Wang Ergou's soul shuddered violently inside the cage.
Though his intelligence was now low and only a little instinct remained of his remnant soul, his fear of Fang Mo's voice was etched into his bones.
Fang Mo's thoughts stirred.
[Penalty: Remain forever in the Prison Suppressor, awaiting orders.]
It wouldn't cost anything to give it a try.
Fang Mo issued a command to the [Record of Punishing Crimes] in his mind:
"Recruit Wang Ergou. Assign him to the caning duty!"
As soon as the words left his mind.
A streak of blood-red light shot out of the [Record of Punishing Crimes] and struck Wang Ergou's cage with pinpoint accuracy.
"Crack."
The cage opened.
Wang Ergou's soul drifted out against his will.
Then the blood-red mist around him began to gather, weave together, and reform.
A few breaths later.
The mist dispersed.
Wang Ergou, who had once worn a black robe and looked sinister and frightening, had now changed into an entirely different outfit.
A black jailer's robe, a badge hanging from his waist, a square headscarf on his head, and light-soled boots on his feet.
It was unmistakably a jailer uniform!
Even more absurdly, a red-and-black Water-Fire Cudgel had appeared in his hand.
Wang Ergou looked down at his new skin. A baffled expression appeared on his pale face.
He tugged at his hem, looked at the cudgel in his hand, then finally raised his head to look at Fang Mo.
Fang Mo was stunned too.
"Well, would you look at that."
"Did it just project my class traits onto my follower?"
Fang Mo nodded in satisfaction and walked over to pat Wang Ergou on the shoulder.
The touch felt illusory, but the sense of control was very real.
"From today on, you're an extra jailer here in the Prison Suppressor."
"Your number is 9527."
"Work hard and try to earn an early release."
Wang Ergou opened his mouth as if to protest, but under Fang Mo's encouraging (threatening) gaze, he very sensibly shut it.
Fang Mo pointed at Iron Bone Liu, who looked like a lamb waiting to be slaughtered.
"Go."
"Loosen him up."
"Remember: hit hard, keep a rhythm, and put some feeling into it."
Wang Ergou glanced at Iron Bone Liu, then at the ferocious Wolf Tooth Club in Fang Mo's hand, and finally at the Water-Fire Cudgel in his own.
His equipment was a little worse, but the feeling of being the one dishing out the punishment seemed to be awakening his memories of life as a Demonic Cultivator.
The corners of Wang Ergou's mouth slowly curled into a cruel smile.
He gripped the Water-Fire Cudgel and walked toward Iron Bone Liu, one step at a time.
Iron Bone Liu's soul trembled.
"What are you doing?"
"We're all prisoners! Why turn on each other?"
Wang Ergou ignored him and walked up to the cage.
The cage changed shape on its own, turning once more into that familiar long bench. It pinned Iron Bone Liu firmly in place, his backside exposed in perfect position.
"Heh heh..."
Wang Ergou let out an eerie chuckle and raised the Water-Fire Cudgel.
"Smack!"
A sharp crack rang out.
The Water-Fire Cudgel struck Iron Bone Liu squarely on the backside.
It wasn't as imposing as Fang Mo's Wolf Tooth Club, but the cudgel carried the Prison Suppressor's unique power of punishment. For a soul, it hurt just as much.
"Aagh—!"
Iron Bone Liu let out a scream.
Fang Mo stood off to one side, arms crossed, watching like a foreman.
He keenly sensed that with that single strike, an extremely faint but unmistakable warm current had appeared inside him out of nowhere.
"It works!"
Fang Mo's eyes lit up.
The feedback from that strike was probably only about a third of what he'd get from doing it himself.
But this was fully automated!
Was this the joy of having both hands free?
"9527, what is this, your first day without breakfast?"
Fang Mo yelled in dissatisfaction from the side.
"Hit harder!"
"Pick up the pace!"
"Yeah, right there! Beat him to death!"
Wang Ergou seemed to take the scolding personally. He swung the Water-Fire Cudgel furiously, and the sound of whacks filled the air without pause.
Fang Mo still wasn't satisfied. He grabbed the Wolf Tooth Club and walked over too.
"Move aside. Let me land a critical hit!"
"Thump!"
The massive Wolf Tooth Club came crashing down, dealing a ton of damage.
And so.
A bizarre yet harmonious scene unfolded in the Prison Suppressor.
A Demonic Cultivator Remnant Soul dressed in a jailer uniform and a Warden wielding a Wolf Tooth Club were mercilessly beating a third, unfortunate soul together.
Screams, blows, and Fang Mo's occasional commentary wove together into a symphony called redemption.
About an hour later.
This exhilarating "sport" finally drew to a close.
Iron Bone Liu's soul had been beaten nearly transparent, like a thin cicada's wing that might vanish on the breeze at any moment.
But he had stopped making a sound.
Not because he didn't want to, but because he had no strength left.
Wang Ergou was exhausted too. He leaned on the Water-Fire Cudgel and panted heavily. His jailer uniform was soaked with sweat—ghosts didn't sweat, of course, but the visual effect was impressively realistic.
Only Fang Mo grew more energetic with every blow. His blood and qi surged. He still hadn't broken through to the next realm, but the surging strength within him made him feel the whole thing had been worth it.
"One last blow."
Fang Mo waved Wang Ergou back.
When it was time to reap the fruits, he had to do it himself. That was called a sense of ceremony.
He raised the Wolf Tooth Club high and aimed at Iron Bone Liu's almost invisible backside.
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