“Chapter 72: Trust”

Chapter 72: Trust

Wen Ying inquired Feng Luo if all the radicals within the amusement park had been captured. Feng Luo, in turn, asked Wen Ying to specify who they were.

"I have one confirmed and three suspected targets," Wen Ying replied. "Their objective was Wu Fei. Through my telescope, I saw four demons attempting to lure him away. One was dressed as a bunny girl, whom I can confirm. The others were in a doll costume, an elderly-looking one, and a child."

"The one you're certain of, Muershi, has been caught," Feng Luo said. "The rest, no. Can you give a more detailed description?"

A more detailed description?

Wen Ying pondered for a moment before glancing at the swollen, bruised Slime demon bound by vines nearby. He flew over and gave it a kick. "Hey, lend me a hand."

The Slime demon shot him a mocking glance. Wen Ying sighed and turned to Feng Luo. "I'll need some time."

With that, Wen Ying retrieved three vials of magic potions from his spatial bracelet. Each of these translucent silver bottles contained a liquid, and upon opening them, black, green, and purple fumes visible to the naked eye wafted out—clearly toxic.

The Slime demon's face was swollen, and several teeth were missing, causing his speech to be slurred. "You... want to play?"

Wen Ying's smile was bright and amiable. "This one will cause excruciating pain throughout a demon's body. This one will make a demon's body erupt with boils. As for this one, let me think... it seems to induce splitting headaches, relatively mild. Which would you like to try first? Or perhaps I have dozens of other potions here. Would you like me to test them on you one by one?"

The Slime Demon shuddered in horror and shouted, "I'm a captive, not an experiment!"

"Won't die anyway," Wen Ying shrugged. "I have an antidote here. Guaranteed to keep you safe and sound."

Is this what being safe and sound means? !

Wen Ying pinched the Slime Demon's bloodied chin with two fingers in disgust, ready to pour the purple potion into his mouth. Seeing that the other demons below truly didn't care about Wen Ying, the Slime Demon quickly cried out, "Uh-ba-ma! Uh-ba-ma!"

"What did you say?" Wen Ying didn't catch it.

The Slime Demon exerted all his effort to enunciate clearly, "I'll help!"

"You're just babbling nonsense!" another demon growled indistinctly.

"If you can, do it yourself!"

The extremist demons, half-dead and bound on the vines, were heartbroken by the Slime Demon's cowardice. The vine tree became quite lively for a moment. Wen Ying rubbed his ears and gestured for the vines to gag them, grumbling, "So noisy."

Below the vine tree, Wu Fei silently thought that it was too brutal. Even if the demon was white, he was still a demon and couldn't possibly be an angelic creature.

Wen Ying released the Slime Demon, who landed on the ground with a thud. Startled, Wen Ying swooped down and nudged the seemingly lifeless creature with his foot. "Are you still alive?"

Wu Fei glanced over. "Maybe it's just knocked out."

"Tsk."

Feng Luo approached, his cold gaze descending upon the Slime Demon lying face down. He raised his hand, and dozens of small wind blades began to form in his palm.

"Stop! Please!" The Slime Demon, sensing the danger, lifted its bloodied face.

Feng Luo lowered his hand and looked at Wen Ying, who understood the unspoken message.

Wu Fei: "…" He realized he would never quite fit in with these demons; they didn't even treat captives with basic respect.

Wen Ying instructed, "Transform into the appearance of the demon inside that doll."

The Slime Demon, feeling defeated, transformed reluctantly. Having been beaten severely by Wu Fei and then crashed to the ground, it took a while for it to barely assume the form of another demon. However, it only lasted about ten seconds before reverting back.

"And the old man and the child," Wen Ying added.

"Child, it wasn't our doing," the Slime Devil gasped, transforming into an elderly figure.

Wen Ying addressed Feng Luo, who was capturing the moment with his camera, "That's them."

Feng Luo nodded and turned to Wu Fei, "His Majesty the Devil King commends your performance this time. He is pleased with your transformation."

Wu Fei wore an odd expression, stealing glances at Wen Ying. Upon hearing Feng Luo's words, an image of a seductive bunny girl version of Wen Ying instantly popped into his mind, with her captivating voice, alluring stance, and those high heels...

