Chapter 329: 329 The Bureau Chief

"What's wrong?"

Seeing Li Ang stare blankly after touching the snake skin scroll, the Red-haired Woman couldn't help but ask curiously:

"What ability does this snake skin have? Why did you freeze up after just one look?"

"This snake skin…"

Li Ang snapped out of his daze, clicked his tongue, and said with a complex expression:

"Its name is 【Unfair Snake Pact】. If both my name and another person's name are signed onto it, it forcibly binds us in a contract to exchange anything we currently hold—including anomalies. If the values aren't perfectly equal, I must make up the difference with my own power."

Forced exchange?

Hearing Li Ang's explanation, the Red-haired Woman paused to think, then asked with confusion:

"I can understand why it's called 'Snake Pact'—its power comes from the snake's 【Trade】 ability and the Goddess of Wealth's 【Contract】 ability. The name makes sense.

But why the prefix 'Unfair'? From your description, the exchange seems fair enough."

"…"

The exchange process itself is fair—but when you consider the 'goods' I'm using to trade, it's hardly fair at all…

"So the things you forged… you can use them to exchange for other people's anomalies?"

Seeing the answer in Li Ang's expression, the Red-haired Woman asked with startled eyes:

"Li Ang, how do you value those things you forged? How many Li Ang Points worth of anomalies could each one exchange for?"

"The value of the anomalies I forged is calculated based on materials and the power they contain.

【Beautiful Feet】 forged with Bai Yan's spirit: 49. 【Demon's Registry】 containing a Great Demon: 42. 【Wolf Witch Elixir Bottle】: 32. 【Mirror of Noon】: 41. 【Book of Consumed Memories】: 51."

"…"

So anyone's anomaly worth thirty or fifty Li Ang Points, once you know its name, can be swapped via 【Unfair Snake Pact】 for those… those oddly subtle anomalies?

"Then the name really couldn't be more accurate."

Nodding in strong agreement, the Red-haired Woman pressed eagerly:

"How many? How many people can you sign a pact with? How many times per person?"

"This… although you can erase and rewrite, there's only one pact, so it can only be signed once."

"I see…"

The Red-haired Woman said, sounding disappointed:

"If there's only one chance, it can't be a routine tool—only a decisive move.

Too bad—if you could sign freely, you and I alone might have already caught the Water Bearer Director. Your forced exchange is just too… uh… wait!"

As she spoke, the Red-haired Woman suddenly remembered something, her expression brightening with excitement:

"The Goddess of Wealth wants to cooperate with you, right? Once she's recovered, invite her out—we'll cut off another one of her tails!"

"Huh?"

"What do you mean 'huh'? She ambushed you and nearly killed Emma!"

Remembering her unconscious best friend, those arms nearly fully turned to jade, the Red-haired Woman's fox-like eyes narrowed slightly, her voice tinged with coldness:

"The Scale Gold Cult… hah. If it weren't for the Water Bearer and Watchtower Palace incidents forcing the Taurus Lord to seal himself in headquarters, I'd already be filing a report with the Taurus Lord, requesting approval for a joint operation between our Bureau and the Leo Bureau to eliminate the Goddess of Wealth outright!"

My boss is terrifying~

Watching the usually mischievous, cunning boss—normally always smiling—finally show genuine fury, revealing the authoritative aura befitting a Zodiac Bureau Chief, Li Ang instinctively gave her a thumbs-up.

"You're right! We must avenge this! And we should bring Senior Emma along—let her get her revenge too!"

"Of course!"

Giving Li Ang an approving glance for sharing her fury, the Red-haired Woman softened her gaze and smiled sweetly:

"After we've settled the score, if you can make a second 【Unfair Snake Pact】, it'll still be yours. This item demands high intelligence—it fits your abilities perfectly."

A second one… still mine?

Hearing the Red-haired Woman's promise, Li Ang blinked in surprise, moved:

"Chief, I—"

"Don't thank me! This item truly suits you best—no one else could possibly gather so many 'special' anomalies."

Raising a hand to stop him, the Red-haired Woman pulled out a small bottle from nowhere and grinned:

"If you really want to thank me, just fulfill my birthday wish—like we agreed before. How about it?"

"Of course!"

Hearing her request, Li Ang, eyes brimming with emotion, nodded without hesitation, then asked curiously:

"Chief, your second wish was to get me a suitable anomaly—what was your first? Hard to fulfill?"

"Not hard at all. Very simple."

Handing him the small bottle, the Red-haired Woman beamed expectantly:

"Take a big sip, then close your eyes."

"???"

What kind of strange wish is this?

Looking at the familiar little bottle in his hand, then at the Red-haired Woman grinning like a fox, Li Ang frowned slightly, uncorked it, and didn't drink immediately—instead, he cautiously sniffed.

Blackberry, cedar, spice, blood orange… a complex, rich yet crisp and refreshing aroma, tinged with a faint sharpness, surged into his nostrils, flooding his lungs in a relentless, dense wave.

Then, as he breathed, it merged with his blood, spreading its strange fragrance through every vein, making his mind go pleasantly numb—as if sinking into a velvet pillow, producing a faint, intoxicating sensation.

"…"

Alcohol?

And this scent… isn't this the only bottle of "Drunken Fermentation" grade wine from the Taurus Director? Didn't I put it in the storage room on the first floor of the Virgo Bureau? Why is it in your hands?

Shaking his head hard to dispel the strange dizziness, Li Ang asked, puzzled:

"Chief? Isn't this the…"

"Oh, who cares what it is—just drink a big gulp already! I wouldn't harm you!"

"…"

You wouldn't harm me—but this request is definitely wrong!

Watching the Red-haired Woman, eyes gleaming with anticipation, urging him to drink, Li Ang's eyes instinctively narrowed.

For a boss who drinks like a fish, watching him drain a single precious bottle right in front of her would be like being publicly cuckolded—she'd never tolerate it.

But these wines were all sealed with Word-Spell magic by the Taurus Director—only when in my mouth do they taste like wine; in others' mouths, they're just… wait—in my mouth?

Suddenly realizing a possibility, seeing the Red-haired Woman's eyes flicker slightly away, Li Ang exclaimed in shock:

"Chief… you don't mean… you want to steal the wine straight from my mouth?"