Chapter 182: 181 Saving Lives Is Urgent

「……」

You really are… you won't feel right unless you get beaten today, huh?

Just as he was about to hear the crucial part, the story ended—Li Ang clenched his fists, and even the good-natured Senior Emma took a deep breath, then spoke as calmly as she could:

「Prince Joshua, thank you for your cooperation. Regarding your dream, we will discuss it thoroughly after we return.

「Why wait until we return to discuss it?

Having put aside memories of last night's nightmare and shed the strange air of weariness, Joe Spiky Joshua instantly became human again, his expression hostile as he blocked their way:

「This is my dream—I told it to you myself. If you want to discuss or analyze it, you must do so in front of me! Don't leave until you explain everything clearly!

「Prince, it's not that we don't want to explain to you—we simply don't have enough information yet, and we lack expertise in dream-related matters. We can't give you a clear answer yet.

「Then send someone who does!

For reasons unknown, Prince Joshua seemed obsessively fixated on last night's strange dream. He narrowed his eyes and threatened:

「I recall your Clearance Bureau has agreements with royal families across nations to protect us from anomalies, correct? Yet you clearly haven't fulfilled that duty!

After hearing the speckled prince's veiled words, Emma's expression paused slightly, then she still spoke softly, gently:

「Prince Joshua, please don't put us in a difficult position. I swear on the honor of the Alman family that as soon as we have results, I will notify you immediately. Is that acceptable?

「Alman… He ！」

Clearly worn down by last night's nightmare, his eyes bloodshot, the speckled prince bluntly refused:

「Don't bring up the Alman family's honor. Ever since your family launched the coup and tried to overthrow the royal house, the Alman family's honor has been worthless!

「Emma… you're Emma, right?

Out of respect for the fact that you're the last survivor of the Bao Hua family, I've been generous enough already—but don't push your luck! You're clearly trying to hide something from me. I want to know right now why I had this dream!

"By the way—that rebel Veronica dared to impersonate my sister in my dream! You must capture her immediately and hand her over to me! Otherwise, I'll expose your ***Branch's negligence to the whole kingdom!"

Alman… Bao Hua? The ducal family, paired with the Rayne family as the Two Pillars of the Kingdom?

From the speckled prince's words, Li Ang caught something monumental. His head buzzed—he remembered the redwood tree across from Rayne Manor, used as the Bao Hua family's execution platform.

Senior Emma… is from the Bao Hua family?

That means her relatives, parents, husband, and nearly all her acquaintances were executed during the coup? But… didn't she have a daughter? Then why did Joshua say she was the last of the Bao Hua family?

…

「Prince Joshua, please try to control your emotions.

Under Li Ang's astonished gaze, Senior Emma remained calm and rational. After listening to the speckled prince's threats with a frown, though she no longer smiled, she still spoke as levelly as possible:

「I can see you're being tormented by last night's nightmare, so your emotions are running high. But threatening us won't solve anything—it'll only draw scrutiny from headquarters and slow our investigation. So…」

「I'm not tormented by any dream!

The speckled prince snapped:

「It's just a dream! Do you understand? It's fake!

「I'm my father's only son—the kingdom's sole heir! I've received the best education since childhood, destined from birth to rule this kingdom!

How could I ever act like that useless clown in the dream? How could I do all those stupid things? How could I cling to Veronica's legs, sobbing, groveling at her feet like a dog? That's an insult to me!

After spitting out these details he'd held back, the speckled prince realized he'd said too much. He clenched his fists, flushed with rage, and ordered them out:

"Get out! I'll tell my father and your headquarters about your ***Branch's negligence—I'll have every last one of you replaced!"

Especially you—a traitorous family that launched a coup. You should've all been hanged! You're lucky you're even alive—that's royal mercy! How dare you show your face to me? And now you tell me to calm down? If I weren't calm, you'd already be dead, joining your dead relatives!

「…」

Hearing him mention her family, Emma—who had remained composed until now—clenched her right hand involuntarily, her knuckles turning faintly red.

But seeing the mad prince, knowing he'd been completely unhinged by the clash between dream and reality, she realized arguing with him was pointless. She loosened her fist, turned silently, and prepared to leave—

「Close the door.

At the voice in her ear, Li Ang—who had been following her out—immediately spun back and charged forward. In the speckled prince's stunned expression, he delivered a textbook solar plexus kick.

「Aaaah!!!

After taking this long-suppressed flying kick, Joshua flew backward, crashing into the table Emma had just set upright. The heavy wooden table toppled onto the carpet.

Li Ang, having held back for hours, wouldn't let this go. He lunged with the Eight Gods Style Ancient Martial Art, Form 220: Qin Yue Yin, slammed him hard to the ground, grabbed his collar, yanked him up, and delivered a perfectly practiced uppercut.

「You… you…」

Familiarly lifted and punched with a punch he'd felt before, the speckled prince spat out his broken teeth, then stared blankly:

「You're that… that…」

「I'm your… never mind…」

He was about to shout "I'm your father," but thought it too unlucky. He swallowed the last word, raised his right hand again, ready to abandon words and speak only through action.

But just as his palm was about to fall, his wrist was caught by a bandage.

「Forget it. Not necessary.

With a glance of quiet gratitude toward Li Ang, Senior Emma gently dissuaded him:

「He's still a prince. Your investigation just ended. No need to invite more trouble…」

「What trouble? I'm saving him!

Shaking off the bandage, he slapped him left and right—ten or more hard slaps in quick succession—then turned back, serious:

「Didn't we just say? The rebels used an anomaly to enter his dream, trying to influence and control Prince Joshua. At this critical moment, you and I noticed the anomaly in time.

To prevent the noble prince from being controlled, we had to use mild pain to keep him alert, reminding him who he is, so he wouldn't become a puppet of the rebels.

「As for our personal conflict with him? As the director says, one thing at a time. We had a dispute with him—but that doesn't stop us from saving him hard!

By the way, I didn't sleep well last night. Today I'm not at my best. Would you mind helping me… uh… save him for a bit?

「You really are…」

Looking at Li Ang's utterly serious lie, then at the speckled prince's swollen, pig-like face, Emma couldn't help but laugh despite herself:

「Li Ang, when it comes to bending the rules… you're just like the director. Take a break—I'll help you save him for a bit too!