Chapter 497 Can’t Let Them Leave!

**Chapter 497: We Can't Let Them Leave!**

Over here, Jiang Yu was getting worried because Ding Jianan still hadn’t come back.

“She said she’d just stop by to say hi and come right back. Why is it taking so long?” Ye Zhu frowned.

She didn’t like these villages at all and wanted to get out of there ASAP.

Ding Jianan had been gone too long, and it was making her nervous.

Jiang Yu stepped outside. “Ye, you and the others head back to the city first. We’ll go look for Director Ding.”

Ye Zhu didn’t want to split up. She got up. “I’ll go with you.”

“No need—we’ll catch up at the guesthouse. You go ahead first.”

Jiang Yu could tell she was antsy and guessed she’d had enough of this place.

Ye Zhu reluctantly agreed. “Then be careful.”

Jiang Yu turned to He Tingyue. “Let’s go.”

Ding Jianan had been gone for too long, and Jiang Yu had a bad feeling about this.

But they couldn’t just bail on her. No one knew if this trip was even safe.

When Captain Ding saw them arrive, he looked surprised.

“Why haven’t you left yet?”

“We’re looking for Director Ding,” Jiang Yu said. “Do you know where she went, Captain Ding?”

Captain Ding froze. “She took off after saying hi to me. She hasn’t come back?”

“No, we waited for ages. When she still didn’t show, we came to check.”

While Jiang Yu was explaining, He Tingyue was checking out the house.

His eyes landed on the yard, where a snapped chain was lying on the ground.

Catching his look, Captain Ding hurried over with a smile. “She’s gone—maybe she headed back to town.”

He Tingyue shoved him aside coldly and walked into the yard, picking up the chain.

Jiang Yu knew it instantly—it was the one Ding Jianan had been wearing.

A chain doesn’t snap like this without a fight.

She was sure Ding Jianan never made it out.

“Captain Ding, are you sure Director Ding isn’t here?”

Captain Ding’s face went rigid as he stared at the thing in He Tingyue’s hand, swearing under his breath.

“Maybe she dropped it here by accident. She left right after talking to me.”

Jiang Yu took the chain and rubbed it between her fingers.

“You think a chain like this just snaps on its own?”

Captain Ding's mouth twitched as he struggled to come up with an explanation, but his nephew couldn't hold back any longer.

He had no sons of his own—only this nephew who had grown up by his side.

Ding Dakun, being lame and physically impaired, had never had his pick of women.

As a result, he was nearly thirty and still without a wife, his temper growing more volatile and desperate.

He'd had his eye on Jiang Yu for a while, but Captain Ding had repeatedly stopped him, making him too afraid to act.

Now that she had basically walked right into their hands, he had barely been holding himself back.

But when He Tingyue discovered the chain, he could wait no longer.

His hungry eyes fixed on Jiang Yu once again.

"Uncle, cut the talk! Deal with the men and grab the women!"

Nobody's getting out of here!

Captain Ding's face darkened, his eyes glinting with icy malice.

"You asked for this!"

Ding Dakun pulled the same stunt again, trying to grab Jiang Yu and drag her inside.

But he had overlooked He Tingyue. Before his hand could reach her, a brutal kick slammed into his stomach.

The kick landed with such force that it sent him flying through the air before crashing heavily to the ground, his guts twisting like they'd been kicked out of place.

"Dakun!" Captain Ding's eyes bulged. He started to rush forward, but suddenly the cold muzzle of a gun pressed against his forehead.

Gooseflesh prickled across his skin and his scalp crawled with fear.

Instinctively, he wanted to beg for mercy, but the moment he opened his mouth, his teeth clattered like castanets, unable to form a single word.

Under He Tingyue's icy stare, he dropped to his knees.

Jiang Yu watched him coldly.

"Last chance—where's Director Ding?"

Captain Ding trembled violently. "D-down in... the cellar."

In their village, every house had its own cellar.

Any women they got their hands on would be locked inside.

He Tingyue gave a slight flick of his wrist. "Bring her up."

With a gun to his head, how could he refuse? He all but crawled into the cellar to untie Ding Jianan.

By the time he brought Ding Jianan out, He Tingyue had already put the gun away.

"We never laid a finger on her! We just locked her in the cellar!"

Jiang Yu hurried over, pulling Ding Jianan close to inspect her.

She had some rope marks on her skin, but overall, she hadn't suffered any serious harm.

"Director Ding, you alright?"

Ding Jianan was so terrified, tears spilled out the moment she tried to speak.

After Ding Dakun shoved her into the cellar, the woman who had cried for help got dragged down too.

That’s when she realized—the woman had been trafficked here.

This village did have women—just all trafficked ones.

To keep them from running away, they weren’t allowed outside. They were locked in the cellar every day, their only job pumping out sons for the villagers.

Ding Jianan had given up hope of ever escaping this hellhole and nearly lost her mind.

She never dreamed Jiang Yu and He Tingyue would actually come for her.

"I... I'm fine, but there..."

Jiang Yu stopped her with a look. Just taking her wouldn’t step on the villagers’ toes.

But dragging others in? Captain Ding wouldn’t let that slide.

"Captain Ding, I’d rather avoid more trouble. Please escort us out."

Captain Ding didn’t dare say no—regret was eating him alive.

Should’ve just played nice and sent these damn troublemakers packing. Why mess with them?

"Fine. I’ll take you out."

Ding Dakun stayed balled up on the dirt, too wrecked to move, not even daring to peek at them.

Served him right—had Ding Jianan, but still went after another man’s wife.

As they passed by, He Tingyue suddenly stopped dead, stomped on Ding Dakun’s fingers, and twisted his foot.

Ding Dakun’s face contorted, letting out a blood-curdling shriek.

He Tingyue stared down at his agony, face blank.

"Some folks are off-limits."

Captain Ding shrank back, too scared to even glance over.

Just gotta get these people gone.

But when they reached the village entrance, Ye Zhu’s group—who should’ve been gone by now—were trapped by a mob.

Seeing Ye Zhu’s panic, Jiang Yu cut Captain Ding a sharp look.

"Real slick, Captain. Playing both sides."

Captain Ding’s stomach dropped. All he wanted was to dump them without a fight—now this?

"What the hell are you doing?! Let them through—now!"

The roadblock thugs hesitated, exchanging uneasy glances before a one-eyed man stepped forward.

"Boss, wasn’t it you who told Dakun to..."

Captain Ding slapped him hard. "Cut the crap! Let them go!"

With his intervention, the villagers blocking the way reluctantly dispersed, though their faces still showed resentment.

Once they were let through, Ye Zhu quickly pulled Ding Jianan along as the group hurried forward.

Just as they stepped out of the village, a male crew member turned back and shouted, "Just wait—I'm calling the cops, and you'll all be arrested!"

The word "police" struck a nerve with the villagers. Hearing that, they ignored Captain Ding’s orders and surrounded them again.

"Uncle, they’re calling the police! We can’t let them leave!"

Ye Zhu glared fiercely at the man who had spoken. "Just shut the hell up!"

What a terrible time to open his mouth.