Mortal Mirror

Bang!

Li Ergou threw the enormous coffin into the yamen's main hall, the loud crash immediately startling everyone present.

All who saw this scene were dumbfounded, unsure of what antics Li Ergou was up to this time.

Subsequently, they saw Ma Han and the others escorting back over twenty burly men, each with bruised faces and swollen noses.

Many had knife wounds, and several were bleeding, occasionally letting out cries of pain.

However, the moment they dared to utter a sound, they were met with a barrage of kicks and punches, effectively silencing the band of thugs.

Onlookers who had followed the procession couldn't help but marvel at how the wicked were being tormented by an even more wicked force.

Li Ergou's methods instantly spread, earning him the moniker 'Cold-Blooded Mad Constable Li Ergou'.

Chen Bajin, witnessing this scene, was dumbfounded and asked, "Ergou, where did you find so many people?"

Li Ergou thought to himself that it was best not to reveal these men's identities, lest it cause worry to his brothers.

Looking at Chen Bajin's nonchalant demeanor, he suddenly wondered if he had been too impulsive.

Could his impulsiveness endanger his brothers?

Initially, he had genuinely intended to confront Ma Wendong head-on, the coffin symbolizing his resolve for a fight to the death.

However, at this moment, he hesitated and changed his mind.

Thus, he chuckled at Chen Bajin, "Just a few local ruffians.

Brought them back for a lesson; they'll be released shortly."

Li Ergou wasn't joking.

He had seriously considered the situation and, recalling the incident with Ximen Shang, realized that arresting these men would be futile.

If Ma Wendong demanded their release as Ximen Shang had done, he might be fine, but the higher-ups would undoubtedly be pressured.

Furthermore, he didn't want Ma Han and the others to face retaliation.

For the sake of his brothers, he shouldn't act recklessly or impulsively.

Chen Bajin, hearing this, didn't dwell on it but stared at the coffin on the ground, puzzled.

"What did you bring this thing back for? Planning to kick the bucket soon?"

Li Ergou rolled his eyes at him.

"I initially thought so, but I've changed my mind.

However, this coffin is quite good.

Do you want it? I'll give it to you."

Chen Bajin spat.

"I curse your lungs!

Keep it for yourself.

I'm lucky; I don't need this damn thing."

Saying this, he turned and left, ignoring Li Ergou.

The others in the yamen also dispersed, everyone feeling that Li Ergou was a jinx and best avoided.

Li Ergou, naturally, didn't care about their opinions.

He turned and followed the men to the interrogation room.

Shortly after, screams echoed from within the interrogation room.

Li Ergou, wielding a leather whip soaked in chili water, lashed out relentlessly at the men, leaving them with torn skin and exposed flesh.

He was particularly brutal towards the man in the ornate robe, striking him the hardest.

What was even more baffling was that Li Ergou didn't say a word, simply delivering a merciless beating.

The man in the ornate robe trembled as he looked at Li Ergou.

"Do you know who I am?"

Li Ergou sneered, thinking, 'I don't care who you are; I'll beat you first.'

Thus, he struck even harder.

After half a day, the group was thrown outside the yamen, each beaten beyond recognition, their skin torn and their appearance utterly wretched.

Those inside the yamen who witnessed their miserable state couldn't bear to look directly, inwardly lamenting Li Ergou's ruthless methods.

Li Ergou, however, ignored them, directly stowing the coffin away and taking his men to the Celestial Fragrance Pavilion for a lavish meal.

Little did he know that after Ma Wendong's men were carried away by a group, they found Ma Wendong weeping pathetically.

It turned out that the man in the ornate robe was one of Ma Wendong's three esteemed retainers, and he was now bitterly lamenting his fate to Ma Wendong.

Ma Wendong was infuriated.

However, his father had just issued a decree forbidding him from retaliating against Li Ergou.

Without his father's support, he was no match for Li Ergou and could only seethe helplessly.

As a young master of the yamen, he had suffered such humiliation, and he was so enraged that he nearly vomited blood.

At that moment, he hated Li Ergou to the core, wishing he could devour his flesh and blood.

Li Ergou was still happily feasting on meat and wine.

At the table, Li Ergou shared his upcoming plans, which involved rectifying the security situation in their assigned area.

Upon hearing this, everyone was terrified, but who could stop Li Ergou's actions?

They only felt that following Li Ergou was a path of suffering, leading them closer and closer to the brink of death.

Full and content, Li Ergou drunkenly returned to Orange Mountain.

Unfortunately, both Mei'er and Jing'er were absent.

Alas, once women have their own careers, they even forget their primary duties.

Truthfully, Li Ergou now somewhat regretted letting the two go into business.

Otherwise, he would have hot water to wash his face upon returning, and someone to serve him, how comfortable that would be!

It's indeed easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but difficult to go from extravagance to frugality.

Having grown accustomed to being served, he now felt unaccustomed to being alone.

With nothing to do, in a hazy stupor, he took out the coffin to examine it.

To his surprise, the coffin wasn't even a magical artifact; it was just an ordinary coffin.

Perhaps the wood used to make the coffin was special, allowing it to nurture those energies within.

Even so, it didn't quite make sense, so Li Ergou only felt that the coffin was extremely peculiar.

He stroked the coffin, and suddenly, the alcohol took its toll, causing his head to spin.

He then fell headfirst into the coffin, snoring loudly.

It must be said that aside from being a bit cold, lying in the coffin was quite comfortable, and he didn't want to move.

He directly fell into a deep sleep.

He didn't know how long he had slept, but Li Ergou only felt a bone-chilling cold, and he couldn't help but shiver before finally feeling a bit better.

"So cold," he opened his eyes and saw that he was actually sleeping in the coffin.

He was slightly surprised and then recalled the events of yesterday, unable to help but lament that although wine was good, it was also the worst of things.

At that moment, he suddenly felt that this coffin was indeed extraordinary.

For no other reason than what was with this cold air?

How could there be such cold air inside the coffin?

Furthermore, he felt that these gases, although very cold, made his spirit exceptionally comfortable.

What a bizarre feeling.

It was truly strange.

He hesitated for a moment, then directly took the coffin lid and placed it on top.

The coffin immediately became pitch black, but at that moment, he felt that the coffin's speed of absorbing the surrounding inexplicable cold air had increased by several folds.

At this time, he conjured a ball of spiritual light, and the coffin was immediately illuminated brightly.

At that moment, with a thought, under the perception of his divine sense, he saw countless black, thread-like auras being pulled into the coffin from the outside.

However, this aura was not spiritual energy.

He had a somewhat familiar feeling, but he didn't know exactly what it was.

He still suffered from the disadvantage of being uncultured.

This was also the downside of not having a master; otherwise, he could have just asked.

Just as he was pondering, he suddenly saw that the paint on the coffin lid was strange, because the paint was not the very smooth and flat kind.

Normally, it would have been impossible to notice, but at this moment, in this confined space, he could only see the slight difference with his full concentration.

He touched it with his hand in confusion, feeling it slightly.

The painted surface was uneven, which was not right.

The paint on the outside was as smooth as a mirror, so why was it like this inside?

Could it be carelessness?

Li Ergou only felt that he seemed to have missed something, and there was something strange about this.

Suddenly, he seemed to have remembered something, and also touched the side with his hand.

To his surprise, this side had the same feeling.

Immediately, he narrowed his eyes, and suddenly, with a thought, the spiritual light in his hand flickered, and he smeared it on the coffin paint.