CHAPTER 53: HIS CUNNING SCHEME (3)

Gara and Wina didn’t expect that Satyo had planned everything in just one night. The man was cunning and dangerous.

As soon as they arrived, Wina went straight to her room, changed clothes, and grabbed her cloth satchel.

"I’m going to town to speak with the village chief," she said, her expression resolute.

This time, Gara didn’t insist on coming. It was far too risky for him to stay outside for too long outside. Besides, Wina’s expression wasn’t one that could be swayed.

"Be careful, Mom. If the village chief isn’t at the clinic, just come straight home. It’s not just my safety at risk anymore, it’s yours too."

Wina nodded. Her serious expression softened slightly as she looked at her son’s face. Her gaze dropped to his belly. "I’ll be fine. I still have to see my grandchild born."

With those words, Wina stepped out, her stride fearless and determined.

But Gara’s heart clenched. A sense of dread twisted in his chest.

And he wasn’t wrong to feel it.

Just as Wina approached the fork in the road—where a few villagers were waiting for the arrival of the carriage—a blunt object struck the back of her neck.

She collapsed instantly, unconscious.

Her body was swiftly dragged into the dense trees by unseen hands.

...

Meanwhile, in a quiet room with solid wooden walls, an old man lay on a simple wooden bed.

His eyes fluttered open, landing on a space unfamiliar to him. The air carried a faint scent of medicinal herbs.

He slowly sat up, testing his strength, then made his way toward the wooden door at the far end of the room.

Locked.

The gray-haired elder twisted the doorknob several times, but it wouldn’t budge.

"Is anyone out there?!" he shouted.

There was some rustling on the other side before a man’s voice answered, "Elder, Sir Satyo instructed me to look after you. Please rest inside."

Hearing his son’s name made Grandpa Jaya’s blood boil. The memory returned in a flash. His own son had attacked Wina using his Talent.

A Liner using his Talent against a regular woman...!

"Open this door right now!" Grandpa Jaya slammed his fists against it.

"I’m sorry, Elder. Sir Satyo said you’re not to leave. I’ll bring your meal and medicine when it’s time."

"That insolent child! He dares to imprison his own father?! Where is he?! Bring him to me now!"

Grandpa Jaya’s voice echoed furiously through the walls. But outside, no response came.

Only his shouts filled the room.

...

The sun had returned to its resting place, giving way to the moonlight and stars that had been overshadowed during the day.

Inside the bamboo house, Gara slightly opened the window, allowing the silver glow of the moon to spill in. And so he could keep watch over the quiet, dark street outside.

Fresh lavender hung above the window, warding off mosquitoes, though a few brave ones still dared to fly through, seeking blood.

Gara wasn’t bothered. He had already bathed in a lavender-infused soak, using his water.

Mosquitoes were the least of his concerns, his mother’s whereabouts were far more important.

If Mom had taken the carriage this afternoon, she should have arrived home by now. She would never stay overnight outside. She would never leave me alone at home.

With worry swirling in his chest, yet certain of her love, Gara stepped out of the house. He had to go after her to the town.

But as he reached the gate—the boundary of the protective barrier—his steps faltered.

Since noon, he had heard footsteps circling around his home. When he checked, a few unfamiliar men had been loitering near the side of the house. Some even dared stand right in front.

Thankfully, the protective barrier had confused them, forcing them to turn away, dazed and disoriented.

Still, he was uneasy. What if those men were still lurking nearby?

Even so, that concern paled compared to the fear that his mother, a normal human, might face such danger on her own.

With careful, deliberate steps, Gara walked past the gate. No one was in sight. He then picked up his pace.

Suddenly, a sound came from the nearby bushes.

He turned sharply, instincts taking over ready to strike.

...

Meanwhile, the woman Gara had been waiting for slowly regained consciousness as cold water was splashed onto her face.

Her eyes fluttered open, needing a moment to focus on her surroundings. She recognized this place. It was the storage hut near the herb field, where farming tools were kept.

But what truly shocked her was the man standing in front of her, stripping off his shirt and pants.

Wina tried to move, but her arms and legs were tightly bound. Her mouth had been gagged, leaving her unable to speak, only able to make muffled noises.

Noises that made the man in front of her lick his lips in anticipation.

That man was Dilan, a thug from the neighboring village, infamous even in her village for his vile behavior.

He rarely ever came to Suruta Village. His sudden appearance here, and doing something this twisted, was beyond suspicious.

As Wina struggled against her bindings, writhing from side to side in desperation, Dilan had already stripped his whole body bare.

He approached her, trying to tear off her clothing, knowing with her hands tied behind her back, he wouldn’t be able to open them without tearing them.

She thrashed even harder, every inch of her fighting back.

"Stop resisting. Tonight, you’ll be completely mine," Dilan sneered

Just before he managed to tear Wina’s clothes, a loud banging came from the hut’s door.

His excited expression turned into irritation. "Damn it, why is that woman such a nuisance? I haven’t even laid a finger on her yet."

He strode over to open the door. "Let me finish this round first, then I’ll call the villagers to—"

His words were cut off as a powerful stream of water blasted against him, knocking him stumbling backward.

"Mom!" Gara appeared from behind the door, a white squirrel perched on his shoulder.

...