Chapter 2 Calling the Police: The Nosy Guy!
Chu Yanxi woke up with a severe headache.
The first thing you notice is the smell. A strong, pungent odor—the smell of cheap tobacco, sweat, instant noodle seasoning packets, and the distinctive smells of rust, engine oil, and urine from an old train. These smells mingled together, creating a nauseating mixture.
Then came the sounds. A cacophony of voices surged in from all directions—conversations, laughter, and arguments in various accents, interspersed with the incessant cries of a baby. The rhythmic rumble of wheels hitting the rails seemed endless.
Finally, there was the sense of touch. Beneath her was a hard, cold wooden board that chafed her ribs with every sway of the carriage. Her head rested on a soft but uncomfortable shoulder, whose owner was rhythmically patting her back with a force that was almost rough.
Chu Yanxi suddenly opened her eyes.
After a brief period of dizziness, she finally saw the scene before her clearly.
She was sitting in a vintage green train carriage, and next to her, a middle-aged woman in a blue polyester jacket was smiling at the train police officer and saying, "Ticket check? Oh, yes, yes. My daughter is sick, I'm taking her to see a doctor..."
Chu Yanxi's heart sank, and a chill ran down her spine to the top of her head. These words, this scene… it was the opening of the book she had read last night, *Breaking the Cocoon*!
The subtitle of "Breaking the Cocoon" is "A True Record of Contemporary Chinese Women's Crimes", and the title of the first article is even more shocking: "Silent Poisoning: The Destruction of an Abducted Girl and a Family of Eight".
"In the summer of 1989, a major poisoning case occurred in a mountain village in northern China, where eight members of the Zhao family died suddenly overnight. The suspect, Qiao Zhaoran, had been trafficked to the village four years earlier and had been imprisoned and abused for a long time. During the trial, she remained silent throughout, only writing on a piece of paper: 'They deserve to die!'"
Before becoming a negotiation expert, Chu Yanxi worked in the First Brigade of the Criminal Investigation Detachment for five years and was no stranger to human trafficking cases. The reason she read this book was not because of the tragedy itself, but to understand the chaotic and irrational motives behind the crime—the kind of thing that she could never truly empathize with, the thing that made her father pay with his life.
Now, Chu Yanxi has become a character in the book, becoming Qiao Zhaoran, the abducted girl who suffered endless humiliation and ultimately poisoned eight people.
It is now March 1985, and Qiao Zhaoran has been abducted.
Chu Yanxi tried to move her arms, but found that her limbs were incredibly heavy. Even lifting a finger was extremely difficult. Her throat was dry and burning, and she could not make any clear sounds.
Her professional instincts forced her to calm down amidst extreme fear.
She is now fully clothed, and there is no tearing sensation in her sensitive areas. Thankfully, she has not been sexually assaulted.
There is at least one person on the other side, and they may have accomplices.
My physical condition is extremely poor, and the chances of successfully resisting with force are almost zero.
The environment was unfamiliar, and the people were a mixed bunch.
A head-on confrontation is a dead end.
Almost instantly, Chu Yanxi made her decision.
She stopped struggling, leaned more relaxed against the car window, and pressed her forehead against the cold glass.
Playing the role of the perfectly harmless prey was her only option at that moment.
The train continued its journey, the wheels clanging monotonously against the rails. Chu Yanxi closed her eyes, feeling the vibrations of the hard seat beneath her, and began to silently count the beats in her mind—her way of calming herself down.
One, two, three... each vibration reminded her.
The train sped along the tracks, making clanging noises from time to time, and the vibrations were transmitted to Chu Yanxi through the windows.
Chu Yanxi forced herself to stay awake and silently examined her physical condition.
A sharp pain in the back of my head – I guess I was roughly hit by the other party.
A strange bitter taste lingered in her mouth, and her whole body felt weak and powerless—she had been given a sedative, which temporarily restricted her physical movement, making it difficult for her to speak or ask for help.
Chu Yanxi recalled everything recorded in the book.
Qiao Zhaoran, 19 years old, is a sophomore majoring in chemistry at Jiangcheng University, a small county in Hunan Province. Her parents are both factory workers, and her older brother works in the county town after graduating from vocational school. The family of four has a harmonious and warm relationship.
It was March 1985, the winter vacation was over, and she was wearing a dark green sweater coat knitted by her mother. Her brother saw her off on the train back to school. Because of her kindness and gullibility, she helped a "fellow villager" who seemed unable to carry a child on the train, drank a cup of water that the man offered her, and then fell into a coma.
