Chapter 346: 346 This Is Unfair

Now if you were me…

After hearing Emma's question, Li Ang couldn't help but let out a deep sigh.

If you were in my place, then between him and me, one of us certainly wouldn't be alive today—this kind of deep hatred leaves no room for reconciliation whatsoever.

Also, I finally understand why even the all-powerful Director has no way to help with your situation.

"Senior Emma."

Looking at the three children frantically fleeing as a mother bird chased them away from her nest in the half-ruined garden, Li Ang asked softly:

"Have you never sought revenge all this time because the Bureau has rules against it?"

"Mm…"

Emma, watching the three children, slightly pressed her lips together and said:

"Unlike you, who voluntarily joined the Cleanup Bureau, those of us who joined through the 'Pardon Statute' are bound by special verbal constraints—we promise not to use any anomalous objects we acquire to retaliate against our former 'enemies.'

If it weren't for the special circumstances of the Branch Office and Olivia's guarantee on my behalf, someone like me—with such a high likelihood of revenge—would have been forcibly relocated away from my homeland and banned from ever returning.

This is one of the conditions the various kingdoms agreed to in order to cooperate with the Cleanup Bureau, providing full financial and intelligence support, even granting temporary military authority—even a Level One Cleanup Agent must abide by it."

"I see…"

After hearing Emma's answer, Li Ang's brows unconsciously furrowed slightly.

…

The reason the Cleanup Bureau, despite its immense power, established such a "humiliating" rule isn't hard to guess.

Considering that most anomalous objects are born amid extremism and suffering, and that cleanup agents who are constantly exposed to them are inherently unstable mentally, once they gain sufficient power, the likelihood of them turning back to seek revenge is virtually one hundred percent.

Take Senior Emma as an example: without this rule, neither the Royal Family nor the Golden Cuckoo Marquis would have allowed her to grow stronger slowly within the Bureau, only to one day wipe them all out—they would have killed her the moment they discovered she possessed an anomalous object.

Immortality is an extremely rare special anomaly; most cleanup agents' bodies are only slightly stronger than ordinary people's. Without special protective anomalies, a single bullet to a vital point still means instant death.

Without this seemingly absurd rule, many promising anomalies and agents would have been eliminated before they could grow, causing the Bureau's available manpower to plummet drastically.

It's even more likely that, in the past when the rules were still immature, numerous preemptive "cutting the grass and removing the roots" incidents already occurred, causing severe consequences, which ultimately forced the Bureau to establish this rule to ensure its own survival.

But conversely, this binding rule, while protecting many cleanup agents, likely also shields plenty of scum.

Recalling the file on the 【Sin of the Treasure Flower】 and the record of little Ellie's "accidental drowning," Li Ang's eyes narrowed slightly, as if something inside him had begun to burn.

"Senior Emma."

After touching the cufflink where he kept his sniper rifle, Li Ang couldn't help but ask:

"You've trained with a sniper rifle despite possessing a long-range anomaly—does that mean you're trying to…"

"Yes, exactly what you think."

Standing at the garden entrance, Emma, her dress covered in dirt and her body streaked with grass leaves—once a delicate porcelain doll, now a filthy little mud monkey, yet smiling with pure joy—admitted with tender eyes:

"Because of the verbal constraint, I cannot use my anomaly against that man, so I specifically trained with firearms. I once wanted to ask you for help, hoping to use Soul Vision to lock onto his position from afar and end it all—but Olivia talked me out of it temporarily.

I'm sorry, Li Ang. I shouldn't have dragged you into this.

If I had truly done it back then, even if you knew nothing, you'd still have been investigated. Olivia was right—I was already blinded by hatred."

"It's fine. None of that actually happened…"

Shaking his head slightly, Li Ang looked at the three children in the garden and said softly, his expression complex:

"Senior Emma, if you complete your revenge, what will the cost be?"

"I'll likely lose all my anomalies and be forcibly sent to the Death Realm."

Emma said calmly:

"According to the relevant regulations, if a Branch Director-level agent violates this statute, they may still perform three extremely lethal cleanup missions. But for agents below Branch Director level, it's execution outright."

Branch Director?

Hearing this, Li Ang's expression shifted slightly as he asked:

"Have you ever considered…"

"Waiting until I become Branch Director before seeking revenge, to avoid being executed immediately?"

Emma said calmly:

"I've thought of that path—or rather, except for the time when I realized Ellie wasn't truly my daughter, but merely a reflection of my wish, I've always planned to do exactly that.

Though Ellie isn't truly alive, she still carries my daughter's soul. I simply can't bear to lose her again, and I'm willing to endure for her sake. But…"

Glancing back toward the main manor house, Emma let out a self-deprecating smile.

