[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-i-m-the-cleanup-crew":3,"chapter-i-m-the-cleanup-crew-i-m-the-cleanup-crew-chapter-204":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","I'm the Cleanup Crew!",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2286040,4472,"Chapter 204","i-m-the-cleanup-crew-chapter-204",204,"\u003Cp>「……」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing Leon’s answer, though no one spoke, the tense atmosphere around them instantly loosened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the middle-aged man who had already begun doubting Leon’s identity, though suspicion still lingered in his eyes, his expression softened slightly as he smiled and said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Correct answer… Little Baggins, I hope you don’t mind my suspicion—I’m the leader, responsible for the safety of so many people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You were just an ordinary person yesterday; you only caught a bit of night breeze, yet suddenly awakened an abnormal ability. This transformation came far too fast, so to be safe, the necessary tests couldn’t be skipped.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re right.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Knowing he couldn’t argue with the middle-aged man on this matter, Leon nodded vaguely in dismissal, then as if nothing had happened, asked directly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Leader, as you just said, until yesterday I was just an ordinary member, unfamiliar with everyone. Could you please introduce them to me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The middle-aged man nodded, then turned to the burn-scarred man beside Leon and spoke at a steady pace:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sitting beside you is Tiger—you already know each other. Next is Luke, Oliver, Phoebe, and Lucy…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After briefly naming everyone, completing the most rudimentary introduction possible, the middle-aged man smiled and said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As for everyone’s abilities and details, listing them all would be too tedious, and we have something very important to discuss soon, so we’ll skip it for now. You can learn more from them later.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Later… learn for myself…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most of these people don’t even stay in the valley—they’ve got other hidden identities. Where am I supposed to find them? So all this introduction got me was a list of names I can’t even verify?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under Leon’s utterly unimpressed gaze, the middle-aged man shifted focus and addressed the group:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Everyone, this is Little Baggins. He used to handle procurement for the organization, but yesterday he awakened an abnormal ability, so now he’s one of us…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the way, Little Baggins—what’s your ability? Mind telling us?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So I went through all this trouble to infiltrate, and not only did I get zero intel, now I have to hand over mine first?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Glancing at the middle-aged man, who was clearly on guard now, Leon narrowed his eyes slightly, then nodded and confessed openly amid the curious stares of the rebels:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sure. My ability is actually simple: given the right conditions, I can make anyone bow to me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Make anyone bow to you? What the hell kind of ability is that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Leon’s words, even the middle-aged man who’d been probing, everyone froze for a moment. When no follow-up came, the middle-aged man pressed:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And then?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leon shook his head slightly, his expression earnest:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just that… or at least, that’s the only one I’ve discovered so far.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching the earnest “Little Baggins,” and confirming he wasn’t joking, the rebels exchanged glances, at a loss for words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your ability… is rather unusual…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a skeptical glance at “Little Baggins,” the middle-aged man paused, then pressed further:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How long does it last? What’s the maximum range? How long between uses?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ah right! Those details too!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing the middle-aged man’s questions, the rebels, who had just been disappointed, perked up again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Forcing someone to bow might sound useless, but if you could force it from kilometers away, make them bow all day, or\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>force them to bow repeatedly—it wouldn’t be entirely useless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the right conditions and proper use, even this seemingly useless abnormal ability might prove decisive in a critical moment!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Duration…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid the rebels’ expectant gazes, Leon thought for a moment before answering:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just one bow—that’s it. Ends right after.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Must be face-to-face. About the size of this room—any farther, and it doesn’t work.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No cooldown, but the ability requires verbal persuasion. If you can stop me from finishing my sentence, you don’t have to bow.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You’re… really that useless…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though prepared for the worst, hearing this ability—hardly useless, outright pathetic—the rebels’ faces twisted into expressions of utter disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Honestly, Little Baggins’s ability felt less effective than a staple gun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It only works face-to-face, and the effect is just one bow. Why not just pull a gun and shoot them? Faster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And what the hell does “persuade verbally” mean?