A heretical cultivator in Bureau 749, I'm the fiercest at pulling out tendons and skinning peop

Actually, a verbal battle doesn't warrant a 15-minute break.

Old Zhang mainly wanted to give the children a break.

Those little brats in Jinghai really know how to manipulate people's mentality. They don't let the other kids catch their breath or have a moment's peace. He's genuinely afraid that someone's Dao heart will become unstable and they'll go back and suffer a qi deviation.

Look at those faces in the audience, all questioning the meaning of life; several of them even have red eyes.

Sin ah.

Soon, a quarter of an hour had passed.

Old Zhang cleared his throat and waved his hand.

A stern-faced, imposing middle-aged man led a dozen or so people dressed in prison clothes and shackled on their hands and feet onto the stage in silence.

The prisoners all had their heads down, their eyes darting around, and they all had injuries on their bodies. They were weak and listless, clearly having just been captured.

"For this second round of intellectual debate, we'll compete in interrogation."

"These people were all recently arrested by the local police stations. They all have criminal records, some big, some small, some minor, some serious. The rules are simple—make them spill everything they know, everything they've done, who their accomplices are, and where their hideout is."

Old Zhang then pointed to the dignified-looking middle-aged man:

"This is the referee, surnamed Xie. He has a special ability called 'discerning right from wrong,' which allows him to distinguish truth from falsehood and right from wrong. Whether what these people say is true or false, it cannot escape his eyes."

"The interrogation lasts for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, and the winner is determined by the quantity and quality of the valid information obtained."

When the topic for the second round of literary debate was announced, there was a moment of silence in the audience, followed by a buzz of discussion.

Compared to interrogation?

That's something new!

Many investigators were eager to get started, their eyes gleaming with anticipation.

They're experts at interrogation! Doesn't the bureau have to interrogate people when they arrest evil spirits or demons?

Although they didn't handle everything, they've seen it all, even if they haven't eaten pork, so they know a thing or two about it.

However, this excitement lasted for less than three seconds.

Lu Jian was the first to react; his face changed instantly. He abruptly turned his head, pointing his finger directly at the black dog yawning beside Ji Zuodao, his voice distorted:

"Wait! Old Zhang! This isn't fair!"

"That dog! That dog from Jinghai! It can read minds!"

"It just lies there, eyes darting around, ears perked up, and it knows everything the prisoner is thinking! What's the point of interrogation then?! Why not just copy the answers?!"

These words were like cold water poured into a hot oil pan, instantly causing an uproar.

"Oh yeah! I almost forgot about that!"

"Once he unleashed his telepathic abilities, what difference was there between these prisoners and those who were practically naked? All their little schemes were exposed!"

"What's the point of this competition? Just declare Jinghai the winner!"

"A complete cover-up! An absolute cover-up!"

Public sentiment was outraged, and protests rose and fell.

There's no way around it; the psychological trauma Dog Master inflicted on him during their first encounter with telepathy was just too great. Now, the mere mention of interrogation triggers everyone's first thought—

This cheater is about to make his appearance again!

What's the point of playing then?

Old Zhang seemed to have anticipated this, calmly stroking his beard, his gaze fixed on Jinghai, and slowly speaking:

"Kid, what do you say?"

In an instant, everyone's eyes were focused on Ji Zuodao.

Some were nervous, some were unconvinced, and some were waiting to see what would happen.

Ji Zuodao was sitting with his legs crossed, sharing snacks with Liu Ming, when he heard this, he looked up, grinned, and revealed two rows of white teeth that were dazzling in the sunlight.

"Okay then—"

He dragged out his words, his tone nonchalant and slightly roguish.

"Since my colleagues have said so, then this time, I won't let Doggy bully the kids."

Ji Zuodao stood up, stretched his neck, and his joints made a few crisp "crack" sounds.

He walked to the center of the field, glanced at the disgruntled investigators, his smile growing increasingly arrogant, but a fierce glint of anticipation flashed in his eyes.

"Fighting is my talent, but interrogation... hey, coincidentally, is also one of my hobbies."

"Just grab it and let them have it, it won't hurt."

The voice wasn't loud, but it carried an air of unwavering certainty.

"Good lad, pretty arrogant!"

Instead of getting angry, Old Zhang burst into laughter, his eyes filled with even more admiration.

He loves the energy and drive in those kids from Jinghai!

They don't hide anything, they don't pretend, they are arrogant with confidence, and they are conceited with openness.

The investigators from other branches, though still somewhat skeptical, were already pleasantly surprised that Jinghai was willing to concede. To push their luck further would seem petty.

Having gained an advantage, they naturally stopped complaining.

Soon, the second round of literary debate officially began.

The referee lit a thin stick of incense, and wisps of smoke rose into the air.

"First group, get ready."

Lu Jian took a deep breath, holding the brief information about the prisoner assigned to him that had just been distributed, his mind racing.

