Chapter 48: The Divine Ear Takes Effect (Part 2)

"Let's go back," Hou Yong sighed. Although he was reluctant, he knew that finding someone in a vast sea was a difficult task. Finding the person would be a pleasant surprise, but without any leads, they couldn't blame fate.

"Wait, Brother Hou, let's check over there," Zhu Daodong said after calming his excitement. He pointed to the north of their current position, an area near the edge of the county town, a large residential area where the poorest residents of the town lived.

"Daodong, there's always more to do, but we should eat something first. We can come back later," Hou Yong said, appreciating Zhu Daodong's persistence. They had been searching for over three hours, and it was already two in the afternoon. People need food to function, and searching for a needle in a haystack was a long-term task. Even with sixty or seventy people searching, it could take ten to fifteen days, and that was with good luck. If the traffickers were smart, it might take even longer. Exhausting themselves on the first day would be counterproductive.

"No, Brother Hou, let's try for another half hour. The last time I came to the county town, I got along well with Secretary Chen's son. Just now, I had a strange feeling, like he's over there," Zhu Daodong quickly found a reasonable excuse. He had used his directional hearing again and was sure it was Chen Wanli's breathing, though weaker than before. His ears had never deceived him since his hearing improved.

"Alright, as you wish," Hou Yong looked at Zhu Daodong, seeing his serious expression, and decided not to insist. He sometimes relied on intuition in his work, so he didn't doubt Zhu Daodong's words.

Wang Bo, who had been feeling dejected, immediately became energetic and determined upon hearing Zhu Daodong's words. When people are lost, they easily lose confidence, but if someone gives them a point of support, they quickly find direction. Now, Zhu Daodong's intuition was Wang Bo's support.

Earlier, Hou Yong had led the way, but now Zhu Daodong was in front. They had entered through a small alley, but now Zhu Daodong led them through a maze of houses, sometimes jumping over piles of coal or bricks.

However, Zhu Daodong was oblivious to the obstacles. He was focused on one destination. The closer he got, the clearer the sounds became. He could even hear two adults, a man and a woman, near Chen Wanli. They were discussing their next move, as the extensive search for Chen Wanli had alarmed them. They had to decide whether to leave immediately or lie low and wait for the situation to calm down before moving the "goods."

"Let's just leave quickly," the man said.

"Leave? All the exits are sealed, and hundreds of people are searching for him. How can we find a way out?" the woman said anxiously.

"At this point, do you still want to take him with you?" the man said angrily.

"If we don't take him, won't all our efforts be in vain? No, I'd rather wait here. I don't believe they can find us," the woman was unwilling to give up the opportunity, even if it meant staying put.

"This kid is a curse. Do you want to ruin everything here?" the man was desperate, thinking the woman was shortsighted. At this critical moment, she was still thinking about money. No amount of money could compare to their lives.

"I don't care if he's a curse or a god of wealth. Either we hide here for a while, or we take him with us," the woman insisted.

"One day, you'll be the death of me!" the man sighed, knowing it was impossible to take the child with them. The bus and train stations were full of police, and dozens of people were searching the streets with the child's photo. How long could they hide here?

While they were talking, Zhu Daodong had led Hou Yong and Wang Bo to the outside of a small house. It looked like any other house in the area, but Zhu Daodong was sure Chen Wanli was inside.

"Brother Dong, why did you stop?" Wang Bo asked, puzzled.

"Is this the place?" Hou Yong whispered, knowing that Zhu Daodong's intuition had led them here.

"I'm not sure, but my feeling is very strong, and I feel uneasy," Zhu Daodong continued with his earlier excuse.

"Alright, you two wait here. I'll go check," Hou Yong looked at the house for a moment and then walked over.

"Wang Bo, follow me. If he's really here, remember to catch the traffickers!" Zhu Daodong was certain Chen Wanli was inside and wouldn't let Hou Yong go alone.

"Knock, knock, knock"

Hou Yong knocked on the door, but no one answered. Zhu Daodong knew the man and woman inside had stopped talking, likely pale and panicked.

"Is anyone home?" Hou Yong shouted, his voice loud enough to rouse the neighbors.

"Brother Hou, someone is definitely inside. Look, the door isn't locked," Zhu Daodong observed. The houses used padlocks, and if no one was home, it would be obvious. This door was locked from the inside, meaning someone was home.

"Is anyone there? I'm from the police station. I need to ask you some questions," Hou Yong was surprised by Zhu Daodong's keen observation and had shouted loudly because of it.

"That's strange. Even if someone is sleeping during the day, they would have been woken up by that," Hou Yong stepped back and then kicked the door with his right leg, breaking the lock with his strong foot.

Hou Yong rushed in first, followed closely by Zhu Daodong and Wang Bo. The house had a typical layout with three rooms side by side, connected by doors. Two rooms were bedrooms, and one was a kitchen and dining area, with no back door. They had the traffickers cornered.

"Who are you?" They entered the kitchen and dining area, and as they moved to the second room, they heard a commotion inside.

"I'm from the police station. Why didn't you answer when I knocked?" Hou Yong said as he walked, already sensing something was off and on high alert.

"Who do you think you are? I haven't done anything wrong. If you have something to say, say it outside," a man in his forties emerged from the innermost room, pulling back the curtain.

"What's your name? Who owns this house? Are you alone?" Hou Yong asked a series of rapid questions.

Zhu Daodong pulled Wang Bo into the innermost room.

"What are you doing?" The man became even more panicked and tried to grab Zhu Daodong.

"Stay still. We're asking you questions," Hou Yong, who had already seen through the man's act, grabbed his wrist, immobilizing him.

Zhu Daodong entered the inner room and saw the woman. He had only heard her voice before. She was about the same age as the man, dressed simply, and looked honest. She appeared nervous when she saw Zhu Daodong.

Zhu Daodong didn't waste time with her. His eyes scanned the room and quickly noticed the bed. The covers were spread out, but one end was abnormally raised. He walked over and pulled back the covers, revealing Chen Wanli, bound and gagged, with his eyes closed. Upon closer inspection, Zhu Daodong saw that the child was actually asleep.