Huoji dug at his ear impatiently, clearly annoyed by the noise of the sobbing. He waved a hand, and his men tore the mother and daughter apart.
"Shut up!" one of them spat.
They both knew the truth: these men would never let their family leave alive. Even so, An Xiaoni’s mother begged them desperately.
"I’m begging you. My husband is already gone, please, can’t you let my daughter go? She knows nothing. Please, I’m begging you. You can take my life instead, just please, let my daughter go."
"Mom—!" An Xiaoni reached out toward her, but they were already held apart.
"Save your breath, old woman. This little treasure is worth some money, but you? Even if you’re a wealthy lady and keep yourself up well, there are some who like that sort of thing, but let’s be honest—the little treasure is much more appetizing."
Huoji gripped the mother’s chin, looked her over, and shoved her aside with a rough shove. He turned to An Xiaoni, his eyes glinting with a sickly, pale light. He reached out to touch her. "Ever had a boyfriend, little treasure?"
"Get away from me!" Using the force of the men holding her arms, An Xiaoni kicked out at Huoji.
"Spicy little thing. I like it." His evil grin was enough to make one’s skin crawl.
Hatred filled the mother’s eyes. She glared at the thug next to her, a primal, beast-like roar erupting from her throat. She thrashed wildly, shaking off the hands pinning her arms. In the chaos, she grabbed a vase from a nearby table and smashed it directly onto the thug’s head.
With a crash, the vase shattered. The thug reeled, dizzy and stumbling back a few paces.
Ignoring everything else, the mother charged at Huoji. "Don't touch her!" she screamed, her voice raw.
She lunged at him without a moment’s hesitation and sank her teeth deep into his arm. Huoji let out a high-pitched, guttural shriek of pain, thrashing his arm violently to shake her off.
"Damn it!" Another thug stepped forward and kicked the mother hard in the waist, but she refused to let go.
"Arghhh!" Huoji howled. With his free hand, he rained blows down on her face, her hair flying with every impact, but she didn’t budge. She bit down harder, tearing at his flesh with everything she had.
"Mom—!" An Xiaoni kicked and struggled, but the man holding her struck her again and again, trying to beat her into submission.
As a mother, seeing her daughter being beaten left her with only one choice: fight them to the death. Even if she couldn't win, she would try to take one of them down with her. She was already a dead woman anyway.
The mother freed one hand and jabbed her fingers with all her might into Huoji’s eye. Her nails sank deep, and tears of agony burst from his eye.
"You bitch! Die!"
A thug pulled a gun from his waistband, ready to end her.
"Don't shoot!" Huoji roared through his pain. "A gunshot will bring people here!" He began pounding his fists into the mother’s head. Blood poured from her nose, but she still wouldn't let go; a chunk of Huoji’s arm was nearly torn clean off.
Another thug pulled out a small knife, his face twisted with malice. "Brother Ji, let me handle it."
He aimed for the mother’s throat, but Huoji barked, "Don't splash blood everywhere! I still have to sell this villa! Give her the dose—get rid of both of them."
"No, Mom!" An Xiaoni screamed, struggling frantically toward her mother, but the thugs held her fast.
The mother and daughter were putting up too much of a fight. Fearing the noise would draw unwanted attention, one of the men delivered a sharp chop to the back of the mother’s neck. Her body went limp, her mind spinning into darkness.
"Let... let my daughter go..." she mumbled, drifting out of consciousness.
"Mom—!" An Xiaoni cried, but she was trapped. A thug shoved a piece of dirty rag into her mouth to muffle her screams.
"Nini... you have to live." It was the last thing her mother whispered before she collapsed—faint, but An Xiaoni heard it.
Huoji, furious, kicked the unconscious body several times. One of the thugs stepped forward and injected a needle into the mother’s arm. Her limbs twitched uncontrollably for a moment, then went still.
An Xiaoni’s eyes widened to the point of tearing; her world shattered in an instant.
"Live? Oh, she’ll live, alright. I’ll make sure your little treasure lives every day in total bliss." Huoji spat on the mother’s body. He looked at the chunk of flesh missing from his arm and clicked his tongue. He tore a strip of fabric from his shirt to bandage the wound, a flash of murderous intent crossing his eyes.
"Take the girl," he roared. "Leave two men to finish cleaning up!"
An Xiaoni, filled with terror and despair, stared fixedly at the lifeless bodies of her parents on the floor. Her body trembled uncontrollably, and she let out muffled, desperate cries—her final, silent screams.
The two men dragged her away until her parents were out of sight. They shoved her roughly into the back of a van. She curled into a ball, her eyes hollow, tears soaking the rag in her mouth.
*I have to be strong,* she told herself. *I have to live. Mom and Dad told me to live.*
Inside the van, the thug sitting next to her looked at the devastated girl and, devoid of any humanity, decided to torment her. He leaned in, his eyes lecherous, licking his lips as his gaze wandered over her white dress. He reached out with a dirty hand toward her thigh.
An Xiaoni recoiled, struggling and whimpering against the rag in her mouth.
The commotion caught Huoji’s attention in the passenger seat. He turned and smacked the man’s head with a loud *thwack*. "What are you doing? She’s not for you to touch."
"Brother Ji, I’ll pay, just let me have a go first. I’ve never tried a schoolgirl like this," the man muttered, rubbing his head in protest.
Another thug chimed in, "You piece of trash, back off! If anyone’s going to do it, it’s Brother Ji first. When would it ever be your turn?"
Huoji cursed, "You brainless idiot! Open your eyes and look! She’s a treasure. We’re taking her to Nevernight City. There are plenty of rich heirs and tycoons there; the price they’ll pay is more than you’ll make in a lifetime! Keep your hands to yourself—if you ruin this for me, I’ll kill you and your whole family!"
He had almost forgotten: pimping was Brother Ji’s specialty.
The thug shrank back, fear flashing in his eyes, but he couldn't hide his resentment as he sat down, grumbling under his breath.
Not long after, the van pulled up to the gates of Nevernight City. An Xiaoni was hauled out of the vehicle.