Starting from the imperial palace guards, his clones spread all over the world.

Chapter 618 Revenge
Ma Shenggui was enjoying the comfort of the rattan chair and the warm breeze of flattery when that sudden curse was like a poisoned ice pick, piercing his relaxed nerves!

A surge of evil fire shot straight up to the top of his head!
"Clang-!"

He slammed his beloved purple clay teapot to the ground, shards flying everywhere and tea spilling all over the floor!
"Which audacious bastard has the nerve to do this?!"

Ma Shenggui sprang up from the rattan chair like an old cat whose tail had been stepped on.

His gaunt body trembled slightly with rage, and his cloudy old eyes flashed with a fierce light, fixed intently on the direction of the courtyard gate:

"If you've got the guts, get out here and repeat that bullshit you just said!!"

The group of eunuchs instantly dropped their fawning smiles and put on expressions of shared hatred and anger, not daring to show the slightest sign of their displeasure.

Footsteps sounded, neither hurried nor slow.

Stepping on the bluestone slabs in the courtyard, the sound was as clear as the urgent drumbeats.

When that young, pale face, yet with a chillingly sinister air, appeared at the door.

The rage on Ma Shenggui's face froze instantly, turning into incredulous astonishment, followed by a look of utter horror as if he had seen a ghost.

Finally, all emotions twisted into a boundless, venomous resentment:

"Zhao—Bao—!!"

"You little beast... you actually managed to crawl back alive?!"

His withered, twig-like fingers trembled with resentment as he pointed fiercely at the doorway.

The eunuchs swarmed around, grabbing brooms and sticks, their eyes blazing with anger.

However, the next second.

Everyone's expression froze, as if frozen by invisible ice.

Their gazes were fixed on Zhao Bao's...suffocating official robe!
The black satin fabric, with its dark python pattern subtly visible in the light, was lined with a striking crimson brocade. The arrow-sleeved sleeves were neatly tucked into cold, hard black iron wrist guards, on which the unique Xie Zhi emblem of the Imperial Guards grotesquely swung!
A wide, tanned sharkskin belt tightly cinched his waist, and in the very center hung an ivory waist plaque symbolizing the power of life and death!
The insignia on his chest is even more chilling—the Blood Claw Flying Blade! The Flying Blade, the divine beast that commands the wind, has its wings outstretched, tearing through the clouds, and its sharp claws are dripping with blood, perfectly embodying the overwhelming power of "catching shadows and fabricating charges"!
Beneath the black gauze hat embroidered with gold was Zhao Bao's expressionless face, as if covered in frost.

Wearing black suede boots with upturned toes, every step he took carried an aura of crushing ants.

Imposing and awe-inspiring?

No! It's an aura of malevolence soaring to the heavens!
It's a death sentence for the top henchman of the Criminal Investigation Bureau!
"This...this is..."

A young eunuch's teeth chattered, and he could barely utter a complete sentence.

"The official robes of the four chiefs of the Criminal Investigation Bureau!"

Another whispered, his face ashen.

"Look at the badge...it's...it's a third-rank officer!"

Someone confirmed it in despair.

Ma Shenggui felt a chill rush from the soles of his feet to the top of his head, and his vision suddenly went black, and the world spun around him!

The strength to support his body was instantly drained, and he slumped heavily back into the creaking rattan chair with a "thud," his whole body trembling uncontrollably.

An overwhelming sense of fear, like an icy tide, instantly engulfed him.

"Am I...am I having a nightmare?"

He muttered to himself, his voice dry and hoarse, like sandpaper being rubbed.

If it weren't for a nightmare, how could Zhao Bao, this maggot he personally trampled into the mud, possibly be wearing this official robe that symbolizes the highest authority of the Criminal Investigation Bureau and is enough to keep all officials awake at night?!

The other eunuchs were already pale with fright, trembling like leaves in the autumn wind, barely able to hold onto their sticks.

Only Xiaoyunzi, relying on her cousin who worked at the police station, managed to stammer out her limited knowledge and asked in confusion:
"But...but isn't the Third Chief of the Criminal Investigation Bureau...Master Gu Jinfu?"

