A secret chamber, huh? No wonder the courtyard was so eerily quiet.
Clearly, this group was being extremely cautious with whatever shady dealings they were involved in.
Aether casually waved his hand, knocking the burly man unconscious. Now that he had the information he needed, the man was of no further use.
As for locating a hidden chamber—finding something like that was child's play for Aether.
His Elemental Sight didn't just reveal traces and clues—it also granted him a form of true vision.
It could pierce through barriers, let alone something as basic as a secret room or hidden door.
He pushed open the wooden door and activated his Elemental Sight again. Everything inside the room was laid bare.
With just a glance, Aether saw a gray laminate panel concealed behind the bookshelf—clearly the entrance to the hidden chamber.
He pushed aside the bookshelf, revealing a narrow passage covered only by a thin curtain.
"Wait for me, Traveler!"
Paimon cried out, scrambling to follow as Aether stepped inside without hesitation.
The passage sloped downward. Though there were light pillars placed about every five meters, the lighting was dim, casting a gloomy, oppressive atmosphere.
At the end of the passage was a stone chamber. Thanks to the lighting inside, the surroundings became much clearer.
When the trio reached the corner, they saw four large men dressed in housekeeper uniforms sitting around a square table, drinking and chatting. Their crude voices echoed from within.
"Ma Zi, I heard you guys brought back some high-class goods this time?"
"You bet. Every brother who went out this time got a hundred gold soul coins from the boss himself!"
"Damn, a hundred gold soul coins? That's enough to stay at Drunken Spring Pavilion for a year!"
"If the boss is being that generous, this stuff must be encrusted with gems or something. How much is it worth?"
"Heh, it's not just gem-encrusted."
Ma Zi set down his wine bowl and lowered his voice.
"You've heard of the Catgirl, right?"
"The one from the auction half a year ago?"
"Pfft, who hasn't? That Catgirl sold for 700,000 gold soul coins. Seven hundred thousand! Damn, I wouldn't even dream of that kind of money. That's enough to buy our lives a thousand times over!"
"Heh heh, more wine, more wine," Ma Zi chuckled, no longer continuing.
"Wait… are you saying what you brought back this time is…"
"Hah. The job's already done, so I'll tell you—this one's worth even more than that Catgirl!"
"Hiss… Don't leave us hanging! What is it? Come on, tell us what kind of rare prize you got!"
"A Foxgirl. A real vixen. You get it? Heh heh…"
"Tch tch… The nobles are gonna lose their minds over that."
The four thugs—all street scum—grinned wickedly. Their eyes gleamed with perverse anticipation, making their intentions crystal clear.
"Damn it, you guys are making me itch. I'm going in to let off some steam."
One of the men slammed down his bowl and stood up, his face flushed.
But another grabbed his arm.
"Sit your ass down. The boss said no one touches her. You got rocks in your ears?"
"Tch, we're all brothers here. If you don't say anything and I don't say anything, you think the boss'll care? If you ask me, we each take turns. Fun's fun, right?"
The others, fueled by alcohol, began weighing the pros and cons.
"Screw it! What's there to be scared of? The boss himself has secretly played with who knows how many virgins, while we're stuck paying for leftover scraps."
Someone finally broke the silence. The four exchanged glances, then rose in unison and headed toward the back of the chamber, spouting filth as they went.
Every word they said had been overheard clearly by Aether, Paimon, and Xue Qinghe, who were hiding outside.
"These guys... are they professional traffickers?"
Xue Qinghe frowned. With his experience, he'd already pieced together a rough idea from their conversation.
He had initially assumed they were just some random bandits who'd happened to kidnap the little girl Paimon had mentioned.
But now, it was clear: this was a full-blown trafficking ring. And somehow, this group had embedded itself right in Heaven Dou City—completely undetected.
"Come on. Let's go get them out."
Aether nodded silently.
Following the men's trail, the trio arrived at a larger chamber in the back.
Inside, the floor was covered in straw. A dozen or so girls in tattered clothes were huddled in a corner, surrounded by the four men. Some were sobbing, while others were too stunned to react at all.
"Shut the hell up! Stand up so I can get a good look at you!"
"Hurry up! If you don't listen, I'll kill every last one of you worthless wretches!"
With threats and shouts, the terrified girls—willing or not—helped one another to their feet. But their trembling legs betrayed the fear in their hearts.
"Heh heh, this one's mine."
One of the men laughed lewdly and strode up to a girl, grabbing her by the hair and dragging her forward. The girl shrieked in pain.
"Shut up, you little slut! I'll show you what it means to be a woman—"
He never finished his sentence. A cold flash of light streaked past—and his head was severed from his body, blood spraying like a fountain.
The other three turned in shock, only to be engulfed in that same icy flash. It was the last thing they ever saw.
Aether did not kill for pleasure. From the village poisoner to the guards outside, he had only knocked them unconscious.
As a traveler, he believed that criminals should be judged according to the laws of the land they offended.
But what he had just witnessed told him that sometimes, no punishment is swifter than the blade in your own hand.
Some people simply deserve to die.
The chamber, once filled with noise, fell into utter silence as if all the air had been sucked out.
Then, just seconds later, the sobs of the terrified girls rang out again, echoing through the chamber.
"All right, all right, stop crying. We're here to help!"
Paimon fluttered over, trying to soothe the girls.
She seemed unable to truly process what had just happened—or perhaps she had learned to mentally block out the bloodshed. It was something Aether had come to understand over their long journey together.
After all, Paimon had seen all kinds of horrors by his side. By logic, she should've been long hardened to it.
But in reality, even a kitten could send her screaming and flailing in panic.
"Wait… where's Keke? Traveler, I don't see Keke here."
Thanks to Paimon's gentle voice, the girls began to calm down slightly. But she quickly noticed that Yu Keke was nowhere among them.
"…"
Aether swept his gaze across the chamber. There were no other hidden doors or passageways.
"Are you talking about Keke—the little girl with fox ears?"
One of the girls, still trembling, hesitated, but finally spoke up.
_
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