Unable to resist, Wu Fei whispered to Wen Ying, "How can you walk so gracefully in high heels?" Did Wen Ying have some unusual hobbies...

Reading Wu Fei's thoughts, Wen Ying glanced at him sidelong, "This Slime Devil's transformation magic allows the user to master the target's usual body movements. If I were to wear them now, I'd probably sprain my ankle after a few steps."

Feng Luo asked, "What high heels?"

Wen Ying blinked, a hint of mischief flashing across his eyes. He said to Feng Luo, "Teacher, wait a moment." Then, he dashed behind the vine tree and began replicating the transformation spell he had just witnessed.

Watching Wen Ying rush off and then return after a while, Feng Luo observed as he mysteriously pulled out a card and winked at him.

After a faint glow, the white devil transformed into a tantalizing bunny girl, oozing allure with her posture and flirtatious gaze. Before Feng Luo could recover from his shock, she pounced on him, wrapping her arms around his and resting her head on his chest.

"It's this kind of high heels!"

Now She Ang understood why the white demon had appeared in what they thought was their safe hideout. Glaring at the Slime demon on the ground, he wished he could punch it, as the binds of his vine whip swayed from its struggles.

"Wah wah wah!" Damn Slime! Damn Magic Mirror Demon!

"Click—" The sound of a camera shutter suddenly echoed.

Feng Luo immediately pushed Wen Ying aside and spun around. Behind them stood a female fox demon with fluffy nine tails. She approached with a charming gait, her aura both powerful and enchanting.

"Ling Lingwei, do you like demons like this?" she chuckled, appraising Feng Luo before glancing at the demon beside him, dressed in a seductive bunny costume.

Feng Luo's face darkened. "Delete the photo."

"I won't," Ling Lingwei shook her phone, deliberately displaying the picture. "Not bad. Many boys like girls like this. No need to be shy."

Feng Luo shot Wen Ying an annoyed glare. "Change back!"

Seeing Feng Luo's rare display of emotions, Wen Ying raised his hands in surrender and ran over to the observing Wu Fei. Looping his arms around Wu Fei's neck, he blew air onto his neck. "Do you like demons like this?"

Wu Fei's face flushed red as he abruptly pushed Wen Ying away. Wen Ying chuckled softly, transforming from the alluring female demon into a smaller male demon.

"I don't like that," Feng Luo said with a frown. "You saw it, that guy is Wen Ying."

Lin Lingwei looked at Wen Ying, her eyes softening naturally, and her voice gentle. "Nice to meet you. I'm Levimo and Lilith's mother, the leader of the Nine-Tailed Fox clan, Lin Lingwei. Thank you for saving Levimo in the Eternal Forest."

This demon had an immense charm that seemed to envelop everything around her forcefully, exuding a different kind of aggressiveness. The scent of her perfume lingered in the air. Wen Ying, feeling bashful, said, "I didn't really save him. I just brought him out."

"Still, you've been a great help," Lin Lingwei smiled, patting Wen Ying's head. "You're a good kid."

Feng Luo snorted in disdain, coldly humming. He hadn't noticed Wen Ying's acting skills before and would have to increase his training when they returned.

This adult version of the Nine-Tailed Fox was much more charming than Levimo and Lilith. Wen Ying's face was slightly blushed, his expression innocent and harmless, portraying the perfect obedient junior.

Lin Lingwei glanced at Shuihua, whose body was bound by layers of vines, leaving only his head visible. She narrowed her eyes slightly. "Letting Water Flower escape earlier, these guys are quite good at hiding. And that shape-shifting Slime demon, you did very well."

The Demon Lord had initially planned to lure out the shape-shifting Slime demon and Snake Ang using Wu Fei, then try to pry information about Water Flower from their mouths. Unexpectedly... they almost caught them all in one go.

As expected, Aruda had excellent judgment. This Demon Mirror was truly formidable.

"You can leave now," Feng Luo's voice was low and indifferent. "We'll take care of this."

Wen Ying nodded obediently, retracting the magic power he had been supplying to the vines. They withered into specks of light in no time.

