Chapter 45: Possessed by a Demon

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Chapter 45: Possessed by a Monster

In the silent secret chamber, no one knew how much time had passed before Tian Hu finally opened his eyes to a narrow slit. He saw that Li Mengling had already opened her eyes, yet she did not dare move a muscle.

Roland had not struck. She merely remained frozen in that position, standing there for what seemed like an eternity.

Suddenly, the scalpel slipped from her hand and clattered to the floor. Roland’s body began to tremble, and her head shook violently from side to side as she repeated, “Don’t hurt my sister. Don’t hurt my sister!”

Tian Hu remembered what had happened in the bar. Li Mengli had trembled in exactly the same way, and before that she had shouted at him, “Brother Hu, run! This isn’t me. Don’t believe her. Whatever she says next, don’t believe a word!”

After everything he had experienced, Tian Hu recalled those words again and finally seemed to understand a few things.

Li Mengli had not been mentally unstable in the bar. Her body had truly been occupied by another soul. The girl beside him now was living proof. Earlier, she had called Li Mengli “Sister Roland,” as though the two of them were close friends. Yet after awakening on the stone bed, she had become a completely different person...

“Hey... You’re Mengli’s younger sister, right?” Taking advantage of the moment when Roland was trembling uncontrollably, Tian Hu spoke to Li Mengling. “I heard her mention you before. You’re in your first year of high school, aren’t you?”

“Yes! Are you... Tian Hu, the person my sister secretly wrote about in her notebook?” Li Mengling picked up the scalpel from the floor and watched Roland warily as the trembling suddenly ceased. “She seems to be back again!”

“Mengling...” Tears welled up in Li Mengli’s eyes. “It’s me! I’m your sister! I... finally drove her out of this body!”

“Sister?” Li Mengling froze for a moment, then seemed to realize something. “You came back because you saw that my life was in danger, so you returned to your body no matter the cost, didn’t you?”

Li Mengli did not answer. She simply stepped forward and embraced her younger sister. Two streams of tears slowly ran down her cheeks.

The scalpel fell to the floor once again.

Li Mengling began to weep as well. “Sister, Father was killed by Roland...”

“I know. Don’t say anything. Being able to hold you like this again is already more than I could have hoped for.” Li Mengli hugged her tightly. “I will never lose you again. I will never let them take our world away from us!”

“Mm!” Li Mengling nodded. “Sis, I want to go home. Mom must be terribly worried, being there all alone.”

“All right.” Li Mengli released her, wiped away her tears, and stood up. When she saw that Tian Hu was still there, she walked over and said, “Brother Hu, I...”

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“Don’t say anything, Mengli. I still don’t understand exactly what happened, but I know that this is the real you.” A sudden sense of responsibility filled Tian Hu. Straightening his back, he said, “We shouldn’t stay here any longer. I’ll find a way to get you two home first. Tomorrow, I’ll bring a friend who knows how to deal with monsters to see you.”

Li Mengli blinked in confusion. “Deal with monsters? What kind of friend is that?”

“He’s an exorcist. Lord Long used to have him come to the hotel to examine its feng shui.” Tian Hu led the way. Inside the secret chamber, he turned the mural—which was identical to the one outside—through a hundred and eighty degrees.

He had guessed correctly. The hidden door in the chamber opened once more, and Tian Hu’s voice grew even more confident. “You two have obviously been possessed by monsters. Don’t be afraid. At six tomorrow morning, the two of you should come downstairs together. My friend will know what to do.”

“Thank you.” Li Mengli lowered her head and followed behind him, speaking softly. “Brother Hu, you’ve saved me again.”

Tian Hu’s back was straighter than it had ever been. At last, he had rediscovered the feeling he once had when protecting Li Mengli. Being trusted and relied upon by a helpless girl gave him a sense of accomplishment that he found almost addictive.

The three of them left Canglan International Residential Complex together. It was not yet dark outside; the sun was just sinking toward the horizon. But because they were in the suburbs, finding a taxi was difficult. Tian Hu led the sisters a long way before they finally reached a bus stop.

