My Demon Friends-Chapter 487 - 470: Show Off Your Love Far Away

「Chunming.」

It was already evening.

The expressway exit was somewhat congested. The cars’ red taillights stretched into long lines, like blood.

Due to the uniqueness of Rong Mingxia’s case and the suspicions Yin Le had reported, the case had become highly sensitive. She had been transferred from Huize County to Chunming this afternoon and was now in a detention center in the Chenggong District. This could be the first major case the newly established Heavenly Master Department would handle in conjunction with the police.

Yin Le and Zhou Li were led down a corridor by a duty officer, passing cell after cell on both sides.

The detention center’s conditions were worse than a prison’s. As it was only for temporary detention, it didn’t even have beds—just a large, common platform where people could lie down. But the cells were extremely overcrowded. Despite the late hour, most inmates were merely sitting, their mental states poor from lack of rest.

There were more people than Zhou Li had imagined.

The vests they wore were also different—some blue, some yellow—but he didn’t know what that signified.

They continued until they reached the end of the corridor.

Rong Mingxia occupied a single cell. She wore a yellow vest and handcuffs, sitting calmly at the edge of the common sleeping platform with her head bowed, seemingly lost in thought, or perhaps just spacing out.

She looked almost unrecognizable to Zhou Li—her skin was dark and cracked, her lips chapped and peeling. Her hair, though not untidy, was greasy. She looked like a completely different person from her photos.

"Could you open the door, please?"

Rong Mingxia, sitting on the common sleeping platform, lifted her head at the sound of voices but continued to watch the people outside, her expression unchanging.

CLICK!

The duty officer unlocked the door and then departed with Yin Le’s companion.

Now, only Yin Le, Zhou Li holding Tuanzi, and Huai Xu, invisible to ordinary people, remained at the cell door.

"You’re here?" Rong Mingxia finally spoke.

"Yes, I’m here." Yin Le walked in.

"Who are they?"

"My friends," Yin Le introduced her. "This is Zhou Li, a good friend of mine. We’re the same kind of people. This is Huai Xu. Like the cat Zhou Li is holding, they are both Demons."

"Oh."

Rong Mingxia didn’t seem very interested and lowered her head, resuming her silence.

Tuanzi had already raised a small paw from Zhou Li’s embrace, ready to greet Rong Mingxia, but she hadn’t anticipated such a cold reception. Momentarily at a loss, Tuanzi turned to look at Zhou Li, silently conveying her confusion.

Zhou Li just stroked her head and said nothing.

"I have something to tell you..."

Yin Le stood before Rong Mingxia, holding out the language textbook. "You weren’t acting on your own... You didn’t want to kill those people, did you?"

"What do you mean?" Rong Mingxia lifted her head again.

"A Demon was bewitching you!" Yin Le said gravely. "I found what you wrote in this! And I discovered traces of a Demon’s Spiritual Power there. When you were killing those people, a Demon was using its power to help you, wasn’t it?"

"’This is it. When it detects traces of a Demon, it alerts me,’ Yin Le explained, taking out the mini lantern to show her. Setting down the lantern, he pointed to Huai Xu. ’This expert here also sensed a Demon’s Spiritual Power at the school. Perhaps you still carry a Demon’s aura.’"

"You are mistaken," Rong Mingxia said.

"Why are you denying it?" Yin Le frowned. "The evidence is substantial. If you just admit it—admit you were bewitched by the Demon, admit those weren’t your true thoughts—I can petition my superiors. At the very least, your punishment would be significantly lighter!"

"You are mistaken," Rong Mingxia repeated. "Those were my own thoughts."

"So you’re admitting that a Demon spoke to you!"

"..."

"Demons are skilled at bewitching people’s minds. What you think may not be what you *really* think; you’ve just been confused by him!" Yin Le said sternly. "You firmly believe he is helping you, that he hasn’t harmed you, but those are exactly the thoughts he wants you to have."

Hearing this, Huai Xu, who had been curiously inspecting the cell, was displeased. He turned and added, "It’s only *some* Demons that are skilled at bewitching people’s minds, a very small portion! Don’t generalize... don’t lump them all together! Also, regarding a Demon’s ’bewitching’ ability, Heavenly Masters have an innate defense; they’re naturally less susceptible."

"You can bewitch someone’s mind without using Spiritual Power!" Yin Le countered.

"Unfortunately," Rong Mingxia’s voice was calmer than Yin Le’s, "those were indeed my own thoughts."

"You’d rather trust a Demon than believe me?" Yin Le said angrily.

"Demons are better than humans."

"Then how many years in prison are you prepared for?"

"That’s my own choice." Rong Mingxia averted her gaze. "Thank you, Yi Le, I’ll always remember you."

"...My name is Yin Le."

"Yin Le."

"I really want to help you!"

"Thank you."

"..."

Yin Le suddenly seemed dejected, unsure of what to say.

His phone then suddenly rang. He took it out, glanced at it, then looked at Zhou Li and Rong Mingxia. "I need to take this call..."

Zhou Li nodded.

Rong Mingxia didn’t make a sound.

Yin Le stepped out.

He didn’t go far, just stood in the corridor. His voice was low, but Zhou Li could faintly hear his words. The call was likely from his superior, asking about Rong Mingxia. He reported truthfully, but it was clear from his tone that he favored Rong Mingxia, hoping for her acquittal.

Illegal detention, four deaths—could it be ruled self-defense? He didn’t know.

The cell was unusually quiet at this moment.

He didn’t know whose side to take.

But the Old monster was mischievous. He seemed completely oblivious to the solemn atmosphere, gradually letting himself go. Driven by curiosity, he even leaned in to scrutinize Rong Mingxia’s handcuffs.