Chapter 19

Even though the yellow dog ran very fast, the two great demons still sensed the aura lingering at the scene.

Lang Xiao looked at the marks on the ground: "Demonic aura, but very weak in cultivation. It was a dog demon."

"It probably chased after the dog traffickers. If I encountered one of my own kind being kidnapped by humans like that, I would have slaughtered them too. This little demon was actually quite restrained."

The two humans were only injured, not dead; it was clear that the demon had shown mercy. Hu Yuanfei felt a touch of fondness for this unfamiliar fellow demon.

"Shall we chase it?"

Lang Xiao shook her head: "Forget it. In a way, it did us a favor." Otherwise, they would have had to figure out how to deal with the two humans themselves.

Dong Si and Xue Laoliu, who had not yet lost consciousness, had not seen how these two people appeared, but the arrival of others meant hope. Xue Laoliu immediately cried out weakly for help. Dong Si was in excruciating pain, and his consciousness was fading due to excessive blood loss from his shoulder; unable to stand, he could only crawl toward the two with one hand, also shouting for help.

Lang Xiao held Qing Yao, who was still over-excited from the "fast running" game, and backed away, covering the cub’s eyes with her hand to keep her from seeing the bloody scene.

Hu Yuanfei asked: "What now? It doesn't seem appropriate to just take away so many dogs."

Having attended many legal safety classes, Lang Xiao skillfully took out her phone: "Let's call the police."

Just then, a passing vehicle stopped. Seeing the scene, the driver assumed a murder had occurred and hurriedly called the police as well. Before long, local police arrived at the scene.

The area usually had good public security, and the police initially expected a major case. To their surprise, the two injured men, barely conscious, claimed they had been attacked by a dog. A dog capable of biting two grown men like this had to be a ferocious breed, but none of the dogs left at the scene fit that description. Concerned that such a dog might still be loose and cause more injuries, the police took the matter very seriously.

"Where is the dog?"

Dong Si slurred: "Ran... ran away."

"What kind of dog? Did you get a good look?"

Dong Si recalled that fleeting glimpse and said with difficulty: "A yellow mongrel. It wasn't big, but it was incredibly fast. It lunged and tore the flesh right off my shoulder."

The police exchanged glances: "Are you sure it was a mongrel and not some other ferocious breed?"

"I'm sure, it was just a mongrel. I don't know where it came from, but it must have been following us."

But when the police asked why the dog would follow them, Dong Si went silent, closing his eyes and pretending to faint. It was only then that he remembered their actions over the past few years; while his life was saved, he would likely be headed to prison once he recovered.

By this time, Lang Xiao and Hu Yuanfei had already left with the Golden Retriever. Since they had an extra dog, they couldn't simply use demon power to fly back—Lang Xiao could carry the cub, but Hu Yuanfei refused to let a dog ride on his back.

Lang Xiao stared at him speechlessly for a long moment: "What do you suggest? Take a taxi? It’s nearly a hundred kilometers to Xinghuan City. Are you paying the fare?"

Hu Yuanfei had been about to say he would pay, as he had just earned some money, but he was unwilling to spend it like this. He could only droop his face and glare at the Golden Retriever.

The Golden Retriever, already terrified by the aura of the two demons, lowered its head even further, nearly burying it in its own paws.

"Fine, I'll take it. You carry the cub and use your demon power to protect her well; don't let her fall."

"Understood."

Hu Yuanfei immediately brightened, nuzzled Qing Yao with his head until she giggled, then placed her on his back. The red fox leaped forward and vanished from the spot.

"I'm going ahead. Keep up!"

Lang Xiao, remaining in place, reverted to her original form. Her stature grew and elongated, far exceeding that of a normal wolf, becoming a giant beast.

The Golden Retriever stared, dumbfounded, at the massive wolf looming over it. Its entire body trembled, its tail wagging like a motor, and it almost wet itself. Lang Xiao opened her jaws and clamped them gently around the back of the dog's neck. When she lifted her head, the Golden Retriever dangled in mid-air.

It remained frozen, stunned, as everything around it blurred into streaks of shadow. This was Lang Xiao's true form. With her demon power unleashed, she moved twice as fast as before, catching up to and swiftly overtaking Hu Yuanfei in the blink of an eye.

Hu Yuanfei grunted and increased his speed as well.

On his back, Qing Yao lay flat. Protected by the barrier of demon power, she felt no wind. She stared with wide, curious eyes at the world around her. It felt like flying, and she found the sensation unexpectedly free and comfortable.

The return trip took even less time than the journey there. Before the afternoon was over, they arrived at the entrance of the residential complex where the customer lived.

The two found a corner, stopped, and transformed back into their human forms. The Golden Retriever, released, remained frozen in the pose of being held by the neck, like a statue. It took a long time for it to come to its senses, its paws testing the ground in disbelief.

Hu Yuanfei waved his hand: "Go on, head home to your owner."

The word "home" completely awakened the Golden Retriever. It looked up and realized it was in the most familiar place of all. With a joyous howl, it bolted toward its home.