After that, she was taken by human traffickers to a remote county town in the north and sold to a farmer's family in Heishanyu, Yushutai Township. The family's surname was Zhao. They were selfish, domineering, lazy, and greedy. They had three sons. The eldest two sons were married, but the youngest son was a big problem because he had become lame in one leg due to an illness when he was a child.
Qiao Zhaoran was the wife that family bought for Zhao Laosan.
Qiao Zhaoran was fiercely independent and fought back desperately, trying to escape time and time again, but she was only caught and beaten again and again. She was pregnant three times, but each time she miscarried due to the beatings, until her uterus ruptured and she could no longer have children.
Having lost her fertility, she became a slave to that family, eating little and working hard, and being beaten and kicked frequently. Six years later, she could no longer endure the humiliation and poisoned the entire family of eight, including three children.
Now, Chu Yanxi has transmigrated into Qiao Zhaoran's body. She is drugged and unable to move. How can she survive this desperate situation?
As the effects of the drug wore off, Chu Yanxi lowered her eyelids, slightly opening them to observe her surroundings.
She was sitting in a four-seater table, and sitting to her left, firmly controlling her, was a middle-aged woman with a slightly plump figure wearing a blue cloth coat.
Sitting opposite the plump woman were two dark-skinned, honest-looking farm men; one was tall and strong, the other thin. They clearly knew each other well, their gazes frequently falling on Chu Yanxi, suggesting they were working together.
The woman with the child who had previously lured him into the trap wasn't here. It seemed she was only responsible for finding the prey and luring them in, while the three people in front of him were in charge of transferring and selling them. Such a well-organized gang had clearly formed a complete and meticulous human trafficking chain, making it extremely difficult to escape from them.
After getting a general idea of the current situation, Chu Yanxi slightly raised her eyelids and began to observe her surroundings.
The green trains of the 1980s were crowded, with luggage racks crammed with all sorts of woven bags and burlap sacks. Seats and aisles were packed with people, most of them looking tired, dressed simply, even in tattered clothes, reflecting the somber tone characteristic of that era.
Chu Yanxi's gaze swept across the seat diagonally opposite her.
A man, wearing an orange jacket that clashed with his surroundings and carrying a large military green canvas satchel, with short, neat hair, was staring intently at his hands, his face showing undisguised shock and bewilderment.
Chu Yanxi's breath hitched.
Lu Zhe? The divorce lawyer who argued with her at the explosion site.
The man, who appeared to be Lu Zhe, kept his head down, his posture stiff and his shoulders tense, a stark contrast to the relaxed, tired, or numb passengers around him.
Chu Yanxi keenly noticed a detail—his hands, resting on his knees, were clenched into tight fists, his knuckles white from the excessive force, and even trembling slightly.
Chu Yanxi didn't dare to stare at him for long, and quickly lowered her eyes after glancing at him.
Her heart began to race. An absurd yet incredibly powerful thought uncontrollably surfaced. Could it be…
Did Lu Zhe and I transmigrate into the book together?
As soon as the thought crossed her mind, Chu Yanxi immediately entered professional mode and began to make a comprehensive assessment of the man in the orange jacket sitting across the aisle.
His nails were clean, his clothes were neat, and he carried a large satchel he used for business trips—indicating that he was well-educated, had a formal job, and earned a substantial income.
He sat upright, with a youthful sense of justice in his eyes and brows, and a gentle and refined demeanor—he was a kind and emotionally stable person.
His eyes were vacant, his body trembled slightly, and his fingertips turned white, but he remained silent—he was experiencing a tremendous mental shock, but was struggling to control his fear.
Based on the above points, Chu Yanxi quickly concluded that this person was Lu Zhe, and had just accepted the fact that he had transmigrated.
Although he disliked Chu Yanxi's overly emotional actions and hated his meddling in police investigations, Chu Yanxi's only ally at this moment was him.
How can I get Lu Zhe's attention?
Chu Yanxi lowered her gaze slightly, began to hold her breath until her cheeks turned red and her heart pounded, then she pretended to faint and collapse, relaxing her body and sliding down.
"Ouch! Someone has fainted—"
At this shout, the passengers who were sitting all stood up and looked in Chu Yanxi's direction.
The plump woman sitting next to Chu Yanxi and the two farmers opposite her, one tall and one short, suddenly stood up.
The fat woman pulled hard on Chu Yanxi's arm, trying to lift her up. But even though Chu Yanxi was thin, she still weighed over 90 pounds. She deliberately let her body sink down, and the fat woman couldn't lift her up in a short time. It was the tall, strong man who was stronger. He pressed down on Chu Yanxi's shoulders with both hands and lifted her up from the carriage floor, placing her back in her seat.
