Chapter 1131

"Mmm..."

Sensing something unusual, the young man in water-blue robes at the table lowered his gaze to his left hand.

At the base of his left index finger, a gold-thread ring engraved with a red tongue pattern quietly split along the tip of the tongue design, then cracked in two with a snap.

Nicole...

Watching the broken ring fragments fall onto the table, the Aquarius Director fell silent, his eyes lingering on the name engraved inside the ring as a hint of nostalgia crossed his gaze.

I recall finding Nicole unconscious on my privateer ship in the Saeo Kingdom—she was just a small girl who didn't even reach the gunwale, and since she resembled my daughter as a child, I brought her back to the bureau on a whim; it's been nearly twenty years now.

Hmm... Although I've lived over a hundred years, I was sold to a slave trader as a child, so I had little contact with other relatives, or they died early; if I were to count, the person who's stayed by my side the longest is actually Nicole, whom I casually adopted—our bond isn't shallow.

It's a pity that this rare bond may well end today.

After letting out a heartfelt sigh, the Aquarius Director gathered the ring fragments from the table, then lifted his head to gaze at the other illusory figures beside the table, smiling as he spoke:

"Sorry, something minor came up... Where were we?"

"We were still discussing the previous topic."

Across from them, at a long table assembled from the bones of some unknown creature and styled like an "evil villain's" setup, a woman wearing a black cat-face mask and a pointed hat on her head spoke:

"You said Blood Princess Ji would head to the Dream Realm these days, that the 'Executioner' and 'Dice Emperor' were tied up and couldn't return soon, leaving the Virgin Bureau nearly defenseless—that's why we agreed to let 'Number Three' act early.

But as you've seen, the vast resources we poured into 'Number Three' couldn't even last an hour before being subdued by the Virgin Bureau's personnel... What do you have to say about that?"

"I don't have much to say."

After smiling meaningfully at the woman across from him, the Aquarius Director, wearing a fox mask, scanned his surroundings and then spoke gently:

"I understand this operation failed and you're all disappointed, but please don't forget—my intelligence had no flaws; the Virgin Bureau's elite were indeed all drawn away.

Though I created this opportunity, and the Virgin Bureau's empty intelligence was my doing, when someone suggested acting early and everyone voted on whether to activate 'Number Three,' I was the first to vote against it."

"One dissenting vote proves nothing."

As the Aquarius Director finished speaking, another illusory figure wearing a thrush-mask and appearing somewhat flickering spoke:

"The intelligence you provided alone was enough for most of us to make a decision to act—your vote, whether for or against, couldn't have changed the outcome."

"So... you still suspect me?"

After glancing at the thrush-masked illusion, the Aquarius Director spoke somewhat helplessly:

"Although my goals aren't entirely aligned with yours, and I have little interest in the Slaughter Thirteen Royalty, since joining the 'Regicide Society,' I've consistently worked diligently.

Including Corolok Kingdom, I've created four favorable opportunities over the years, helping you control two of the Thirteen Royal Houses—so if we're judging by 'performance,' I might actually be first?"

"You've indeed done much, and we acknowledge that."

After hearing the Aquarius Director's words, the woman in the black cat mask spoke:

"But to avoid prematurely alerting the Purification Bureau, we didn't fully eradicate the corresponding royal house, leaving room for maneuver for the Purification Bureau; plus, this operation's failure was truly inexplicable, so you still could be betraying us." "Since you say that, I have no choice."

Upon hearing this, the Aquarius Director spread his hands, somewhat helplessly:

"What you're trying to do is something the vast majority of people in this world don't want to happen—so it's essentially opposing the world's will, and those who oppose the world's will are naturally despised by it; suffering misfortune for no reason is utterly normal.

If I may say, your operation failed this time simply due to bad luck—if you can't accept that and insist on finding an internal traitor, then just take me as that traitor!"

"We're not insisting on finding a traitor—it's just that this situation is genuinely suspicious."

After the Aquarius Director finished speaking, the thrush-masked illusion spoke again, voice somewhat unfriendly:

"You should know, although 'Number Three' looks unimpressive, it was forged from the bones of a slain demon god—we lost who knows how many people capturing it, and my wounds still haven't healed.

According to 'Number Three's' final rank, anyone below divine level who holds a lower position than it cannot defy its command—yet in the Virgin Bureau's emptiness, it was actually subdued single-handedly by a mere Level Three Purifier.

I ask you: if it were you facing this absurd result, could you accept it?"

"Why couldn't I accept it?"

Upon hearing this, the Aquarius Director chuckled, then pointed at himself with a calm expression:

"I prepared a plan for nearly ninety years—wasn't it also exposed by that Level Three Purifier you mentioned? As for how many of you died... hehe, after he exposed me, the Purification Bureau targeted me, and I lost over half my own self!

Had I not risked permanent enslavement by opening my soul to the King of Nightmares, my soul's wounds would still be unhealed to this day—and all this is thanks to that 'mere' Level Three Purifier you speak of, so I've already accepted far more absurd outcomes than this, more than once."

"..."

"You should know: if you lose, you must admit it!"

Mimicking the thrush-masked figure's tone, after emphasizing that, the Aquarius Director raised his eyebrows and tapped the table with his knuckles:

"When I voted against it earlier, I already gave my reasons—though the Virgin Bureau was empty, that Level Three Purifier was very strange; if he hadn't left the capital, your plan might not have succeeded, so I advised you to deal with him first before acting.

I was already doing my best to warn you then—but what did you say? Hmm?"

Pausing there, the Aquarius Director then raised his voice, somewhat exaggeratedly, and repeated:

"It's just a mere Level Three Purifier—no need to bother with him!"

"Our resources are precious—we have no obligation to avenge your petty personal grudge."

"You're being overly cautious—a Level Three Purifier before a true-god-tier 'Number Three' is no different from a worm."

"..."

Gazing at the masked illusions around the long table, lost in silence, the Aquarius Director asked pleasantly:

"How's it going now? Hmm? Does anyone still think I was overly cautious?"

(End of Chapter)