Chapter 200

What if all six hands move?

After personally witnessing the six hands of the watch violently spring up and then calmly settle at the far right edge of the dial, the middle-aged man's body trembled involuntarily.

If all six hands… then it is the painful past, the glorious future… destined to change the world!

For people like you and me… following behind… nine deaths, one survival… standing opposite… ten deaths, no survival…

Don't do unnecessary things! Run as far away as you can!

After replaying his brief exchange with the Water Bearer Director countless times in his mind, the conversation gradually stripped away until only the final piece of advice remained.

Run as far away as you can!

The middle-aged man knew exactly how much "weight" he carried; even with an extremely rare abnormal ability, the Water Bearer Director of the Cleanup Bureau remained a strength he could never reach.

And if even such a being feared to provoke this person, his best choice was to heed the warning and leave immediately upon discovery.

But Little Baskins was ultimately "one of us," and not truly in conflict with him; moreover, White Day's version of him hadn't even met the standard—he likely had only just completed his "metamorphosis," and probably hadn't yet reached the point where immediate evasion was necessary, and…

The time left for him and the kingdom was truly running out.

Gazing northwestward, he saw the towering structure illuminated by countless lights, still ferrying incoming and outgoing airships, and his fist clenched involuntarily.

The kingdom's scout teams must have already detected the kingdom's special mineral deposits; if he failed to destroy the Airship Dock Tower and kill the scouts carrying the mineral data, an invasion ten times more intense than six years ago would inevitably strike again!

These thousand rebel members in the valley, combined with the weapons accumulated over the years, were his most vital trump card for launching a surprise attack on the Airship Dock Tower, killing the scouts, and preserving the kingdom!

If he abandoned these forces now to avoid being dragged down by Little Baskins, what could a lone man like him do—even if he knew the future?

Could he sacrifice his remaining lifespan to deliver a single message about the future to Joshua in this world? What use was a man living like a pile of kitchen waste, even if he knew the future?

Damn it! Why?! Little Baskins! Why did you have to appear now?!

…

It worked! It actually worked!

Watching the hands instantly leap to the far right after swallowing Little Baskins's hair, the fat uncle beamed with joy, his eyes alight with excitement as he turned toward the rebel leader, eager to speak well of Little Baskins while the moment lasted.

Yet the middle-aged man's face showed no trace of delight—only profound shock and a faint, grim struggle.

"Leader… my lord?"

"Hmm?"

Startled by the fat uncle's call, the middle-aged man snapped back to awareness, his gaze clearing as he once again offered a kind smile, patting the fat uncle's shoulder and praising him:

"Excellent! Owen, excellent! Not only is Little Baskins's talent exceptional, but you did well too! Without you, I would have missed such a promising talent!"

Seeing the middle-aged man return to normal and lavish praise upon both him and Little Baskins, the fat uncle exhaled deeply, his round, flushed face breaking into a simple, earnest grin.

"It's my duty. Without your protection, most people in this valley couldn't even live normally. Little Baskins must feel the same—he'll be overjoyed knowing he can help you!"

"Hah! This isn't just good news—once he gains his special ability, his burdens will grow considerably heavier."

"By the way, I was just planning to hold a meeting to discuss our future actions. Come to me with him first thing tomorrow morning."

"Yes, Leader!"

"I'll notify him tomorrow for sure!"

"Go on, go on."

With the middle-aged man's smile still lingering, the still-drunk fat uncle departed, grinning broadly as he stumbled home.

But the moment he reached the end of the path and stepped out of the middle-aged man's sight, the man who had just been beaming stopped dead, slapped himself twice hard across the face, then gritted his teeth and sprinted toward Little Baskins's house!

Trouble!

Though the leader quickly regained composure, his initial expression was definitely wrong! This test was likely a curse, not a blessing! By bringing Little Baskins's hair to him, I may have doomed the boy!

"Bang!"

Kicking open the barred wooden door of Little Baskins's home, the fat uncle—now sober, sweat pouring down his face—gasped out urgently: "Hurry! Pack your things! Something's happened!"

Something's happened?

Calmly tucking away his hand-drawn map of the valley, Li Ang asked, puzzled: "Uncle Owen… what's wrong? Why are you so frantic?"

How could I not be frantic? The leader might kill you!

After quickly explaining what he had done and what he had just realized, the sweating fat uncle stamped his foot in despair: "Little Baskins! The hands on that watch aren't better the more they move! Before telling me to bring you tomorrow morning, the leader's expression was terrible—he's likely going to harm you! Ugh! It's all my fault! If I hadn't brought your hair to beg him for another test, none of this might've happened… Just go! If you wait any longer, it'll be too late!"

So… you just took my hair and tested it again? Then all that dog hair I plucked during the day was for nothing?

Recalling the bald patch on the puppy's rear, Li Ang, betrayed by sheer bad luck, sighed helplessly, resigning himself to his utterly rotten fortune.

Whatever. Sudden misfortune? I'm getting used to it. Whenever I plan to do something, something always goes wrong.

"Uncle Owen, don't panic yet. Things might not be as bad as you think."

After soothing the fat uncle, Li Ang—though genuinely caught off guard—remained calm, buoyed by his 【Heart of Wild Ambition】. He considered the situation, then asked: "What about you? If I run away now, what happens to you? Aunt Fen?"

After recalling the image of young Wang Wang's bald patch on its hindquarters, Li Ang, unexpectedly stabbed in the back, could only sigh helplessly and give up all hope of his shitty luck.

On the way here, he had already realized this. The fat uncle's face twisted in bitterness: "Even if Fen and I could escape, what about Nicole?"

"Uncle Owen, don't rush—things might not be as bad as you think."

After offering a word of comfort to the fat uncle, though genuinely caught off guard by the news, Li Ang—protected by the 【Heart of Wild Ambition】 and thus calm at heart—pondered the situation before speaking:

"What about you? If I just leave now, what happens to you? And Aunt Fen?"

"We can't leave."

On the way here, he had already come to understand this issue; the fat uncle spoke with a bitter expression:

"Even if Fang and Fen could escape, what about Nicole?"