People who had come to watch the spectacle crowded around, shouting incessantly.
"Oh dear, your face is flushed and your lips are turning blue. Could it be a heart attack?"
"Don't just stand here and watch! Call a doctor right now!"
"There's no doctor on the bus. Don't shout. Oh! So young and already seriously ill, what a pity."
...
You all chimed in with your own opinions, saying all sorts of things.
Some kind-hearted people shouted at the top of their lungs, "Come quick! Someone has fainted in carriage 7!"
This is exactly the effect Chu Yanxi wanted.
She suddenly collapsed into the fat woman's arms and began to gag.
The fat woman was startled and, forgetting all about playing the role of a loving mother, pushed Chu Yanxi away!
If the skinny farmer hadn't intervened in time to protect Chu Yanxi's head, her head would probably have hit the glass hard.
The man glared fiercely at the fat woman: "Yanzi's mother, don't be so agitated. It's too stuffy in the carriage. She's having another attack."
The plump woman hesitated, then her eyes darted around. She grabbed Chu Yanxi and burst into tears, crying, "Yanzi! Don't scare your mother! We'll get off the bus right away and find a miracle doctor who can cure your illness!"
A male train conductor rushed over and shouted, "Everyone, please don't crowd here. Move out and let the patient breathe fresh air."
Passengers made way for the train conductor to squeeze next to Chu Yanxi.
Chu Yanxi's first reaction was to ask the train conductor for help.
She struggled to raise her hand, trying to grasp the hem of the square-faced, thick-browed male flight attendant's shirt. However, her body was under the influence of a sedative, and she had no control over her movements; even simply raising her hand was extremely difficult.
The train conductor didn't even check on Chu Yanxi's condition, but looked at the tall, strong farmer with a serious expression: "What's going on? You can't even take care of a sick person!"
The tall, burly man nodded obsequiously, his face beaming with smiles: "We'll get off at the next stop, right away."
The train conductor nodded: "That's good. The next stop is Yushutai Station. Although it's a small station, there's a clinic there. You should go see a doctor as soon as you get off the train, don't waste time on the train."
This sounded reasonable and was for the patient's sake, but the perceptive Chu Yanxi quickly noticed something amiss.
Something's not right with this train conductor!
He didn't care about her fainting at all; he was only eager to get them out of the car. When he mentioned the words "clinic" and "see a doctor," he deliberately emphasized them, clearly implying something.
The flight attendants and human traffickers are in cahoots!
It seems the train they were on was a regular route used by human traffickers. Judging from the content and attitude of their conversation, the train attendant in this carriage held a higher position than the three men.
Chu Yanxi quickly withdrew her hand, which was about to touch the train conductor's clothes, relaxed her limbs, closed her eyes, and continued to play the role of the unconscious prey.
She heard the flight attendant's voice: "The patient is fine, everyone disperse, don't crowd around!"
The chaos that Chu Yanxi had deliberately created quickly subsided, and the crowd that had been surrounding Chu Yanxi's four-person seat obediently dispersed.
But the chaos she caused successfully attracted Lu Zhe's attention.
Chu Yanxi's judgment was correct; the person wearing the orange jacket was indeed Lu Zhe.
Losing consciousness from the heat and loud bang of the explosion, and then waking up with a start on the rattling, pungent-smelling green train, Lu Zhe was initially very nervous. But soon, as an unfamiliar memory flooded his mind, his mind gradually calmed down.
In this world, he is also called Lu Zhe. He is 25 years old and works as an ordinary cadre and folk custom researcher at the Cultural Bureau of Qingyuan County, Dongshan Province.
After his parents passed away one after another before the Lunar New Year, he was left with only an old apartment allocated by his work unit in the county town, all alone.
His current job involves carrying a satchel, letters of introduction, and a notebook to travel to rural areas to collect folk songs, stories, proverbs, and record customs related to weddings and funerals. He also occasionally assists in compiling local history materials. This time, he is traveling by train on a business trip to Zhaojiatun to collect folk tales.
Having just accepted the fact that he had transmigrated, Lu Zhe was immediately drawn to the lively scene across the street.
The woman who suddenly fainted was pale, wearing a faded dark red acrylic jacket, and had two small braids. She looked like a simple farm girl.
But... he knew that face all too well.
With his cold, hard jaw, arrogant eyebrows, and thin lips, he was clearly Chu Yanxi, a police negotiation expert who could leave even the good-tempered Chu speechless!
An explosion brought Chu Yanxi here too?
When they were checking tickets just now, the girl's mother seemed to tell the train police that she was sick, suffering from motion sickness, and needed to take her to see a doctor. What illness? Why was she so unconscious? And why did she suddenly slip and vomit?
