Done in His Own Volition

Doors opening... soles and heels clicking against the tiled floor... clock ticking... indistinct talking in the distance...

Ruan Jin blinked as he stared straight at the wide lobby of the police station. Xu Disung and Wen Taio were seated next to them, and yet he felt so cold and alone. Finally, he shivered involuntarily, escaping the trance that he was in.

It was already six in the morning, but the police weren't done with them yet. They were asked to stay for more questions... and it had been hours since they said so.

The tech guy closed his eyes like he never wanted to open them again. Within the darkness, he could vividly remember what happened that night. In ten minutes, their little magic one—the gentle-natured asshole named Liu Xiaodan—just killed more than a dozen people in that alley.

Ruan Jin remembered that look on Liu Xiaodan's eyes, the look of the dead gazing upon the living. Chills went up his spine again as he felt like he heard that excited giggling once again. He didn't know where it came from, but it was there—he was so sure he heard it.

A child was giggling after the remaining of the goons ran off. He was giggling as Liu Xiaodan fell to his knees and smiled apologetically at them.

It was just that... he didn't run.

Cops had surrounded the alley after a few minutes, and he was pinned to the ground by one of them. His friends tried to say he was injured, but the cops didn't care. That man killed over a dozen men, and they say he's supposed to be bedridden and suffering from a foot-long stitch across the belly?

It was just that the doctor said in the precinct that Liu Xiaodan's arms and stomach didn't have traces of stitches. The skin was like it had never gone under the knife at least. Of course, the other horsemen were bewildered; Liu Xiaodan only laughed darkly.

Right now, Ruan Jin let out a soft growl. He bent down and curled in his seat. Hahah, why did he forget? That loud mouth of his had just ended someone's life in particular.

He was stupid for reminding Liu Xiaodan... the police wouldn't believe it was him without evidence? Yes, they wouldn't... so Liu Xiaodan killed people for evidence.

Li Feng did say it was his fault, and so Liu Xiaodan wanted to save everyone the trouble.

"Jin." Wen Taio's voice accompanied his grip on the other's shoulder. "Jin, calm down."

"How can I calm down? I made him do this. Why am I still alive even?" Ruan Jin racked his head. The first person he asked to hurt others killed seven people from their dorm. Now that he spoke again, his friend killed around fifteen people.

"Jin, it's not you." Xu Disung didn't hold him, but he joined Wen Taio in talking Ruan Jin out of this. "Listen, Xiaodan did it because he wanted to. We didn't say anything; we didn't ask him to clean shit up. We're all innocent, and yet he deemed himself responsible."

His fist tightened. "He even did this without consulting us. Motherfucker thinks he knows what he's doing, ah."

Wen Taio would have his own opinion and blame someone else, but he looked up and saw Detective Hung on his way to them. He was wearing such a stern face as he scanned the three men on the seat. They all looked worn out and frustrated. He then pulled Ruan Jin to sit properly before talking. "Detective Hung."

The man stood in front of them before sighing. "The director decided to send your friend to prison and for trial. Of course, not only fifteen counts of murder will be under his name. We'll still depend on how the court deals with him. Needless to say, he's kicked out of the university as well."

The three grew solemn, hopeless… distraught.

"...Hello, can I... my son was arrested last night. How can I talk to him?" A scared yet clear voice echoed in the lobby, making the horsemen's ears perk up.

"Is that...?" Xu Disung turned to the faraway reception desk and saw Wu Qianqian and Liu Li asking for their son. The man had a very displeased expression before lowering his head.

Of course, Detective Hung recognized them. He left the three men to themselves. Xu Disung then hissed. "Xiaodan, you're a maniac. Why subject your parents to this?"

"Mrs. Liu," Detective Hung called her and gestured for the receptionist to let him handle the two. He invited them to sit in the lobby away from the three college boys. "You must have heard about Liu Xiaodan."

"Yes, we did." Liu Li held onto his wife and spoke for her since she had already started crying lightly. "Can we still talk to my son?"

"At this point, you couldn't right now. He's going to be transferred to the prison soon and would be waiting for his trial. You can visit him by then." Detective Hung then started explaining what was about to happen.

He had long eyed this young man and his weird activities. For him to be the real mastermind wasn't that surprising to the detective. However, he killed fifteen people?

