"It's getting dark. Hurry up and choose. If you don't pick one, we'll all take turns instead."
"Hahaha!" The men around me burst into laughter.
"You’re from the Hastings Tribe, aren't you? Your young leader is my boyfriend!"
As soon as I said that, the laughter died and silence fell over the group.
Just when I thought I had intimidated them, the bald man suddenly slapped me hard, knocking me to the ground.
Before I could recover, he stomped on my chest, pressing down so hard that I could barely breathe.
"Using the young leader's identity to lure women here is a common trick of the matchmakers. You hear about the Hastings Tribe's gold veins and come running eagerly, don’t you? Since you refused to choose, then we’ll all take turns tonight! We’ll show you the strength of Hastings Tribe men!"
In the next second, he lifted me like a helpless chick and slung me over his shoulder.
"My boyfriend isn’t some matchmaker! His name is Albie, he’s your young leader! If you don’t believe me, call him here…!"
I pounded my fists against the bald man's back, struggling desperately to break free.
"You dare call our young leader by name? You must have a death wish!"
With that, he threw me down hard. My chest slammed into the ground and a sharp pain shot through me. I felt like my ribs were about to snap.
"You outsider woman, where did you even learn our young leader's name? Calling him by name is a punishable offense. Do you understand?"
"Today, I’ll teach you the rules of the Hastings Tribe myself!"
The man pulled a leather belt from his waist and lashed it down on me again and again.
Pain wracked my body and I trembled uncontrollably. My chest, already aching from the fall earlier, felt as if it were being crushed, making it impossible to catch my breath. Weakness overtook me and I couldn’t even muster the strength to speak.
"Freddie, take it easy. Don’t beat her to death."
“Yes, we paid the matchmaker half a pound of gold in exchange."
Listening to their conversation, I immediately thought of my cousin's boyfriend.
When I got in the car, I heard him talking on the phone, telling the other party that he would definitely deliver the goods on time.
Thinking back now, the "goods" he mentioned must have been me.
I never expected my cousin to have such a boyfriend.
I had no idea what had happened to her now. Was she safe?