Lin Lingwei's tail grew longer, wrapping around Shuihua, She Ang, and the Slime Devil. The ordinary Extreme Wind Devils were seized by their subordinates.

Wen Ying and Wu Fei were dismissed.

"Such ruthlessness," Wen Ying commented in a bunny devil's tone, addressing Feng Luo. Under the latter's menacing glare, Wen Ying hastily made a run for it, realizing he had overstepped.

Wu Fei followed suit. Feng Luo was terrifying at the moment; his low-pressure aura was even more daunting than Perseus's.

Wen Ying had acted on instinct earlier, but now, he was slightly alarmed. This transformation magic seemed to have unexpected aftereffects, causing him to adopt that seductive and casual tone. He patted his chest, deciding to use the spell less frequently in the future, despite its inability to replicate multiple forms.

They were in the outskirts. After returning to the amusement park through the magical array in the basement, Wen Ying and Wu Fei noticed that the Ferris wheel was missing.

Wu Fei searched, puzzled. "Strange, I can't see the Ferris wheel anymore."

"It might have collapsed during their fight," Wen Ying suggested. "Let's find them first. I forgot to ask Feng Luo and Perseus where they are."

Wu Fei nodded, only to hear Wen Ying tease, "Are you ready to face Lan Jiaying's death ray?"

Wu Fei: "..." This first place was actually quite fraudulent. He hadn't put in much effort at all. Shuihua had simply stumbled upon the kill by chance while lying in bed unable to move. As for Snake Ang, he had been left on low health by Lan Jiaying and her team before Wu Fei easily knocked him out.

Wen Ying patted Wu Fei on the shoulder. "Stop thinking about that hot girl. Consider how you're going to explain stealing the kill from Lan Jiaying. Snake Ang was taken down by you, not me. I just tied him up."

Wu Fei stared at Wen Ying in shock with wide eyes. He had never seen such a... devilish creature twist the truth so shamelessly!

"You were the one who turned into that female devil, and you're also the one who led me to that devil," Wu Fei complained aggrievedly. "You're the mastermind behind it all."

Wen Ying shrugged. "So I'll tell them it was a lucky stroke of fate."

Although he said this, when Wen Ying and the others found Beros and the other demons, seeing all four of them lying on the ground severely injured with doctors tending to them, Wen Ying didn't dare to joke about a lucky stroke of fate.

Looking at their unified expressions of anger, oh, and Muershi's reproachful gaze, Wen Ying didn't dare to be arrogant. He was still quite good at reading the atmosphere. If he acted arrogant now, he might really end up getting seriously injured once they regained their strength.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Wen Ying walked over with his hands half-raised.

Lan Jiaying was the angriest, because now not only did Wen Ying surpass him, but Wu Fei did too! Wu Fei was the first place winner this time! Unforgivable! If not for his severe injuries, Lan Jiaying would have rushed over to beat Wu Fei up right now.

Wu Fei timidly hid behind Wen Ying, but he was much taller, making it impossible to conceal himself behind his friend. He could only continue receiving Lan Jiaying's furious death threats.

Muershi spoke softly, "Aren't you aware of the reason already? That wasn't the agreement. We were supposed to play together, so how did it become Wu Fei playing with you? I feel cheated."

Wen Ying shrugged. "What can I do? They were targeting Wu Fei, and I just happened to seize the opportunity."

Phelous said with a sarcastic tone, "You're quite skilled at pretending to be that bunny demon. No one could tell it was you. You should be the one pretending to be in a relationship next time."

Wen Ying smiled bashfully. Extending his tail, a card emerged from his platinum tail ring.

"The transformation magic of that Slime Devil grants the shapeshifter some instinctive behaviors of the target. I'm now experiencing some aftereffects, so I won't dare to use it casually anymore."

"What else are you afraid of?" Beros scoffed, laughing out of anger. Sitting on the ground, a devil doctor was using magic to stop the bleeding on his arm. The doctor trembled under Beros' low-pressure aura.

Wen Ying hurried over, taking out a healing potion given by Aruda. "Beros, don't be so angry."