Lang Xiao said coldly: "Slow down."

The dog, already mid-sprint, stopped immediately and began to trot forward with small, timid steps, though its wagging tail and wiggling backside betrayed its urgency.

However, before they reached the gate, they saw a crowd gathered, filled with shouting and cursing. The voices sounded familiar. The two demons looked closer and saw the Li family and their next-door neighbors caught in the middle of a heated verbal and physical confrontation.

The trouble had started that morning. After Lang Xiao and Hu Yuanfei left, Li Li didn't go home immediately but was stopped by the owner of the small shop at the gate. The owner, surnamed Tian, kept a poodle that loved to play with the Golden Retriever, so he knew the Li family well.

"My dog Laifu had diarrhea last night, so I rushed him to the vet and closed early," Mr. Tian said, pulling him into the shop. "I only heard today that Yuanbao was missing, so I checked my shop's security footage."

The shop didn't have external cameras, but there was one near the register facing out, capturing a small portion of the street. Mr. Tian fast-forwarded to before closing time. On the screen, people were playing cards under a streetlamp. Li’s father was holding the leash, and the Golden Retriever was moving around. About seven or eight minutes in, a pair of feet appeared beside the dog. Someone seemed to tease it; the Golden Retriever stood up, gave a short bark, and then vanished from the frame. The leash dropped to the ground, and after the feet walked away, the dog never reappeared.

Li Li stared at the feet and the sliver of trousers visible. They were very familiar. It took him only two seconds to be certain: "That's Wu Zijie!" He had seen those shoes every day for the past few days.

Thinking that Wu Zijie might have released his dog, Li Li was filled with rage. After thanking Mr. Tian, he stepped out and called his parents to confront Wu Zijie, but no one was home next door.

"They probably went to the supermarket; there's a sale today. Let's go down and wait," Li's mother said.

The elderly couple quickly left and met up with Li Li. As fate would have it, just as they reached the gate, they saw Wu Zijie’s mother returning with two large bags, her son following behind eating snacks.

Li Li’s mother couldn't wait to exchange pleasantries; she grabbed Wu Zijie’s hand and demanded: "You let our Yuanbao go! Where did you put it?"

Wu Zijie didn't speak, but his mother’s eyes widened. She dropped her bags and shoved Li Li’s mother away: "What are you talking about? Your dog is lost, what does that have to do with my son?"

"It was him who unclipped Yuanbao's leash! It's all on video, don't try to deny it!"

"What video? I haven't seen any video! My son wouldn't do such a thing, don't go slandering people!" Mrs. Wu shielded her son and shouted, "If you have proof, go call the police! Have us arrested! Bullying a child—is that all you’re good for? You outsiders are truly unreasonable."

Li’s mother had always been gentle and avoided conflict, but she had reached her limit. All the resentment she had bottled up since moving in erupted at once: "You talk about being reasonable? Your son stabbed our door, dismantled our lock, kicked our dog, and pushed people down the stairs! You’re the bad seed who raised a bad seed of a son! You should be struck by lightning!"

Mrs. Wu’s face flushed with rage, and she reached out to scratch Li’s mother’s face. Seeing his mother fighting, Wu Zijie didn't try to pull them apart; instead, he punched Li Li’s mother without hesitation. Li Li and his father couldn't stand by and watch their family be bullied, and soon, the group was locked in a brawl.

The gate was a busy area, and the scene quickly attracted attention. When people tried to intervene, they were indiscriminately attacked by Wu Zijie. Though not tall, he was powerfully built and struck with brutal force; even adults were in agony if hit. The security guard, not daring to step in, quickly called property management.

By the time Lang Xiao and the others arrived with the Golden Retriever, the fight hadn't fully settled. The property staff were in the middle, trying to pull the sides apart. Mrs. Wu was still cursing as she was held back:

"You treat that mangy dog like a treasure, taking it out to meet all sorts of riff-raff every day! Who knows if that son of yours is even yours? You should be ashamed! I feel sorry for myself just being your neighbor! No wonder your son can't find a wife at his age; even a blind woman wouldn't come to your house! None of you are any good from top to bottom! If I were you, I’d just die; being reincarnated would be more honorable than what you are now!"

Her tirade almost caused Li’s mother to faint. If not for her husband and son shielding her, she would have rushed forward to tear Mrs. Wu’s mouth open. The property staff could hold the people back, but they couldn't shut her mouth. They could only threaten: "Stop it! If you keep saying those things, we’re calling the police! Slander is against the law."

Everyone living there knew that the family on the tenth floor of Building Two was the meanest and most difficult to deal with, especially the son—he was nothing but trouble. Every child in the vicinity had been warned by their parents never to play with Wu Zijie and to run away if they saw him. Having that family as neighbors was considered a curse of eight lifetimes.

Ever since the Li family bought that apartment, people had shaken their heads and sighed, wondering why they hadn't chosen better; they were destined to suffer sooner or later.