Chapter 498 It’s Up to You

**Chapter 498: The Decision Lies With You**

Captain Ding knew He Tingyue had a gun. His earlier practiced movements were no act—he had real blood on his hands.

Provoking someone like this would bring no good to the village.

Better than mutual destruction was to talk things out.

"Comrade He, we don’t want trouble."

He Tingyue’s expression remained indifferent. "Same here."

The man who had threatened to call the police was fuming, convinced He Tingyue was spineless and afraid.

"What they did is already illegal! Didn’t you hear? They tried to kidnap us and stop us from leaving! We have to call the police—have them arrested!"

His words only made the expressions of the men behind Captain Ding grow even more hostile.

Ding Jianan smacked him. "Zhu Yuanzhi, if you say another word, you can stay behind by yourself!"

Zhu Yuanzhi's face flushed with anger but he reluctantly shut his mouth.

His righteous outrage simmered inside, and in his heart, he cursed them all as cowards.

Ding Jianan took a deep breath and stepped forward, gritting her teeth.

"Sir, we won’t call the police. We just want to leave. We won’t cause you any trouble."

Captain Ding had pull in the commune, so he wasn’t actually afraid of them reporting to the police.

But who knew what might go wrong along the way? The fewer complications, the better.

He fixed Ding Jianan with a hard stare and finally barked, "Let them go!"

Sweat coated Ding Jianan’s palms as she let out a quiet sigh of relief.

She’d seen more than the others had, her face numb from experience, walking on autopilot.

By the time they reached the commune to wait for transport, the mood was grim.

Zhu Yuanzhi was still ranting about reporting to the police, ignoring everyone’s attempts to stop him as he pushed toward the station.

In the end, it was He Tingyue who blocked him.

"You can call the police—but keep us out of it until we’re gone."

Zhu Yuanzhi snapped, his face twisted in fury. "Are you even a man? There are so many of us—why should we be scared? A bunch of backwater hicks, and you're all this terrified?"

Jiang Yu shot back coldly, "If you're not scared, why didn’t you stay earlier? We’re not stopping you—just wait until we’re gone. Then go play hero alone."

Zhu Yuanzhi was left speechless, his face red with humiliation.

It was precisely because he knew He Tingyue worked for the Public Security Bureau that he dared to shout about calling the police.

But he couldn’t understand why someone from security could be so weak, ducking for cover at the first sign of trouble.

Ding Jianan rubbed her eyes wearily and murmured, "Zhu Yuanzhi, one more word, and you’re off my team."

He turned to glare at her, burning with defiance.

"Director Ding..."

Ye Zhu silenced him with a look. "Be quiet."

Zhu Yuanzhi had no choice but to reluctantly clamp his mouth shut.

After what felt like forever, the bus finally pulled up, and the group eagerly bought tickets and climbed aboard.

The rest of the trip was uneventful, and they arrived safely at the guesthouse.

Chen Yu was already waiting there, clearly anxious.

As soon as he saw them, his relief was plain to see.

"How was the trip?"

Jiang Yu glanced at Ding Jianan. Far from it.

"Engineer Chen, let's talk inside."

Once everyone was settled in, they went off to their respective rooms.

Jiang Yu and He Tingyue joined Chen Yu in Ding Jianan and Ye Zhu’s room.

Ding Jianan splashed water on her face and finally collected herself.

"There's another woman locked in that cellar. Her name is Yu Lan, originally from Beicheng."

Yu Lan was thirty-eight—she'd been trapped there for eighteen years.

As Ding Jianan spoke in broken phrases, the mood in the room turned somber.

Confined to a cellar, the way they treated outsider women wasn't even human.

When she first arrived, Yu Lan wouldn't break and endured many beatings.

Later, she learned to pretend to obey and seized a chance to run.

It ended as you’d expect—she didn’t clear Qiao Village before being caught and dragged back.

After they beat her senseless, she was thrown back into the cellar.

From then on, she rarely got out.

Treated like an animal.

At this point, Ding Jianan was choking back sobs.

"She said she wants to die, but her greatest wish is to see her parents one last time before dying."

That hope alone kept her going all these years.

