My Demon Friends

The room had no tables or chairs, so Zhou Li had no choice but to sit on the bed.

For various reasons, Zhou Li and Huai Xu lived separately, even in different types of rooms, so they were quite far apart. Initially, Tuanzi said she wanted to be next to Zhou Li, then she said she wanted to be beside Huai Xu, but in the end, she still clung to Zhou Li.

The little demon's shape-shifting ability prevented her from taking baths or washing her face, but she could still brush her teeth. Zhou Li liked to lie down or sit with his head tilted back to brush, allowing him to brush slowly and carefully while letting his mind wander, and he didn't have to worry about toothpaste foam spilling out.

Tuanzi, also transformed into a Little Cat Girl, lay beside him, brushing her teeth earnestly with the same motions. Occasionally, she turned her head to mutter something to Zhou Li, but he couldn't make out what she was saying.

Clearly, Mr. Zhang's competitor had a demon backing him, and a demon possessing such means wouldn't be weak.

There was a high probability this demon belonged to Lin Zhong's group.

Strictly speaking, it belonged to Lin Zhong's faction.

Or rather, it followed Lin Zhong's philosophy.

Zhou Li and Huai Xu always referred to them as 'Lin Zhong's gang,' giving the impression it was some insignificant criminal outfit, but the reality was the exact opposite. Yu Country was a vast Demon Kingdom. Although Lin Zhong's faction was non-mainstream, it was the largest faction apart from the orthodox Demon King lineage. Lin Zhong, as the leader of this faction, enjoyed a very high status in the entire Yu Country. Countless demons followed his will or, rather, shared his beliefs. Layer by layer, from large to small, they formed a well-organized system with him at the helm.

Of course, their faction wasn't as strong as Sister Hong Ran's backing.

Waking Mr. Zhang was a typical stopgap measure, addressing the symptoms but not the root cause. What happened afterward was no longer Zhou Li's concern.

He lacked the energy and the ability.

All he could, and should, do was report this matter to the Local Government. The demons there would follow the clues.

The human and demon got out of bed at the same time, walked to the bathroom, and, one tall and one short, spat their toothpaste foam into the sink.

Then they both reached for their cups of water simultaneously.

Tuanzi turned sideways, tipping her head back, her big eyes fixed on Zhou Li. When she saw Zhou Li raise his cup to drink, she quickly rinsed her mouth as well.

"GURGLE GURGLE..."

All the while, she kept her gaze fixed on Zhou Li.

When she saw Zhou Li about to spit out the water, she quickly did the same, striving to keep pace with him.

Zhou Li poured out the water and tore off a piece of toilet paper to wipe his mouth. He turned around and rubbed Tuanzi's head, then patted her cat ears. Seeing Tuanzi tiptoeing to reach for the toilet paper, he lent her a hand.

He went back to bed and lay down.

Tuanzi came out of the bathroom, already transformed back into a little cat, this time a half-grown tabby.

She jumped onto Zhou Li's bed, wiped her feet on the edge, then moved close to him and asked, "Zhou Li, are you going to sleep?"

"I'm not going to sleep. What about you?"

"Lord Dumpling can't sleep."

"That's because Lord Dumpling slept all day," Zhou Li said.

"That's because Lord Dumpling doesn't like riding in that car. When I get in it, I feel dizzy and want to sleep," Tuanzi explained.

"Does Lord Dumpling get motion sickness?"

"I used to always ride in His Highness's imperial carriage, which was a Great Demon. It was round and bouncy, people could sit inside, and it could fly. It's much more powerful than your vehicle that can only run on the ground!" Tuanzi boasted proudly. "You've definitely never ridden in one!"

"I see."

Tuanzi's eyes widened. "Zhou Li, are you not sleeping because you're afraid Lin Zhong will send someone to attack you?"

"What if I am?" Zhou Li countered.

"Don't be afraid." Tuanzi gently placed a paw on his forehead. "Lord Dumpling will protect you!"

"Really?"

"Really."

"But Lord Dumpling is just a cute little kitty," Zhou Li said, stroking her head. "How will you protect me?"

"That's not right." Tuanzi suddenly grew serious. "Lord Dumpling is super powerful. As a Close Attendant to His Highness, there are few demons in the world who don't fear Lord Dumpling."

"Like Xiao Hei today?"

"That Little Demon's status is too low; it's normal for him not to recognize an official as important as Lord Dumpling," Tuanzi stated matter-of-factly.

"Oh, so that's how it is."

"Yes! Just mentioning Lord Dumpling's name will keep anyone from bullying you. Even Lin Zhong wouldn't dare. When he was being disciplined by His Highness, he had to rely on Lord Dumpling to plead for him."

"Does Lord Dumpling have a good relationship with him?"