"I heard... I heard that Lord Gu went to the south on official business... When did the palace... get a new third-rank official?"

These words are like the last straw a drowning person grasps at!
Ma Shenggui's spirit, which was on the verge of collapse, suddenly rallied!
As if injected with a powerful stimulant, he struggled to stand up from the wicker chair again.

His cloudy old eyes were fixed on Zhao Bao, and a twisted, cold smile appeared on Ma Shenggui's face:

"Hey! Isn't this the 'big shot' from our cleaning department, Eunuch Zhao Bao?"

He drew out his words, his tone filled with biting sarcasm:
"Haven't seen you in so long, we thought you'd been fed to turtles in some stinking ditch by now!"

He deliberately walked around Zhao Bao, scrutinizing the luxurious official robe with exaggerated eyes, clicking his tongue in amazement.
"Tsk tsk tsk, look at this outfit! Where did you find a tailor? The craftsmanship is excellent! Brand new, not a single wrinkle!"

He suddenly pointed to Zhao Bao's slightly loose cuffs and shoulder line, and shouted in a shrill voice:

"Hey! Look! It doesn't fit! I need to take it out for alterations right away! Otherwise, it'll look so cheap on me! Hahahaha..."

He burst into unrestrained laughter, trying to dispel the chill in his heart with it.

The surrounding eunuchs were temporarily fooled by this "reasonable" explanation, their tense nerves relaxed slightly, and they let out a few dry, weak laughs.

That's right!

What was Zhao Bao before he left?
A lowly Class C secret agent!
No background, no powerful connections!
Did going out once turn you into a third-rate gangster?
I wouldn't even dare to make this up in my wildest dreams!

fake!

That suit of clothing is definitely fake!
This little beast is courting death and trying to scare people!
As Zhao Bao listened quietly to these harsh jeers, a strange smile slowly appeared on his face.

He stood with his hands behind his back, his eyes slightly narrowed, and his body leaning forward, as if watching a meticulously choreographed monkey show.

His eyes were filled with amusement and... pity.

That gaze sent chills down everyone's spine, and laughter involuntarily caught in their throats.

Ma Shenggui's smile vanished, his face darkening so much it seemed to drip water, and he said sternly:
"Zhao Bao! Forging official robes and impersonating a court official is a capital offense!"

"Before you are taken to the police station and beheaded, you will be subjected to all eighteen cruel tortures in the imperial prison, which will make you regret being born!"

He suddenly stepped forward, pointed at Zhao Bao's nose, and roared hysterically with all his might:
"How many heads do you have to chop off?!"

The roar echoed in the deathly silent courtyard, making the young eunuchs tremble.

Zhao Bao, however, maintained that eerie smile, as if he were carefully savoring every expression of fear, anger, and bravado they wore.

These expressions... are more pleasing to the eye than the most beautiful paintings!

His gaze slowly swept over the small courtyard that bore witness to his endless humiliation, his voice carrying a dreamlike sigh:
"This place... is really dilapidated and stinks!"

"The people here... are rotten to the core!"

"If I hadn't crawled out of this cesspool and escaped you maggots back then..." His voice suddenly turned cold, like ice:

"My bones, Zhao Bao's bones, have probably long been thrown into the fire of Jingletang and burned to ashes!"

"Don't even think about a grave, let alone a tattered straw mat to wrap the body! That's just wishful thinking!"

Jingletang was the only final resting place for the lowest-ranking servants in the palace after death. Once burned down, they were reduced to ashes, and even being buried in peace was a luxury.

Ma Shenggui wouldn't listen to his sentiments and interrupted him sharply:
"Oh! Eunuch Zhao has quite a forgetful memory!"

"Have you forgotten how you used to crawl around this yard like a mangy dog, wagging your tail and begging for mercy?"

A malicious gleam of pleasure spread across his face, and each word he uttered was like the spitting of a venomous snake:

As the saying goes, a dog doesn't mind a poor home!

