The more you believe me, the more real it becomes.

Chapter 149 What a bunch of beasts!
Seeing Du Yuan about to leave, the terrified old Taoist priest wanted to tell him to kill him right now.

But at the last minute, he was horrified to find that he didn't dare to speak.

No, it's not that he's afraid to speak up, it's that he thinks as long as the other person leaves, he'll have plenty of opportunities to escape.
But can they really escape?

The old Taoist priest felt as if he had fallen into an abyss, losing his balance, and remained silent and unresponsive.

Just as Du Yuan turned around, a scream suddenly came from under the crossbeam beside her:
"Master! Master, please wait! I... I have a favor to ask!"

Du Yuan looked in the direction of the sound and saw the fortified commander, who was also trapped under the crossbeam, shouting at him.

Seeing him looking at him, the other person hurriedly said:

"I know my sins are grave. I only beg you, Daoist, to go to the dungeon inside the fortress! There, there are still about a hundred children imprisoned!"

After saying that, he spat out a mouthful of blood, and at the same time, a large patch of blood spread out under his left arm.

It's obvious he's nearing the end of his life.

Du Yuan looked in the direction he was pointing and indeed saw the literary fortune that Liu Shiyuan had dispersed before, a small part of which was leading him deeper into the fortress.

Du Yuan had noticed this before, so he came here specifically to see these guys.

It was still because of this obvious anomaly.

I just didn't know before that they were so heartless as to lock up so many children.

Why are you locking up so many children?

"Yes, they are offerings. The Taoist priest asked my Liu family to arrange young boys and girls as offerings for the Tiger God. Young Master found three pairs that were auspicious at the time, and also prepared fifty extra pairs as a supplementary offering."

He barely dared to look at Du Yuan as he said this.

When a person is about to die, his words are also good.

That's his current situation.

As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly felt a lightness in his body.

Turning around in astonishment, I saw that the heavy crossbeam had been lifted into the air and moved aside by an invisible force.

"This?!" He looked at Du Yuan in disbelief.

Du Yuan nodded to him and said:
"Since you know you're wrong, I'll help you out, but whether you live or die afterward depends on your own fate!"

He was ultimately an accomplice, so Du Yuan's help ended there.

After saying that, he headed towards the dungeon on his own.

In the ruins, only the fortified commander with his severed arm remained. A sharp pain shot through him, and in a panic, he tore off a piece of his clothing, using his teeth and his intact right hand to clumsily and desperately try to bandage the bleeding wound.

Du Yuan made her way deep into the dungeon without any obstacles and soon found the hundred or so children deep inside.

In the dim light, countless tiny figures could be seen huddled together in the cold corner of the stone wall. Upon seeing the newcomer, they opened their eyes wide in terror and desperately squeezed deeper into the space.

Immediately afterwards, suppressed sobs tinged with tears rose and fell in waves:
"Father—Mother—"

“I want to go home.”

"Waaah... I'm scared... I'm so scared."

"It's so dark and cold!"

The child's cries echoed incessantly in the cold, dark dungeon.

Du Yuan's brows furrowed deeply, an indescribable heaviness and anger churning within his chest. He finally understood why the founding ancestor of the Liu family had risked scattering the Liu family's literary legacy for six hundred years, all to ask for mercy from a subordinate.

'The sins you have committed are far deeper and more serious than I have ever seen!'

After taking a deep breath, Du Yuan calmed herself down.

With a wave of his hand, the cell door holding the children was twisted open remotely.

This scene almost terrified the children.

Du Yuan tried her best to soften her voice:
"Children, don't be afraid, I've come to save you!"

The children were all too afraid to speak until one of them noticed that Du Yuan seemed genuinely different from the others, and then timidly asked, "You...you really came to save us?"

Du Yuan nodded:

"Correct."

This made many children's eyes light up with hope:
"So, will you take us home? I... I miss my parents!"

Du Yuan wanted to say he definitely would, but when he looked in the direction of the voice, his throat tightened.

Because he clearly saw two phantom images of a young couple, one on his left and one on his right, pleading with him and bowing repeatedly.

Those beasts not only kidnapped the child, but also killed the parents?!

Suddenly, he focused his mind and quickly scanned each of the young and fearful faces in the cage.

The next moment, he was struck dumb, frozen on the spot!
As far as the eye can see—densely packed!
The figures that almost filled the entire dungeon instantly filled Du Yuan's eyes.

Among them were the old and the young, men and women, but without exception, they were all bowing repeatedly to Du Yuan and pleading with her.

They weren't asking Du Yuan to perform a ritual to help them pass on, but rather to find a way for their child to survive.

Seeing this scene, Du Yuan felt it was difficult to even breathe.

After a few breaths, Du Yuan finally managed to calm herself down and turned to the child, answering gently:

"I will help you find a warm and suitable home."

After saying that, Du Yuan smiled again:

"It's too cold in here, let's go outside!"

Led by Du Yuan, the children, the older ones taking care of the younger ones, filed out of the dark, cold, and desolate dungeon.

After all the children had left, Du Yuan turned back to look at the countless, densely packed ghosts.

After carefully scanning each person, Du Yuan bowed deeply to them and said:

"Please rest assured, I will certainly find them a good home!"

After saying that, Du Yuan took out a Yin De Bao coin, lit it, and placed it in the dungeon.

Amidst the rising smoke, we watched these poor souls depart for the afterlife.

Finally, looking at the densely packed Yin Virtue Treasure Coins at my feet.

Du Yuan couldn't help but let out a long sigh.

Why is it always the ordinary people who suffer?
After stepping out of that excessively dark dungeon, Du Yuan felt the sunlight was exceptionally warm for the first time.

Before him stood a total of one hundred and six bewildered children.

Looking at them, Du Yuan was also a little troubled.

Although I promised those poor people, how should I settle them?
I can't possibly take them to such a dangerous place as the southwest.

But if we turn back, things will likely change even more in the southwest.

Du Yuan remembered the tiger's dying words.

Those old fogies have been plotting in the southwest for a long time; they've probably set up their schemes in almost every slightly larger area.

If this continues for too long, the number of people who will suffer will be far greater than here.

The more Du Yuan thought about it, the more her head ached. She could only suppress her emotions and say to the children:
"Come on, let's get out of here first!"

The children naturally followed Du Yuan closely.

As Du Yuan walked past the collapsed training ground platform, she saw that where the Wubao commander had been, there was only a pool of blood left.

The old Taoist priest pretended to be dead and closed his eyes, as if that would prevent him from noticing him.

After shaking her head, Du Yuan led the large group of children away from this filthy place.

(End of this chapter)