Chapter 297

'Dear little Leon, by the time you read this letter, I should already be gone.'

Seeing his own boss's opening line—though technically correct, undeniably ill-omened—and after the bumpy nine-copper-wheel journey by boat and transfer back to the Cleanup Bureau, Leon's face darkened instantly.

'The Bureau's plan against Aquarius has already begun. Lord Taurus, along with the other two directors, is using the Directive List to influence Aquarius and compel him to submit to the Death Road Lantern's illumination.'

'To ensure the plan proceeds without flaw and to prevent Aquarius from leaving any escape route beyond the Death Road, I'm heading to the Path of No Return to lie in wait for a month or so. Anyone entering the Death World must pass through there—I'll return the moment I see Aquarius step onto the Path.'

'...'

'Six, so your opening line wasn't poorly worded after all—your person really is already "gone," isn't it?'

'Also, even though I don't know where the Path of No Return is, just the name "Path of No Return Leading to the Death World" sounds like a place that kills you—and you talk about going there like it's a casual trip, like you can just pop in and pop out whenever you feel like it...'

'Seriously fucking ridiculous!'

Looking at the slightly sloppy handwriting of his red-haired boss, Leon imagined the grim, stumbling path lined with the dead, his own red-haired boss having knocked out the unlucky employee assigned to guard the Path, then drinking while casually tossing empty beer cans around—and his lips twitched involuntarily.

'Your and Piony's mission should be the first to complete, but knowing him, once it's done he'll go wander for a few days before returning—so you'll be the first to read this letter.'

'When Emma returns from the Scale Gold Cult, remind her that, as usual, all her missions are suspended during my absence, and she's to hold the Bureau in my stead.'

'To prevent the Central Bureau from issuing sudden orders, and since the Celestial Sphere Mirror—which can only receive messages from the living—won't work in the Path of No Return, I simply didn't bring it; it's sitting in my office now. Tell Emma to take it.'

'Also, don't drink all the wine Lord Taurus gave you—I've found a way to bypass the Word-Spell bindings and drink those fine wines myself, so you must save me some.'

'Love you? (^)'

'...'

'For some reason, I feel like the second-to-last line was the one you really wanted to say...'

Looking at the tiny smiling face drawn at the bottom of the envelope, winking at him, Leon let out a sharp "tsk," then pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling a faint pang of worry.

'The airship attack mission went sideways—Old Joshua ambushed us. Though no one was killed, neither the rebels nor Senior Piony knows where he sent them.'

'I rushed straight to the boss's office upon returning, planning to ask her to pull them out—and also update her on the situation in King Croc, to see if the Bureau could intervene.'

'But the boss beat me to it—if the timing in the letter's correct, she's probably already "underground." That's... uh... why is this mirror flickering?'

'...'

'Staring at the flickering silver mirror in the liquor cabinet, recalling the boss's mention of the Celestial Sphere Mirror, Leon frowned and reached out to open the cabinet door, cautiously touching its surface with his finger.'

'Name: Celestial Sphere Mirror — Star Palace, Image Transmission'

'Appearance: A mirror that automatically alters its material and engravings depending on the communication target; current frame material is silver, engraving is iron thorn with blood seeping from within.'

'Ability: Star Palace positioning, Image Transmission'

'Cost: Paid collectively by the Central Cleanup Bureau at the moment of the year when the stars are dimmest; no individual burden required.'

'Archive: When the Star Compass was shattered by the Supreme Four Pillar Gods, the first-generation Lord Taurus reforged it into the Eighty-Eight Star Palaces, leaving behind fragments containing trace amounts of Star Palace power—though minimal, they were extremely pure.'

'Considering the Cleanup Bureau then lacked long-range communication tools, the first-generation Lord Taurus used these fragments to forge hundreds of mirrors capable of cross-world communication, distributing them to key members to ensure timely contact.'

'Evaluation: The Word-Eating Worm, Celestial Sphere Mirror, and Nisha Scroll—these three mass-produced anomalies are typically only fully assembled by Bureau Directors, hence nicknamed within the Bureau as the Director's Trio; you already possess two of the three. Congratulations.'

'Contamination Level: Increases with total communication duration and distance to the target.'

'So... this mirror's function is basically a cross-dimensional video call phone—with the Bureau paying the annual fee?'

'Understanding the Celestial Sphere Mirror's function, Leon watched the shifting, flickering iron thorn engravings on the frame—guessing someone was video-calling his boss—and reached out to gently stroke the silver frame.'

After understanding the function of the Sky Mirror, seeing the iron*** engravings flicker and glide along the frame, Li Ang guessed someone was video-calling their director, so he reached out and gently traced the silver mirror's edge.

'With a vibration like a bee's wings, the blood-seeping iron thorn engravings shifted and settled at the top of the frame; a familiar voice followed immediately.'

