Chapter 196: 195 Lurking and Encounter

So this is the gathering point of the rebels?

Carrying an iron drum filled with orange-red palm oil, he blended in with other rebel members responsible for procurement and entered an old warehouse on Patriot Street in batches.

What appeared before Li Ang's eyes was not a dim warehouse covered in dust and various goods, but a lush green valley dotted with numerous low-rise buildings, where many people were bustling back and forth on dirt roads dug out by hand, busy preparing something.

Realizing something was wrong, he immediately let out a heavy breath, then pretended to be tired from carrying the oil drum, and while shifting the drum to his other shoulder, he glanced around at the surroundings.

The other directions were all quite ordinary, with nothing that could identify the location, but in the northwest of the valley, a towering "7"-shaped giant tower could be vaguely seen piercing the clouds.

That steel-frame giant tower, built by people sent from the Kingdom of Croc, was a boarding tower used when taking rigid airships, and the short horizontal line at the top of the "7" was the "platform" for passengers to board and disembark the airships, one of the landmark buildings of the Royal Capital.

If the boarding tower is in the northwest... then is this a valley on the southeast side of the Royal Capital?

Relying on his outstanding eyesight to find the boarding tower and confirm his current location, Li Ang immediately couldn't help but draw in a sharp breath of cold air.

Judging by the size of the boarding tower, this valley must be about fifteen or sixteen kilometers away from the Royal Capital; I just walked through one door and actually ended up more than ten kilometers away?

No wonder, no wonder the Secret Investigation Bureau people turned the Royal Capital upside down and still couldn't find the rebels' gathering point; it turns out this place isn't even in the Royal Capital! It would be strange if they could find it!

Truly... this spatial displacement-type anomaly, its ability is really a bit too outrageous!

After carefully memorizing his discovery, Li Ang, who had shifted the oil drum from his left shoulder to his right, suddenly seemed a bit dizzy, stumbled half a step backward with unsteady feet, then "instinctively" reached out to grab the doorframe of the warehouse door, and "reluctantly" held onto the doorknob, barely managing to steady himself.

"Materialism" had no reaction.

Unfortunately, it seems that although this door possesses the ability to cross space, the warehouse door itself is not an anomaly; it is likely just some kind of carrier, or perhaps the "anomaly" does not attach to the doorframe and handle, but attaches to some other location...

"Little Baggins?"

Unaware that Li Ang's actions had ulterior motives, watching him first pant and shift shoulders, then suddenly stumble and grab the doorframe, the fat uncle following behind quickly reached out to support the oil drum, and with a somewhat worried expression, instructed:

"If you're not feeling well, just put the oil drum down and go home to rest; I'll come back and make another trip later."

"No need."

Hearing the fat uncle's words, Li Ang, who had no idea where "his" home was, quickly shook his head to refuse his kindness, then immediately steadied his footing again, carrying the oil drum with "bulging veins" and "sweat pouring down his body," and followed the people ahead, continuing toward the warehouse.

This child... sigh! Just like his father back then, he has a stubborn temper that nine oxen couldn't pull back...

Watching "Little Baggins'" sweat-soaked clothes and his back arched in effort, the fat uncle, who was also carrying a large bundle of things, couldn't help but sigh, then quickened his pace to follow, preparing to lend a hand when he couldn't hold on anymore, both to avoid breaking the oil drum and to prevent Little Baggins from injuring himself.

However, strangely enough, Little Baggins had just looked like he was about to collapse, his body even swaying, but he just walked along unsteadily for quite a while, looking like he might fall at any moment, yet he actually managed to hold on, successfully carrying the oil drum to the warehouse.

"Huh?!"

After taking the oil drum from Little Baggins' hands, the person responsible for checking accounts was immediately pulled off balance, nearly knocked flat on the ground by the weight of the drum.

Stumbling two steps to steady himself, and only managing to lift the drum by pressing it hard against his belly, the person checking accounts raised his head and looked at "Little Baggins" with some surprise, saying:

"What's going on? Why is this drum of oil so full? Isn't it usually only half a drum?"

"..."

Ah? So the large drums of palm oil are usually only filled halfway?

Hearing the question from the person checking accounts, Li Ang, who had knocked out the real Little Baggins while he was filling the oil and taken his place, couldn't help but feel slightly awkward, finally understanding the oil shop owner's expression at that time, why he had looked as if he wanted to say something but held back.

His own family had few members and had always used small jars, so he had never actually bought such a large drum of oil; after knocking out the real Little Baggins, he had naturally assumed the drum should be completely filled before carrying it out.

And the oil shop owner, seeing that he had "attacked" the real Little Baggins and was asked by Amy to cooperate with his actions, hadn't dared to speak up to remind him, so he just let him carry this huge drum of oil away...

"I'm not sure either."

Wiping the sweat he had forced out of his forehead, the "Little Baggins" with a rather handsome appearance but a somewhat cold expression, while moving his shoulders, said expressionlessly:

"The oil shop owner gave me this much; I asked him about it, but he said he didn't make a mistake, so I just carried it back like this."