"You dog, how dare you look down on the 'home' that raises you?!"

boom--!
Something seemed to explode in Zhao Bao's mind!
The smile on his face vanished instantly!

He clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug deep into his palms, and beads of bright red blood seeped out from between his fingers and dripped onto the dirty ground beneath his feet!

"Heh...heh heh heh..."

Zhao Bao suddenly chuckled softly, the laughter growing louder and more manic!

He raised his bleeding hand, looked at the crimson liquid in his palm, and his laughter was filled with twisted pleasure:

"so--"

He abruptly raised his head, his once handsome face contorted with extreme resentment, his eyes burning with hellish flames as he stared intently at Ma Shenggui, letting out a ghostly roar:
"I'm back!!!"

"I, Zhao Bao, am a demon who crawled back from hell!!"

"Today! I'm here to take your lives!! One by one! No one can escape!!!"

That hideous face and that voice full of endless malice were like a cold wind from the depths of hell, making everyone feel as if they had fallen into an ice cave, and their hair stood on end!

Ma Shenggui gasped, suppressing his fear, and screamed shrilly:
"Why waste words with this madman?!"

"Seize him! Tie him up tightly and send him to the police station!!"

"Close the door! Don't let this madman get away!!"

Driven by fear and ferocity, the eunuchs grabbed sticks and surrounded Zhao Baotuan in a flash.

The two quick-witted ones immediately rushed to the courtyard gate and bolted it shut with a "bang," blocking the way and cutting off the outside world's view.

Zhao Bao watched all of this coldly, as if he were looking at a group of ants struggling in vain.

His gaze, like a cold blade, slowly swept across every face contorted with tension, his voice chillingly calm:
“Li Yun, a native of Yongzhou, has an elderly mother, a sick wife, and a young child at home. You have slapped me forty-three times and kicked me fifty-six times.”

“Zhao Si is from Ningzhou. He lost both his parents and has an older brother who farms in the countryside. His sister-in-law just gave birth to a big, healthy baby boy. You pulled out four clumps of my hair, ripped off a piece of my scalp, and even used pliers to break two fingers on my right hand.”

"Qian Fei is from Jinzhou. He has a younger sister who married Wang the Cripple, who runs a general store in the east of the city. You'll need this jujube wood stick,"

Zhao Bao's gaze fell on the stick in Qian Fei's hand:
"You struck me forty-six times. The first time you broke my left leg, and I had barely managed to walk with crutches when you couldn't wait to... break it again!"

……

He knew each person's origin, family, and every act of violence inflicted upon him in great detail.

Beneath that calm tone lay a deep-seated hatred, a blood debt that had been meticulously planned long ago!
Every eunuch whose name he called out felt a chill run down his spine.

As if targeted by a venomous snake, the shadow of death instantly loomed over them!
Finally, Zhao Bao's gaze, like a poisoned hook, locked onto the deathly pale-faced Ma Shenggui, his voice low and echoing like the sounds of hell:

“Ma Shenggui is from Xihe Village in the eastern suburbs of the capital. Before entering the palace, he married the daughter of Zhang the butcher from the neighboring village, and they had a son and a daughter. Your son, Ma Shuanzhu, married Liu the widow from this village, and they had three grandsons for you. Your daughter, Ma Cuihua, married Zhao Laosan, who runs an oil mill in the next town, and they had two grandsons for you.”

"Oh, right, you have an older brother named Ma Shengfu, who's the village head. Your older sister, Ma Jinhua, married someone from a neighboring county. Your younger sister, Ma Yinhua, just became a widow two years ago..."

"Tsk tsk, my good master, you are the one with the most prosperous family."

Zhao Bao's voice suddenly rose, filled with endless resentment:

"You yourself have never hit me with your own hands, nor have you laid a single finger on me!"

He took a sudden step forward, his gums snapping from the force, and blood trickled down his chin like the weeping of a vengeful ghost.

"but--!!"

"All the blows I received! All the slaps that landed on my face! All the filth that was forced into my mouth! All the torture that made me wish I were dead!! It was all ordered by you, you old dog!!!"