Amid a hum like buzzing bee wings, the blood-seeping iron*** engravings shifted and settled firmly at the top center of the frame; a familiar voice followed immediately.

'Emma, pale and drenched in blood, appeared clearly in the mirror.'

'She clearly suffered severe injuries: her beige fitted dress was torn in multiple places; her right leg bore a wound like a bear trap's teeth had bitten through; half her bare shoulder showed scratch marks resembling snake scales.'

'Her right hand gripping the "mirror" was twisted unnaturally—the delicate pinky finger bent backward against the back of her hand, as if forcibly snapped by immense force.'

The five fingers of his right hand, gripping the "mirror surface," twisted unnaturally—the pale, translucent little finger had been bent backward against the back of his hand, as if crushed by an unstoppable force and forcibly snapped.

'In Leon's stunned gaze, Emma, drenched in cold sweat and clearly in agony, spoke rapidly:'

'Aquarius knew I was coming—he contacted the Scale Gold Cult in advance. They summoned the Serpent Spirit and bit my leg the moment I broke in.'

'Though the serpent wasn't my match and I drove it back temporarily, its rank is higher than mine—it's been "purchasing" my immortality through the wound on my leg. It's already bought over three hundred of my lives...'

'As Emma spoke, as if to prove her words, an unknown coin shimmering with strange light suddenly appeared in her palm.'

'The instant the coin appeared, Emma's eyes dimmed slightly, losing focus; her body froze, tilting back unconsciously...'

The instant the coin appeared, Senior Emma's eyes dimmed slightly, as if losing focus; her body froze instantly, unconsciously tilting backward.

'With a dreamlike murmur, Emma—whose right hand was already dissolving—forced herself upright again. As her immortality activated, all her wounds instantly healed, even her broken finger snapping back into place.'

'But her condition lasted only an instant—the blackened tooth marks on her thigh reappeared like a malignant growth; fresh crimson blood trickled once more from the cracks...'

'Senior Emma?!'

'Leon snapped back to reality, his expression tightening as he shouted urgently into the mirror:'

'The boss isn't in the Bureau! And I can't reach her right now—how long can you hold out?'

'Senior Emma? Answer me!'

'Who else can I contact? Is there any way? Can I reach the Central Bureau through the Royal Family in time? Can you still hold on?'

'Senior Emma?'

"Who else can I contact? Is there any way? Can we reach Headquarters through the Royal Family in time? Can you hold on?"

'Whether Emma had lost consciousness from her injuries and couldn't hear Leon, or whether Leon—as not the mirror's true owner—couldn't properly establish the connection, he didn't know.'

'No matter how loudly he called, Emma gave no response—she merely stood there, eyes vacant, and even the mirror's image began to warp slightly, as if about to cut out entirely.'

Whether Senior Emma had been too severely injured and lost consciousness, unable to hear Li Ang, or whether Li Ang, not being the Sky Mirror's true owner, could not truly "connect" the video, he could not tell.

'Unexpectedly, the moment he returned to the Bureau, he faced such an emergency. Leon clenched his fists, regretting he hadn't anticipated this.'

'If Joshua could contact the Scale Gold Cult and summon the Serpent Spirit to ambush him, he could certainly have informed them of Emma's whereabouts. Now, with the enemy prepared and Emma caught off-guard, she's been ambushed by that damned serpent—and the situation looks dire. He had to help her immediately!'

'Bolting out of the boss's office with the Celestial Sphere Mirror, Leon sprinted down the first-floor corridor of the Cleanup Bureau, searching for anyone else—but every office door was tightly shut. The bureau, as the boss had said, was now utterly empty except for him.'

What a damn hole the boss has dug! Couldn't you hire just a few more people? Everyone's missions are back-to-back—there's no one to call for backup!

'After muttering this inwardly, Leon took a deep breath, placed the mirror carefully beside him, then kicked hard at Emma's office door.'

'He couldn't handle the serpent alone—he needed help. Contacting the Central Bureau through the Royal Family was the fastest way to request aid.'

'But Emma's condition was poor—he didn't know how long she could last—so he needed a two-pronged approach: while contacting the Central Bureau, he should also go disrupt the Scale Gold Cult's headquarters to relieve some pressure on her.'

'Though he'd returned to the King's City district and the Sheep Heart's blessing—its range now drastically reduced—had reconnected him to the prisoners, restoring his immortality, his strongest Sacred Pendant remained sealed. His current combat power was pitifully low—he needed to bolster it.'

'And in Emma's office sat a pile of anomalies that looked exactly like torture devices—he shared her immortality, so perhaps one of them could be used by him too!'

But Senior Emma's condition was poor—he didn't know how long she could last—so he had to prepare two strategies: while contacting Headquarters, he should also go cause trouble outside the Scale Gold Temple to ease her pressure.