As a lawyer specializing in divorce cases who has witnessed too much of the dark side of humanity, Lu Zhe's vigilance instantly increased.
The overweight woman's first reaction to her "daughter" fainting and vomiting was to roughly pull her away, not to anxiously call out to her. Her eyes showed only panic and annoyance, lacking the heartache a mother should have. Especially the two men, whose eyes were wary, firmly blocking the probing gazes of the others…
Noticing Lu Zhe's gaze, the middle-aged woman sitting next to Chu Yanxi turned her plump body to the side, blocking Chu Yanxi's face, and glared fiercely at Lu Zhe. The farmer opposite them narrowed his eyes and swept them over Lu Zhe, his gaze full of threat.
The train sounded its whistle and gradually slowed down.
We've arrived at Yushutai Station, a small station with only low-rise buildings and dim lighting.
The group immediately sprang into action.
The fat woman pried open Chu Yanxi's mouth and forced down a mouthful of strange-tasting water. Then, she and the short man, one on each side, lifted the dazed Chu Yanxi from his seat like a load of cargo. The tall, burly man deftly pulled two bulging, heavy-looking woven bags from the luggage rack, urging gruffly, "Hurry up! Don't dawdle!"
The square-faced attendant from earlier was now standing at the connection between the carriages, casually scanning the disembarking passengers. When her gaze met that of this group, she gave a barely perceptible nod, then turned away as if nothing had happened.
The aisles in the carriages were already crowded, and it became even more chaotic when people got off.
People were packed together, and packages were bumping into each other.
Chu Yanxi knew that this was her only chance to contact Lu Zhe. Just as she moved from her seat to the aisle, she fought against the overwhelming drowsiness with her willpower, and suddenly stumbled, falling straight towards Lu Zhe diagonally in front of her.
"Ouch!" the fat woman exclaimed, trying to pull tighter.
Lu Zhe instinctively reached out to help. The instant his hand touched the girl's arm, a cold hand suddenly grabbed his wrist, and a fingernail quickly scratched across his palm, writing three numbers.
——1, 1, 0
110?
Lu Zhe looked down in astonishment, only to be met with a pale face and a pair of tightly closed eyes.
If he remembers correctly, it's 1985 now, and the 110 emergency number wasn't officially launched nationwide until 1996, right?
Just a second, or even less.
The fat woman and the short man roughly pulled the girl back. The tall, strong man cursed angrily, "Can't even hold a person up! Just making things worse!" After cursing, he turned around and glared at Lu Zhe, his eyes full of warning.
Feeling the temperature in his hands gradually cool down, Lu Zhe finally came to his senses.
110, an emergency number that doesn't exist in this era. The people here have no way of knowing it!
She really is Chu Yanxi! It's not just a resemblance, it's not a coincidence.
Chu Yanxi, the city's Public Security Bureau negotiation expert known for her calmness, professionalism, and sharp tongue, also transmigrated to this world and fell into the hands of human traffickers. She used the number 110 to warn herself.
Unexpectedly, I had fellow travelers during my time travel.
We must save her!
Seeing Chu Yanxi being half-dragged and half-carried off the car by that group of people, Lu Zhe suddenly stood up, ready to get off the car as well.
The green train was crowded with people, and the flow of people getting on and off was mixed together. The aisle was crowded with passengers who were preparing to get off and those who had already boarded the train and were scrambling to put their luggage down. Lu Zhe was anxious, but he could only say "Excuse me! Excuse me!" while struggling to squeeze forward.
After finally squeezing to the door, Lu Zhe jumped off the train just as the doors were about to close.
"Whoosh—whoosh—" The green train swept past him.
Standing on the platform of Yushutai Station, with his feet on the solid yet cold platform, Lu Zhe's heart began to race belatedly.
The platform was dimly lit, and a few people quickly disembarked and disappeared into the deeper darkness of the small station square. Where was that group of people?
Lu Zhe took a deep breath of the cold, coal-smoky air and forced himself to calm down.
He looked around.
Yushutai Station is pitifully small; apart from this low-rise station building, it seems to be surrounded by boundless darkness and the indistinct outlines of mountains. A few barks of dogs drift from afar, adding to the desolation.
We must find them as soon as possible! Lu Zhe took off running towards the exit.
However, as soon as he ran out of the station building and onto the dirt road leading to the town center, Lu Zhe felt an inexplicable pressure.
Under the dim streetlights, a few men squatted in the corner smoking, their gazes sweeping over him, the outsider in his conspicuous orange jacket, like searchlights. Their eyes held no curiosity, only a numb scrutiny and a subtle sense of rejection.
