Chapter 1156

"In short, the current situation is quite special. Although those kingdoms are suspected of having problems, the royal families have not really been cut off yet. To avoid the other side being driven to desperation, it's not easy for the Bureau to make too much of a move."

Speaking of this, the red-haired Bureau Chief couldn't help but look at Leon with a sense of relief.

Compared to those branches that have already "fallen," her own Virgo Branch actually wasn't much better. After all, whether it was the incarnated hind that almost descended six years ago, or the tin doll that lurked by the Princess's side for six years, they were actually only one step away from success.

Even if it weren't for her luck being good enough, the incarnated hind's plot was accidentally broken, and she recruited such a capable subordinate as Leon, who destroyed the opponent's conspiracy while rebelling, perhaps the Virgo Branch would have been the most embarrassing one.

"Not easy to make too much of a move... does that mean the General Bureau is preparing to take it slow again?"

Not in the mood to ponder which branch was more embarrassing, after listening to the red-haired Bureau Chief's words, and knowing that the kingdom might be sanctioned for half a year or even longer, Leon complained with a headache:

"Last time, after exposing the Water Bottle Director's conspiracy, the Bureau said that the Watch Palace was more important and didn't directly send people to arrest the Water Bottle Director, but instead closed the headquarters itself. This time, after discovering that someone wanted to harm the royal families of various countries, the result is not to take action immediately, but to continue to investigate slowly? Do you have to be so indecisive?"

"His Highness Taurus and the others have no choice..."

The red-haired Bureau Chief said helplessly upon hearing this:

"You also know that the Cleanup Bureau's responsibility is very heavy. Once a decision is wrong, there are no small matters. So after so many years, it has long been accustomed to caution first."

"Forget it."

Leon shook his head in disapproval:

"If the Bureau were truly cautious, it should have gone to find them as soon as it smelled a scent, and pinched a sprout as soon as it discovered one, instead of pondering here and there, hesitating and not daring to take action. This is not caution; it's just pure hesitation!"

Indeed...

Hearing Leon's words, the red-haired Bureau Chief couldn't help but sigh in her heart. Although it is a good thing to plan and then move, sometimes thinking too much and insisting on perfection before taking action will lead to missing the opportunity.

It can only be said that since the Bureau Chief went to the Old Earth, although the Bureau can still maintain itself normally, once it encounters relatively big things, if the opinions of several directors have differences, there is no one to make the final decision, and the responses to many things are done very poorly.

It's not that the directors aren't capable, it's just that compared to the Bureau Chief and the Aries Director, other directors lack a bit of the strength of "leadership temperament." Regardless of status or strength, no one has that kind of overwhelming advantage, leading to every decision being exceptionally conservative.

The current Cleanup Bureau feels like a strong man covered in muscles but with a hesitant personality. Clearly, as long as he punches with all his strength, he can easily knock down his opponent, but he is always worried about this and that, and doesn't dare to take action until everything is perfect.

It's very stifling, stifling enough to make people want to scream.

"Bureau Chief."

Just as the red-haired Bureau Chief was sighing in her heart, feeling that this broken Cleanup Bureau was going to be finished, Leon suddenly asked:

"Since the Bureau has decided to take it slow again, does that mean the investigation mission for me and Nicole to go to the Kingdom of Kroke also has to be changed to covert action?"

"Mm..."

The red-haired Bureau Chief nodded upon hearing this:

"Although there isn't much change in personnel, it's still a joint investigation with the Scorpio Branch as the main force and our Virgo Branch as the auxiliary, but the method is indeed changed to be more covert. It just so happens that Oleson... oh, that's the kingdom where the Scorpio Branch is stationed."

"You also know that Oleson is known as the Kingdom of Green Shade and is the largest grain exporter. The Kingdom of Thousand Sails Saio, the mechanical city of Kroke, the refractive kingdom of Rifla, the ice kingdom of Aishito... out of the twelve kingdoms, four have to buy grain from the Oleson Kingdom every year."

"And the Oleson Kingdom is just preparing to send a mission to exchange for the irrigation technology newly developed by the Kingdom of Kroke. The people from the Scorpio Branch should be mixed directly into the mission, and they will go over in the next two days... By the way."

Speaking of this, seemingly suddenly remembering something, the red-haired Bureau Chief couldn't help but laugh:

"Last time, during the Nightmare King incident, you seemed to have left a very deep impression on Edward. As soon as he heard that you were participating in this joint mission on behalf of the Virgo Branch, his expression became particularly complex."