Wu Qianqian couldn't help but sob in response. Her very dear Xiaodan was probably going to get executed for what he did. She didn't know if Guangru made him do this, but still... she didn't think her son would be pulled away from her this way.

Liu Li was suffering from the same thinking. He didn't know his obedient son would be behind bars in this lifetime.

...

Choke! Li Feng choked so hard as he heard what Li Yunru told him while they were having breakfast. Mian Bingbing brought down her chopsticks and made this strange gaze at the young woman. Li Feng then slammed at their small table.

"Li Yunru! Don't you dare lie to me!" Li Feng was frustrated.

Liu Xiaodan did what? Let alone killing another friend of his, he added fourteen other people in the mix. If he was trying to make the police dump all the murders at him, couldn't he just kill two or three? Fifteen was too much!

"Do I sound like I'm joking?" Li Yunru huffed as she had a dark face. "I just heard about it this morning. Liu Xiaodan intercepted Ren Ditian and his thug friends on their way to kick Liu Xiaodan's friends' asses. Guess it couldn't be helped if he fought them..."

She then slowed down. "Then again... he was able to do it like that? Was it the mogui?"

"At this point, we shouldn't be referring to it as a mogui." Mian Bingbing then picked up her utensils and started eating again. "That demon took on the form of a child and seduced Liu Xiaodan into becoming the father of its vessel. Moreover, it would be stupid to say that he made Liu Xiaodan do it."

Her words shocked the other two people.

"What good would it be for them? If I calculated it right, he could be executed immediately with this kind of offense. However, the child didn't stop him. This massacre... was done on his own volition."

Li Feng's eyes quivered before he hung his head down. Ah, did he fail to save Liu Xiaodan? The mogui had completely passed on its destructive nature to its host, and that meant he failed as an exorcist.

Then again, recalling the last words he spurted at Liu Xiaodan, was he even considered 'trying to save him'?

Mian Bingbing noticed his son's dark mood. She then spoke again, "Don't blame yourselves. The demon was strong; Uncle Yu couldn't even kill it."

Footsteps then shuffled towards their little dining hall. A maidservant went to Mian Bingbing's side before whispering to her ear. Her face grew agitated before she took a final piece of chicken and ate it calmly.

She then placed her bowl and chopsticks down before leaving the table. The maid followed her with a panic-stricken expression.

The young man gritted his teeth and almost broke his chopsticks. He also put down his bowl and chopsticks before excusing himself from the table. He swiftly followed his mother to where she might have gone.

Li Yunru, however, only lowered her gaze and slowly continued eating. She ate mouthful by mouthful even if the food had long lost its flavor.

…

At the front lawn of the Mian Residence, a man in a high-class business suit was seated on the hood of his Mercedes. His hawk eyes then looked up as he saw the equally-airy woman by the doorway. His handsome yet cold-stricken face didn't give out a smile. He only reached to the side to open the door of his car.

"You came back from overseas with your auntie and didn't even call me to pick you up from the airport. Now, you're living in their third-rate big house. Bingbing, have you forgotten that we have our own house?"

The man's words spread around like a cold draft on a winter night. Everyone who heard him would have chills running up their spine. It was easy to tell that he was upset… very upset.

"Li Heilong, you dare insult my Mian family? What house are you talking about? That one where parasites come and go as they pleased?" Mian Bingbing didn't go to him and stood still at the doorway. "Don't bother me, I'm busy with my son."

"...Bingbing, they caught the person who committed a series of murder in their school. Let alone my proud Li family's reputation, his very own future suffered because of it." Li Heilong was so used to Mian Bingbing's temperament. If he was insulting her, she was free to insult him back.

The Mian family might not be as high as the Li family in the hierarchy of socialites, but she was still his wife, one he wasn't willing to let go. Li Heilong only stared at his wife. "He was framed for a murder he didn't do. I'm going to the precinct to sue that man's family for the damages they had done."

"He might as well take all my money. Why would I sue Qianqian?" Mian Bingbing huffed before waving her hand to shoo away the wealthy man. "Take your matters elsewhere. I wouldn't let you hurt more of my Mian family over this pride and reputation you love oh so well."

"…Bingbing, come with me." Li Heilong's hand left the door and came to pinch his glabella. "Must we do this every morning?"

However, the only response he got was a door shutting and a woman walking away from him.

Li Heilong only murmured to himself. "So she knew..."