At the entrance of a small shop with dim yellow lights on the roadside, several women who were chatting stopped and all looked at him.
Lu Zhe felt like an animal that had wandered into another world, watched every step it took. This omnipresent, silent sense of defensiveness intensified the ominous premonition in his heart.
He steeled himself and continued along the dirt road for a while, then turned into an alley that looked like the main street. Low brick houses lined both sides, with occasional lights shining from windows, but the street was almost deserted. The cold wind swirled and howled, whipping up trash.
Lu Zhe's heart sank little by little.
Blindly searching like this isn't going to work! He's unfamiliar with this place, and it's clearly xenophobic. That group has probably already slipped into some courtyard, so there's no way he'll find Chu Yanxi.
Thinking of Chu Yanxi, Lu Zhe's mind suddenly cleared. 110, yes! She probably meant for him to call the police.
If there's a problem, call the police.
This idea gave him a jolt. He immediately inquired about the location of the police station and hurried toward it.
The police station consisted of two rooms in a row of bungalows, with a sign hanging at the door and lights on inside.
Lu Zhe pushed open the door and entered, a warm, cozy atmosphere mixed with the smell of smoke and coal stove wafting towards him. A middle-aged policeman in a faded old police uniform sat behind his desk, reading a newspaper under a desk lamp, with a faint steam rising from the enamel mug beside him.
"What's up?" The police officer looked up, his face showing the calm indifference that comes with years of grassroots work, and his accent was thick with local slang.
Lu Zhe took a deep breath and quickly entered "lawyer's statement" mode, trying to keep his tone calm and clear: "Officer, I want to report a case. About twenty minutes ago, a group of people, two men and one woman, got off the KXXX train here and are suspected of trafficking a young woman. The woman is under the influence of drugs, is unconscious, and is in critical condition."
He described in detail the characteristics of the fat woman, the tall and strong man, and the short man, as well as Chu Yanxi's clothing and unusual condition.
"They got off at this station, most likely intending to conduct illegal transactions in the vicinity. We request an immediate search and interception!"
The police officer put down his newspaper, leaned forward slightly, and tapped his fingers unconsciously on the table. He didn't immediately take notes, but instead asked, "Trafficking? Did you see clearly? What was the specific relationship? How did you determine it?" His eyes held a professional scrutiny, but it seemed... there was something else in them as well.
Lu Zhe suppressed his anxiety: "I'm sure they're not relatives! Their behavior and eye contact perfectly match the characteristics of controlling a victim! I'm an official from the Qingyuan County Cultural Bureau; this is my work ID and letter of introduction." He took out his identification from his bag to increase credibility.
The police officer waved his hand, refusing to take the identification, and instead asked, "From the Cultural Bureau? What are you doing in Yushutai all by yourself?"
"I'm doing field research, collecting folk customs information," Lu Zhe replied, then tried to steer the conversation back on track, "Officer, the most important thing now is that girl's safety..."
The police officer frowned, his confusion turning into near impatience: "Comrade, what you're saying is all speculation. Without evidence, how can we open a case? Besides, how can we search so late at night? Where can we even search?"
The other party was being evasive, even deliberately avoiding the issue! As a lawyer, Lu Zhe had seen far too many excuses and prevarications. But at this moment, this attitude might indicate a more serious problem—local protectionism? Or…deeper collusion?
"Officer!" Lu Zhe's voice carried a sharp edge, the kind of sharpness a lawyer displays in court. "That's a living, breathing person! If the delay leads to serious consequences, can you take responsibility?!"
The police officer's face darkened completely, and his tone became harsh: "What are you shouting for? We have our procedures! I understand the situation you reported, and we will handle it. Please leave now and do not obstruct official business!" He waved his hand, his gesture clearly indicating his intention to drive him away.
Lu Zhe looked at the other person's face, which appeared blurry and indifferent under the light, and without saying anything more, turned around and quickly left the police station.
The water here is deeper than I imagined.
Having lost his only official avenue for help, what should he, an outsider, do in this unfamiliar, closed, and hostile land?
He wandered aimlessly through the dimly lit streets, his mind racing, trying to find a thread in the chaos.
Suddenly, a sharp gust of wind came from behind me!
Before Lu Zhe could even react, he was struck hard on the back of the head! His vision went black, and excruciating pain exploded within him. He groaned and his body fell forward uncontrollably.
In the last second before he completely lost consciousness, he heard a rough, hoarse whisper with a local accent:
"You busybody! You're asking for it..."
A note from the author:
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From now on, updates will be posted every day at 9 AM.
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