Chapter 216

This time it's settled!

After hearing the Director of the Cleanup Bureau's demand, the Red-haired Woman couldn't help but curl her lips slightly, silently giving herself a nod inside.

Just now, when I pretended to resist stubbornly despite being in the wrong and argued with the Director for so long, it was all to bring up the matter of Water Bottle.

Previously, I didn't raise the inquiry during the year-end review, but chose to do so privately afterward—first, to buy Li Ang a few extra days so he'd have ample time to go undercover.

Second, like Tom's dice, over the years Water Bottle Director had used secret arts to craft customized anomalies for many branch bureau members, even including several branch directors themselves; many owed him favors. I feared that raising the inquiry in the year-end review hall might stir up unwanted complications.

After all, with Water Bottle Director's abilities, even those branch directors close to him didn't need to do anything—just a slight delay in reacting when he tried to flee and rushed toward them would be enough to let him slip away.

But now Li Ang has completed his undercover mission; I no longer need to buy him time. Plus, with the Director-General present, those branch directors allied with Water Bottle won't dare slack off and let him escape. So bringing the inquiry forward now is clearly the better choice.

…

"Then I'll speak!"

After a brief hesitation, unwilling to draw attention from the branch directors friendly with Water Bottle, the Red-haired Woman this time didn't mention Li Ang's name, but spoke directly without naming anyone:

"Last month, our Virgo Branch reported an anomaly named 【Happy Apartment】. Originally, we assumed it was born from the kindness of an elderly couple who ran a charity home, and the gratitude and remembrance of those they helped.

But after further field investigations, our cleanup agents discovered that the couple had previously contacted Water Bottle Director and were likely subjected to malicious manipulation—though ultimately unsuccessful.

At the time, we didn't suspect much, but later, while capturing suspected rebel anomaly holders, we found they too had ties to Water Bottle Director and had undergone similar deliberate guidance…"

After thoroughly detailing Li Ang's findings, under the watchful eyes of all the directors and branch directors, the Red-haired Woman lifted her head toward Water Bottle Director seated among the board, her expression grave as she concluded:

"I believe Water Bottle Director, without reporting to the Bureau, has secretly manufactured large quantities of anomalies, and repeatedly manipulated ordinary people with malicious intent to meet his conditions!

Furthermore, he has cultivated rebels within the kingdom guarded by our Virgo Branch, granting abnormal abilities to at least twelve individuals and allowing them to wreak havoc across the land!

These people have continuously attacked officials, nobles, and royal family members, causing massive civilian casualties—all of which must be laid at his feet!"

"Similar circumstances have also been found within the Leo Branch's jurisdiction!"

No sooner had the Red-haired Woman finished than Leo Director, crumbs still clinging to her lips, immediately stood up and declared solemnly:

"Leo Branch's Level-One Disaster Handler, Lofana, while using her ability 【Scene Reenactment】 to investigate anomalies in her jurisdiction, repeatedly observed anomaly holders having contacted unidentified individuals.

Although the unidentified individual's rank was too high for Lofana to fully reconstruct his appearance, anyone who walks freely in the mortal realm, possesses a rank exceeding that of an ordinary true god, and wields the secret art of anomaly creation—I believe Water Bottle Director is highly suspect!"

"Gemini Branch supports this."

After Leo Director Bevri finished speaking, the third Zodiac Branch director rose, expressionless, and echoed:

"After receiving notification from the Virgo and Leo directors, I immediately contacted the King of Krook Kingdom and retrieved all mechanical ocular surveillance records from the past thirty years.

We found that in sixty-three anomaly attack incidents, a suspected elderly man matching Water Bottle Director's appearance appeared briefly and had contact with the anomaly holders.

After analysis, the probability that Water Bottle Director is involved is approximately 98. 6 percent—highly suspicious indeed."

"Compass Branch supports this. We've observed similar patterns."

"Southern Cross Branch supports this."

"Tool Branch has also discovered similar issues…"

"I think there's something wrong too."

After six branch directors—including the three Zodiac directors—rose in succession, the second-seat director, the Silver-haired Taurus Director, also stood up, frowning deeply:

"I oversee anomaly forging for the General Bureau. For the past two decades, many branches have submitted anomalies and materials after cleanup missions that show unusual anomalies in their 'origins'—clearly impure.

Based on my knowledge of anomalies, these objects' ranks and effects clearly don't match the creators' experiences or souls, and they contain trace amounts of the Divine Power of the God of Enlightenment.

After reviewing the Bureau's records, I discovered that the soul and flesh of the God of Enlightenment, one of the most suitable materials for the secret art 'Anomaly Creation,' have always been preserved by every Water Bottle Director, with no record of escape.

In summary, I believe these anomalies were indeed crafted by Water Bottle Director, and the judgments of Director Olivia and the others have a very high probability of being correct."

It seems… this inquiry is about to end.

When the Red-haired Woman first stood, many branch directors were still uncertain; those allied with Water Bottle Director even looked dismissive.

But after six directors rose in succession, most faces grew serious—and when Taurus Director also stood and endorsed their judgment, every person in the hall felt the same thought rise within them.

Water Bottle is finished!

Never mind anything else—Taurus Director's status as a "Seat Holder" alone cannot be matched by anyone else. Before she ascends to the Watchtower Palace next year, she is the highest-ranking person in the entire Cleanup Bureau. Even if the Director-General returned, he would have to bow deeply before her, facing the sacrifice of all her achievements to watch over humanity.

Against the weight of Taurus Director's direct testimony, unless Water Bottle Director can provide a convincing explanation, today is his end. Even as one of the Twelve Directors, he will be forcibly dragged away for memory extraction—and with these facts laid bare, his chance of surviving memory extraction is virtually zero.

…

"Thank you, Director Taurus, for your testimony."

The Cleanup Bureau Director bowed slightly to Taurus Director in respectful acknowledgment of the human watcher, then turned to Water Bottle Director seated in the eleventh seat, his gaze cold and sharp as he asked:

"Water Bottle Director, do you have any explanation to offer?"

"None."

To the astonishment of all the directors, Water Bottle Director, who had remained silent since the beginning, shook his head:

"They're right. I did all of these things."