The crowd pleaded for mercy, their voices overlapping in desperation. A shadow of darkness flickered and then vanished from Dongzi's eyes as he mustered his strength, dragging the rattling chains, and knelt on the ground, "Chief Escort Head, we truly acknowledge our mistakes. We were momentarily blinded by greed for those benefits. Dongzi begs you, please, for the sake of the many years of brotherhood we've shared, give us another chance. If we are truly sent to the government office, charged with robbery and murder, our lives will be doomed!"
Seeing that the Chief Escort Head did not respond, another man pleaded, "Chief Escort Head, you are the only one who can save us now. It is right for brothers who have done wrong to be punished, but we just can't bear to leave our families behind—our elderly and our children. Please, have mercy on us for the sake of our brotherhood, and give us a way to live..."
The Chief Escort Head indeed hesitated.