Beros coldly waved his hand, pushing away the potion bottle offered by Wen Ying. His right arm was covered in flayed flesh and a deep, bloody hole. Wen Ying guessed it was the venomous fang of She Ang, as the veins around the wound had turned dark blue beneath the skin.

As the devil doctor tended to Beros' wounds, Wen Ying passed the potion to him. The doctor took a whiff and his eyes lit up, promptly pouring the potion onto the terrifyingly deep wound. A sizzling sound akin to roasting meat echoed.

Wen Ying heard the voice and felt a pang of pain in his own arm. Yet, Perseus only clenched his face, furrowing his brows without even letting out a groan.

"It looks so painful."

"I didn't hear you complaining when you were in that situation," Perseus had learned to crack jokes. His deep voice was different from usual, trembling slightly.

Wen Ying frowned. "I should've beaten She Ang up when I had the chance."

"He bit me, but he didn't get away unscathed either," Perseus said, suddenly groaning softly. His voice grew even raspier. "Taking a hit from my flame palm at close range will be enough to burn him."

It was an equal trade-off. Looking at Perseus, who was sweating profusely despite trying to endure the pain, and then at the other three demons who weren't making much noise, Wen Ying gained a new understanding of their tolerance for pain.

They were all ruthless demons.

Wen Ying knelt beside Perseus and took out healing magic cards, activating them one by one to alleviate Perseus's agony.

Muershi muttered, "So much for friendship when faced with beauty." He was in so much pain, and it was such a loss.

Perseus wasn't in any state to care about Wen Ying's reaction. He could interpret the potion, but the process felt like someone was slicing through his flesh. The low-level healing magic Wen Ying was using was like a drop in the ocean. He closed his eyes and bit his lip.

Wu Fei admired Lan Jiaying too; despite the torment, he hadn't screamed. He suspected that Lan Jiaying was channeling all his agony into staring at him, trying to kill him with a piercing gaze.

After enduring the initial pain, the subsequent discomfort became somewhat numb. The demonic doctor applied a potion made from magic plants, then used magic to accelerate the healing process and bind the wounds with bandages.

Healing magic not only consumed the caster's magical energy but also the recipient's vitality. A moderate loss of vitality wouldn't harm the essence, as it could recover over time. However, excessive depletion could be irreparable.

Unless in an emergency, severe injuries were usually treated with magic until reaching a critical point, followed by the use of magical potions and physical remedies for further recovery.

With so many wounds on Berros, the demonic doctor was occupied for nearly two hours after Wen Ying's arrival. Berros looked even worse, his complexion pale and his expression weary.

It was the first time Wen Ying had seen Berros in such a state. Seeing him try to stand up, he reached out to support him. Berros attempted to wave him off but failed, and Wen Ying realized Berros' strength was now weaker than his own. His condition was truly dire.

Berros' face darkened at the first unsuccessful push, but he didn't persist in rejecting Wen Ying's help.

"Although Wu Fei and I ranked first," Wen Ying said, "these points will still count towards the group score. You're either tied for second or third, so there's no need to be upset."

The midterm exam scores were calculated individually, even though they were divided into groups. Each demon's ranking was separate, and under normal circumstances, every demon within a group would have the same score, resulting in joint rankings.

Wen Ying and Wu Fei were exceptions to this rule.

Boros was still filled with a thick aura of hostility, making it impossible for ordinary demons to approach him. He growled softly, "Do you really think I'm just angry about the score?"

Wen Ying froze for a moment before suddenly understanding why Boros was in such a bad mood.

Boros was too proud. Even if it was an adult demon, the difference in strength still existed, and Boros couldn't forgive himself for letting She Ang escape. He was furious at his own lack of power.

"I had to clean up your mess," Boros's voice seemed to be squeezed from his throat, filled with suppressed frustration and irritability.

Wen Ying: "..." It was still the Boros who could anger him with just a few words.

Right, now that Boros was so "vulnerable," why should he tolerate this? Wen Ying's thoughts spun several times, but he eventually decided not to take action against Boros, considering the torment Boros had just endured.

He was a kind human, not a cruel demon.

"You're a demon, not a god," Wen Ying patiently reassured Boros, "Next year, you'll be an adult. You know better than me the difference in strength between a demon before and after adulthood."

