Doomsday Wonderland Vol. 13: Sleepwalking in Dreamland [Complete]

1624: You Know How to Clean Cars, Right?

'Calm down and think. It's not the most dangerous moment yet.'

The cabin was stifling, with not a hint of breeze, and the air was so thick it felt hard to breathe. Xie Feng's heart tightened with cold dread, while her palms and body alternated between hot and cold sweats, as if she were on the verge of a fever.

Young women in their twenties are one of the most valuable commodities—it's a truth that applies everywhere. She was well aware of that. What she hadn't expected was to have such bad luck. It didn't take much imagination to know what kind of fate awaited her if she were sold.

The only small bit of fortune was that this so-called smuggler hadn't yet realized she was onto him. As long as she acted like everything was normal and didn't raise any suspicions, he would have no reason not to let her go.

No one would pass up the chance to exploit someone twice. If she played along, convinced him she was going to get the money, he wouldn't be able to resist the extra profit. As Xie Feng thought this through, she opened her mouth to speak, but her voice was hoarse. She quickly cleared her throat, and when she turned her head, she noticed the smuggler staring at her, his phone's screen now dark.

"What's wrong?" he asked slowly. "You don't look so good."

A bead of sweat trickled down her forehead, itching as it went, but Xie Feng didn't dare wipe it away. She was afraid any movement would draw his attention to the sweat on her face.

"I... I'm just nervous about leaving," she stammered at first, then dug her nails into her palm and forced herself to continue, "But I've made up my mind. I can't stay in Tear City any longer. Even though it hasn't been said outright yet, eventually, they're going to arrange marriages for us, just like in other places... I have to leave before that happens. No matter the cost, I have to get out."

The smuggler stared at her, expressionless.

His face, which wasn't bad-looking, seemed disturbingly blank.

"I don't have enough money on me right now. How about I give you 2,000 yuan first?" Xie Feng wished she had a mirror to check her own expression. She wasn't good at pretending—her emotions were usually written all over her face. Now, as she spoke, she could feel the muscles in her face trembling. "I'll gather the rest and pay you in full when the boat leaves. Does that work?"

The smuggler thought for a moment before saying, "That deposit is too low. If I save you a spot and you don't show up, I'll be at a big loss."

He was willing to negotiate!

Xie Feng exhaled slightly, immediately sweet-talking and making promises, even adding an extra 300 yuan—which was all she had left. Finally, the smuggler agreed, saying, "I'm only making an exception because you seem like a decent, honest girl."

As long as she could leave this small shop today, any price was worth it. Xie Feng forced a smile and repeatedly thanked the man who was planning to sell her.

While the smuggler counted her money, Xie Feng heard faint voices outside through the wooden door. Her nerves were on edge, so even the slightest sound made her jump. The smuggler heard it too and paused, listening.

The shopkeeper was speaking to a man.

"What... oh, who are you looking for? A girl... what's your relationship with her?"

The shopkeeper's voice was just loud enough to catch bits and pieces, but the other man's voice was lower, more indistinct. Xie Feng figured that made sense—after all, the guy wasn't doing anything honest. If he'd been following a woman, of course, he wouldn't speak confidently.