Chapter 106

Luna White immediately noticed the peculiar look in the shepherd's eyes—a mix of pity, sympathy, and something indescribable. Her heart sank. Her eldest sister must be suffering terribly.

"What's happened to Iris?" She clenched the hem of her shirt.

Over the years, her two sisters had sacrificed so much for her. Especially Iris, who had married into this impoverished mountain village and still scrimped to support her. The thought made Luna's eyes burn.

"Easy," Andrew Smith said, steadying her trembling shoulders. "Let's see her first."

Luna took a deep breath. Panicking wouldn't help. At least with Captain Andrew here, they could handle whatever awaited them. She glanced at his crisp military uniform, drawing some comfort from it.

They followed the rugged mountain path into the village. A ramshackle adobe house came into view, its bamboo fence leaning haphazardly around a small yard. As they neared, they saw the vegetable garden inside was trampled—deliberately destroyed.

The creaking gate swung open, and suddenly, furious shouting erupted from inside.

"Michael Brown! He's your own son!" A woman's tearful cry pierced the silence. "I gave all my earnings to your mother! Now the boy's leg is like this—what am I supposed to do?"

"Serves you right!" a man roared. "Who told you to haul stones? If it weren't for supporting your deadweight sister, would the kids have had to help? Would they be hurt?"

Luna froze. Deadweight... That had to mean her.

A sharp slap rang out, followed by the sickening thuds of blows.

"Stop!" Andrew charged inside, Luna right behind him.

In the dim hut, a brutish man was slamming a woman's head against the wall. In the corner, a feverish teenager lay curled up, his right leg a mangled mess.

"Who the hell are you?" The man released the woman and backed away warily.

Luna rushed to help the bloodied woman up. When she recognized the battered face, her throat tightened. "Iris..."

Iris looked up, her swollen eyes widening in shock. "L-Luna?"

"It's me." Luna wiped the blood from her sister's face with shaking hands before turning to glare at the so-called brother-in-law. "Is this how you treat my sister?"

Michael faltered under Andrew's military presence but blustered, "I discipline my own woman—none of your damn business!"

"Discipline?" Luna pointed to the unconscious boy. "This is the result?"

Andrew was already examining the injury, his frown deepening. "The wound's infected. He's burning up—needs a hospital now."

"No money!" Michael jutted his chin. "Let her sister pay for it!"

Luna trembled with rage. Just then, hurried footsteps approached outside, and a shrill voice called out, "Michael! I heard soldiers are here?"