"Is that all?"

Seemingly not surprised by "Little Baggins'" coldness, the person checking accounts pondered for a moment, then said with a look of certainty:

"Then maybe this batch of oil was almost sold out, and since the truck was about to depart, he was in a hurry to empty the large drum so he could follow the truck to the oil station to pick up new stock to sell; he might as well have just poured all the remaining oil into your drum.

That's good, heh heh, Little Baggins, you're lucky today; you've found us a small but not insignificant bargain."

"Maybe so."

After replying indifferently, the naturally cold "Little Baggins" simply turned around and left the warehouse, walking back in the direction he had come from; the person checking accounts, despite his somewhat rude behavior, didn't get angry, but instead cheerfully called out to the next person.

Truly... fortunately I chose this somewhat cold, poker-faced personality...

Glancing back at the expression of the person checking accounts, confirming there was nothing unusual, Li Ang immediately felt a sense of relief, then felt fortunate about his choice.

The list of suspected rebel procurement officers given by Amy had about twenty people, and the reason he had chosen this Little Baggins was because of his cold personality and few words, and he didn't seem very sociable.

Such a person, although not very inconspicuous, because he communicates little and shows few expressions, is least likely to slip up when information is insufficient; whereas if it were someone more cheerful and talkative, it would be very difficult for me to act so "normal."

Lucky!

After glancing around at the surroundings, Li Ang immediately locked his target onto the building at the very center of the valley.

Now that he had successfully infiltrated, it was time to complete the mission; prioritize finding that suspected memory-capable grandfather and granddaughter, and try to have the princess's erased memories...

"Little Baggins!"

Just as Li Ang was preparing to start his investigation, the fat uncle who had previously supported him from behind quickly chased out of the warehouse.

After calling out to stop the "stubborn" Little Baggins, the bearded fat uncle couldn't help but complain:

"That drum of oil was filled so full; why didn't you call me to help you carry it, and just carried it back by yourself? Breaking the drum is a small matter, but what if you hurt your back?"

"..."

I knew it; luck and all that is definitely an illusion!

Seeing the familiar person approaching him voluntarily, Li Ang, lacking information, immediately felt a headache, then struggled to maintain Little Baggins' poker-faced persona, replying with a cold expression:

"I tried carrying it and felt it was manageable, so I just carried it back by myself."

"Nonsense!"

Seeing that he was still being stubborn, the fat uncle got a bit angry, scolding with furrowed brows and wide eyes:

"I just tried carrying it and almost twisted my back; how can your body withstand carrying such a huge drum of oil for so long?

Besides, when you passed through the door earlier, you were just one step away from falling; I was right behind you and saw everything! Why are you pretending to be so capable?"

"……"

Really now… if I'd known it would turn out like this, I should have held back a

little, and not touched the door frame and handle directly.

"You child, how can you be this stubborn?"

Looking at little Perkins, who kept his head lowered in silence and still "stubbornly" refused to make a sound, the fat uncle could not help but sigh and began to earnestly advise:

"I know you're hurting inside and want to find something to do to numb yourself, but you also have to take care of your body. Don't wear yourself out too much. You might not feel it when you're young, but wait until you're old."

"None of your business!"

Worried both about investigating the situation and about chatting too long and giving himself away, Hearing Li Ang was eager to shake off this somewhat talkative, kind-hearted uncle, so he simply raised his head, glared at him, and bluntly refused:

"I know my own body perfectly well! I don't need your nagging."

"……"

"You… what is wrong with you?"

Startled by the suddenly bristling "little Perkins," the fat uncle could not help but be taken aback, then said with some suspicion:

"Little Perkins? Today you… why are you acting a little strange? In the past you would never talk to me like this…"

"……"

Ah… so it seems that even if the appearance is exactly the same, for someone who knows you well, there are still differences in the end, and just like that someone noticed something was off?

Just as Hearing Li Ang's eyes shifted slightly and he began to think about how to cover it up, the fat uncle arrived at his own conclusion, and with a kindly yet somewhat vexed expression said:

"Is it old Perkins? He hit you again these past two days, didn't he? Did he snatch your money again to buy liquor?"

"……"

Taking Hearing Li Ang's silence as tacit agreement, the fat uncle's honest round face quickly flushed red. He grabbed his wrist and pushed up his sleeve, and sure enough found several long, strip-shaped bruises at the elbow.

"Damn it! That rotten bastard! He'll die on those two swigs of horse piss sooner or later!"

After furiously cursing a couple of times, the fat uncle grabbed the "domestically abused" Hearing Li Ang and strode back in the direction they had come from, walking while saying with eyes full of anger:

"Can't keep indulging him like this! You're coming back with me to find him! I'll definitely help you get the money back!"

"……"

Ah… I only just barely managed to sneak in, so how is it that I haven't done anything yet and now I have to go back?

Having only just improvised a little and already been found out, Hearing Li Ang at this moment could not afford to act rashly again, and could only let the fat uncle drag him along, taking one look back every three steps as they walked back the way they came, getting farther and farther from that suspicious building at the center of the valley…

"Bang!"

