Every spirit in the hall ground their teeth, and the Judge of Souls was furious:
"Victor Young, you are so shameless, rare in this world!"
"Today you've trespassed into the underworld, disrupting the order of things! Such a heartless and ungrateful man — if I don't teach you a lesson, do you really think the underworld has no laws?"
As soon as the words fell, the ghosts on both sides immediately stepped forward, their chains clanging across my back.
Before I could react, thousands of blades shot up from the ground, piercing me. I fell, spitting blood. Pain lanced through me, but I still raised my head slowly with effort.
Emily Shaw covered her face, feigning reluctance, a slight sneer at her mouth.
"Victor, please go back! Can't we part ways amicably?" Emily's parents pulled her back. "The Judge of Souls is truly wise and fair! He won't let a good person suffer!" I endured the pain of my skin being torn and sneered softly.
"A good person?"
I raised my head with difficulty and stared at the Judge of Souls, my gaze as sharp as a knife.
"Judge of Souls, are you sure Emily Shaw is a good person?"
As soon as I finished speaking, my chest felt tight, and a heavy blow struck me, and I immediately spat out another mouthful of blood.
"How dare you! How dare you question the Judge of Souls?"
"It's recorded in the Book of Deeds — how could it be wrong?"
With a loud thud, the Bull-headed Warden and the Horse-faced Warden swung their iron fork and struck me hard. Instantly, the iron hook tore through my flesh. I screamed and struggled.
Just then, Emily knelt before the Judge of Souls, tears in her eyes.
"Judge, please release Victor! He was only confused for a moment!" Her hypocritical plea moved the surrounding spirits.
"Such a kind girl!"
"He hurt her so badly, yet she still speaks for him!"
I gritted my teeth, trembling all over, and roared coldly with every word:
"Emily Shaw! Do you need to fake kindness now?"
"Do you dare to show everyone your true colors?"
Emily hurried over to me, her eyes a little flustered.
"Victor, please stop making such a fuss! I know you resent me breaking up with you, but I really don't want to see you beaten to death..."
Insults rang out through the hall, everyone calling me ungrateful.
I smiled coldly, hatred burning behind my eyes, my voice flat and cold:
"Emily..."
"Do you dare to bet with me?"
My eyes were bloodshot as I gripped her hand tightly, staring at her intently. Emily started, a flicker of panic and something harder in her expression. She quickly raised her chin and choked out, "What are you betting on?"
The corners of my lips curled into a thin, cold smile.
"I'm betting my life that you're not a good person."
Emily scoffed, "I've accumulated virtue and good deeds for nine lifetimes, and I've been blessed so much. I wouldn't even crush an ant. If I'm not a good person, are you?"
The Shaws also scoffed, "Victor Young, you're holding a grudge just because our daughter broke up with you. You're despicable! How dare you slander her!"
"Do you think the Judge of Souls is a fool?"
They hurried to the Judge, angrily saying, "Judge of Souls, this man is so ungrateful! Our daughter pleaded for him, and he's not even thankful!" "Such a scoundrel harms the balance of the realm by his mere existence! Cross his soul from the register and be done with him!"
The Judge of Souls shook his head, his voice deep and steady:
"No. Although his trespass into the underworld has shortened his life, his time remains recorded in the Book of Life and Death. The laws cannot be violated; we cannot forcibly take him away..."
The Shaws panicked:
