Chapter 3

“It’s our village custom. He agreed to take people inside to pay their respects. What happens next is beyond our control.”

“It’s all fated.”

My best friend, who had come with the police, saw the wounds on my body and was furious.

She lunged forward and grabbed my dad by the collar.

“She’s your own daughter! How could you be so cruel! Didn’t you say everyone in your village is backward? Don’t you expect her to light a candle for you after you die? If you beat her to death now, no one will even bury you when you’re old!

“If you don’t want this daughter, then don’t keep bringing her back time and time again, only to treat her like trash. You’re a total jerk!”

Just like me, she could not understand why my dad wanted to kill me yet would not let me leave.

The police kept pressing him for an explanation.

My dad gave a cold laugh. “If you want to know the reason, follow me into the shrine.

“But only male officers can come in with me. Female officers aren’t allowed. That would break our rules and bring wrath from our deities.”

My best friend snorted derisively. “Don’t bring ‘wrath’ into this. You’re the one who caused all her injuries. This is intentional assault! I’m definitely going to the police station to press charges against you.”

My dad completely ignored her and waited for the police to make a decision.

The police could not very well force their way past such a rule, so they had no choice but to send two officers in with my dad.

I stood in front of the officers while begging and pleading repeatedly, “Don’t go in. I beg you, don’t go in. I don’t know what’s inside, but every man who goes in comes out wanting to kill me, so something’s definitely wrong.”

The police officer bent down to comfort me. “Don’t worry. We’re police officers. We don’t believe in such superstition. Once we uncover the truth, we’ll rescue you from this misery.”

As I watched them walk inside, fear swept over me.

However, I was blocked by the other officers and could not do anything to stop them.

Ten minutes later, the two officers came out looking grim.

They slapped me hard across the face twice and looked like they were about to hit me again, but they managed to hold back.

“If I weren’t a cop today, I’d definitely kill you!”

My best friend was speechless. “Are cops allowed to hit people? Believe me, I’m going to file a complaint against you!”

The officers pulled her aside and whispered something to her.

My best friend, who had always stood by me, turned around and stomped on my leg.

With a crack, the bone snapped.

Amid my agonized screams, my best friend threatened me viciously, “You wretched woman. You’re going to die sooner or later! Stop wasting resources by calling the police. You don’t deserve it!”

The female officer who had not gone inside gave me a puzzled look.

The two male officers just glared at me menacingly. “Don’t make false reports in the future, or you’ll face legal consequences. Let’s head back first. This concerns their family alone. It’s not our business.”

“I thought she was about to be beaten to death…”

Some of the female officers looked at me with sympathy, but the male officers forcibly dragged them away.

After taking just a few steps, the male officers whispered something to them.

The female police officer, who was feeling bad for me a moment ago, wanted to come back right away to beat me up.

I had completely lost all hope and lay motionless on the ground.

My dad threw me into the pigpen.

That was the place I feared most.

Since I could not move and was covered in wounds, I looked like a delicious meal to the pigs.

They kept nuzzling against me.

They tried to bite me several times, but I managed to break free each time.

For three whole days, I lived alongside the pigs.

I ate pig feed. My body was covered in bite wounds.

Since they went untreated, they all became infected.

You could smell the stench of decay even from a distance.

When my brothers-in-law returned, my dad finally took pity on me and let me out.

Seeing me like this, my brothers-in-law were all disgusted.

I fetched water by myself to bathe and did the best I could to tend to my wounds.