Just as Hearing Li Ang was being pulled to the entrance against his will, about to step once more through that strange door that could traverse space and leave the valley where the rebels gathered, the old iron warehouse door suddenly twisted twice, then let out an explosive sound and turned into a red wooden door carved with floral and bird motifs.

Accompanied by a soft creak of the hinges, the red wooden door was pushed open from outside, and a middle-aged man walked in whose appearance was still relatively young, but whose temples had grown quite a few white hairs.

"Are you about to go out?"

Having walked in from outside the door and seeing Hearing Li Ang and the fat uncle "inside the door," the middle-aged man smiled kindly, then said:

"Hold on a moment, I'll change the destination back right away."

"Ah, we're not in any rush!"

Upon seeing the middle-aged man, the fat uncle instinctively straightened his posture, then lowered his head with a look of reverence and said:

"Leader, my lord, you've been looking a bit haggard lately. Please do take better care of your health."

"Hehe, I will."

The leader?!

Hearing this, Hearing Li Ang, who was following behind, had his pupils contract. He then imitated the fat uncle's manner and respectfully lowered his head, while in his mind repeatedly committing the middle-aged man's appearance to memory.

The Secret Investigation Bureau's people have worked so hard for so many years without ever finding the rebel leader, and now he's standing two meters right in front of me! I have to firmly remember this face… hmm… for some reason, his features seem just a little bit familiar?

"Done!"

Unaware that among the two people in front of him, one was a cleanup agent from the Cleanup Bureau, after closing the door again, the middle-aged man reached out and touched the nameplate on the edge of the red wooden door frame. The splendid red wooden door twisted, and once again turned back into that old iron warehouse door.

A cleaner from the Bureau, after closing the door again, reached out and touched the nameplate on the edge of the redwood doorframe; the luxurious redwood door twisted, once more transforming back into that old iron warehouse door.

"Thank you, Leader, my lord!"

"Hehe, you're welcome."

Having observed the middle-aged man's entire operation, Hearing Li Ang was thoughtfully staring at the nameplate on the door frame, while the middle-aged man, who had inadvertently let something slip, smiled and asked:

"By the way, Owen, you and little Perkins are drenched in sweat. You just got back from shopping, right? Why are you heading back without even resting?"

"By the way, Owen, you and Little Baggins are covered in sweat; did you just return from shopping? Why are you heading back without even resting?"

The fat uncle named Owen hesitated for a moment, then sighed and laid it all out:

"Lord Nathan, little Perkins got beaten up again yesterday, and his money was snatched away. I'm worried old Perkins will squander that money, so I wanted to quickly take him to get it back."

"My lord Nathan, Little Baggins was beaten again yesterday, and his money was stolen. I worry Old Baggins will squander that money, so I want to take him to get it back immediately."

Hearing the fat uncle's words, the middle-aged man could not help but recall the scene from that morning, and after another glance at the bruises on "little Perkins's" elbow, the smile on his face could not help but fade.

Hearing the fat uncle's words, the middle-aged man could not help but recall the scene from the morning; after glancing at the bruise on Little Baggins' elbow, the smile on his face naturally faded.

After shaking his head slightly, the middle-aged man looked at "little Perkins" and said with a faintly apologetic expression:

"When I was visiting a friend on Patriot Street this morning, I actually saw your father across the street. He came out of the tavern dead drunk; yesterday he must have taken your money and drank the whole night through.

But before I could get over there, he peed right on the street against the memorial wall of the Patriotic War. After being spotted by the patrolling guards, he got kicked a few times and was taken away and locked up. I'm afraid your money is already gone for good."

"It doesn't matter. Anyway, whether it's getting beaten or having money stolen, I'm already used to it."

Suppressing the excitement inside, Hearing Li Ang—who was preparing to use the "anomalous object" that forced a bow to sneak into the rebel upper echelons—maintained his dead-inside, expressionless teenager persona while asking with a faintly longing look in his eyes:

"Leader, my lord, I… what should I do to gain a miraculous power like yours?"

"My lord Chief, what... what must I do to possess such miraculous power as yours?"

Because he can't beat his drunken father, he longs for power? Such a childish and shallow wish—how could it possibly give birth to a true anomaly?

Because you couldn't beat your drunken father, you longed for power? Such a childish and shallow wish could never give birth to a true anomaly.

Glancing at the "Little Baggins" before him, the middle-aged man couldn't help but shake his head in his heart.

Regarding this somewhat withdrawn youth, he had already conducted some investigation, concluding that he did not possess the conditions to become an "Anomaly," and had not even included him on the observation list for Director Aquarius.

But...

Looking at the fresh and old overlapping stick wounds on Li Ang's thin arms, and recalling the iron combat medal that Old Baggins had angrily "spat" onto the wall along with thick phlegm that morning, the middle-aged man fell silent for a moment, then sighed deeply, extending his palm toward the "Little Baggins" before him.

"Give me a strand of your hair; I'll take a look for you."