"How should I put it... it's like a tiger that has been hungry for ten days finally seeing a living creature passing by, but this living creature happens to be a big hedgehog, feeling like eating it but afraid of being pricked. It looks particularly interesting."

"......"

"Also, after pondering for a while, he finally made a request to His Highness Taurus, saying that he welcomes you if you go, but he hopes you will listen to commands."

"And he told you not to be impulsive when you encounter things, to notify him before doing anything, not to make decisions on your own, and absolutely not to go to extremes, to choose a gentler way of handling things..."

"......" Not... what kind of broken request is this?

During the Nightmare King incident, I was a bit broken, so I didn't hold back. I've always been very rational at other times, okay? Is it necessary to repeat it so many times? It's like I'm some kind of reckless man who loves to be impulsive...

After curling his lips speechlessly, Leon, the hedgehog who pricks people, pondered for a moment, then proposed thoughtfully:

"Bureau Chief, you say... how about we change the plan and also learn from the Scorpio Branch's method?"

"Mm?"

Hearing Leon's proposal, the red-haired Bureau Chief blinked, then understood and said:

"Let your mistress also send a mission?"

"......"

What mistress... where did this come from?

After his mouth twitched slightly, Leon said speechlessly:

"It just so happens that the Kingdom of Kroke is urging us urgently, so let's also send a mission over to explain the landing tower incident, and then I'll mix in with Nicole in the mission, which won't easily attract attention."

"Mm-hmm, not bad, not bad."

After nodding with a smile, the red-haired Bureau Chief said with praise:

"Compared to sneaking in disguised as a traveler or merchant, it would indeed be better this way. Although there will be more eyes watching you, there will also be more ways to confuse the Kingdom of Kroke, and it will be more convenient to act."

"And the identity of the mission has another benefit. If you, this Prince, lead the mission to visit, according to the default social etiquette between countries, the Kingdom of Kroke must also send royal members to receive you."

"If that's the case, you will have the best excuse to contact the royal family of the Kingdom of Kroke, find out the situation, and even take action to rescue them. It's simply a great thing that kills two birds with one stone... No! It's simply a great thing that kills three birds with one stone!"

"That's what I thought too."

Leon added upon hearing this:

"Sending a mission at the same time as the Oleson Kingdom can also allow us to contact the people of the Scorpio Branch on the 'official' side, which won't make the Kingdom of Kroke too suspicious, facilitating our joint action."

"Yes, it's just that if this is the case, the time will have to be advanced. Not only will your vacation have to end early, but His Highness Taurus won't be able to make it in time, and you won't be able to bring the new main battle anomalous object..."

After frowning and pondering for a while, the red-haired Bureau Chief asked:

"By the way, I remember that the dagger Water Bottle used to kill the Dog God should also be a very strong anomalous object?"

"Mm... but the ability of that thing is not very suitable for me."

Leon thought for a moment and answered:

"That thing is a silver paper cutter named 【Silver Cutting Dagger】. Its ability is that it is as easy as cutting a piece of paper when cutting anything, and even some things without substance can be cut open."

"It's just that this thing requires one to do it themselves to exert its effect, and my physical fitness and reaction speed are only at the lowest level of a second-level cleanup agent. It's okay to bully ordinary people, but if I meet those cleanup agents controlled by the Gemini Branch, I'm probably not their opponent even if I hold it."

So the problem is that the reaction speed is not enough, and it is difficult to cause effective attacks when facing stronger cleanup agents?

After listening to Leon's answer, the red-haired Bureau Chief pondered for a while, then reached out and touched her ear, taking off a half-heart-shaped earring.

"This is for you~"

"???"

Amidst Leon's confused gaze, the red-haired Bureau Chief handed over the 【Heart-Stealing Pin】 and explained with a smile:

"Leon, your greatest strength has actually always been taking hits. Even if the substitute death of the sheep heart cannot be used, just counting the 【War Diagonal】 and the state after getting drunk, you still have two kinds of immortal bodies that can be used, it's just that the reaction speed is not fast enough, and it's easy to miss people."

"My idea is, since your problem is that you can't react, and you can't stab people even if you hold a knife, then you just don't react."

"Instead of trying to improve your reaction speed, it's better to just rely on two kinds of immortal bodies to take a hit, and then rely on the effect of this 【Heart-Stealing Pin】 to pay attention to eavesdropping on the opponent's thoughts while taking the hit."

"And when the opponent succeeds in one strike, relaxes their vigilance slightly, and begins to continue attacking you, you can completely prepare in advance and wait for the opponent to hit your knife themselves!"

"......"

(End of chapter)