Chapter 55: Chapter 55: A Pincer Attack from Within and Without
After leaving that compartment, Shen Nian didn’t go directly back to her own. Instead, she found a train attendant.
"Where are the train marshals? I need to report a crime!"
Shen Nian knew that trains always had marshals on board in case of emergencies.
Although there weren’t many marshals on the train, and they might not be the most capable, Shen Nian had no choice but to seek their help.
The train attendant saw Shen Nian’s tense expression and, figuring she wasn’t just causing trouble, led her to the marshals’ duty room.
"Miss, what can I do for you?"
"I’ve found human traffickers on this train. And it’s not just one person—it’s a gang of about seven or eight. They have several young children with them and plan to get off at the next stop."
Shen Nian had no time to waste, so as soon as she saw the marshal, she quickly summarized the situation in the most concise terms possible.
"What?"
The marshal, who had been sitting, shot to his feet the moment he heard Shen Nian’s words, his expression grim as he stared at her.
"Miss, do you realize what you’re saying? This isn’t something to joke about!"
"Of course I’m not joking. I saw it with my own eyes!"
"Are you certain they’re human traffickers?"
"I’m certain. I just followed them to get a look. There are seven or eight of them in total, and they have about seven or eight children with them."
The moment Shen Nian finished speaking, a sharp gasp echoed through the duty room. ’Seven or eight children... this was already a major trafficking case.’
They might even uncover more if they managed to catch this ring.
"Xiao Li, go. Have all marshals on the train assemble immediately."
The man in the duty room, who seemed to be the lead marshal, pondered for a moment after hearing Shen Nian’s story, then gave the order to a subordinate beside him.
"Yes, sir. I’ll go right now."
Seeing the marshals spring into action, Shen Nian breathed a sigh of relief. ’Before this, I was worried they wouldn’t believe me!’
"I know where they are. I can lead the way. But I suggest you don’t act rashly. There are a lot of them, and they’re all desperate criminals. If you move in recklessly, you’ll not only tip them off, but what if innocent passengers get hurt?"
"You’re right. So, what do you suggest?"
The lead marshal nodded at Shen Nian after she finished and asked his question.
"I suggest you call for backup. You can have agents waiting on the platform, and when the train pulls in, you can catch them in a pincer attack. I’ve memorized their faces. I guarantee you won’t miss any of them."
"That’s a very good suggestion. But... you’re a young woman. How would you know about these things?"
The lead marshal looked at Shen Nian, clearly surprised.
"My husband works in security. I’ve heard him talk about this kind of thing before."
Shen Nian knew that her behavior was bound to arouse suspicion in a young woman like her. At this point, her only option was to use Lu Cheng as a cover.
"So that’s it. No wonder!"
"If today’s operation is a success, Miss, you will be the one who deserves the most credit."
Shen Nian shook her head. ’She wasn’t after credit.’
"I can’t really do much myself. It’s mainly up to you all now."
"Time is of the essence. I’ll go arrange for backup now. You should head back to your seat to avoid arousing their suspicion. I’ll have some of the train’s staff protect you."
"Thank you. I’ll head back now."