"She..." Jiang Yu’s voice was hoarse. "Did she have any children?"

Their intentions were clear enough—they only wanted women to bear children.

Ding Jianan bit down on her knuckles. "She had three daughters. All buried."

Jiang Yu went pale. Was this why the village had no women?

Ding Jianan gave a bitter smile. "They're truly inhuman."

What they needed wasn't a wife, just a breeding tool.

Chen Yu's face fell. Yu Lan wasn't the only one treated this way.

Jiang Yu drew a deep breath and shut her eyes.

"What we need to do now is reach out to the local police first. But the commune police station is compromised—who can guarantee the county police won't cover for them too?"

If someone did cover for them, they might not even get out of the county alive.

He Tingyue placed a hand on her shoulder and said solemnly, "That's on you."

Rather than contacting the police directly, it would be better to make them take the initiative on this.

Jiang Yu caught on right away. "You mean… Li Nian!"

As long as it worked, she didn’t mind using the method again.

"I need to find a way to contact Li Nian. She'd jump at this story."

And once it was published, it would set Beicheng on fire.

The problem was, it was an unconfirmed story.

They had no evidence—only speculation.

Li Nian would have to put her career on the line to gamble with Jiang Yu.

If she won, her career would take off.

If she lost, her career would be over right then.

"Jiang Yu, that earlier interview about you was also a major risk. Whether Director Xue or the Textile Industry Revolutionary Committee, I dared not cross either."

Yet she still chose Jiang Yu.

Jiang Yu might not believe it, but ever since she first heard her name and researched her background, she had been strangely drawn to her.

"I'll take this gamble with you. If we lose, I’ll accept it."

Jiang Yu’s voice weighed down with emotion, her low tone carrying through the phone to Li Nian’s ears.

"On behalf of those abducted women, I thank you."

Li Nian wasn’t one for sentiment. Based on Jiang Yu’s account, she jotted down key questions.

After grasping the situation, she spoke rapidly, "I’ll pull out all the stops to get this story published—but I can’t make any guarantees."

Jiang Yu didn’t press further, simply saying, "I’ll wait for your news."

Publishing an unconfirmed story without evidence—one that could shake the public conscience—meant immense pressure.

Li Nian couldn’t do it alone. She had to get her editors onboard.

But if anything went wrong, the consequences wouldn’t stop at disciplinary action.

Li Nian acted swiftly, drafting the report and going straight to the top with it.

"You're quite well-informed. When did this happen? How come I didn't hear about it? Do you have connections at the Southern Henan Public Security Bureau?"

Li Nian straightened her back. "The bureau hasn't gotten involved yet. This is intel from Jiang Yu."

The editor-in-chief frowned and threw down the news draft.

"Li Nian, what are the principles of journalism?"

Li Nian squared her shoulders and answered firmly, "Objectivity, truth, fairness, and comprehensiveness."

The editor-in-chief banged his fist on the desk, his expression stern.

"Does this report meet those standards? If the police aren't even involved yet, how can you be so sure it's factual? If there's any fabrication causing social panic, are you prepared to take responsibility?"

"I will!"

"With what?" he roared, grabbing a book like he might throw it at her.

But when he saw her unyielding expression, he froze.

He waved a hand dismissively. "Get out."

Li Nian didn't move, her voice softening.

"Brother Lian, you've seen my growth all these years at the paper. If this wasn't a story worth reporting, I wouldn't touch it! Jiang Yu knows these things—she's too scared to even go to the police. Coming to me is her only option."

Lian Yu'an sneered. "What makes you think you can do better than the local police?"

"I don't. But I can rally resources! Even if we save just one trafficked victim, it'll be worth it!" Li Nian said firmly.

Lian Yu'an fell silent, his expression grim.

This was no longer just Li Nian's problem. If the story passed review and got published, he'd be on the hook too.

But if it were true...

He let out a long sigh. "I never should've introduced you to Jiang Yu."

Li Nian smiled. "Actually, I think it's made me better."

She wasn't in it for recognition—she just wanted those people rescued as soon as possible.

"Brother Lian, I'm saying this for all those who've been trafficked. Thank you."

"Just go!"