Chapter 223

"We owe it all to Emily!"

"If Emily hadn't told us, we'd never have known how terrible it is for children after they're kidnapped."

Emily Johnson pressed her lips together. "I only heard it from the police officers. Thinking about it now still gives me chills."

The anti-abduction lesson left everyone shaken. The horrors Emily described were beyond anything they could have imagined.

Who didn't have children? Who would want their child to suffer such a fate?

On the way home, the villagers couldn't stop talking about it. Soon, the entire brigade had heard the warnings.

Even the children were discussing it.

"They say kidnapped children have their legs broken and are forced to beg..."

"And their organs get stolen!"

Some of the more timid children burst into tears.

A few villagers even sought out David for confirmation.

"David, is everything your mom said true?"

David nodded solemnly. "The police officers said so themselves."

Now, no one dared to let their guard down.

With the New Year approaching, children usually begged to visit the town market. This year, the adults refused outright, terrified of child snatchers.

"If we run into traffickers, how could we old folks fight them off?"

The warnings were relentless:

"Never take candy from strangers!"

"Don't go anywhere with anyone, even if you know them!"

"You can't even trust acquaintances these days!"

At home, David looked up at his mother. "Mom, is it really that bad if you get kidnapped?"

Emily stroked his hair. "Have you ever seen beggars in the city?"

David shook his head.

"That's because they beg in big cities. Our village is too poor—no one spares change here."

Tommy thumped his chest. "I'll never take food from strangers!"

"Remember, even if someone asks for help, don’t agree easily. It could be a trick to lure you somewhere alone."

"Got it!"

Emily thought of Amy Bright. After this, surely she'd be more cautious.

But what if it was an organized gang...

"What's happening in the brigade?" Michael Stone asked, hearing the alarm bell. He'd assumed it was for the New Year's pig slaughter.

Elizabeth Stone returned with their daughters. "Emily nearly lost David the other day. Today, she gave everyone a lesson on avoiding abduction."

"What? David was almost kidnapped?" Michael's face darkened.

The girls chimed in: "No taking candy from strangers! No going with strangers!"

Elizabeth shooed the children out and relayed Emily's warnings in detail.

"That brutal?"

"Emily went to the police station to ask. You should've seen how pale people turned when she mentioned organ harvesting."