"You—you're the culprit!!!"

This appearance is terrifying, just like a vengeful ghost!

Ma Shenggui stared wide-eyed in horror and exclaimed:

"You...you little beast! How could you know so much about us?!"

Zhao Bao's fierce expression vanished, and he slowly and deliberately took out a snow-white embroidered handkerchief, elegantly wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth.

Then he covered his mouth and let out a chilling "giggle giggle" laugh:

"Of course... I have engraved every single one of your debts in my heart... I remember them all clearly, one by one!"

"Today, I'm back to collect my debts."

"Principal and interest, not a penny less!"

"Your worthless lives... are not enough to repay!"

Zhao Bao abruptly slammed down the handkerchief, revealing blood-stained teeth, his smile twisted like that of a demon:
"Then use your entire family's lives—to fill the gap!!!"

"It's only natural—it's perfectly justified!!!"

Those eyes were as ferocious as a wolf, as venomous as a snake, and filled with a madness that could destroy everything!

Every eunuch whose gaze swept over him felt as if his heart was being squeezed by an icy hand, almost suffocating him!

Ma Shenggui was also terrified by this blatant threat of annihilation. Forcing out his last shred of ruthlessness, he roared hoarsely:

"This is outrageous! This is outrageous! This ingrate has gone mad!!"

"No need to send him to the police station! He's right here! Beat him to death!!"

"Beat him to death! Turn him into mincemeat!!!" The instinct to protect their families overwhelmed their fear, and the eunuchs' eyes gleamed with ferocity, united in their hatred of the enemy!

They raised their wooden sticks high, and with desperate ferocity, they smashed them down on Zhao Bao's head and face!
We are determined to kill him on the spot and eliminate any future trouble!
Zhao Bao's lips curled into an extremely contemptuous smile:

“A bunch of ignorant lackeys who plotted to murder an official of the imperial court deserve to have their entire family executed.”

The eunuchs wouldn't listen to reason.

They had long since concluded that Zhao Bao was a reckless madman who was posing as an official!

Kill him, and you'll have done no wrong!

The stick fell with a whistling sound!
At that moment, Zhao Bao raised his hand very gently.

With his five fingers slightly spread, as if caressing invisible flowing water, the movement was so slow it was almost eerie.

An aura, so delicate yet deadly and viscous, silently permeated the air as he waved his hand.

Even the flying dust was drawn by this force, eerily suspending and rotating.

The stick was about to touch his body.

Zhao Baocai casually flicked his palm outwards.

"Puff puff puff puff..."

A series of dull, thudding sounds, like the sound of leather being struck, rang out!
The attacking eunuchs felt as if an invisible, sticky giant hand had been pressed hard against their chests!

Before they could even scream, they were blown away like scarecrows by a strong wind, powerless to resist, and crashed heavily into various corners of the yard!
This palm strike is the "Bone-Melting Palm"!
Ma Shenggui was so shocked his eyes almost popped out of their sockets. He pointed at Zhao Bao, his voice trembling:
"Internal...internal force projected outward?! Injuring someone from a distance?!"

"You...you actually...you're already a fifth-rank expert?!"

"This is impossible! How old are you?! You were just a ninth-rank trash when you left! How could this be... how could this be!!"

Ma Shenggui is the oldest and naturally has the most experience.

Seeing Zhao Bao's move, he knew that this was an external release of internal energy that only martial artists at the fifth rank or above could do.

But Zhao Bao has only been a martial artist for a year and a half!
How could he only be a fifth-rank official?

He had lived most of his life and had never seen or even heard of anything so absurd!
at this time.

The eunuchs who had been knocked away groaned and struggled to their feet.

They blankly brushed the dust off their bodies and examined themselves.

"Huh? No...it doesn't hurt?"

"Am I okay?!"

"What happened? That force just now..."

They looked at each other, their faces filled with bewilderment and confusion at having survived such a disaster.

Seeing this, Ma Shenggui's last glimmer of hope rekindled, and he screamed, his voice trembling with fear:
"Zhao Bao! How dare you! You actually use martial arts to injure people within the Imperial Palace?!"

