Reborn in 78, I made my fortune by working in the mountains, supporting three families on my own.

Although Xiao Shitou is not Qin Mancang's biological grandson, after many years of getting along, he has long regarded the child as his own grandson. At this moment, he is extremely anxious and is working extra hard to investigate clues.

In addition, as the brigade leader, he had a high reputation. Zhao Lei was usually righteous and kind, and everyone in the village sincerely helped him. Those with ideas would offer ideas, those with clues would report clues, and those with strength would contribute their strength.

Someone in the crowd whispered, "Captain, could it be that someone has a grudge against Lei Zi and is deliberately hiring human traffickers to get revenge on him?"

"Very likely! Lei Zi has been incredibly successful and popular these past two years, it's inevitable that some people will feel jealous and resentful!"

"To be honest, anyone would be envious. Living in a new house and enjoying a prosperous life is something most people can't compare to!"

"Stop talking nonsense!" someone interrupted immediately. "This is a crucial moment in finding the child. Stop this chit-chat and focus on analyzing the case!"

Qin Mancang raised his hand to stop the argument and said in a deep voice, "Everyone is speaking freely and pooling their wisdom. These guesses are all reasonable, and we cannot rule out the possibility of jealousy, revenge, or premeditated crime."

"But one thing is certain: the other party is well-versed in Lei Zi's family background and is definitely not a stranger wandering around!"

"This clue is crucial; it must be passed on to Lei Zi immediately!"

Qin Mancang quickly scanned the entire area, looking for a fast and reliable person to go to the foot of Qingfeng Mountain to deliver the message.

Several of the younger members of the Qin family were sent out to search for the person separately, and Wang Zhongbao also went to the town to keep watch. At this moment, there were very few people around Zhao Lei who were close to him and could run errands.

His gaze swept around the room before finally settling on Zhou Da.

"Zhou Da!"

"Go to the foot of Qingfeng Mountain, near Li Guoliang's house, and find Lei Zi right now!"

"Lei Zi and Xin Yue just went there! They relayed all the clues and suspicious points we gathered to him word for word!"

Zhou Da looked puzzled: "Captain, why am I being sent?"

"Stop talking nonsense!" Qin Mancang glared and urged, "You're the freest and fastest! Hurry up and go!"

"After this is done, I'll give you a major commendation and extra points, and I'll treat you to meat afterwards! Besides, you helped Leizi find his child; knowing Leizi's character, he definitely won't treat you unfairly!"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Dayi immediately perked up.

Zhao Lei is now wealthy and loyal, so he can definitely make a profit by doing this favor.

He immediately patted his chest and assured them, "Don't worry, Captain! I guarantee the mission will be accomplished!"

After briefly explaining a few words to his family, Zhou Da turned and ran away.

Qin Mancang warned from afar, "The clues are complex; be careful not to make any mistakes or omissions!"

"Don't worry! I won't forget!"

Zhou Danian was strong and agile, and he ran very fast. The moment he finished speaking, his figure disappeared into the end of the country dirt road.

Meanwhile, deep in the dense forest at the foot of Qingfeng Mountain.

Ma Dali and his accomplices hurried through the overgrown woods, their steps quick and they dared not stop.

Qiangzi, a bald man carrying a basket on his back and wearing a straw hat, was panting heavily. He asked in a low voice, "Brother, where are we headed? Aren't we planning to go back to your place and hide for a while?"

Ma Dali's face was sinister. He didn't stop walking and said coldly, "Enough nonsense, don't ask any more questions!"

"We must get this brat out of Qingfeng Town immediately, the farther the better, preferably out of the province."

"Zhao Lei is far more complex than he appears. I've heard that he has extensive connections and influence in Qingfeng Town."

"The militia captains Zhao Chenghu and Zhao Chenglong from the town, as well as the village's freak, all fell into his hands and were sent directly to the police station."

Upon hearing this, Bald Qiangzi gasped, his face filled with apprehension.

"Hiss! Brother, is this guy really that ruthless?"

"Zhao Chenghu was a legitimate militia captain, and his older brother was a town official. With such powerful backing, how could he be brought down by a mere country hunter?"

"That's why we've made a huge mess of things."

Ma Dali's eyes were icy as he said in a deep voice, "We've kidnapped Zhao Lei's son; we absolutely cannot leave any potential dangers behind. Leaving the province tonight is our only chance of survival."

Qiangzi looked surprised: "Brother, you're going out of the province again? You have buyers you're dealing with outside?"

At this moment, the tall, thin man who had been silent all along spoke up.

"Qiangzi, you're thinking too simplistically."

"Our boss has been doing this business for so many years, and he's never just been eyeing the area around Yunchang County. He's already established long-term connections with human trafficking gangs outside the province, but he's always lacked high-quality goods."

Bald Qiangzi's face instantly lit up with ecstasy: "So that's how it is! Then this time, we're going to do a big cross-province deal?"

Ma Dali snorted coldly and explained calmly.

"Once you leave the province, things get chaotic, and no one can follow the clues to get back here."

"For ordinary families, selling their children to neighboring counties or cities is safe enough. But for someone like Zhao Lei, who has strong connections and ruthless methods, the children must be sent far away to completely eliminate any future troubles."

In the late 1970s, an era marked by poor transportation and limited communication.

Most human traffickers, seeking only safety and convenience, typically only circulate and sell children within surrounding counties, a distance of several hundred kilometers, which is already considered extremely safe.

No one is willing to risk committing crimes across provincial borders.

Ma Dali is extremely cunning and daring.

He knew all too well how terrifying a local tyrant like Zhao Lei could be. Once they got too close, Zhao Lei could use his connections and methods to eventually track him down.

In addition, this industry is a high-risk, high-profit, and deadly business.

Human trafficking is a serious crime, and once caught, people are usually sentenced to long prison terms.

If caught red-handed by villagers in the countryside, they wouldn't even have time to wait for the authorities to arrive; they would be beaten to death by the enraged villagers, dealt with hastily, and no one would be held accountable.

Last year, one of his men was caught kidnapping children in the village and was beaten to death by the villagers. His body was thrown into a latrine and has been missing ever since.

The greater the risk, the greater the reward.

In this day and age, the idea of ​​valuing sons over daughters is deeply ingrained.

Every family hopes to have a son to carry on the family line and uphold the household. Families without sons cannot hold their heads high or speak up in the village.

Two- or three-year-old boys who are good-looking, intelligent, and fair-skinned are the most sought-after commodities on the market.

Little Stone was the best-looking and most handsome child Ma Dali had ever trafficked in his many years of work.

With fair skin, thick eyebrows, big eyes, and delicate features, this child is clearly blessed.

In his eyes, this child was worth an astronomical price, and it was worth the enormous risk of traveling across provinces for him.

The group whispered amongst themselves as they hurried along the rugged mountain path, their steps uneven.

Their destination was Hongyan Town, which is adjacent to Qingfeng Town.

The two towns are separated by the entire continuous and majestic Qingfeng Mountain Range.

Once they cross the mountains and reach Hongyan Town, they can catch a passing car, quickly transfer the child, and completely escape the pursuit area of ​​Qingfeng Town.