'Two heavy kicks shattered the cast-iron lock; Leon burst into Emma's office. After confirming no dangerous "anti-theft" measures were active, he reached out to touch the anomalies inside.'

'Name: Executioner's Gear No. 19 — Wheel of Flesh, Punishment'

'Appearance: A massive iron wheel studded with iron thorns, featuring grooves for binding criminals, covered in deep brown dried blood, emitting a year-round stench of blood.'

Two heavy kicks shattered the cast-iron door lock; Li Ang burst into Senior Emma's office, confirmed no dangerous "anti-theft" measures were active, then reached out and touched the anomaly inside.

'Cost: Bear the same injuries and pain as the condemned.'

'Archive: Senior Level One Cleanup Officer Emma Alman of the *** Bureau, crafted this anomaly using her own immortality as a foundation. It is one of 49 pieces comprising the Executioner's Gear.'

'When activated alongside the Sin of the Blooming Jewel, the Collective Guilt Codex, the Bloodthirsty Execution Platform, and other anomalies, this device can drag up to 30, 00 lifeforms within a 20-kilometer radius into the execution ground, binding them to the instruments for a single Wheel of Punishment.'

'When combined with the Suffering Music Box, the Scale of the Heart, the Penitent Thorn Crown, the Psalm of Agony, and other anomalies, the condemned's suffering is amplified infinitely and looped endlessly.'

If the condemned cannot endure the dual torment of body and soul, and even a single thought of release arises, they are forcibly seized by the Corpse Pivot—paired with the Bloodthirsty Execution Platform—and sent directly to the Death World, never to return.

'Evaluation: As a standalone Law-based anomaly, it's mediocre, with only a unique extra-punishment effect for evil deeds—but when activated as a full set or paired with specific anomalies, it makes even demons in Hell tremble at its cruelty.'

When combined with the Martyred Music Box, the Scale of Contentment, the Penitent Crown of Thorns, the Psalm of Agony, and other anomalies, the victim's suffering is infinitely amplified and endlessly looped.

If the victim, unable to endure the dual torment of body and soul, harbors even the faintest thought of escape, they are forcibly seized by the Dead Pivot—paired with the Bloodthirsty Execution Platform—and instantly sent to the World of Death, never to return.

Evaluation: A Law-type anomaly of average power when used alone, notable only for its special additional punishment against evil deeds; but when fully activated or paired with specific anomalies, it makes even demons in Hell tremble at its cruelty.

'After reading the description of the first anomaly, Leon sucked in a sharp breath, understanding why gentle, kind Senior Emma was nicknamed "Corpse Pivot Executioner" with such bloody precision.'

'Unlike himself, still chasing the power of single anomalies, Emma's anomalies were designed as a set.'

'Judging by the description, she used her immortality as the core—dragging all targets into an inescapable execution ground, then enduring the punishment herself while everyone else suffered infinitely amplified, repeated torment.'

'Beyond that, the condemned were subjected to spiritual "weighing," forced to repent for their sins, enduring both physical and psychological torment; if they broke or confessed, they were immediately dragged away by the anomaly linked to the Death World.'

'And the target range wasn't one or two—it was thirty thousand! Thirty thousand!'

Judging by the description, it likely centers on an immortal body, dragging all targets into an inescapable execution ground, then enduring one—

'Is this the strength of a Level One Elite Cleanup Officer?'

'Looking up at the chaotic pile of torture devices in the room, Leon shuddered slightly—for the first time, he felt a flicker of fear toward the gentle, reliable Senior Emma.'

'No wonder she never carried her full set—even in places like Red Brick Hospital, she'd still get caught off-guard. Her anomalies activated indiscriminately, and the carnage was too extreme—she couldn't use them casually.'

'If she truly brought all 49 pieces of the Executioner's Gear and fully extended the Bloodthirsty Execution Platform's capture range, thirty thousand people would be dragged into the execution ground.'

'Those thirty thousand unfortunate souls would each endure 49 kinds of horrific, unceasing tortures—and under the anomaly's influence, sob and beg forgiveness for their sins...'

'It would be no different from a living hell.'

'Compared to that terrifying scene, Emma's nickname was almost conservative.'

'Shaking his head slightly, Leon looked around the room of torture devices, took a deep breath, and tapped his gleaming cufflinks.'

These thirty thousand unlucky souls each endured forty-nine horrific instruments of torture without pause, and under the anomaly's influence, wept uncontrollably while confessing their sins.

That's practically no different from a living hell!

Compared to this terrifying scene, Emma's nickname was almost conservative.

After shaking his head slightly, Li Ang looked around the room full of torture instruments, took a deep breath, and reached out to pat his gleaming cufflinks.

Bring them! Take them all!