The prisoner is a tomb raider, suspected of being involved in several cases of tomb theft and the outflow of supernatural artifacts. He is quite stubborn and couldn't pry anything out during the initial interrogation.

How to break through? Coercion? Bribery? Trickery? Or try probing from the side...?

While quickly browsing the documents, he subconsciously glanced at Ji Zuodao, who was also standing in front of a prisoner not far away, out of the corner of his eye.

I want to see what interrogation tricks this incredibly arrogant guy has up his sleeve.

Upon seeing this, Lü Jian was stunned.

Ji Zuodao took the documents, glanced at them casually, pursed his lips, and then—

With a flick of his wrist, he casually tossed the densely written stack of papers onto the ground.

The papers fluttered down, like autumn leaves swept away by the wind.

Lü Jian: "???"

Dude, aren't you going to look at the information? At least get a basic understanding of the situation!

Before he could recover from the rude treatment of the documents, something even more astonishing happened.

Ji Zuodao actually started taking things out of the storage bag at his waist.

A series of clanging and clattering sounds rang out.

Finally, he pulled out a huge thing that made Lü Jian's eyelids twitch wildly.

The thing was dark red all over, and seemed to be made of wood, but it was soaked in some kind of dark stain, and its shape was quite peculiar.

Below are four wooden wheels, and above is a thick, sharpened wooden stake with jagged patterns, standing upright.

"What is this thing?"

Lu Jian squinted, feeling that the object looked strangely familiar, as if he had seen it in an illustration in some ancient book...

and many more!

A sudden thought flashed through his mind, and he remembered!

When I was browsing the archives of the Jiangnan Branch Bureau before, I think I saw a similar illustration in a little-known book about ancient torture instruments!

The book says this thing...I think it's called...

Wooden donkey? !

Lu Jian gasped, his eyes widened, and his mind went blank.

No... Big Brother?

We're conducting an interrogation!

Why did you pull out that wooden donkey?!

What does this have to do with interrogation?!

Wait a minute, why are they taking off his clothes? And why are they lifting him up?

Then Ji Zuodao picked up the terrified prisoner, who was twisting wildly, with one hand, and carried him like a chick to the wooden donkey.

Then, under the stunned, bewildered, and incredulous gazes of everyone—

Aim at the tip of that sharp wooden stake.

Take the prisoner slowly, steadily, little by little...

It was inserted.

"Ugh—!!!!!"

The prisoner's eyes bulged out instantly, his entire face contorted with unspeakable pain and extreme terror, and a non-human, croaking sound, like a rooster being strangled, escaped his throat.

His body convulsed and trembled violently, like a fish nailed to a chopping board.

The entire venue was deathly silent.

All the investigators, including the experienced Elder Zhang on the platform, the judges, the other prisoners, and the heads of each branch...

Every single one of them gaped open, their jaws dropped to the floor, and their eyes were as wide as saucers.

The brains collectively shut down.

Blank.

It felt as if countless alpacas were galloping through my mind.

The documents in Lü Jian's hand fell to the ground with a "thud".

He stared blankly at the prisoner who was forcibly impaled on the wooden donkey, writhing wildly in agony but unable to break free, and then looked at Ji Zuodao, who was holding a leather whip and had an excited expression that said, "I'm getting to work."

My soul seemed to leave my body for three seconds.

who am I?

where am I?

What am I looking at?

Is this really an interrogation?!

In those few brief seconds when everyone was petrified and time seemed to stand still, Ji Zuodao took two steps back, admired his masterpiece with satisfaction, and casually took out a shiny leather whip with barbs.

It casually swung around in the air.

"Slap! Slap! Slap!"

The sound of it cutting through the air was crisp and loud, carrying a chillingly ruthless quality.

He walked up to the prisoner, tilted his head, and looked at the prisoner's face, which was contorted with tears and snot streaming down his face from extreme pain and fear, and gave him a smile that could be described as "kind and amiable".

Then, he raised the whip.

"Will you tell me or not?!"

"Smack—!!!"

With one lash, the prisoner's skin was torn open, and blood spurted out.

"Awooo—!!!!"

The piercing, distorted screams instantly shattered the sky, the tenor voice rivaling that of Pavarotti, making listeners' teeth ache, their legs go weak, and their groin feel cold.

"Will you tell me or not?!"

*Smack!*

"Awooo—!!!"

"Will you confess or not?!"

*Smack!*

"Aiya ya ya—!!"

Ji Zuodao's question was simple and blunt, and he slapped the ground hard.

The prisoners howled so loudly it shook heaven and earth, and the wooden donkey creaked and groaned as it twisted and turned.

Everyone in the room remained frozen in shock.

Only the incense stick was still burning silently, its wisps of smoke rising straight up.

A wisp of cigarette ash broke off quietly and drifted away.