"What does it have to do with me?" Tian Jiang asked.
Mu Anxiao smiled, "The townspeople say he killed three people. Do you recall those three people?"
"You mean to say it was me who killed them," Tian Jiang pointed at herself.
"I didn't say it was you who killed them," Mu Anxiao said, opening the door. "Come, come in and talk."
Tian Jiang frowned but still stepped into the cell.
Seeing Tian Jiang cooperate, Mu Anxiao curved her lips, closed the door again, and said, "When did you kill them?"
"Are you trying to get me to take the blame?" Tian Jiang asked coldly.
"No, I just want to ask you, because you said you killed three people," Mu Anxiao held up three fingers.
"Do you want me to confess?" Tian Jiang asked again.
Mu Anxiao lowered her head and said, "I didn't think that. I just want to confirm if this matter is related to you. If it's not, then you can go." She pointed to the door.
"What is your relationship with that person?"
"Who?" Mu Anxiao played dumb.
"The portrait," Tian Jiang said the two words simply.
Mu Anxiao lowered her eyes and thought for a moment, "I already said we are friends. In any case, I am certain that he definitely did not kill those three people."
"Then you're saying it was me?" Tian Jiang pointed at herself.
Mu Anxiao chuckled, "You don't need to be so serious, I was just..."
"I will not take the blame for such a crime," Tian Jiang interrupted.
Mu Anxiao smiled helplessly, "I haven't even finished my sentence. Must you be so nervous?"
"I admit I have killed people, but I will absolutely not take the blame for others, because I want to live," Tian Jiang said with increasing seriousness.
Mu Anxiao looked at Tian Jiang's serious expression, then glanced at the wolf demon staring at Tian Jiang, and said, "So, the people you killed were not from this village?"
"No," Tian Jiang spat out the two words coldly.
"Then who did you kill?" Mu Anxiao pressed for details.
Seeing Mu Anxiao's earnestness, Tian Jiang took a deep breath and said, "Let me put it this way, those three people also had murder cases on their hands. I was merely eliminating harm for the people. The constables had already let me go. It's a bit laughable that you've come here to accuse me without any basis, Mu Anxiao."
"You're saying... the constables knew?"
"Yes, I am implicated in such a case of taking a life, so even if you arrest me, it would be useless," Tian Jiang said indifferently.
"Is that so?" Mu Anxiao was speechless.
"Without even figuring out the truth, you go and suspect others without reason, Mu Anxiao," Tian Jiang smiled. "I have gained a new understanding of you today." After speaking, she turned and left the cell.
A moment later, Mu Anxiao stared at the swinging cell door and said, "It seems this matter... is a bit different from what I thought!"
"She's essentially an executioner. She claims to have taken lives, but... she actually hasn't," the wolf demon analyzed.
"Her condition for becoming a demon is to kill. By doing it this way, she neither bears heavy sins nor avoids the underworld officials," Mu Anxiao gave a wry smile. "She's quite clever."
"She didn't explain things clearly to you from the start?" the wolf demon asked.
"If she had explained clearly, I wouldn't have done such a foolish thing," Mu Anxiao said, stepping forward to close the door.
The wolf demon sighed.
Mu Anxiao lowered her head slightly and said, "I'm afraid this matter will have to be... rethought."
"Yes, it's quite a mess," the wolf demon nodded.
"It seems I'll have to behave myself for these seven days," Mu Anxiao said, sitting down on the ground.
"It looks like that's the only way. Seven days..." The wolf demon tilted its head back and sighed, "My portraits will probably be plastered all over this place."
"It's fine, you'll have something to do," Mu Anxiao said faintly.
"Continue like that?" the wolf demon asked.
Mu Anxiao looked up at the wolf demon and smiled, "Are you silly? Of course. They put up your portraits, and you take them down. Then find a secluded place and burn your face."
"My face will be burned?" The wolf demon foolishly covered its face.
"Not your face, but the face in the portrait," Mu Anxiao explained helplessly.
The wolf demon smiled.
In the village, several villagers gathered together. One villager said with annoyance, "It seems we need to find new targets."
"Why?" the second villager was unwilling. "We finally caught a scapegoat, and it's not good to just let him go."
"We beat him to that state, and he still managed to escape. What does that tell you? Can't you see?" the first villager glared at the second villager.
"He definitely didn't escape far," the second villager insisted.
"Can you use your brain?" the first villager said, pointing at the second villager.
"What do you mean by that?" the second villager asked, not understanding.
"He just left, and we plastered his portrait all over the city. It hasn't even been a day, and suddenly a demon wind blew, the portraits gathered, and demonic fire fell from the sky. What does that tell you? Can't you see?" the first villager said excitedly.
"The weather has been bad lately, perhaps it's just a coincidence," the second villager widened their eyes and said.
"Coincidence." The first villager sneered. "Fine, if you say it's a coincidence, then go find him. Go on."
"How can I find him if I don't even know where he is?" the second villager asked.
The first villager's lips curved, "Go to the streets! Go ask, see if people will tell you. Of course, even if they do tell you, they will definitely say the same thing as I do: it was a demon wind, demonic fire."
"I heard the constables arrested a woman near the bonfire," the third villager interjected.
Immediately, the first and second villagers turned their gaze to the third villager.
"Why didn't you say so just now?" the first villager asked.
The third villager's eyes were filled with fear. "You were arguing so fiercely, how could I get a word in?"
"Where did you hear the news?" the second villager asked.
The third villager said, "I saw it when I passed by, but... I ran all the way and suddenly forgot. Then I remembered it just now."
"What kind of brain do you have?" the first villager pointed at the third villager.
"I..." The third villager touched the back of their head, looking terrified, "I'm naturally forgetful, as you know."
The first villager was speechless upon hearing the third villager's words.
The second villager said, "Then that woman must have done it."
"What's your explanation?" the fourth villager asked the second villager.
The second villager explained, "The weather has been bad lately, and it's always windy. Moreover, we didn't use much paste, so the portraits wouldn't stick too tightly to the wall. Plus, that woman touched the portraits, so naturally, when the wind came, it blew the portraits away. Then that woman took the opportunity to gather them and burn them."
"The wind... blew away the portraits, and you say that woman gathered them..." The fourth villager narrowed their eyes. "Then, that woman must be... a demon."