Chapter 29: 29 Questions

29 Questions

"Director, the investigation mission is complete..."

"Hmm?"

After glancing at Li Ang as he entered the door, the red-haired director, who was drinking white water, couldn't help but pause slightly, noticing that not only was he covered in dust, but his hands were also bandaged. She then asked with some curiosity:

"How did you end up like this? The mission this time was just to investigate the situation, right? You can peek into the state of others' souls in advance, so there shouldn't have been any trouble, right? Was that anomalous object very dangerous?"

"The anomalous object wasn't dangerous; it was actually quite a good thing. But the problem is, it doesn't really get along with me..."

After briefly recounting his encounter, Li Ang looked at the red-haired woman in front of him, who was amused and smiling, and hesitated for a while before he couldn't help but speak up:

"Director... can I ask you something?"

Upon hearing this, the smile on the red-haired woman's face vanished instantly, and she vigilantly clutched her shriveled purse.

"Li Ang, it's really not that I'm stingy, but as the director of the Virgin Bureau, although my salary is a little higher than yours, my usual expenses are also exceptionally high, so... um..."

"You misunderstood, I'm not asking to borrow money from you, I really just want to ask you a question..."

Blinking his eyes in speechlessness, Li Ang recalled the information he had seen and frowned deeply:

"Director, before coming to report to you, I went to the archives department of the neighboring Road Administration to apply to read their records from over ninety years ago. I found the file related to Happiness Apartment... um... the anomalous object from today.

The orphanage donated by that old couple housed over three hundred orphans and disabled people at its peak. But apart from getting a small discount on water fees from the Water Company because of the high number of users, they never received any help from the Kingdom. They basically relied on their own savings to maintain the orphanage's expenses.

Later, when the old lady fell critically ill and realized she couldn't hold on much longer, she applied to the Road Administration over thirty times, hoping to turn the orphanage into a legal municipal facility and continue operating it with her own property, at least until the people inside passed away before closing it down. But it never succeeded."

After briefly summarizing the situation, Li Ang took a deep breath and clenched his fists:

"I've been thinking on the way here, this was clearly a win-win situation, why couldn't it be approved?

Those people without the ability to work could rely on the old couple's property to maintain the orphanage and barely survive; the Road Administration wouldn't need to pay anything, not only would they not need extra expenses, they wouldn't even need to send extra staff to manage it.

But why did the person in charge of the approval back then prefer to watch those orphans and disabled people be driven out, to starve and freeze to death right at the door of their former home, under that 'Happiness Apartment' sign, rather than approve her application?"

"You're wrong, the Road Administration would have had to pay quite a lot."

Upon hearing Li Ang's question, the red-haired woman closed her eyes slightly and then asked calmly:

"Assume you were the person in charge of this aspect back then, then let me ask you, the Kingdom clearly has its own orphanages, why didn't the orphanage you presided over receive those people, but instead they were housed by an orphanage built by citizens? How exactly do you do your job?

Also, if you took over this orphanage, even if you didn't need to send people to manage it daily, there must be a person in charge. So, if a fire or other accident caused casualties, are you willing to take responsibility? If the fire was started by someone in the orphanage, can you accept being dismissed for poor management?"

"Finally, receiving an orphanage donated by citizens can't be considered an achievement. And once it becomes a legal facility recognized by the municipality, if this orphanage goes bankrupt because it has no income, the person in charge will definitely be held accountable."

"This kind of thing, which has no benefits and instead brings a pile of trouble,"

"and is almost certain to leave a stain on your resume, how could anyone be willing to do it?"

"..."

It really is similar... sigh...

Looking at the young man in front of her who was silenced by her question, his expression becoming increasingly ugly, the red-haired director sighed slightly in her heart. She then stared into his eyes and reminded him with a serious expression:

"Li Ang, I understand that you can't stand these things, but don't forget, our job at the Cleanup Bureau is only to keep 'anomalies' out of the lives of normal people. The rest of the things are not for us to interfere with casually."

