Chapter 1336: Cancer's Invitation

Demons... carving statues of me?

After listening to the situation described by the Cancer Director, although it felt more like a joke, Li Ang's teeth still couldn't help but ache, and he had to bite down several times to recover.

Although the methods might have been a bit extreme, I consider myself a good person. These damn demons...

"Ahahaha! You actually believed it!"

After looking at Li Ang's awkward expression, the Cancer Director suddenly burst into laughter and then joked happily:

"How could demons carve statues of you? Not to mention whether they have the skill, those demons haven't even seen what you look like. How could they ensure that the person they carved is you?"

Damn... turns out he's a prankster...

"So the statues they worship are all sold by me."

Huh???

"There's no other way, those demons give too much."

Under Li Ang's bewildered expression, the Cancer Director blinked... uh, his expression was slightly filled with emotion as he said:

"You don't know, the abyss is the hardest to manage among the nearby worlds. If those demons were truly united, I estimate it would take more than half of the Cleanup Bureau to suppress them.

Fortunately, those abyss demons are used to killing each other and it's basically impossible for them to unite. If you play your cards right, you can even befriend or support a small portion of them, which makes guarding them much easier. And the one I chose to support is the Gluttony Abyss.

Now, your statues are considered hot items over there. As long as you sell them some little trinkets carved from stone, you can reduce a lot of trouble, deepen the friendship between the two sides, and even exchange them for a pile of rare materials. It would be a huge loss not to do this business."

"..."

If you put it that way, it's not impossible... but why do I feel like your style is different from everyone else's?

"Lord Cancer..."

Li Ang, who was really having a hard time holding it in, couldn't help but ask tentatively:

"What do you mean by telling me this?"

"No special meaning, I just think highly of you."

After reaching out to rub his round belly, the Cancer Director, who looked "blessed," smiled and said:

"I'm several years older than Taurus, and I don't have much time left. I need to hurry up and cultivate a successor, and I've read your file and feel that you might be suitable for learning the secret arts of the Cancer Palace, so I called you over to get familiar with it first."

Ah... I thought you were doing business with my portrait rights and were going to give me a dividend... By the way, what is the Cancer secret art?

Regrettably, the Cancer Director not only had no intention of respecting portrait rights but also didn't prepare to explain what the Cancer Palace secret art was. He just reached out and patted Li Ang on the arm, then instructed with a smile:

"Alright, you go back and wait for the notification!

Currently, among the Cleanup Bureau members, there are about three to five people besides you who might have the aptitude to learn the Cancer secret art. Once I contact them and get everyone together, I'll teach you all at once."

"Ah, okay."

Although he didn't get the dividend, the opportunity to learn a secret art was quite precious, so Li Ang naturally wouldn't refuse the Cancer Director's invitation.

However, just as he wanted to ask what the Cancer secret art's ability was, the Cancer Director withdrew the hand he had patted on his arm, and everything around him began to retreat uncontrollably.

Li Ang only felt a slight blur before his eyes, and his body retreated an unknown distance, standing back behind the Red-haired Bureau Chief. At the same time, the Cancer Director's seat lit up slightly, and a familiar gentle voice entered Li Ang's ears again.

"Sorry, I cast the last opposing vote."

"???"

Wait a minute, didn't you just say this sentence once?

After blinking his eye sockets at the somewhat bewildered Li Ang, the Cancer Director smiled and said:

"The Sagittarius Director believes that this ascension incident should be his full responsibility... hoping I could come back to preside over the overall situation..."

"..."

Watching the Cancer Director, who had stood up from his seat, politely greeting the branch chiefs and explaining the reason with a gentle expression, Li Ang, who had recovered from his trance, subconsciously looked down at his left arm.

A pattern of a big pincer crab with fat claws and a round belly was slowly fading its original color, quietly hiding under his skin. And on his arm, there was still a slight tactile sensation of the Cancer Director's palm. So... everything that just happened really happened, but it didn't happen in "reality," but was some kind of communication at the soul or spiritual level?

"Li Ang?"

Sensing that the breathing of the person behind her was somewhat chaotic, the Red-haired Bureau Chief turned her head and cast a suspicious gaze at Li Ang.

"Why are you... uh... so that's it."

After glancing at Li Ang's arm, the Red-haired Bureau Chief's brows first furrowed, then a look of realization flashed in her eyes.

'Lord Cancer chatted with you just now?'

'Should be...'

After reaching out to touch his arm, looking at the prompt for 【Cancer Palace Secret Art Mark】, Li Ang said uncertainly:

'My consciousness seemed to have been "pulled" over just now. Lord Cancer said he wanted to meet me and said I seemed to have the talent for Cancer secret arts, preparing to let me try.'

Cancer Palace's secret art?

Hearing this, the Red-haired Bureau Chief pondered for a moment, then nodded in agreement.

'Indeed, judging from your past resume, you might really have the talent to learn the Cancer Palace secret art.'

'Bureau Chief.'

After listening to the Red-haired Bureau Chief's judgment, Li Ang couldn't help but ask curiously:

'What is the Cancer Palace's secret art? Is the effect strong?'

'Very strong. If you only look at the combat effects, the Aries Palace's Destruction Secret Art is the first tier, then the Cancer Palace's Devouring Secret Art is the second tier that follows.'

'Devouring?'

'It means being able to eat, but what it eats are anomalous objects.'

After glancing at the Cancer Director, the Red-haired Bureau Chief didn't continue to participate in the subsequent discussion of the meeting, but grabbed Li Ang's palm and explained:

'The effect of the Cancer secret art is somewhat similar to part of that sheep's ability. Just like you told me before, if you collect the Sheep Tongue and Sheep Stomach at the same time, you can temporarily increase your Li Ang value to 60 points by eating anomalous objects.'

'And the Cancer Palace's 【Anomalous Devouring】 secret art, although it cannot increase your Li Ang value, can hoard a large number of anomalies in your body through eating, and then release them all at once at a critical moment. And this kind of hoarding has no upper limit.'

'Hiss...'

Li Ang couldn't help but gasp.

'So the anomalies eaten by the Cancer secret art don't consume your own power when released?'

'No, the consumption that should be paid still has to be paid, and not a single bit less.'

'???'

If that's the case, then isn't the role of this secret art just an "infinite storage bag"? It doesn't sound like it helps with combat either?

'Li Ang, the scope of anomalous objects is actually much "broader" than you think.'

After glancing back at Li Ang, the Red-haired Bureau Chief reminded him while pinching his palm:

'The dead, demons, holy spirits, nightmares, and even True Gods—these "non-human" existences themselves can also be counted as a kind of anomaly.'

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 1337 =====