Felicia stumbled as she sprinted toward the vige. The vige dogs caught wind of an intruder and immediately began barking furiously. Soon, nearly every dog in the vige joined in.


    Sweat broke out on Felicia''s forehead as she realized she had overlooked this detail-the barking would alert the vigers and the criminals pursuing her!


    To avoid bringing trouble to the vige, she had to find a hiding ce along the way.


    Just then, footsteps echoed, and dozens of buff and sturdy-looking vigers charged to the vige


    entrance.


    Felicia quickly crouched down to hide and overheard one viger ask, "Whose woman has run off? Did we catch her?"


    Another replied, "No one has run away, they''re all tied up tight!"


    With that, the vigers rxed, putting down their hoes and heading back, chatting among themselves." Keep an eye on that one; don''t let her escape! The buyer wille to collect her in the morning, and then everyone in the vige will share in the profits!" Felicia froze, her heart sinking. Were the vigersplicit in this? Were they all monsters?


    Out of the frying pan into the fire.


    The gang of criminals was closing in faster than she had anticipated. The barking of the dogs erupted again, louder and more ferocious than before.


    With nowhere to retreat, Felicia pressed deeper into the vige. As long as she avoided a few lights, the many abandoned houses provided ample cover for herN?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Meanwhile, the vigers realized something was amiss and armed themselves with hoes and machetes, rushing toward the vige entrance, where they met the criminals.


    The gang leader, covering one eye, had a particrly menacing scar that made him look even more fearsome. His tone was as brutal as ever. "Did a young woman run through here? Hand her over, and I won''t harm any of you!" A young woman?


    The vigers exchanged nces, then burst intoughter. "No woman hase into our vige and left!"


    The gang leader narrowed his eyes. "I saw her running in this direction with my own eyes! I want to search this ce and take her with me!"


    The vigers were united; they would never allow outsiders to roam freely in their territory, especially not to search each house.


    They were dreaming!


    Neither side was willing to back down, and it was clear that a major battle was about to break out.


    With heightened tensions, the gang leader, losing his patience, shot the viger standing closest to him dead. "Now, can I search?"


    Amid the screams and chaos, the vigers quickly backed down, fearfully parting to create a path.


    The leader stormed in with his gang to conduct a thorough search!


    This was Felicia''s first time in the vige, and with the darkness obscuring her surroundings, she quickly


    Chapy


    lost her bearings.


    As the criminals kicked down doors, she gritted her teeth, preparing to run further, when she heard the sound of chains rattling from a nearby house!


    Startled, she instinctively nced over to see a young girl struggling at an iron window, her feet shackled by heavy chains, making a loud nking noise as she moved.


    Her hair was disheveled, and her clothes were dirty and torn, but her skin was fair-clearly, she didn''t belong in this vige!


    Recalling the vigers''ments, Felicia realized this girl had been trafficked. A pang of unease washed. over her.


    "Hide in that haystack; it''s safe!" the girl hoarsely instructed, pointing to a corner.


    Felicia nced over; the haystack was messy but well-concealed. She might be okay if she could hide there without being discovered, but there would be no escape if she got caught! Seeing Felicia hesitate, the girl grew anxious. "Get in there, trust me!"


    With determination, Felicia dove into the haystack.


    Momentster, the gang leader and his members arrived, searching through the area. They found no sign of Felicia, only the girl locked up by the vigers. Cursing under his breath, the gang leader moved on to the next house.


    F