"According to the agreement between the Cleanup Bureau and the major Kingdoms, unless it involves anomalous objects, we are never allowed to use 'non-human' power to interfere. This is both the survival rule of the Cleanup Bureau and the bottom line that the major Kingdoms can tolerate."

"So listen to me, absolutely, absolutely do not cross this line. Think more when you do things, and make sure not to harm yourself, understand?"

"You're overthinking it, I really didn't plan on doing anything..."

Upon hearing this, Li Ang couldn't help but clench his fists tightly. He then lowered his head and asked calmly:

"That was all over ninety years ago. Not only are the people who were driven out dead, but even the person in charge of the approval is dead. What else could I do?"

"..."

Yes, you really can't do anything about this matter, but what about the Road Administration and the Water Company? What about the many more things you will encounter in the future?

Glancing at the slightly trembling shopping bag in Li Ang's hand, the red-haired director sighed again in her heart, and her gaze toward Li Ang gradually became complex.

Although I can't use soul vision to check your state without that goat, I know that damn goat too well. From the moment you lowered your head and didn't make a sound, it was already trembling with excitement...

"Then let's leave it at that... thank you for your hard work today."

Without continuing to discuss this topic, after taking the report Li Ang had written and glancing at it, the red-haired director tried hard to suppress the strange sense of déjà vu in her heart and comforted him softly:

"Seeing that you're injured, I'll grant you another half-day off. Go home and get some good rest."

"Don't worry, I won't force you to turn a blind eye to those things, nor will I stop you from investigating the Water Company. I've even gotten you an anomalous object that can protect you, which will be delivered tomorrow, so you can safely retreat after getting into trouble."

"But you must remember, when you want to do something, you must find a suitable reason to intervene, just like this time with the Water Company. And you absolutely must not casually use 'anomalies' to affect ordinary people. This is my bottom line, and the bottom line of the Cleanup Bureau!"

"Hmm, I'll remember..."

Looking at Li Ang, whose expression was still not very good, the red-haired director couldn't help but reach out and rub her temples, then continued to urge:

"Li Ang, I know, you are the kind of person with a strong sense of morality and justice. I actually don't dislike your personality, and I even greatly appreciate your persistence in holding onto your bottom line after struggling for so long in hard times."

"But you must also understand, even if we have abilities that exceed the ordinary, we are ultimately members of humanity. We cannot exist independently outside the human group, and we still have to follow some basic rules of social operation."

"Even if you were the king of some Kingdom, or even the director of the Cleanup Bureau, you couldn't make everything go according to your own ideas, and you couldn't manage everything you can't stand... I know these words might not sound pleasant, but I still hope you can think more about it."

"I will... sorry, I disturbed you today."

After saying goodbye to the red-haired director who had repeatedly urged him, Li Ang walked slowly back to his own office. His eyes were fixed on the other shopping bag placed on the table, but his mind was constantly recalling the director's evaluation of him.

Is my sense of morality noble?

Is my sense of justice strong?

Is my bottom line firm?

The martyr's pension that was embezzled from me, the alchemy factory that caused Anna's lung disease and refused to compensate, the hundreds of patients still lying in the hospital corridor after drinking the dirty water provided by the Water Company.

And those poor people who were ruthlessly driven out of the orphanage and died in despair in that cold winter ninety-four years ago, people who didn't even deserve to have their names recorded...

Although saying this seems inexplicably shameful, I really want to know now, is it me who has the problem? Or is it this goddamn world?

"Let's go."

After standing in front of his desk for a while, Li Ang reached out and picked up the shopping bag filled with gray cigarette boxes, then touched the sheep horn of the Black Goat that had been chipped by the shears, and whispered thoughtfully:

"Find a quiet place... I'll treat you to a smoke." ===== CHAPTER 30 =====