Boros fell silent, his breath slightly weak.

Muershi watched quietly as Wen Ying helped Boros back to the hotel, sighing at a forty-five-degree angle to the sky. Glancing at Phileas beside him, he said, "Don't you think it's time to find a boyfriend or girlfriend?" It just felt so melancholic somehow.

Phileas gave him a cold glance.

"I don't need your help!"

Lan Jiaying's furious voice sounded from the side.

"Stay away from me!" "Let go!" "Can't you hear me telling you to let go?" "Keep your distance!"

Muershi turned his head and saw Wu Fei attempting to support Lan Jiaying, who was swaying unsteadily on his feet. Despite Lan Jiaying's strong objections and repeated pushes, the kind-hearted half-black dragon persisted.

Muershi then said to Phileas, "If you're not looking for a boyfriend or girlfriend, how about asking our parents for a younger brother or sister?"

Phileas looked at Muershi as if he were mentally challenged, then dragged his now-heavy body a meter away.

Muershi sighed. "What I said made perfect sense."

His body hurt so much, and he really wanted a little darling to comfort him, but Wen Ying, that friend-forgetting flirt.

Wen Ying took Berros back to the hotel. Upon returning, Berros removed his bloodstained clothes and changed into fresh ones before lying down on the bed to rest.

After Wen Ying covered Poros with the blanket, he didn't leave immediately. Gazing at Poros, whose pale face was a result of his injuries, he couldn't help but think that in TV dramas, injured characters were usually portrayed with softened features and gentle expressions. However, Poros, with his deathly pale complexion and overwhelming hostility, appeared even more terrifying.

"Don't keep staring at me."

Boreas opened his eyes and finished speaking, suddenly recalling Wen Ying's affection for him. With a wary tone, he asked, "You're not planning on doing anything, are you?"

Wen Ying chuckled and looked down at him with a superior air. "Even if I were to do something now, what could you possibly do about it? Just look at how pale you've become."

Boros pressed his lips together, his dark red eyes fixated on Wen Ying, refusing to blink.

Wen Ying raises his hand to cover his eyes, leaning in close to whisper in his ear, "Sleep."

Boros's vision was obscured by Wen Ying's palm, plunging him into darkness. The mere mention of Wen Ying's name weighed on him like a mountain, causing his eyelids to grow heavy with fatigue.

After a while, which felt like an eternity, Wen Ying sensed that Perseus' breathing had evened out. He withdrew his hand in confusion and discovered that Perseus had fallen asleep. His eyes widened in astonishment.

Asleep? Asleep with him right here?!

Last night, with Lan Jiaying and Wu Fei by his side, he hadn't been able to sleep at all. Was Bellerophon... too injured, or did he trust him?

Wen Ying's emotions were a jumbled mess. A demon's instincts couldn't lie; Belos actually trusted him... Well, it seemed he wouldn't be killed by Belos when the latter came of age next year. A faint smile tugged at the corners of Wen Ying's lips, his eyes shining with bright mirth.

Sitting on the bed beside, Wen Ying took advantage of his current memory of the Slime demon's magic to replicate more of its racial spells.

The other two occupants of the room had yet to return. Recalling their sleepless night, Wen Ying guessed they had opted for separate rooms to rest, as they found it impossible to fall asleep and recover in the same space.

The Demon King had received numerous photos from various sources. His hand holding the teacup trembled slightly as he scrolled through the images transmitted to his phone.

Among these photos, there were a few that stood out:

A diminutive Phoenix clung endearingly to Lan Jiaying's arm, its skeletal frame having shrunk in size.

Enormous vines entangled numerous demons, upon one of the vine branches, a white demon sat with its legs crossed in deep contemplation, while another demon lounged beneath the tree, gazing at the sky above.

Feng Luo was being playfully nuzzled by a bunny-eared demon against his chest.

The last photograph was thoughtfully annotated with "( Transformation of Wen Ying)."

The Demon King sipped his teacup, gaining a newfound understanding of Wen Ying's luck and actions as he perused Lin Lingwei's report.

The Demon King let out a sigh and sipped his tea again. His plans had exceeded expectations, yet somehow, he didn't feel as delighted as he should.