Chapter 169

"Leon? How are you?"

Not knowing that her currently somewhat brain-dead brother would one day evolve into the Ultimate Primordial and crawl out from ground as soft as sponge, Veronica immediately wrapped her arms around Leon's waist and dragged out his pale-faced body.

"I'm fine... I'm okay..."

After spitting out two mouthfuls of floor tiles as soft as cheesecake, Leon—who felt nearly hollowed out—quickly deactivated the Reality Alteration ability of the Holy Pendant, then pulled out the 【Infected Blood Band】 and tried to place it over his injured left shoulder.

"Are you trying to wrap this bandage?"

Understanding Leon's intent, Veronica immediately took the bandage and swiftly wrapped it around his left shoulder, then, following his reminder, gripped his right hand and pressed it onto the blood-soaked cloth.

"Squeak..."

As the bandage released its "health," a grating, teeth-chilling sound of bone friction arose; Leon's shattered left clavicle slowly realigned, and his shattered scapula reassembled itself.

Soon, a tiny metal sphere—smaller than a soybean and seemingly flattened by bone impact—was squeezed out from his shoulder by his gradually realigning bones and muscles.

Is this... a lead pellet from a child's slingshot?

Seeing what had fallen out, Leon's brow instantly knotted, his eyes filled with genuine shock.

After the Demon Series Badge reached Gold Rank, his Soul Vision range had nearly expanded to three kilometers, yet he had sensed no killing intent approaching him—proving the attacker's position lay beyond his maximum vision range.

Even if I was "frozen" in midair and easy to target, the fact that someone could shatter my scapula with a tiny, soft lead pellet from at least three kilometers away means their marksmanship far exceeds human limits—only an anomaly ability could achieve this.

But... I only decided to abandon the Holy Pendant and fly up for a long-range sniper shot on the spur of the moment—how could they have predicted that?

Could it be... causality? Future sight?

But if a power this incredible isn't used to save the world or rule it, and is instead wasted firing a single lead pellet at me—doesn't that mean the bastard's got a screw loose?

As Leon puzzled over this, hurried footsteps approached from afar.

Leon turned toward the sound and saw a Lyen family maid quietly circling around the nearby building, creeping toward the spot where he had fallen.

Wait... you fell from that height and didn't even die?

Controlling the maid to peek out from the kitchen window, she cautiously glanced toward the spot where the "Demon" had crashed—only to find Leon unharmed, merely with a bandage on his shoulder. The short man with the injured thigh clenched his teeth and slammed his fist into the floor.

Should I control a guard and get a gun? Then...

Seeing the demon staring fixedly at "himself," his lips slowly curling upward, the maid and the short man controlling her both shuddered simultaneously, then immediately collapsed where they stood.

Meanwhile, from the second floor of another building dozens of meters away, a figure leapt down and sprinted frantically toward the storage shed where the short man was, kicked open the door, grabbed his own "soul-out-of-body" physical form, and ran off.

Know when to be satisfied!

To have escaped death from such a demon, I've already been blessed with outrageous luck—if I still crave more and think of assassinating him, I'll lose even this final chance to flee!

Strange... no ambushes left?

Watching the short man flee frantically within his Soul Vision, Leon—who was reaching toward the Director's hair—narrowed his eyes, baffled by the enemy's motives.

After cautiously waiting a while and confirming the assassination was truly over—with no other rebels appearing—Leon exhaled in relief, yet remained utterly perplexed.

Those rebels went to such great lengths, only to fire...

... ne single lead pellet at me, and then nothing? What the hell were they after?

"Leon, the bandage seems to have stopped."

At that moment, a cautious voice spoke up.

Following Veronica's reminder, Leon glanced at the bandage on his shoulder and realized its stored "health" had been exhausted—but his shoulder wound had not fully healed.

Hmm... the remaining health in the Infected Blood Band was already scarce—today I used it to heal the dirty old man, then Veronica's fainting, then my own shattered shoulder—of course it's empty now. I just need to replenish it.

"Stay close behind me. Don't wander far."

After instructing the Princess, Leon used his Soul Vision to scan the surroundings and spotted a nearby building—a kitchen—where several live chickens and ducks were kept. He rose and led the Princess over, preparing to replenish the 【Infected Blood Band】's depleted health.

"Gaa!"

"Cluck-cluck! Cluck-cluck!"

As Leon pushed open the door, ready to grab one of the bound chickens or ducks to drain its health into the bandage, he spotted a pair of curious large eyes amid the flapping chaos.

"Big brother, who are you?"

"We're here to take the chickens and ducks."

After carefully inspecting the girl's soul and confirming she wasn't a rebel in disguise, Leon—who had just seized a plump chicken—hesitated. Knowing the sight of a creature drained by the 【Infected Blood Band】 was horrifying, he refrained from acting immediately and instead extended his other hand to cover the girl's eyes.

"Hss..."

As Leon raised his left hand, his still-incompletely-healed scapula erupted in agonizing pain—he gasped, realizing he couldn't manage this motion, and turned to look at the Princess outside the kitchen.

"Your Highness, I can't raise my left arm—please take this child outside."

"Just call me Veronica."

Nodding in agreement, Veronica, unbothered by the girl's filth, picked her up and carried her out of the kitchen. Fond of children, the Princess affectionately bumped her forehead against the girl's and smiled warmly.

"You're so sweet. Tell me, what's your name?"

"Me?"

Blinking her crystal-clear eyes, the girl raised her soot-stained little hand and firmly slapped Veronica's white, plump chest, then answered seriously:

"Phoebe! Grandma! My name is Phoebe!"

"..."

Hearing the girl's address, Veronica—who was already twenty-eight and considered an old maid—froze, pinched the girl's cheek, and pretended to scold:

"It's 'sister'! Not grandma!"

"Grandma!"

The girl said it again, slapping Veronica's chest once more.

"Don't call me grandma! Say 'sister' and I'll give you candy. Say 'grandma' again and I'll spank you!"

"Then... give me the candy first."

"Candy..."

Looking at her own dress with no pockets, the Princess—who had nothing to offer—rolled her eyes and resorted to empty promises:

"Of course I have candy! But I don't have money on me now—I'll buy you some when I do!"

"Grandma!"

"Slap!"

This brat!

Watching the girl slap her chest every time she said "grandma," smearing it with soot, Veronica sighed helplessly and gave up correcting her.

As a rooster-like squawk echoed from the kitchen, Leon finished what he needed to do and rewrapped the bandage around his shoulder.

"Sorry for the trouble. Here's payment for the chickens."

He nodded to the pretty woman holding the child at the door and slipped two silver coins into her hand. Only with great effort did he suppress the urge to glance at her chest, then kicked off on the Witch's Broom and flew toward the Cleanup Bureau.

He nodded, casually slipping two silver wheels over, and barely restrained the urge to glance at the other's chest before swinging a leg onto the Witch's Broom and flying toward the Clearance Bureau.

Why did he give me money?

Standing there stunned for a moment, Veronica lowered her head, staring at the two silver coins Leon had placed in her hand.

What does this mean? Breakup money?

"Slap!"

"Grandma! We have money!"

"Grandma! We're rich!"