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It means exactly what it sounds like.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the middle-aged man voiced the group’s question, Leon “honestly” lied:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“For example, if I want you all to bow to me, I must first convince you—make you genuinely agree with my viewpoint—then, and only then, will you fall under my ability’s effect and bow as I request.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wait… you’re serious?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this absurd activation condition, even the burn-scarred man beside Leon, who’d always believed “Leon wasn’t ordinary,” nearly cracked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Forcing someone to bow already sounded pathetic—now you have to convince them first? Is this even an abnormal ability?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you making this up?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blunt, bald woman rubbed her shaved head and stepped forward, skeptical:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fine, the effect’s weak—but the restrictions are insane? You have to convince them first? This isn’t an abnormal ability—I could just point a staple gun at someone’s head and make them bow faster!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Maybe… it’s a bit useless, but I swear, this ability’s effect can’t be replicated by normal means—it’s definitely abnormal. If you don’t believe me…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leon blinked hesitantly, then suggested:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s try it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Try it—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wait!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Stopping the bald woman from volunteering, the middle-aged man narrowed his eyes at Leon and asked slowly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Little Baggins, don’t take it personally, but everything about your bowing ability comes solely from your word—we have no proof of its true nature.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could it be possible your ability isn’t bowing at all, but instead controls you once activated, reads your secrets, or forces you to obey you later?”?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, the rebels’ expressions turned sharp and dangerous as they stared at Leon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course! How could an ability as boring as forcing bows exist? He’s saying this to lull us into complacency, make us curious, and lure us into his ability’s range!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Nathan’s guess is right, we’re all going to be this kid’s puppets from now on!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Leader, you misunderstand.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sensing the hostile glares, Leon raised his hands in a surrender gesture and explained earnestly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s not what you think. My ability really only forces bows. The test I proposed doesn’t require any cooperation from you—just listen to one sentence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If merely hearing me speak could control you, you’ve already heard me talk for minutes—why aren’t you controlled already?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If merely hearing me speak one sentence could control you, then since you’ve already listened to so many of my words, wouldn’t you have been controlled long ago?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That… makes sense…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing “Little Baggins’s” defense, the rebels considered it, and found his logic plausible. The burn-scarred man beside him immediately stood up, waving impatiently:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you want to try, stay and listen. If you’re scared, cover your ears or just get out and wait! Why are you dragging this out?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After yelling at the rebels, the burn-scarred man sniffed again, then turned to Leon:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go on! Test me first! I want to see how you make me bow with just one sentence!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Come on! Let me be the first to test it! I want to see how you can make me bow to you with just one sentence!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing the burn-scarred man, Leon didn’t speak immediately. Instead, he scanned the room, his expression serious:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“One last warning: my ability activates through speech. If you’re still worried about being controlled, cover your ears—or leave temporarily.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ladies and gentlemen, final warning: my ability is activated through language. If you still fear being controlled, please cover your ears tightly—or better yet, leave temporarily.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing “Little Baggins’s” warning, the rebels fell silent again—but no one left. Even the middle-aged man on the main seat hesitated, then stayed put.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, if one sentence could activate it, “Little Baggins” had countless chances to trigger his ability before even explaining the rules—he had no reason to wait until now…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, if a single sentence could activate it, then ‘Little Baggins’ had countless opportunities to trigger the anomaly before even explaining his ability—he had no reason to finish stating the rules first before activating it…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing no one leave or cover their ears, Leon nodded in satisfaction, then raised two fingers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I believe one plus one equals two. Those who agree with me, please stand and bow to me now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I believe that one plus one equals two. Those who agree with me, please stand up and bow to me now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment Leon finished speaking, a chorus of chairs scraping the floor erupted. The rebels, horrified, realized they’d lost control of their bodies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every single person in the room stood up simultaneously and bowed deeply toward “Little Baggins.” Two shorter individuals even slammed their heads onto the table with a thud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every person in the room rose from their chairs at the same moment, performing a perfectly standard bow toward ‘Little Baggins’; two of the shorter individuals even slammed their heads directly onto the table with a thud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bald woman picked up her fallen hood, rubbing her red forehead in shock:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After reaching out to pick up the hood that had fallen off the table, the bald woman rubbed her bruised forehead and exclaimed in surprise:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I just thought about it for a moment, realized you were right, and suddenly couldn’t control my own body—I bowed to you right then and there!