Villain? No, I'll catch up with the protagonist after passing the civil service exam.

The judge slumped against the wall, his purple official robe already tattered from the impact of the golden light.

His once-broad eyes, which had seen through life and death, were now filled with a bewildered disbelief in the meaning of life.

Lu Jingyan slowly squatted down.

The copy of the Administrative Litigation Law in his hand radiated a cold, modern glow in the dimly lit office.

"Take it, senior."

Lu Jingyan's tone sounded surprisingly gentle, but to the judge, it was more biting than the cold winds of hell.

"Stop using such seductive and alluring tactics all the time. That approach might have worked three thousand years ago, but in today's world with a sound legal system, it's called 'procedural illegality'."

The judge trembled as he took the thick manual; the paper felt real and heavy to the touch.

"The procedure... is illegal?"

He muttered to himself, a dry, grinding sound coming from his throat; his former arrogance had vanished without a trace.

"It is my duty to control life and death. Wherever a ghost is restless, I will take it away. What is wrong with that?"

Lu Jingyan stood up, put one hand in the pocket of his tactical pants, and drew a semicircle in the air with the other hand.

"Your mistake was that you lacked 'awareness of evidence'."

Lu Jingyan's eyes sharpened, like a blade performing a logical operation.

"I've studied your underworld's procedures. You put the soul-reaping rope around someone's neck, cross out their name in the Book of Life and Death, and that's considered a closed case?"

"This act of completely skipping the prosecution, defense, first instance, and second instance is a huge desecration of judicial fairness."

The judge was stunned. He tried to refute it, but found that he couldn't find a way to start.

"But...but that was the will of King Yama, that was karma!"

"Cause and effect cannot be the sole basis for law enforcement; it is too subjective."

Lu Jingyan sneered and approached step by step.

"Your Honor, I ask you, how many cases of mistaken souls are collected each year?"

The judge's expression changed, his eyes began to dart around, and he lowered his head somewhat guiltily.

"The path between Yin and Yang is long and winding, and occasionally... there are times when mistakes are made."

That's because you lack a "cross-checking mechanism".

Lu Jingyan pointed to the Administrative Litigation Law in the judge's hand, his tone stern and professional.

"On my turf, arresting a suspect requires a series of complicated procedures, including filing a case, investigation, review, and approval."

"Even if the evidence is conclusive, suspects should be given the right to hire lawyers so that they can defend themselves in court."

"And what about you? You decide the fate of a living being based solely on a book of life and death that may or may not be encrypted?"

Lu Jingyan's voice echoed in the interrogation room, making the judge's eardrums buzz.

"What you're doing is not only an abuse of discretionary power, but also a serious tendency toward torture to extract confessions."

The judge lowered his head, staring intently at the "Administrative Litigation Law" in his hand.

His once rock-solid worldview suddenly developed visible cracks at this moment.

He thought of the wrongful convictions and miscarriages of justice that had been piling up in the underworld for hundreds of years, and of those who lived longer or shorter lives because the soul-collecting messengers had fallen asleep.

"If we do things your way...won't the underworld be thrown into chaos?"

The judge raised his head, his tone surprisingly carrying a hint of humility as if he were seeking guidance.

"It won't cause chaos. This is called modern rule of law reform."

Looking at the judge's humble and receptive demeanor, a profound glint flashed in Lu Jingyan's eyes.

"First, introduce the 'presumption of innocence' principle. Before a soul is formally convicted, inhumane treatment using hooks and chains is strictly prohibited."

"Second, establish an 'information disclosure system.' The family members should have the right to know who died, when, and why, and should have access to administrative review channels."

"Third, and most importantly, abolish all forms of torture that have no legal basis."

Lu Jingyan's words were like a thunderbolt, striking directly into the judge's mind, which had been feudal for three thousand years.

The judge listened intently, even unconsciously reaching into his sleeve.

After a while, he pulled out a small notebook with slightly worn edges and a charcoal pencil that was broken in half.

That was his private notebook, which he used to record some "cause and effect messy accounts" in private.

He lay on the ground, looking disheveled but earnest, and began to write down the vocabulary that Lu Jingyan had just used.

"Presumption of innocence... Administrative review... Rule of law reform..."

The judge wiped the sweat from his brow as he wrote.

The pen tip made a screeching sound as it scratched the paper with excessive force, but he was completely unaware of it.

He felt as if he had pushed open a door to a new world.

Although the air there lacked the eeriness of the underworld, it exuded a righteous energy that made his soul tremble.

Zhao Tiezhu secretly pushed open the door a crack and was completely stunned by what he saw.

"My goodness... Is the boss giving an online lesson to the King of Hell's second-in-command?"

He rubbed his eyes, afraid he was hallucinating.

A dignified judge of the underworld is kneeling in the boss's office taking notes like a primary school student?

Lu Jingyan ignored the commotion at the door.

He watched as the judge scribbled three or five pages before slowly speaking.

"Alright, that's all for today. You can go back and digest the rest at your own pace."

Lu Jingyan raised his hand and glanced at the military-grade shockproof watch on his wrist.

"It's getting late. As an illegal immigrant, your lingering in my office for too long will negatively impact my administrative reputation."

Upon hearing this, the judge stood up abruptly as if waking from a dream.

He carefully tucked the notebook back into his sleeve, and the look in his eyes as he looked at Lu Jingyan had changed from fear and anger to an almost fanatical reverence.

It's the instinctive worship of someone who is ignorant of the law when they see the true god of the legal code.

"Director Lu... no, Teacher Lu."

The judge respectfully performed an ancient bow to Lu Jingyan, his voice no longer hoarse.

"I am utterly convinced of the superiority of today's battle. I have learned a great deal and benefited immensely."

He clutched the copy of the Administrative Litigation Law tightly, as if it were some rare treasure.

"I will return immediately and draft a white paper on the rule of law in the underworld overnight. I will make sure those old fogies see something new."

The judge turned to step into the rift in the shadow that had not yet completely disappeared.

He had only walked halfway when he seemed to suddenly remember something and abruptly stopped in his tracks.

He turned around, looking at Lu Jingyan with a conflicted expression and an unnatural demeanor.

"Um... Director Lu, I have one last small business question I'd like to ask you."

Lu Jingyan raised an eyebrow and said calmly, "Speak."

The judge swallowed hard and pointed in a certain direction deep underground.

He spoke in a very low voice, as if afraid of being overheard by someone.

"According to your modern legal system... the 'oil-frying' method that has been practiced in our underworld for thousands of years..."

The judge paused, his eyes filled with confusion.

"Those interrogation methods that alter the physical structure of spirits through boiling oil at high temperatures, in your hands..."

"Does this constitute 'unconstitutional torture'?"