When the big man saw that he was forced back by Shen Yuhan, a surge of anger rose in his heart.
Although he was afraid, he was unwilling to give in.
Relying on his strong body, he suddenly jumped up from the bow and punched Shen Yuhan in the face, trying to knock him down with brute force.
The boat shook violently under his movements, and the waves on the shore were shaken and surged everywhere, making a "rustling" sound.
Shen Yuhan remained unmoved, his gaze stern, his figure as solid as a mountain. He gently sidestepped the big man's fist, then swung his sword, the tip of the blade pointing directly at the big man's throat.
The big man was unable to react in time, a trace of fear flashed in his eyes, and he immediately retracted his fist and stepped back. However, Shen Yuhan moved quickly. He chopped with his backhand without mercy. The edge of the sword brought up a cold light, and with a "crack", the oar in the big man's hand broke, and the broken wood chips flew everywhere and scattered on the deck.
The big man's face changed, and he was about to pounce again, but he saw that Shen Yuhan's sword was close to his throat. The cold sword intent seemed to freeze him instantly, making him stiff in place and dare not move.
"If you move again, my sword will show no mercy." Shen Yuhan's tone was cold, and his eyes were fixed on the big man like frost.
The big man was sweating profusely, the ferocity on his face had long since faded, replaced by deep fear.
He swallowed hard, realizing that he was no match for the stern-faced man in front of him. He raised his hands tremblingly and begged for mercy in a low voice: "Sir, spare my life... I... I don't dare anymore..."
Shen Yuhan glanced at him coldly, then sheathed his sword and said sternly, "Tie up all these people and detain them temporarily!"
The officers and soldiers on the shore had already surrounded the dock. Upon hearing Shen Yuhan's order, they immediately rushed forward, pressed the human traffickers to the ground one by one, and quickly tied their hands and feet with ropes.
The women and men had already lost the will to resist. They were escorted aside with pale faces and trembling, as if they had already realized the fate they were about to face.
Fang Qingyue stood at the bow of the ship, watching all this, and the tension in her heart finally eased a little.
He calmed himself down, turned around and said to Shen Yuhan, "There are still many children in the cabin. We need to take them off the boat quickly."
Shen Yuhan slowly sheathed the long sword in his hand, and a slight gust of wind was created by the movement.
He turned around, his expression softening a little, and looked at the children huddled in the cabin.
The boat swayed slightly in the night, and the waves gently hit the hull, making bursts of low sounds, as if urging the children to move from the darkness to the light.
"Don't be afraid," Shen Yuhan softened his voice, trying to sound less scary. "We are here to rescue you and will be able to take you home soon."
Fang Qingyue also walked to the hatch and whispered, "Come, come out slowly, don't be anxious, come one by one."
The children's fear seemed to be dispelled a little by the sound, and they began to move their small bodies and approach the cabin carefully.
The first child was a boy about five or six years old, with a dirty face and messy hair.
He stood in front of Shen Yuhan, raised his head, and asked timidly: "Big brother, can I...can I go home?"
Shen Yuhan lowered his head and gently stroked the boy's head, saying in a gentle tone, "Of course. But before we go home, we have to go to a safe place so you can have a good rest and eat something. When it's daybreak, we'll go home together, okay?"
After hearing this, the boy's eyes showed a glimmer of hope and he nodded vigorously: "Okay."
When the last child was taken off the boat, Fang Qingyue finally breathed a sigh of relief. She looked around and saw that the children, although still very weak, were at least out of danger. The tension in her heart gradually subsided.
Shen Yuhan placed the children in an open space at the pier, then walked towards Fang Qingyue, frowned slightly, and whispered.
"Most of these children are still very young. I wonder if they even remember their home addresses. If they can't find their families, it will be very troublesome."
Fang Qingyue nodded, feeling somewhat worried. She knew these children had been captured at a young age, and the prolonged shock and displacement might have blurred their memories, but she still decided to give it a try.
"Let me ask them," she said softly. She then walked to the children, squatted down, and gently asked, "Children, do you remember where your home is? Or do you remember your parents' names?"
An older boy thought for a moment and nodded gently, "I...I remember. My family lives in East City. My father is a cloth seller. My mother said we have a big yellow dog at home...Can I go home?"
Fang Qingyue's eyes flashed with relief, and she nodded with a smile: "Of course, you will be able to see your parents soon."
But more children just shook their heads, with confusion in their eyes.
They were too young, or their memories had been destroyed by fear and exhaustion, to remember where they came from.
Seeing this, Shen Yuhan's expression froze slightly. He whispered to the guards beside him, "Most of them are still in shock. We shouldn't disturb them tonight. Send these children to the palace first and settle them down. Once they've calmed down, we can question them one by one."
The guard immediately clasped his fists and accepted the order: "Yes, sir."
Shen Yuhan looked at Fang Qingyue again, with a questioning look in his eyes: "You should also go to the palace to rest for a night, and make plans tomorrow."
Fang Qingyue pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "Okay, since these children can't find their families for the time being, it's a good idea to settle them in the palace first. Once they recover, they might remember more clues."
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