Chapter 121

【NAME: Joyful Dance Shoes (Puppet, Emotion)】

【APPEARANCE: A pair of women’s dance shoes stained with copious bloodstains, styled in a 50-year-old fashion that once swept across Bayle County due to the favor of a renowned dancer...】

【ABILITY: Graceful dance movements, infectious allure】

【COST: Double physical exertion; cannot be voluntarily removed until loss of mobility】

【FILE: These were the favorite shoes of a renowned dancer from Bayle County. She once wore them to perform twenty-three record-breaking pirouettes, captivating nearly six thousand spectators during a grand performance.】

【FILE: But after the show, she suffered tendon ruptures and was forced to permanently retire from the stage she loved. Yet after years of silence, she returned—now possessing the ability to dance once more.】

【FILE: This time, however, her dance was no longer a solo act—it compelled everyone around her to dance along, even rendering them unconscious, yet they could not stop, continuing to move like puppets.】

【EVALUATION: Once worn, you become the finest dancer alive; all who witness your movements will dance with you until your strength fails or your muscles tear completely.】

【CONTAMINATION LEVEL: 2.5】

……

【NAME: Dehydrated Mermaid Carcass (Transformation, Element)】

【APPEARANCE: A dehydrated, sun-dried corpse of a dugong...】

【ABILITY: Transform into a mermaid; briefly control water】

【COST: Cannot drink water for 48 hours】

【FILE: Ariel (male), a Level 3 Incident Handler at the Scale Division of the Cleanup Bureau, once used this anomaly to transform into a female mermaid and infiltrate the sea folk, attempting to gather intelligence—but was unexpectedly favored by the Mer Prince, and suffered...】

【EVALUATION: A highly practical ability—just lick once to become a sea folk for 48 hours. Too bad the taste is revolting; it feels like licking a sweaty foot soaked in stinky tofu brine.】

【CONTAMINATION LEVEL: 1.1】

……

【NAME: Monster Under the Bed (Corruption, Fear)】

【APPEARANCE: A demonic hand that extends from the shadows beneath the bed at night; its size and number vary according to the bed’s dimensions...】

【ABILITY: Physical damage, spread of fear】

【COST: Each use triggers a full night of nightmares, forcing you to confront your deepest fears】

【FILE: A special anomaly crafted by the Black Cult of Nightmare. It once caused considerable trouble for the Hound Division of the Cleanup Bureau. Only after Second-Level Crisis Handler Jerry Baker was temporarily reassigned did he deploy three million termites to devour every bedframe in the vicinity, finally...】

【EVALUATION: Combines physical and mental damage—a decent anomaly, but requires a large bed to be effective, making it hard to carry. Also, it can only be activated at night, imposing heavy limitations.】

【CONTAMINATION LEVEL: 8.7】

……

After spending nearly an hour investigating and documenting each anomaly on the desk, his wrist aching from writing, Li Ang set down his pen, stretched his wrist, and sighed.

Jerry’s obsession with stealing must be extreme—but the man truly has talent.

The final line of every anomaly file on the desk was identical: “Stolen after brief contact with Second-Level Crisis Handler Jerry Baker.” The original owners of these anomalies were wildly diverse.

Ordinary people who lost control after awakening anomalies, high priests of underground cults, royal members of another kingdom, core staff from other divisions—even the Director of the Zodiac Twelve Bureau—he would steal from almost anyone.

Yet the overall quality of these items was merely decent. The one with the highest contamination level barely exceeded 12 points—only slightly better than a fraction of the Black Sheep—and their costs were immense, nowhere near the level of the Holy Spirit Pendant.

“Perfect! Hahaha! This is... oh my goodness... I really must thank you!”

Unaware of Li Ang’s thoughts, the short man was flipping through a stack of “Appraisal Reports,” beaming with delight, convinced he’d struck gold.

His skill had already approached Level 1 Disaster Handler status, but his Li Ang value was slightly lacking. Combined with his two strongest anomalies—one for theft, one for beast control—his combat power and versatility fell short, preventing him from passing the Level 1 evaluation.

Now that these anomalies have been appraised, if he selects a few suitable ones, plugs his weaknesses, and spends half a year boosting his Li Ang value, he’d surely meet Level 1 Disaster Handler standards soon!

“This one, this one, and this one—I’m keeping. These three suit me perfectly.”

After carefully selecting three appraisal reports and tucking them away, the short man grabbed Li Ang’s hand and shoved the remaining reports into it, then waved his arm grandly.

“Take whatever’s left! Pick anything you like—even take two if one isn’t enough!”

“Then I won’t be polite.”

Smiling, Li Ang nodded and began reviewing the appraisal reports. Jerry truly wasn’t stingy—except for one anomaly with 10 contamination points, nearly all high-contamination items remained.

But the anomalies Jerry had submitted for appraisal either carried heavy costs and were cumbersome to use, or could be replicated by the Holy Spirit Pendant, making their functions somewhat redundant.

Moreover, with his mere 2.6 contamination level, he could currently push only two anomalies at 1.3 each to their limit—or one anomaly up to 2.6—still not enough to fully activate even the revived Black Sheep. He already had more than enough anomalies to manage.

Besides, his physical strength was still weak—he couldn’t even lift the bureau-issued crate. Several of these anomalies that might suit him were bulky; even if he took them, they’d just gather dust in his office... Wait—

As he thought this, Li Ang glanced at the glass panel on the desk, then set down the stack of reports and asked tentatively:

“Jerry-senior, was that thing inside the glass panel also an anomaly?”

At Li Ang’s question, the short man paused, then nodded after a moment’s thought.

“I suppose so. Three years ago, during a Mirror World incursion at the border between the Scale Division and our own, I took in Lisa during that mission—she’s a being from the Mirror World. You want her?”

“I’m somewhat interested...”

Li Ang nodded, slightly embarrassed.

“I’ve only been with the Bureau a short time, my contamination level is just over two, and activating anomalies drains my stamina. The bureau-issued crate doesn’t suit me—I need a helper who can carry things, like her.”

Remembering the man’s suspected status as a “Great Druid,” Li Ang quickly added:

“Of course, I don’t necessarily need her—her ability just happens to fit. If it’s inconvenient, another option would be fine.”

“This... is indeed inconvenient...”

After hearing Li Ang’s words, the short man exhaled softly and explained:

“Lisa is my friend, not my property. I can’t exchange her. But other 【Mirror Dogs】 are available.”

With that, he tapped the glass panel again, summoning the golden-haired dog named Lisa. He rubbed his throat and barked a few times in return.

After a bizarre exchange, the golden dog in the glass panel stretched its head beyond the screen’s edge and made a “grabbing” motion—then a dazed puppy was tossed out from within the glass.