Chapter 124

After bidding farewell to the overly enthusiastic “senior,” Li Ang did not immediately head to the Rose Estate to rescue the captive; instead, he returned to his office and picked up the goat’s head he hadn’t seen in days.

On the night of the Ryan Massacre, after pretending to be exhausted and getting captured, the Black Goat and the Witch’s Broom were seized by the Police Department along with his personal [Sacred Spirit Pendant], but were soon reclaimed by the Cleanup Bureau and returned to Li Ang’s office.

The Black Goat, possessing Soul Vision, had already noticed his return before Li Ang even went to the director’s office; now that Li Ang had picked him up, it had been holding its breath for half a day and immediately spoke up:

“How’s it going? Did you shake off the suspicion?”

“Mm.”

Li Ang took out the large box issued by the bureau, checked the massive sniper rifle sent by Senior Emma, then placed the goat’s head on top of the box. As he maintained the firearm, he privately communicated via soul-link:

‘So far, so good. Both the bureau and the kingdom have concluded the Ryan Massacre was carried out by Bobby Ryan. No one suspects me yet.’

‘Good…’

Hearing this, the Black Goat exhaled in relief, then switched with Li Ang to “encrypted communication,” its face serious as it warned:

‘But you still can’t relax. A duke-level noble was killed. The kingdom and your branch’s approval aren’t enough—you need the central bureau’s investigators to confirm it too, before your actions are truly cleared.’

‘I know, but the central bureau’s people haven’t arrived yet. I’ll just keep working normally. The more ordinary I act now, the more credible I’ll seem later…’

After chatting a few more minutes with the Black Goat, Li Ang finished maintaining the firearm, packed the box away, then tapped the small mirror.

Though the puppy was still asleep, Ms. Lisa was awake; she barked once and retrieved the box for him.

‘Hmm? A being from the Mirror World?’

After recognizing the small mirror, the Black Goat exclaimed in surprise:

‘What favor did you do for him? Jerry actually gave you this dog?’

‘He didn’t give me this one… Ms. Lisa, the one beside her, got the smaller one.’

After explaining his dealings with Senior Jerry, Li Ang gestured to the large golden retriever, signaling her to pull the sleeping puppy out of the mirror. Then he rummaged through his cabinet and pulled out several folded shopping bags, stuffing the Black Goat inside first.

As he prepared to put the puppy in too, he paused, thinking it might not be safe enough, so he fetched an old coat kept in the office, cut off the sleeves, and padded the top of the Black Goat’s head with them.

Then he wrapped the two cut sleeves around its sharp goat horns, fashioning a windproof, warm mobile doghouse, before placing the sleeping puppy inside.

‘Wait… you’re going too far!’

At first, the Black Goat didn’t understand what Li Ang was doing—until it heard the puppy’s tiny snores coming from atop its head. It suddenly realized and flew into a rage.

‘We’re a great demon! You’re using our head as a doghouse? You…’

‘A few days ago, when we were gone, the bureau took in a plate of goat offal.’

After covering the puppy with a small handkerchief, Li Ang glanced at the suddenly speechless Black Goat and smiled sweetly, imitating the director’s expression:

‘The item’s been taken away for testing, but the director opened it once—it was a goat’s stomach, radiating the evil aura of a near-god-level great demon… By the way, what were you saying just now?’

‘…’

‘I said… I actually really like small animals, and I especially love dogs… uh… very much…’

Watching Li Ang, who had clearly absorbed seven-tenths of the red-haired woman’s cunning, the Black Goat instantly fell silent. After silently cursing inside, it asked, puzzled:

‘Li Ang, didn’t our heart say our stomach should be in the hands of the Charles Department Store owner? How did it suddenly end up seized by the Cleanup Bureau?’

‘Because the owner’s daughter was kidnapped. He asked your stomach one question: how to save his daughter. Your stomach told him to deliver himself to the Cleanup Bureau.’

After briefly explaining the situation, Li Ang tied the shopping bag shut, then left the office, holding the Black Goat and puppy in his left hand and the broom in his right.

‘So… your stomach’s ability is answering questions? If you pay a price, it gives you answers?’

After hearing the full account, the Black Goat was baffled:

‘That doesn’t make sense. Our stomach should represent greed—the ultimate desire. What does that have to do with answering questions?’

‘The director didn’t say, but I think “having a desire” itself might be a person’s strongest craving at that moment.’

After speculating along the Black Goat’s line of thought, Li Ang said:

‘Forget analyzing the ability for now. This anomaly was submitted by our bureau—no other branch has a claim to it. And among us, I’m the one with the best affinity for demonic anomalies. Your stomach will likely end up back in my hands. We can study it then.’

Don’t waste time pondering the ability issue—this anomaly was submitted by our bureau; no other branch has the right to claim it, and among us, I’m the one with the best affinity for demonic anomalies, so your stomach will most likely return to me, and we can study it then.

The Black Goat said anxiously:

‘Anomalies acquired outside missions aren’t usually directly assigned. You need to claim them through merit or trade them for other anomalies. You’ve been in the Cleanup Bureau too short a time, and your merit isn’t enough—if someone else claims it first, it’ll be trouble.’

‘The director told me this already. Your stomach was brought in by the Charles Department Store owner herself. That’s why she didn’t let Jerry rescue the man directly—she arranged for me to handle the mission so I’d have the right to claim this anomaly…’

As Li Ang discussed with the Black Goat how to quickly secure the goat’s stomach, he arrived at a familiar building.

After confirming the sign of the Secret Investigation Bureau, Li Ang walked quickly into the lobby, holding his things.

‘Hello, may I help you?’

‘I’m from the Cleanup Bureau.’

After presenting his credentials, Li Ang touched the bandage he’d taken from the female prisoner and said seriously:

‘Is Isla here? Full name should be Isla Hill. I need to speak with her.’

Is Ishma from your bureau here? Her full name should be Ishma Hil—I need to speak with her about something.

‘Look! That’s the man Isla’s dating!’

‘Oh~ Where? Point him out!’

‘There! The guy talking to the front desk—the one in the old coat, black hair, that cute little guy!’

‘Cute… yeah, he’s definitely good-looking, but he looks a bit thin. Isla’s close-combat skills rank top three in the department—she’s got incredible physical strength. If they end up together, can he even handle her?’

‘Oh come on! Is this really something you say here?’

‘Why not? I mean, what if he can’t fight her and gets bullied? What are you talking about?’

‘I… I meant exactly that!’

‘Tsk tsk tsk. You’re thinking dirty, aren’t you? Married people are different, huh?’

‘You… hmph! So what if I am? Aren’t you all thinking the same thing?’

The woman, flustered by the teasing, stomped her foot and gestured wildly:

‘This guy looks frail! Isla’s long legs—just wrap them around his waist once, and he’ll be… Oh no! Run!’

‘I’m going to beat you all senseless!!!’

After flushing red and chasing off her colleagues hiding in the stairwell—who were screaming and crying—the female officer took a deep breath, straightened her disheveled uniform, and walked uneasily toward Li Ang waiting at the front desk.

Face flushed, she chased away the colleagues hiding in the stairwell who had been holding a meeting, and after the one who made lewd jokes cried out in despair, the female officer took a deep breath, then carefully smoothed her disheveled clothes and walked uneasily toward Leo, who was waiting at the front desk.