"Quickly! Go and call for help! The Investigation Bureau! The Imperial Guards!!"

"Thieves have broken into the palace and committed crimes! Help!!!!"

He roared at the top of his lungs, knowing that there was absolutely no way they could deal with a master who could project his internal energy!
Only by alerting the palace guards can this madman be subdued!

The eunuchs, as if waking from a dream, opened their throats and shouted with all their might:
"Thief!!!!"

"Assassin! Murder—!!!"

Several quick-footed individuals scrambled towards the tightly closed courtyard gate, frantically trying to pull out the heavy bolt.

Amidst the chaotic shouts and fleeing, Zhao Bao remained standing with his hands behind his back, a cruel yet smug smile playing on his lips.

It felt like watching a farce destined to be futile.

suddenly!

"what--!!!"

A bloodcurdling scream, so shrill it was inhuman, suddenly rang out!
Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw a little eunuch who had just run to the courtyard gate collapse on the ground like a lump of mud!
He frantically scratched at his legs with both hands, letting out desperate howls:
"My leg...my leg!"

"I...I can't feel anything! Ah—!!"

An even more terrifying scene unfolded!

His two legs, which had lost all feeling, began to melt at a visible speed, like wax figures under the scorching sun!
The skin, flesh, tendons, and bones, including the bones inside, all dissolved under a strange force, turning into thick, scarlet blood that gushed out!

This melting spread as rapidly as a plague!
From the calves to the thighs, then to the abdomen and chest...

Under the horrified gazes of the crowd, he completely melted into a pool of bubbling, pungent blood in just a few breaths!
All that remained was a pile of clothes, soaking in that nauseating pool of blood!
"vomit--!"

Some of the younger eunuchs, who had a weaker constitution, vomited on the spot.

But this is just the beginning!
"Oh!"

"what--!"

"My arm! No—!"

"Help! Help!"

Like dominoes that have been toppled.

The eunuchs who had been swept down by Zhao Bao's palm wind let out one after another extremely shrill screams, and their bodies began to soften, collapse and melt in a strange way!
It was like being thrown into an invisible pool of strong acid!

Screams, wails, the sizzling sound of flesh melting away, the cracking sound of bones shattering...

It instantly filled the entire courtyard!
The air was filled with a strong smell of blood and an indescribable stench of rotting entrails!
Hell on earth!

A living hell!

In the entire courtyard, the only one still standing, or rather, still barely able to maintain a human form, was Ma Shenggui, who was slumped down next to the rattan chair with his crotch completely soaked!
He stared in horror at the horrific scene before him, a sight beyond comprehension. Terrified, he frantically crawled backward, trying to get away from the demon that was walking step by step through pools of blood!

"Zhao...Zhao Bao! You...you stop!"

Ma Shenggui's voice trembled violently, his bravado masking his underlying weakness to the extreme:
"The palace... the palace's experts will arrive shortly!"

"You...you can't escape! Stop now...it's not too late!"

Zhao Bao stepped onto a pool of viscous blood, making a soft "plop" sound.

He looked down at Ma Shenggui, who lay sprawled on the ground like a rag doll, a cruel pity on his face like a cat toying with a mouse.

"My dear master..."

His voice was as soft as a lover's whisper, yet colder than ice:
"Your people have shouted and yelled, the commotion... isn't that big enough?"

"Listen to this palace... is there even the slightest sound of someone coming to meddle in our affairs?"

Ma Shenggui froze instantly!
Yup!

Such a commotion, such pitiful screams, why... why is it so deathly silent outside?!

Why didn't any guards rush in?!
This...this is completely illogical!

A bone-chilling cold instantly froze his heart!
"No...impossible! Someone help! Someone help me—!!"

"Zhao Bao killed people! He killed so many... Ah!"

He was still screaming in despair.

Zhao Bao slowly squatted down, approaching Ma Shenggui's old face, which was contorted with fear, and whispered:

"I suddenly feel... that slapping you to death like this, letting you die... would be too quick and easy."

"What you just said has reminded me."

