Chapter 145: 144 Director (Drunk Edition)

He had no idea that as soon as he left, his home was targeted by the Aquarius Director.

At this moment, Li Ang stood outside the Director's office, preparing to report on the day's events and greet the Red-haired Director, telling her he planned to sleep at the Bureau tonight—yet…

"Tap tap tap."

"Who… who is it?"

"Director, it's me."

"You… who?"

"It's Li Ang!"

"Li Ang… who?"

"…"

Hearing the replies from inside—illogical at best, clearly brain-dead—Li Ang fell silent for a moment, then asked with a hint of exasperation:

"Director, have you been drinking?"

"Drinking… who?"

No doubt about it—she'd been drinking, and heavily at that…

"Director, I'm coming in—don't hit me!"

As Li Ang pushed the door open a crack, a wave of alcohol fumes slammed into his face, leaving him momentarily blind.

My god, you really know how to drink!

Seeing the piles of empty bottles taller than a person beside the desk, and the Red-haired beauty sprawled across it, grinning foolishly at him, Li Ang couldn't help but wince—and his head throbbed.

Having realized he was being targeted by the rebels, and fearing they'd strike at his family, Li Ang had planned to ask the Red-haired Director for a favor: could she transfer the "Protective Fur" tied around his neck—never activated—to Anna, and perhaps get two more for William and Melanie?

After all, he'd drawn the rebels' attention because of official duties; protecting employees' families should fall under the Bureau's responsibility. If it was inconvenient, he could trade an anomaly or something else—his "Ghost Hand Under the Bed," given by Senior Jerry, was useless to him anyway; better to exchange it for a protective charm for his siblings.

But seeing the Director in this "Ma What Mei" state, he doubted he'd get a coherent answer even if he asked all night. Maybe he should just drop it for now and wait until she sobered up tomorrow.

After all, the Secret Investigation Bureau was about to launch a major sweep; the rebels would be too busy with their own troubles in the short term. Anna and the others had the Happy Apartment for protection—every time they went out, they just needed to greet the building manager and get a safety buff. A day or two wouldn't matter…

"Little Li Ang~ You're Little Li Ang, right?"

Just as Li Ang hesitated whether to leave, the drunken Red-haired Director suddenly slapped her forehead, sat up from the desk, and grinned foolishly:

"You're late! Ahahaha, I've already drunk it all! You can't sneak any of my booze!"

"…"

What a dumb bitch!

Looking at the woman before him, whose brain reeked of alcohol, Li Ang found it impossible to reconcile her with the "wise and mighty" Director in her sober state. He sighed helplessly.

"I'm not here to steal your booze… But weren't you fine earlier today? Why did you drink so much?"

"Because I got paid~"

After shaking her head vigorously, she seemed slightly clearer, her words gaining some logic as she grinned foolishly:

"I owed too much from last time when I treated you. I couldn't afford any booze for a while. Now that I've got a little extra, if I don't drink my fill, my alcohol worms will die of thirst!"

"…"

Logically, if those worms even existed, it'd be better to let them die of thirst—but… did I really make you owe so much when you treated me last time?

Glancing at the glowing 【Alcohol Kingdom Martyr】 on his panel, Li Ang scratched his head awkwardly, then muttered apologetically:

"Uh… could I ask how much you owed that time?"

"Waaah… I really owed a lot…"

At Li Ang's question, the Red-haired Director's cheerful expression instantly

Crumbled. She blinked her sultry fox eyes, tears welling up as she counted on her fingers:

"Including what I paid at the bar, the unpaid bills still total over three hundred gold wheels. And I spent so much, yet you drank more than me—I barely got anything out of it…"

"…"

Three hundred gold wheels… damn, I drank away over half a year's salary that night?

"This… really that much? I'm really sorry…"

Though he'd braced himself, hearing a bill three times higher than his estimate, Li Ang was stunned. Under the Director's pitiful gaze, he scratched the back of his head sheepishly:

"Director, maybe I…"

"Pay your bill?"

"Uh… not about the bill—I was thinking, maybe I should take you home? Sleeping here, you'll catch a chill…"

"…"

Turning his head slightly to avoid her dazed stare, Li Ang gritted his teeth and walked over, lifting the drunken woman off the desk.

Paying the bill? Impossible. Not in this lifetime. The Director was so generous treating me—how could I insist on paying? That'd be rude.

Besides, there's Anna's medicine, rent at home, tuition for my brother and sister… and the Director already drinks too much anyway—less alcohol is better for her health. If I paid her bill, I'd just be enabling her!

After fabricating a dozen excuses to justify himself, Li Ang cleared his throat and said to the Red-haired Director, who kept glaring at him in his arms:

"Director, where do you live?"

"I don't have a home."

"Uh… then where do you usually sleep?"

"A suite at a bar, or… or the reception room upstairs…"

"…"

"You pity me?"

"…"

Before Li Ang could answer, a pale, slender hand reached up, pinching his chin and turning his face toward her.

After studying his eyes, faintly soft, the Red-haired Director wrinkled her nose, parted her rosy lips, and blew a breath of alcohol laced with gardenia fragrance onto his face, declaring with fierce authority:

"I'm fine alone! Don't pity me! I'm not pitiful!"

"Mm-hmm."

"You don't believe me?"

Feeling her "Director's dignity" challenged, she stiffened her neck and glared fiercely at Li Ang, then lightly kicked him with her foot.

"I'm strong! Betrayed? Hated? Abandoned? I never cried! Even when everyone left the Bureau, I never feared being alone! I'm not afraid!"

"…"

So unfamiliar… Could this really be the same person as the Director from earlier?

Watching the woman who claimed she wasn't afraid, yet instinctively clutched his sleeve, curled up, and pressed closer to his chest, Li Ang hesitated briefly, then suggested:

"Director, you should rest. Shall I take you upstairs?"

"I don't want to go…"

Hearing Li Ang's suggestion, the Red-haired Director suddenly gripped his collar, tears welling:

"There are too many people upstairs yelling at me. I dare not go up when I'm awake…"

People upstairs are yelling at you?

Li Ang froze slightly, then asked curiously:

"Aren't the upper floors empty? No one's ever been there."

"There are! There always are!"

Seeing this little Li Ang dared to doubt her, the Director pouted, cheeks puffed as she argued:

"I counted them—five floors to the top, exactly one hundred and twenty-nine million six hundred thousand people yelling at me. They've never stopped. Don't believe me? Listen!"