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Holy crap! You’re not lying after all! There really is such a useless abnormal ability—just agreeing with what you say makes you… uh… Leader?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at the middle-aged man who was still seated, not rising to bow to “Little Baggins,” the bald woman asked, puzzled:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Isn’t this just one plus one? How could you…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I didn’t activate my ability on him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the bald woman’s expression turned skeptical, about to question the middle-aged man’s math skills, Li Ang interrupted her:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lord Nathan is universally recognized as our Leader. It feels inappropriate to make him bow to me—I deliberately didn’t select him as a target when I activated my ability.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ohhh, I see!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having confirmed that “Little Baggins” hadn’t lied—that everything he’d said from the start had been true—the bald woman’s attitude instantly grew warmer, and she chuckled reproachfully:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Seriously… you should’ve said something! I thought the Leader couldn’t even do one plus one!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Heh, I don’t know if he can do one plus one, but I already know who he is!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After returning the bald woman a gentle smile, Li Ang glanced at the golden glow swirling in the slot of the [Migratory Thrush Prince], then turned to the middle-aged man seated at the head of the table, his lips curling slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After returning the bald woman with a gentle smile, Li Ang glanced at the [Prince of the Thrush] glowing with golden light in its slot, then turned to the middle-aged man frowning at the main seat, his lips unconsciously curling slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The claim that he hadn’t used his ability on the Leader was pure nonsense. According to the [Migratory Thrush Prince]’s power, everyone with a status lower than this Prince should have immediately risen and bowed under the badge’s constraint.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only possible exception would be someone of equal rank to this “Prince”—that is, the Prince Joshua, who had somehow traveled back from the future!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who would’ve thought the leader of this rebellious gang was the Kingdom’s own Prince… This guy, no matter how old he gets, is still just as much of a bastard as ever!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After giving the middle-aged man a long, meaningful look, noticing the foundation he used to conceal blemishes, and faintly recognizing certain facial features, Li Ang finally understood where his initial sense of familiarity had come from.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Don’t ask—ask and you’ll get slapped. More than once. A classic old acquaintance!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Don’t ask—ask and you’ll find you’ve been slapped across the face, more than once, a classic old acquaintance!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After flexing his suddenly restless right wrist, Li Ang sat back down, smiling as he reminded them:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I recall we had an important meeting today. Can we resume now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right! We’re here for the meeting!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Li Ang’s reminder, those still puzzling over the bow snapped back to reality and began chiming in:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes! There’s something important to discuss!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We really should continue!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Indeed, we’ve wasted too much time already!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Indeed, we’ve wasted enough time already!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why does it feel… like something’s off?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at “Little Baggins” at the far end of the table, hands clasped on the desk, gazing at him with deep meaning, the middle-aged man felt a strange discomfort in his chest—and the chair beneath him grew increasingly unbearable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether it was the rebels’ agreement or that reminder for the meeting—which should have come from him—everything seemed to subtly point to something: as if, after that strange bow, some invisible yet crucial thing, once firmly held in his grasp, had suddenly begun to “flow.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This strange, non-material yet profoundly vital thing was now draining from him, seated at the head of the table, slowly, inevitably, flowing toward the other end of the old council table…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This strange thing, not truly existing yet profoundly important, was steadily leaking away from himself seated at the head of the ancient council table, flowing slowly and irresistibly toward the far end of the table...\u003C\u002Fp>",2227,"2026-06-20T03:18:31.831Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","98908574e353c34dca7bc68ca363902b859ba6707e99d53d04dd588a4a520ea7","i-m-the-cleanup-crew-chapter-205","i-m-the-cleanup-crew-chapter-203",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fi-m-the-cleanup-crew-cover.jpg"]