Chapter 339: 339 Three Wishes

"You're looking quite spirited."

Looking at the three-headed dog god before him, the red-haired director with her leg propped up on her forehead smiled and asked:

"After I die, what are you planning to do? Bite me hard too?"

"..."

Not even one bite—I'd gladly bite you a thousand times! Ten thousand times!

But these thoughts were fine only in my mind; saying them aloud to this woman would be asking for trouble.

The three-headed dog god, having been beaten by the red-haired director countless times, knew perfectly well when to follow its instincts; facing the increasingly tight strands of hair around it, it immediately wagged its tail happily, stirring the surrounding swamp into a bubbling chaos.

"I mean, when you truly... arrive, you must come to the gate yourself to welcome me!"

While guarding the gate, duty forced me to fight this red-haired woman; otherwise, abandoning my post would damage my authority. But now that she's already beaten me, I've fulfilled my duty—no need to take another beating.

Freed from the constraints of the Gate of the Dead, the three-headed dog god instantly shifted from its rigid, stubborn gatekeeper form to a tail-tucked, obedient dog form, its three faces—each larger than a dining table—beaming with flattery:

"Lady Olivia, have you finished your business and decided to return? Shall I open the gate for you?"

"No, my business isn't done yet."

After declining the three-headed dog god's offer, the red-haired director smiled faintly:

"If only you were this cooperative when guarding the gate, I wouldn't have to beat you so often."

"This... my authority is to divide life and death. If I simply let you pass, I couldn't possibly explain it to the Lords..."

"Mm-hmm, I know you have your reasons, so I never go all out... Alright, enough chatter!"

After glancing at the massive gate that had closed again in the distance, the red-haired director asked calmly:

"You said Li Ang came to the Dead Realm three years ago—is that true?"

Li Ang? That man with the strong demonic stench!

"Yes, yes!"

After a brief recollection, the three-headed dog god quickly nodded its massive head:

"I swear by my authority—he definitely came once. And that death was overwhelmingly heavy, not the fleeting sensation of being briefly caught by the Path of No Return after using an anomaly to fake death, but a death so complete, so utterly final!"

A death so complete...

The red-haired director frowned and pressed further:

"Then how did he return?"

"..."

Hearing the red-haired director's question, the three-headed dog god secretly rolled its eyes.

Isn't he your *** Division's man? If your own people escaped the Dead Realm, why don't you ask him instead of coming to me?

Though it longed to spit out a bitter retort, the dog god knew its position was weak; it stuck out its tongue and grinned broadly:

"I'm not entirely sure. All I know is he definitely died once three years ago—haven't you noticed he has no Death Crow on his head? His Death Crow must have flown into the depths of the Dead Realm with him back then."

"I see..."

The red-haired director nodded, then narrowed her eyes and asked:

"Angxi, you're the true god with the strongest perception in the Dead Realm. Tell me—how tightly is Li Ang's soul bound to his body?"

"Huh?"

"I mean—is the soul inside his body his original soul?"

"This..."

The three-headed dog god hesitated slightly, then answered uncertainly:

"I think... yes?"

"What do you mean 'I think'?"

The red-haired director frowned:

"Give me a clear answer: yes or no!"

"Then... yes?"

The three-headed dog god, tail tucked, answered cautiously:

"I didn't sense anything unusual. That death three years ago may have affected his soul, leaving his memories chaotic, but his soul and body are unified."

Just confused memories? That's good, that's good...

Hearing the dog god's answer, the red-haired director felt a slight easing of her breath.

Originally, she'd only intended to follow quietly, ensuring Li Ang and the other escaped the Dead Realm safely. But after overhearing Angxi and Li Ang's conversation, she couldn't help but step out to ask.

After all, the Cleanup Division was humanity's last line of defense. If an Old Lander or someone else slipped in, it wouldn't be a joke. As director of the *** Division, even if she hated doubting Li Ang, she had to be extra cautious here.

Now, with the dog god's confirmation, Li Ang's "innocence" was at least preliminarily proven—she could relax a little. After all, whether Emma could finally overcome her inner barrier depended on whether Li Ang could help.

Recalling what she'd seen along the way—especially Emma, who normally avoided all physical contact, peacefully curled up on Li Ang's back—the red-haired director let out a quiet sigh.

According to the agreement between the Cleanup Division and the Lord of the Starry Sky, a cleanup agent may make three blessed wishes on their birthday. The first wish I made today wasn't to taste Li Ang's wine—it was to resolve Emma's problem.

Following my inner guidance, achieving this wish ultimately hinges on Li Ang. If I refuse to let him and Emma leave the Dead Realm, forcing him to confront Emma's unspoken past, there's a strong chance I can solve her issue...

Come on, Li Ang—whether you can stop Emma from doing something foolish depends entirely on how you perform from now on!

I've gone through three terrible misfortunes on my birthday just to get this chance to fix things—don't you dare let me down!

By the way, speaking of the three misfortunes brought by the three wishes...

Unconsciously touching her still-stinging lips, the red-haired director frowned slightly.

The Lord of the Starry Sky's curse upon cleanup agents who use "wishes" activates the moment they follow their inner guidance and complete everything required to fulfill the wish.

Since helping Li Ang obtain a suitable anomaly was the first wish fulfilled, the misfortune tied to it should appear after he acquires the anomaly.

By timing... it would be when Li Ang loses his first kiss? Can that even count as misfortune?

As for tasting that bottle of wine, that was the second wish fulfilled—its misfortune was obvious: the moment I tasted the wine,

I was brutally burned—my lips are still swollen.

Emma's issue was the last wish to be fulfilled; logically, my misfortune should have struck around the time they left the Dead Realm. But why hasn't anything bad happened yet?

What is this final misfortune going to be?