“The next bus will be here in fifteen minutes. Let’s sit here and wait for a while.” Tian Hu sat down on the bench and thought back over everything that had happened that day. It all seemed like a dream.

Li Mengli sat down beside him with her sister. “Brother Hu, is your exorcist friend really reliable?”

“Of course!” Tian Hu crossed one leg over the other. “He has the Third Eye! Do you know what that is?”

When Li Mengli stared blankly at him and shook her head, Tian Hu smiled. “It means he can see everything happening in this world, regardless of space or time. In other words, even if he isn’t standing in front of you, he can know your past, present, and future. I’ve experienced it myself. It’s incredible!”

“Wow.” Li Mengli seemed fascinated by the subject. She leaned closer and asked, “Did he ever say what your future would be like?”

“He did. He said I was destined for prison. I didn’t really believe him at the time, but look at me.” Tian Hu tugged at his clothes. “I’m already wearing this outfit. If that monster hadn’t possessed you and come to save me, I might really have ended up behind bars.”

At that point, Tian Hu suddenly fell silent. He pondered for a moment. “But why did she come to save me...?”

“But doesn’t that mean he got it wrong?” Li Mengling interrupted. “Besides, you used to run with the wrong crowd. Even I could have guessed you’d end up in prison sooner or later. Wasn’t it inevitable?”

“Mengling, don’t say that about Brother Hu. He only drives people around for a living... He doesn’t actually do bad things.” Li Mengli defended Tian Hu. “When I was possessed, I could see what was happening too. Brother Hu was only trying to save his father, who was in the hospital.”

“Sis, you two aren’t even married yet, and you’re already taking your future husband’s side! Won’t the two of you gang up on me and bully me once you are?”

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“What are you talking about? Married? We’re not...” Li Mengli’s face flushed with embarrassment, and she lowered her head even further.

Tian Hu looked at Li Mengli in her leather jacket. Compared with her imperious, domineering manner when possessed by the monster, her current delicate and bashful appearance seemed extraordinarily adorable. Gazing at her flushed cheeks, he found himself staring for a moment too long.

After a while, a bus stopped on the road in front of them. Every seat inside was empty; there was not another passenger in sight. Yet Tian Hu noticed in the rearview mirror that the driver kept stealing glances at him.

The scrutiny made Tian Hu uncomfortable, so he explained, “Stop staring. This is just a costume for a role-playing event.”

“What costume? Aren’t you that Tian fellow? You’ve been trending online!” The driver started the bus. “Don’t be afraid. The person who threatened you turned himself in. The police only want you to return and assist with the investigation. Your involvement wasn’t that serious. At worst, you’ll spend a few days in custody for criticism and education.”

“Really? Was the person who turned himself in named Pan Long?”

“Oh, so Pan is Pan Long...” the driver muttered. He handed his phone to Tian Hu. “See for yourself. There’s a top news story titled ‘Scapegoat Flees for His Life, Mastermind Forced to Surrender.’ It’s all about you, and they even have your picture.”

Tian Hu scrolled through the news. It was exactly as the driver had said. “And this crowdfunding campaign is...?”

“It’s to pay for your father’s medical treatment. Pan Long confessed everything. He said you willingly became the scapegoat so you could pay your father’s medical bills. It says so right there, doesn’t it?” The driver glanced at Tian Hu, sitting in the first row, through the rearview mirror and smiled. “I even donated twenty yuan. You know, there really are more good people than bad in this world. When trouble comes, we can help one another. There’s no need to beg those wicked people!”

Tian Hu nodded silently and returned the phone to the driver. Tears welled in his eyes.

“Sis, what are you thinking about?” Li Mengling patted Li Mengli on the shoulder.

“Ah!” Li Mengli came back to herself. “I was just thinking that Pan Long is rather pitiful too. He lost both his parents when he was young, and his grandmother raised him by herself. Then, when he was only a teenager, she passed away as well. He has had to rely entirely on himself ever since.”

At her words, Tian Hu lifted his head and stared at her in surprise. Lord Long had never told anyone those things—not even Tian Hu had heard them before.

“How do you know all that?”

End of Chapter 45

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