Chapter 189: 188 Three Missions

"……"

Me? Go undercover in the rebel party? What kind of joke is that!

Hearing Li Ang's first reaction to the red-haired director's proposal was that she was talking nonsense again. After all, even setting aside the identity of the Lionheart Duke, he himself was already on the rebel party's wanted list.

First there was the bandaged woman who tried to attack the Lane family, then the clone man who was undercover in the Secret Investigation Bureau of the Police Department, and the scruffy old man at the inheritance ceremony who could make people's hearts race.

All told, the rebel party had already lost three Abnormal Object holders at his hands. The reason he had asked the director for those three "protective hairs" was precisely to guard against the rebels targeting his family.

Even without calling it a blood feud, it was probably already a fight to the death. And now they wanted him to actually join the rebels and go undercover? This really was…

Hmm… actually, it's not entirely impossible?

……

After glancing at the 【What If】 on the table, Li Ang pondered for a moment and found that this mission didn't actually sound as absurd as it seemed.

Now with the 【Heart of Ambition】, his safety was basically guaranteed. And with the intel Amy had provided, as long as he found the rebels' gathering point, he could use 【What If】 to directly impersonate a rebel member, try to make contact with those rebels who held Abnormal Objects, and attempt to take them all down in one sweep,

Considering the rebels themselves had unclear ties to Director Aquarius, doing this would not only eliminate the threat from the rebels, ensure his family's safety, help the princess recover her lost identity, but also incidentally reduce Aquarius's helpers and thwart any plots he might have.

Five birds with one stone…

After weighing the risks and benefits of the undercover mission, Li Ang decisively nodded and agreed.

"I'll take it!"

"Very good~"

After nodding slightly with satisfaction, the red-haired director said:

"Li Ang, the interrogation of Director Aquarius can only truly begin in five or six days, but the initiation can be moved up a bit—about two or three days from now.

Once Lord Taurus and I initiate the interrogation, Director Aquarius will definitely rush back to headquarters immediately to fully prepare for the internal interrogation. From the moment he's drawn away until the interrogation ends, there should be about two weeks.

During this period, I can roughly pin down his whereabouts and make sure he doesn't show up at the rebel gathering point. And with the 【Heart of Ambition】 protecting you, your safety can be guaranteed to the greatest extent possible.

So from two days from now until two weeks later—that's the specific timeframe for your infiltration mission. If the interrogation succeeds, it can be extended; if it fails, you must leave immediately. As for the mission objectives…"

Pausing here, the red-haired director thought for a moment, then tapped the tabletop lightly with her fingertip and said:

"The first objective is that pair of grandfather and granddaughter who may possess the ability to erase memories. You need to find them as a priority, to help Princess Veronica recover her identity as soon as possible. The secondary objective is to make contact with the other Abnormal Object holders, find out their abilities, and confirm their locations.

Before the interrogation of Director Aquarius begins, I'll stay at the bureau the whole time. If I go to attend the interrogation, Auntie Auntie Ai Ma will also stay at the bureau to hold down the fort. Once you've confirmed those people's locations and abilities, you can send the little dog Jerry gave you back to deliver a message, and bring me or Auntie Auntie Ai Ma over to catch them."

"Got it, I'll keep that in mind."

"I'm not done yet."

The red-haired director shook her head and said:

"Besides these two missions, you have one hidden mission. I hope you can confirm whether there's another Prince Watching Watching Qiaoshuya among those rebels."

What?

After seeing Li Ang's startled look, the red-haired director didn't explain right away, but first asked:

"Do you still remember that nightmare Prince Watching Watching Qiaoshuya had when you and Auntie Auntie Ai Ma visited him?"

That "future-seeing" bizarre dream?

After recalling for a moment, Li Ang nodded, then said with some confusion:

"Of course I remember… is there something wrong with that dream?"

"Plenty wrong."

Pouring tea into an empty wine bottle, he tilted his head back and took a big

gulp. The red-haired director, drowning her worries in tea, said with a headache:

"Prince Watching Watching Qiaoshuya's nightmare should be the Dream King's curse on the royal family. The Dream King believes that compared to the false horror scenes of ordinary nightmares, the regrets buried deepest in a person's heart are the most terrifying nightmare of all.

So the curse the Dream King gives has always been to make people recall their most painful past, not those hollow, unreal false nightmares. That's where it conflicts with the content of Prince Watching Watching Qiaoshuya's nightmare."

"So… you suspect there are two Prince Joshuas?"

"Yes."

The red-haired director spread her hands, saying somewhat helplessly:

"I know it sounds ridiculous, but combined with Auntie Auntie Ai Ma's account of the nightmare's content, the only answer I can think of right now is that there's another Prince Watching Watching Qiaoshuya who experienced those painful futures and has returned to what is, for him, the past.

And as Prince Watching Watching Qiaoshuya grows older, his intellect matures, his views and personality basically fixed, his soul's state begins to approach that of this future prince. So when the future prince suffers the Dream King's curse, his counterpart is unfortunately 'sharing' this nightmare."

"……"

Seems like… it actually makes sense?

After mulling over the red-haired director's hypothesis, Li Ang found there really wasn't any major flaw in it, and was somewhat convinced.

"So you think that Prince Watching Watching Qiaoshuya who came back from the future is very likely hiding among the rebels?"

"Not certain yet, but judging from what the rebels have done in the past, there's at least an eighty percent chance… After all, the future Prince Watching Watching Qiaoshuya, coming back to the present full of obsessions, can't have simply come back just to take a look, right?"

"Makes sense."

"If it makes sense, then go prepare!"

Pulling a small notebook from a drawer and writing a few lines in it, the red-haired director closed the notebook and handed it over, saying with a serious expression:

"Take this to the Police Department and find the Minister of Public Order's first assistant. He'll appoint you as warden of the death row prison. Once you have this identity, you can activate the 【Heart of Ambition】's death-substitution ability.

Also, to Director Aquarius, your intel is completely transparent. He might inform the rebels, so Abnormal Objects registered at the bureau like 【Witch's Broom】 and 【Holy Spirit Pendant】 are best not used lightly, or your cover will likely be blown.

But to make contact with those rebels who hold Abnormal Objects, you'd better show off some special abilities… hmm… do you have any Abnormal Objects or abilities that aren't registered at the bureau?"

Unregistered Abnormal Objects or abilities?

"There actually is one ability…"

After taking the notebook and putting it away, Li Ang hesitated briefly, then glanced at the golden 【Traveling Prince Thrush】 on his badge panel, and said somewhat uncertainly:

"If conditions are right, I think I can force people to bow to me."