"When it comes to methods of torturing people... I'm really not good at it."

"but--"

Zhao Bao's voice suddenly turned sinister and chilling, like a venomous snake flicking its tongue:

"The Imperial Prison of the Investigation Bureau... is quite adept at it!"

A twisted, gleeful grin spread across his face:

"Hehehehe... So, I've changed my mind."

"I'm going to send you...to the imperial prison!"

"Let me show you... what it truly means to be unable to live, unable to die!"

"certainly……"

Zhao Bao's smile grew even more sinister, carrying a destructive pleasure:

"Before that, I will let your son, daughter, grandson, granddaughter... and your older brother, older sister, and younger sister..."

"I'll go down first and scout the way for you, making sure no one's missing! Hehehehehe..."

These extremely malicious words completely broke Ma Shenggui!

He made a strange "hoarse" sound in his throat, and couldn't even scream!

Zhao Bao admired his utterly devastated expression, stood up with satisfaction, and clapped his hands lightly.

"Clang-!"

The tightly closed gate of the courtyard was suddenly kicked open from the outside!

Squads of menacing, tiger-like wolves surged in like a tidal wave!

They wore distinctive pointed hats, brown uniforms, white leather boots, and sashes around their waists. Each of them had sharp eyes like hawks, long knives at their waists, and iron rulers and chains in their hands!

They were officers from the Criminal Investigation Bureau!

As if seeing a savior, Ma Shenggui mustered his last bit of strength, tears streaming down his face, and crawled toward the barbarians, screaming hoarsely:

"My lords! My lords, help me!!!"

"That Zhao Bao is insane! He's impersonating a third-in-command! He's killed people! He's killed so many people!!!"

"Look! Look at the blood on the ground! It's all human blood! He killed them all!! Arrest him! Arrest him now—!!!"

However, no matter how much he cried out and accused them, the foreigners who rushed in remained as still as cold stone sculptures.

Not only did they ignore him, but they also turned a blind eye to the blood and tattered clothes scattered all over the yard!
They quickly lined up, and a chilling atmosphere filled the air, completely sealing off the courtyard!
Ma Shenggui was completely stunned, lying paralyzed in the cold pool of blood, his mind blank.

At this time.

Zhao Bao's cold, ruthless voice, like the pronouncement of the King of Hell, rang out clearly:

"Take this old dog to the deepest part of the Imperial Prison, Prison Number C."

"Tell the officer in charge on duty that this is a wanted criminal personally under my supervision."

“Three tortures every day, with ever-changing methods, ‘serving’ you day and night.”

"Remember this—I want him to live a full year! If he's even a day or an hour short, I will hold you all accountable!"

"in addition……"

Zhao Bao's voice carried a chilling calmness:

“Go to Xihe Village and ‘invite’ his entire family, young and old, to the imperial prison without missing a single one.”

"Let their family...have a proper 'reunion'."

Every word was like a poisoned ice pick, piercing Ma Shenggui's heart!

"Yes, sir! Third Rank Commander!!!"

All the guards bowed in unison, their voices loud and clear, conveying absolute obedience and a chilling aura!

Immediately, several fierce-looking guards pounced forward, and with a "clatter," the cold iron chain was looped around Ma Shenggui's emaciated neck, roughly dragging him from the pool of blood like a dead dog!
Ma Shenggui seemed to have lost all consciousness, letting the guards drag him along.

His pupils were unfocused, his body stiff, and only one thought, like a thunderclap, repeatedly exploded in his chaotic mind, completely crushing his last shred of reason:
Zhao Bao…he…he really is a third-ranking officer?!

"ah--!!!!!!!"

A piercing scream, filled with endless despair, regret, and fear, suddenly erupted from deep within Ma Shenggui's throat!
The voice seemed to come from the deepest part of hell, filled with a premonition of the endless torment that was about to descend, a torment from which there would be no escape for eternity!
He knew that everything was over!

He and his entire family will fall into an abyss of hell that is a thousand times more terrifying than the hell before them... the Imperial Prison!
(End of this chapter)