"Hello, this is XX Street Police Department..."
A familiar female voice answered the call.
The moment Mu Chenyi heard it, he exhaled in relief—
It was her.
It was Xiao Chen.
Starting the Story
"Hello, I'm the one who called earlier."
After a brief pause, Mu Chenyi spoke again—
"Officer Chen, let me tell you a story."
"Xiao Chen" on the other end of the line: "???"
She sounded visibly confused.
"How do you know my last name is Chen...?"
She instinctively questioned.
Ignoring the Question, Mu Chenyi Continued—
"Once upon a time, there was a couple—happily married, living a peaceful life. One day, their young son, barely a teenager, was brutally murdered by three of his classmates. His body was buried inside the waste storage room of a factory."
"The devastated parents reported the case to the police. Officers searched for months but found nothing. Just when the couple was on the verge of breaking down completely, a tip-off came to the police station."
"The factory's waste storage manager had stumbled upon a charred, deformed corpse—one that barely looked human anymore. When forensics ran DNA tests... it turned out to be the missing boy's remains."
"The parents collapsed on the spot when they saw their son's unrecognizable, burned body. Shortly after, the factory was shut down for inspection. Not just because of the murder, but also due to various violations in its production materials."
"And coincidentally—"
"The parents of the three student murderers... were all workers at that very same factory."
"Some suspected that the murderers' parents were also involved in the crime... but there was never enough evidence to prove it."
The Unexpected Forgiveness
"After regaining consciousness, the devastated parents did something that shocked the entire city—"
"They signed a forgiveness agreement, pardoning the three student murderers."
"The public went crazy, calling them weak, accusing them of selling their son's life for hush money."
"But then... they did something that no one expected."
The Revenge
"Months later, when everyone had nearly forgotten about the case, the couple kidnapped the three student murderers, drugged them, and brought them back to the very same abandoned factory."
"Then, they stood there... and watched as the three murderers were burned alive."
"Later, the couple was sentenced to death for their crime."
Xiao Chen Finally Reacts
Just as Mu Chenyi finished speaking, Xiao Chen interrupted—
"Sir, I know about this case. Are you trying to express dissatisfaction with the way it was handled?"
The Real Message
"Listen to me first..."
Mu Chenyi took a deep breath, his voice growing lower, more intense.
"Before they were executed, the grieving parents gave a statement in court."
"They said they never regretted their actions. The past few months had been pure hell for them. Every night, they dreamt of their son, burning in agony."
"In their dreams, their son screamed—"
'Mom! Dad! It hurts! Please, come to the factory and save me!'
'They're demons! Everyone here is a demon! They're going to burn me alive!'
'Please save me!'
Mu Chenyi's Voice Shifts
As he spoke these words—
His tone twisted, becoming desperate, frantic, and filled with anguish.
For a moment—
It was as if the dead boy himself was speaking through him.
It was as if the plea for help was real.
Xiao Chen's Silence
The line went dead quiet.
No sound.
No response.
As if something had just clicked in Xiao Chen's mind.
Mu Chenyi had sent his message.
Now—
He just had to wait for her reaction.
"Sir..."
Xiao Chen's voice wavered slightly, as if she was about to say something.
"Officer Chen!"
Mu Chenyi cut her off—but this time, his tone was calmer, more deliberate.
"Before this call, I didn't know you. But if it were you—"
"Would you save a boy about to be murdered by demons?"
"Please, make your choice."
And with that—
He hung up.
A Leap of Faith
Mu Chenyi didn't wait for an answer.
Because her next actions would be her true response.
He closed his eyes.
Now—
It was up to fate.
The True Story Behind His Words
What he had just told her—
Wasn't fiction.
It was a real murder case.
The Demon Murder Incident.
Eight years ago, in reality, in this very factory.
The part about the couple burning their son's killers alive?
All true.
But the "nightmare" the parents had described in court—
Was something Mu Chenyi had fabricated.
That part wasn't for storytelling.
It was a coded message to Xiao Chen.
The Hidden Meaning in His Words
"The boy was about to be killed by demons."
He wasn't talking about the real case anymore—he was talking about himself. He was the boy. The "demons" were the monsters around him.
"I didn't know you before this call, yet I know your last name is Chen."
He was subtly telling her that he wasn't from this world either. They were the same.
"Would you save him?"
He wasn't asking about the old case. He was asking her—would she come save him, a fellow human?
He never mentioned "monsters."
He intentionally avoided using that word. Because if the police chief, Zhang Qian, was listening in, it could expose him.
"Everyone here is a demon."
Another direct message. He was human. The rest were not. Waiting for a Response
He glanced at the time.
10:55 AM.
He would wait until 11:02 AM—
When his [Eye of Death] cooled down.
If Xiao Chen decided to come find him—
Then his next death vision would show her arrival.
If she didn't—
Then he was on his own.
Inside the Police Station…
In a small dispatch office, three emergency operators sat at their desks.
A man walked in, looking at one of them—
A young woman with striking features and sharp eyes.
"Xiao Chen, who was that call from just now?"
"Oh, just a civilian dissatisfied with the final ruling of the Demon Murder Case from eight years ago."
The young and strikingly beautiful female officer responded with a smile—
But even her smile was the same forced, unnatural imitation that the monsters used.
Zhang Qian's Suspicion
"Hmm…"
Police Chief Zhang Qian narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Still, you should always listen carefully for any hidden messages."
His voice carried a subtle weight—a warning hidden within an instruction.
"Sometimes, a caller may be in danger and unable to directly state their predicament."
Xiao Chen's Response
"Understood, Chief Zhang!"
Xiao Chen nodded politely before adding—
"But judging from his emotional fluctuations, he didn't seem like someone trapped in an immediate crisis.
He sounded more like someone purely expressing dissatisfaction with the case's verdict."
Her explanation was calm and precise, showing no unnecessary hesitation.
This was a test.
Zhang Qian could listen in on all emergency calls.
If she had deliberately covered for the caller,
It would have immediately raised suspicion.
Zhang Qian's Verdict
After a brief pause, Zhang Qian finally nodded.
"Alright. Calls like that aren't worth wasting time on in the future."
With that, he turned on his heels and left the room.
Xiao Chen's Hidden Thoughts
But even after he was gone—
Xiao Chen remained seated, her gaze heavy with contemplation.
That man who had just called her…
His words… His tone…
"He might also be human."