"We're somewhat acquainted. He often sends gifts to Lord Dumpling, bribing me to plead on his behalf."

"You mean like feeding you treats?"

"No!!"

"Sorry."

"So don't be afraid, go to sleep." Tuanzi tilted her head in thought, then promptly lay down beside Zhou Li. "Lord Dumpling will sleep next to you tonight to protect you."

"Thank you, Lord Dumpling."

Sleep was, of course, out of the question. Compared to the frail and tiny Tuanzi, Zhou Li felt Huai Xu, the Great Devil King, was far more reliable.

The strongest special forces, the most formidable spy, a professional Scout, a part-time assassin, a Great Demon—these titles combined filled Zhou Li with confidence.

So he continued to chat with Tuanzi, gently stroking her soft fur. "Lord Dumpling, you also spoke up for Huai Xu. Was it because Huai Xu gave you treats before too?"

"Master Ming brought me something to eat."

"I see. Then..."

The man and the demon conversed in whispers, their chat slow and gentle, and time gradually passed until it was past midnight.

This county town wasn't very bustling to begin with. After ten o'clock at night, the suburban areas grew quiet. Streetlights remained on, and the neon signs of the hotels cast red glows with their doors still open, but the front desk, located in a narrow stairwell, had long been unattended.

Suddenly, Zhou Li heard a voice—

"They're here!"

It was Huai Xu's voice, inaudible to ordinary people.

「Five minutes later.」

Zhou Li went alone to the area behind the hotel and saw Huai Xu waiting for him in the field, holding a skinny demon by one hand. "Not bad," Huai Xu said. "Much stronger than the one we met at the Hu Family and that Liu Chu from the Local Government. A professional assassin, heh heh..."

"Impressive!" Zhou Li immediately understood.

Huai Xu glanced at him and continued, "There was also an intelligence operative, who vanished in an instant."

"I see."

"When will the people from the Local Government you notified arrive?"

"Probably tomorrow."

"Oh, hand this demon over to them then. I haven't killed in a long time, and I don't want to easily take a life again." Huai Xu's tone was tinged with reflection on his past. "But tonight, you can use him for practice. Don't be shy and don't hold back; unleash your full power. He's here to kill you."

"I'll do my best."

Then Huai Xu let go of the demon.

The demon didn't say another word and turned to run.

Huai Xu stood still in the wind, silently watching him run.

About half a minute later, the demon was out of sight. Huai Xu's figure blurred slightly, and the skinny demon appeared in his hand again!

He released it again.

The demon still chose to run.

One minute later, Huai Xu said to the demon in his hand, "Stop running. I've been doing this for two thousand years; I'm very practiced at this!"

"Just kill me!!"

SWISH! Two semi-transparent daggers appeared in front of the demon.

"My lord, spare my life!"

"You fight him. If you can beat him, I promise I'll let you go." Huai Xu pointed at Zhou Li. "I, the Great Devil King, always keep my word."

"I..."

The demon felt mocked, but he still agreed. So Huai Xu released him again.

This demon was indeed much stronger than the evil demon encountered at the Hu Family's place and Liu Chu—at least several times stronger—and extremely skilled in assassination. It seemed he was an assassin specifically sent by that faction to target Zhou Li. He could almost completely conceal his form in the darkness, moving without a sound.

Zhou Li had never experienced such a battle. Even when he first played a game and PK'd someone, his hands would tremble...

He had no choice but to go for a saturation attack.

The demon, seeing this, remained calm and retreated far into the darkness, just waiting for this fool to exhaust his Spiritual Power and become easy prey.

Half an hour later, the demon lay powerless on the ground. "Just kill me!"

Huai Xu picked him up. "Again," he said. "Zhou Li, you can't fight like that this time. Trust me, you'll be able to react. Even if you can't, I can cover you."

Zhou Li nodded.

He trusted Huai Xu very much.

So the man and the demon faced each other again.

Zhou Li was tense, his senses on high alert for any movement in his surroundings.

Just then, a small figure suddenly ran out from the side, darting in front of him and blocking his way.

"Don't be afraid, Zhou Li! Lord Dumpling will protect you!"

The demon seized this opportunity. A ripple appeared in the air, suffused with deadly intent.

BOOM!

Immense Spiritual Power burst forth, faster than Zhou Li's reflexes could even register. His opponent was sent flying like a kite with a snapped string. In that instant, Zhou Li seemed to grasp the true meaning behind Huai Xu's words.

What was it Huai Xu said about 'steamrolling' and 'sufficient firepower'...? And 'if one shot isn't enough, just hit them again'...

Only then did Zhou Li look down. Tuanzi, who had just declared she would protect him, had already hidden behind his legs, her paws clutching his calves, peeking out cautiously at the scene ahead.