A young boy from the 1970s, separated from his family, fled famine and led his younger brother into

"Don't push! One at a time! Keep an eye on your children and luggage!"

On the platform, the shouts of the train conductor, the clamor of the passengers, the clatter of luggage, and the hissing of the train's steam engine intertwined into a chaotic symphony.

Su Nianci was tightly protected by Lin Wenjun, one in each arm, as they struggled to move towards the carriage door amidst the surging crowd. Little Stone, seeing such a behemoth as a train for the first time, turned pale with fright and clung tightly to Su Nianci's arm, practically hanging on her.

"Don't be afraid, follow your sister." Su Nianci whispered to him to comfort him, while using her small body to try her best to keep the adults who were crowding around him away.

Finally, they stepped onto the high, iron steps of the carriage.

A strong and complex aroma instantly wafted over me.

It was a mixture of sweat, foot odor, cheap tobacco, roast chicken, rice, and various other indescribable smells, so pungent it was almost suffocating. This was the most authentic "mark" of the green trains of the 1970s.

The train carriages were even more crowded.

The narrow aisle was piled high with bags and suitcases, and travelers were crammed together like sardines. Benches meant for three people were crammed with four or five. Even under the seats, people were curled up asleep.

Although Su Nianci had ridden on old-fashioned trains in her previous life to experience life, the scene before her eyes far exceeded her imagination. This was no longer just crowded; it was practically a massive population migration.

"Our seats are inside, follow me!" Lin Wenjun was clearly very experienced in this situation. She moved like a nimble fish, clearing a path through the crowded gaps, while Su Nianci followed closely behind, pulling Xiao Shitou along.

Their seats were in the middle of the carriage, two window seats. Old Wang's "insider tickets" were surprisingly good seats.

Lin Wenjun helped them put their pitifully small "luggage"—a military water bottle filled with hot water and a few steamed buns—on the luggage rack, and then let the two of them squeeze into the window seat.

"You sit here, I'll go over there." Lin Wenjun pointed to a seat across the aisle and smiled at them.

Su Nianci knew how lucky she was to have a familiar and kind person by her side on this train. She sincerely said, "Thank you, Sister Wenjun."

"Don't mention it." Lin Wenjun waved her hand. "Just call me if you need anything on the way."

With another long whistle, the vehicle jolted violently and then began to move slowly and rhythmically forward with a clanging sound.

The train has started moving.

The platform and the crowds seeing people off outside the window began to recede slowly. It was Little Stone's first time on a train. He pressed his face against the cool glass window, watching the scenery rushing past, his big eyes filled with wonder.

Su Nianci, however, did not look at the scenery.

From the moment she boarded the vehicle, she entered a state of highest alert.

This small train carriage is a condensed, mobile "jianghu" (a world of martial arts and outlaws). Here, all sorts of people mingle, and anyone seemingly insignificant could be hiding unknown dangers.

Her gaze, like a sophisticated scanner, silently swept over everyone around her.

Sitting diagonally opposite them was a family of four. The man wore faded work clothes, the woman held a nursing infant, and a seven or eight-year-old boy sat beside them, staring longingly at the oil-paper packets in other people's hands. On the small table in front of them were only a few dry cornbread buns. This was the most typical, simple, and honest working-class family.

In the aisle, a bespectacled, well-mannered middle-aged man was engrossed in a thick book, oblivious to the surrounding noise. He was an intellectual.

At the connecting area between the carriages, several raggedly dressed men with lively eyes gathered together, smoking and talking in hushed tones in a thick dialect. Their eyes would occasionally dart through the crowd, especially lingering on women with children and seemingly honest-looking passengers.

Su Nianci's heart sank suddenly.

Human traffickers!

Although they concealed it well, she was all too familiar with that unique, predatory look in their eyes! In her past life in the hospital, she had seen too many children who had been abducted and rescued. The fear in those children's eyes and the greed in these traffickers' eyes were two sides of the same evil.

She instinctively pulled the little stone closer to her, putting him completely under her protection.

Little Stone seemed to sense her nervousness, turned around, and looked at her with questioning eyes.

Su Nianci shook her head at him, indicating that he shouldn't be afraid, and then pointed out the window, telling him to continue looking at the scenery.

She knew that this long journey would definitely not be peaceful.

The train clattered along, passing through fields, villages, and dark tunnels. Time flowed slowly in its monotonous rhythm.

During the day, the carriages were noisy. People chatted, played cards, ate, and the cries of children rose and fell. At night, most people were asleep. The lights in the carriages dimmed, leaving only the clanging of the wheels on the rails and the chorus of snores.

Su Nianci dared not close her eyes for a moment.

She let Little Stone sleep on the innermost side, while she leaned against the outside, like a vigilant mother wolf guarding her cub.

She carried the five yuan, the letter, and the jade pendant that Xiao Shitou had used to bring about her death. These were their entire fortune and hope, and they could not afford to lose them.

On the afternoon of the second day of the journey, the train made a temporary stop at a small station.

The doors opened, and a new batch of passengers poured in, making the already crowded carriage even more cramped and stuffy.

Startled by the noise, Su Nianci subconsciously looked up, her gaze casually sweeping over the newly boarded passengers.

Suddenly, her pupils contracted sharply, and her blood seemed to freeze in that instant!

In the crowded throng, she spotted a familiar figure!

It was a thin, shifty-eyed man who was squeezing into the carriage, grumbling and cursing, carrying a tattered canvas bag.

It's him!

It was that unscrupulous merchant, Ma San, who had been cheated out of three ounces of cured meat by her using fake herbs in the Xiangyang Village black market!

How did he end up here?

Is it a coincidence? Or...?

Su Nianci's mind raced. It was perfectly normal for Ma San, a seasoned veteran of the black market, to know all sorts of people. Su Weiqiang, in his quest to capture her, would likely mobilize every connection he could. If Ma San learned of her from Su Weiqiang, or even obtained her "bounty"...

His presence here is definitely not a coincidence!

Su Nianci immediately lowered her head, using her hair and body to cover her face, and at the same time pressed Xiao Shitou's head down to prevent him from being exposed.

Ma San grumbled and squeezed past the aisle next to their seats, seemingly unaware of the two "little dusters" in the corner.

Su Nianci held her breath until Ma San's figure disappeared at the other end of the carriage before she dared to slowly raise her head, her back already covered in a cold sweat.

She knew that Ma San's appearance was just the beginning.

The real danger, perhaps, is yet to come.

She observed discreetly. Sure enough, Ma San hadn't gone far; instead, he was at the other end of the carriage, huddled together with the human traffickers she had been eyeing!

They whispered to each other, and Ma San gestured wildly, pointing at something, his eyes glancing in her direction every now and then.

Finished!

He really did come looking for her! And he even colluded with the human traffickers on the bus!

Su Nianci's heart sank little by little.

She glanced at the rapidly receding wilderness outside the window, then at Little Stone sleeping soundly beside her, completely unaware of what was happening, and a fierce glint flashed in her eyes.

There's no way to hide now.

This small carriage is like a closed arena.

Since there's no way to retreat, then... take the initiative!

A plan even more insane and daring than the one in the dilapidated temple gradually took shape in Su Nianci's mind.