcerned by the sarcastic remark. Instead, he remarked with admiration, "This Beauty Market is so well hidden; to find it, you must have some skill. And our Surveillance Bureau isn't bad either, is it?"

Xiao Fangliang narrowed his eyes, unsure of his intentions. This man was a notorious sycophant in the Great Xia Dynasty, serving only the emperor and willing to climb to power by stepping on the blood and bones of others. He acted without considering the consequences, only seeking results. Unless absolutely necessary, he would never want to clash with him.

Lu Ya raised his hand and beckoned, and several armored soldiers dragged a girl in red who was tightly bound up forward.

"Who is she?" Xiao Fangliang's expression turned cold.

Lu Ya's smile deepened, but he didn't answer directly. Instead, he sighed, "It's a pity. I was just one step away from capturing Yueying, but she got away in the end. It's my dereliction of duty. However, if we had captured this little girl, we might have been able to find out the whereabouts of Physician Su and General Xie, so we could have rescued them as soon as possible."

Xiao Fangliang immediately understood the other party's intention and asked coldly, "What do you want?"

"Of course, it's everything in this Upper Ruins." Lu Ya's tone was languid, but a hint of coldness flashed in his eyes.

Wang Shanyue could no longer contain himself and angrily pointed at him, shouting, "We found this place first! Your behavior is simply outrageous!"

Lu Ya chuckled, his peach blossom eyes narrowing slightly, and said coldly, "Everyone knows that I, Lu Ya, never bother to fabricate charges when I kill. This desolate mountain cave is indeed a suitable place to bury bones and dispose of corpses. What do you think, Young Master Xiao?"

Xiao Fangliang's pupils contracted sharply, and a chill ran through him. He knew all too well that Lu Ya was not bluffing; this man was truly capable of killing on the spot.

He remained silent for a long time before finally speaking in a low voice: "Alright, hand over the child to us, and we'll leave immediately."

Lu Ya smiled, as if he had known this would be the outcome.

...

Once everyone emerged from the cave and saw the sunlight again, the chill and gloom that had filled the cave were largely dispelled.

Wang Shanyue couldn't wait to remove the strip of cloth stuffed into the mouth of the girl in red and asked anxiously, "Where are Su Yutang and my Senior Brother Xie?"

The little girl was stunned for a moment, then it took her a while to realize who he was asking about. She rolled her eyes and said angrily, "They ran away! That guy surnamed Xie rescued them a long time ago!"

Wang Shanyue was stunned. Xiao Fangliang's face darkened, and after a moment, he gritted his teeth and kicked a pebble at his feet.

Damn it, Lu Ya tricked me!

[Author's Note]

I hope this chapter doesn't have any censorship issues, and I don't think it's written in a particularly perverse way...