Chapter 21

21 The Director’s Weakness

“You mean the older nurse is very likely also a natural carrier of an ‘anomaly’?”

After listening to Li Ang’s report, the red-haired woman raised her eyebrows slightly and said thoughtfully:

“No wonder… I remember Emma’s report also mentioned a nurse who could resist the ward director’s control.

I originally thought it was because she was kind and upright, holding firm to her principles and refusing to be swayed by power, thus avoiding the influence of authority-type anomalies.

But now it seems she herself carries an ‘anomaly,’ which is why she could avoid manipulation… Li Ang, you’ve done well!”

After giving Li Ang an approving glance, the red-haired director smiled warmly:

“You’ve just finished a grueling cleanup mission, yet still voluntarily applied for field duty, went out of your way to recheck the victims’ conditions, and from the faintest traces, keenly uncovered new clues about an anomaly—how hard you’ve worked!”

Huh? That’s not right.

Hearing the red-haired woman’s summary, Li Ang blinked in surprise and promptly reminded her:

“Thank you, Director, but I didn’t go on field duty this afternoon—I took leave to visit my sister. This information wasn’t gathered through visits, but…”

“Leave deducts half a day’s salary. Voluntarily going on field duty earns you a two-gold-wheel subsidy from above.”

“… ”

“I obtained it during my field duty by actively communicating with the gas company’s compensation officer, and successfully analyzed it using the methods you and Senior Emma taught me.”

“Mm, no wonder I picked you—you’re clearly suited for the Cleanup Bureau.”

After a satisfied glance at the tactful Li Ang, the red-haired director chuckled:

“Go back and file a field duty report later with what you’ve said, but don’t include my name or Emma’s.

Fraudulent expenses are fraud, but credit is credit—what’s yours is yours. No matter how other bureaus operate, our Virgin Bureau doesn’t play those games.

Besides, you gathered valuable information during your rest time; a special field duty subsidy is rightfully yours.”

“Then… thank you, Director… I’ll go file the report right away!”

“Mm, go on, go on!”

…

Li Ang simply didn’t know how to evaluate his director—someone who openly talked about fraudulently claiming funds yet somehow maintained an oddly “upright” demeanor.

Still, though her methods were a bit unorthodox, a leader who fought for her subordinates’ benefits yet never stole their credit must be popular in the bureau. No wonder Senior Emma always spoke of her with deep respect… Oh!

Suddenly remembering something, Li Ang halted just as he was about to leave and hesitated:

“Um… Director, could I go on another field mission tomorrow?”

“… ”

The red-haired woman paused, then instinctively narrowed her fox-like eyes, smiling slyly:

“What? Need money? Want to scam another subsidy?”

“No no no, this time it’s real field duty—or you can count it as leave if you prefer.”

Shaking his head quickly, Li Ang explained earnestly:

“Yesterday I reviewed Emma’s archived materials on the Red Brick Road Hospital incident. The patients’ appearance felt too coincidental—as if they were deliberately ‘manufactured’ to amplify the contaminated individual.

After all, Red Brick Road Hospital normally has only a hundred or so beds. Without the water company and road department both failing simultaneously, there’d never have been so many patients for the director to absorb at once.

So I thought—could the bureau investigate those two places? To see if there’s a Muhouheishou causing trouble, or if the water company and road department themselves are at fault…”

“And meanwhile, use our Cleanup Bureau credentials to dig up evidence of negligence by those two departments, to help the patients still lying in hospital secure compensation… Am I right?”

The red-haired woman opened her beautiful fox-like eyes,

gazing softly at the startled Li Ang, smiling warmly:

“Hehe, it seems that goat was right—you really are the type with a strong moral compass. Once you see something you can’t stand, you can’t help but intervene.

Hmm… don’t worry. Though your proposal does contain a tiny bit of ‘self-interest,’ I actually don’t mind. After all, naive and kind little things are always endearing~”

After giving Li Ang a cryptic, odd evaluation, the red-haired woman lazily stretched, revealing her graceful curves, then settled comfortably against the soft chairback, smiling:

“Go ahead. This time it counts as field duty—but don’t make it a habit.”

“Thank you, Director!”

“You’re welcome, but…”

Leaning her cheek on her hand, the red-haired woman studied Li Ang with interest and smiled:

“That’s all you’re going to say? No actual gesture?”

“Uh…”

Caught off guard by her blunt “bribe,” Li Ang glanced at the mountain of empty bottles on her desk and ventured:

“Then… when you finish work today, can I treat you to a few drinks?”

Huh? Drinks?

At Li Ang’s words, the red-haired woman’s eyes brightened slightly, and she instinctively sat up straight.

Oh dear… what I meant by “actual gesture” was that the bureau is short-staffed right now—I wanted you to voluntarily work overtime, then visit the middle-aged nurse named Hanna after investigating the water company and road department, to check her condition.

But since you insist on treating me to drinks… hmm… since you’re a new recruit, maybe as your leader, I should get closer to you, strengthen our rapport?

Secretly patting her empty purse at her waist, the red-haired director sat up straight, cleared her throat loudly, and clasped her hands together with a gentle smile:

“Technically, I shouldn’t accept your invitation. But since you’re new, I’ll treat it as a welcome party—and celebrate your joining the Cleanup Bureau.”

“Ah, great!”

Li Ang nodded, then suggested:

“Then I’ll invite Senior Emma and the two who just came back…”

“Cough… no need to invite them.”

After silently calculating Li Ang’s salary, the red-haired woman stopped him and declared sternly:

“Emma has to rush home to care for her child. As for the two who just returned, I’ll assign them… I mean, they’ll have new missions immediately—they must depart before sunset tonight. So I’ll drink alone tonight!”

“… ”

You’ll drink alone… wait, you’re not even pretending anymore? Even if you said you were throwing me a welcome party, that’d be better!

Watching the red-haired woman suddenly lose her mind—her speech now incoherent, her usual rationality vanished—Li Ang could only stare, recalling the Black Goat’s assessment of his director:

“Listen, that bitch may be calm and cunning, terrifyingly strong—but once she’s drunk, she’s a full-blown drunkard, her brain fizzing out like beer foam.

Don’t mention alcohol and she’s fine—she’ll wrestle anyone. But if alcohol’s involved, she becomes utterly unreliable, her standards plummeting. Watch out—don’t let her latch onto you!”

“… ”

Oh no… I’ve dug myself a massive hole.