Chapter 140: 139 Anchor Point

"Snip-snip! Snip-snip! Snip-snip!"

Looking at the burly old man blocking the first-floor lobby of the Happiness Apartments, scissors in hand, glaring at him like a tiger, Li Ang could not help but rub his brow with a headache.

Damn it—after the Demon Badge advanced to Gold, the "demon scent" in his soul seemed to have grown too strong; until the Holy Spirit Badge caught up to Gold level, it looked like he really could only sleep at the office.

Or else…

After glancing at the apologetic-looking manager-auntie in the lobby, Li Ang asked tentatively:

"Um… Auntie Marie, would you mind if I used some tricks to tie your husband up for a little while? It's mainly that it's been over a week since I last came home, and I really want to go back and see…"

"Tie him up, tie him up!"

After twisting the burly old man's waist several times without getting him to move aside, the manager-auntie could only shake her head of snow-white curls, her expression quite helpless, and said:

"Auntie knows you're a good person. The soul problem should be the Cleanup Bureau's work causing trouble—there's no reason to block you from going home. But my old man really can't be reasoned with… Sigh, how about this—as long as you don't hurt him, you can tie him up for a whole night."

"No, no, no need that long. A little while will do."

Li Ang held great respect for these two elders who had done good deeds both in life and in death. Hearing her words, he hurriedly refused her suggestion, then slowly activated the power of the Holy Spirit Pendant, forcibly pinning the burly old man in place, and without looking back, rushed up the stairs.

"Snip-snip!"

Seeing that the "utterly evil demon brat" had actually gone upstairs, the burly old man could not help but widen his eyes. His sturdy latissimus dorsi suddenly swelled, actually pushing the Holy Spirit Pendant's restraint open a little, and he waved his big scissors, wanting to chase after him.

However, he had only taken two steps before ball after ball of yarn wound tightly around him, binding him firmly beside the staircase, and the soft flesh at his waist was pinched hard.

"You stubborn old fool! Stubborn when you were alive, even more stubborn dead… stretch your neck out a bit, let me measure the length!"

After twisting the burly old man's waist hard twice, looking at her husband still clutching the big scissors and wanting to rush upstairs, the manager-auntie could not help but shake her head helplessly, then carried over a small stool and sat in the hallway, measuring the burly old man's neck and starting to knit a wool scarf.

After waiting a while on the third floor and not seeing the burly old man catch up, Li Ang immediately heaved a sigh of relief and promptly went clip-clop-clip-clop running up toward the sixth floor.

"Brother?"

Still the familiar habit of opening the door early—at the instant Li Ang stepped onto the sixth floor, the door near the staircase flung open, and a warm orange light spilled out, illuminating the somewhat dim hallway and falling on Li Ang as well.

Although she had already recognized his footsteps, looking at Li Ang—still carrying quite a bit of dust, hurrying home travel-worn and weary, his expression slightly haggard—Anna Yi could not help but be stirred, and a sense of relief appeared in her eyes.

But before Li Ang could speak, the relief in her eyes turned into deep worry and grievance.

After biting her lower lip hard, the sickly young girl slightly turned her head away and said softly, her voice carrying a hint of reproach:

"Work's done?"

"Uh… not yet…"

Catching the slight complaint in his sister's eyes, Li Ang could not help but stop in his tracks and said apologetically:

"Sorry, Anna, the Bureau's had a lot on lately. I just squeezed in some time to come back and see you all—I still have to leave in a bit…"

"Alright…"

After hearing Li Ang's words, although she was still a bit angry at his disappearing without a word for seven or eight days, looking at his travel-worn and weary, exhausted appearance, the sickly young girl could not help but bite her lip again and, unable to stop the heartache, urged him:

"Remember to take care of your health. Don't shoulder everything yourself. If you're really too tired, take more days off—even if it means earning less.

Life at home is much better now, and my health is a lot stronger than before. If both of us can work, we can get by on less and still support Melanie and the others—you don't have to push yourself so hard…"

"

Don't worry, I'm fine."

Looking at his sister earnestly urging him on with heartache, Li Ang unconsciously curved the corners of his mouth, feeling his whole body relax slightly, gaining a certain long-absent lightness and ease.

Whether it was the ruthless ferocity of just now slaying the Bishop, or the bloody scent that had lingered in his heart since the Ryan Blood Night—upon returning to this warm little home, bathed in that warm lamplight, all of it was washed clean away.

At this moment, he was no longer the Cleanup Bureau agent who killed decisively and showed no mercy in action, nor the out-of-place stranger from another world suppressing anger and unwillingness—he was simply an ordinary person who, after a full day of busy work, longed to rest quietly in a harbor.

"Anna, thank goodness you're here…"

After sincerely sighing this, having regained a bit of his "humanity," Li Ang could not help but step forward two paces, give his sister a big hug, then bury his head on Anna Yi's still somewhat thin shoulder, greedily drawing in a deep breath.

Though it had only been a month since joining the Cleanup Bureau, looking back suddenly, one would find that his present self and his past self were already almost two different people. At the very least, his self from a month ago would absolutely have been unable to hear the three words "Chengjin Sect" and immediately act to crush someone's skull.

Although he could comfort himself that this was the needs of the job, in fact, he was indeed departing from the normal range, advancing continuously toward the "inhuman" world, and the pace was still accelerating.

And although Anna's shoulders were thin, just as he supported this family from collapsing, she and the two little ones' existence was also supporting his cognition of being "human."

If not for them serving as "anchors," although he probably wouldn't become some great villain, he would likely, under the constant erosion of anomalous objects, become one of those Cleanup Bureau agents that Heishanyang spoke of—those who, apart from their outward appearance still being human, had almost nothing to do with humans anymore…

"Ah! You… you don't…"

Suddenly hugged tightly by Li Ang, who then buried his face in her neck and sniffed, Anna Yi could not help but be startled, blushing and instinctively trying to push him away.

But after being held for a few seconds, as if vaguely sensing something from the excessive intensity of the embrace, she could not help but be slightly stunned, then gave up struggling. Ignoring the dust on Li Ang's body, she wrapped her arms around his waist in return, pulling the two of them into a tighter embrace.

After resting her chin on Li Ang's shoulder as well, the sickly young girl slightly tilted her head, somewhat shyly pressing her cheek lightly against his jaw, then, enduring the warm tickle of his breath on her neck, reached out to gently stroke Li Ang's back while whispering softly with tender eyes:

"Brother… no matter when, if you feel tired, just come home. I'll always be waiting for you."