"I guess I'm not as good at enduring as I thought I was."

…

That… is the Golden Cuckoo family crest?!

Following Emma's gaze, Li Ang was stunned to see the emerald-green Golden Cuckoo crest on the second-floor curtain wall, and workers dismantling the walls adorned with Treasure Flower patterns.

Theoretically, the Golden Cuckoo and Treasure Flower families have maintained close ties for nearly two centuries, with frequent intermarriages—even the Golden Cuckoo Marquis himself gained control over the northern trade routes through such alliances.

Therefore, at a time when all noble families close to the Treasure Flowers have been killed or exiled, he genuinely has a legitimate claim to inherit the Treasure Flower Manor, his succession rank nearly equal to Senior Emma's.

But if what Senior Emma says is true—that the Golden Cuckoo family was the primary perpetrator behind the Treasure Flower family's destruction—how can they have the audacity to move in?

And… aren't you just asking for death?

Seeing Emma's palm grow cold and her usually gentle eyes filled with icy killing intent, Li Ang closed his eyes slightly, his scalp prickling from the Golden Cuckoo family's outrageous audacity.

If the Golden Cuckoo family hadn't shown up so brazenly, Ellie's existence might have allowed Senior Emma to continue enduring, waiting until she became Branch Director.

But now, the Golden Cuckoo family seems determined to occupy the nest, moving their entire household into the Treasure Flower Manor—this is… the family that destroyed yours not only wandering in front of your eyes, but openly living in your home. No one could swallow this insult!

If it weren't for Emma's verbal constraint preventing her from using her anomaly, even the cockroaches in your cabinets would be dragged to trial!

"I can drive them out!"

Golden Cuckoo family occupying the manor = Emma can't hold back her revenge = violates Cleanup Bureau rules = Emma will be executed!

The moment this equation formed in his mind, Li Ang immediately proposed:

"Senior Emma, just hold on a little longer—I'll go find the King…"

"No need."

Before Li Ang could finish, Emma refused, her expression calm:

"Li Ang, for Ellie's sake, I've endured for six full years—but now, I truly can't endure any longer."

"But you're already a Level One agent—if only a Branch Director position opens up…"

"The Central Bureau is sealed. Without a Board appointment, even if a position opens, I can't be promoted. And even if one does open, it's unlikely to go to me."

Looking tenderly at her daughter, who was holding Melanie's hand and showing her the flowers she'd planted, Emma said softly:

"Besides, this manor means nothing to me. All those once-beautiful memories have turned into pain the moment I think of how it ended.

I've stayed here only because Ellie can't leave—it can only exist within this manor, filled with my memories. Otherwise, I would've moved away long ago."

Hearing this, Li Ang took a deep breath, slightly frustrated as he insisted:

"I said I can drive them out! You can still live here with Ellie, and once the Central Bureau reopens in six months…"

"Li Ang, that's not the point."

Squeezing Li Ang's hand, which had unconsciously clenched tight, Emma said gently:

"When I first learned the Golden Cuckoo family planned to move in, I also thought of driving them out and pretending nothing happened, continuing to wait as before. But after a full day of thought, I realized the truth.

There are many Level One agents with strength equal to mine and more seniority. Even if a position opens, it's unlikely to go to me. So although it seems like just one step away, the real chance to act may still be twenty or thirty years—or longer—away."

"Li Ang, I really can't wait any longer."

Gazing at the emerald-green Golden Cuckoo crest on the curtain wall, as if making a final decision, Emma's shimmering eyes settled into unwavering calm.

"Do you remember the only Death Crow that ever approached me?

My sister's crow. She was a bit older than Ellie is now, but born weak, her body tiny—she looked almost the same age as Ellie does today."

Looking back at the three children playing in the half-ruined garden, then recalling the little girl who used to run joyfully toward her along the garden's stone path, Emma said softly:

"My mother was always ill, bedridden since I was young. My father was rigid and hard to approach, so she clung to me from childhood.

Before that incident happened, I often spent time with her in this garden. That small greenhouse just torn down—it was built for her by my order. It was her favorite place.

She was far more lively than Ellie is now, just like today's Ellie. She loved birds and flowers, and enjoyed drawing bright but ugly pictures with crayons. Perhaps Ellie likes them because they come from my longing for her…"

Here, Emma fell silent for a moment, then spoke:

"But she's dead. She was strangled before me, her body lying beside my mother's. And in less than two weeks, it will be her tenth birthday."

"…"

"She was only nine years old. She never did anything wrong. But her life ended that day, forever.

The ones who truly committed the crimes, however, live on without guilt, boldly moving into her home, tearing down her house, erasing every trace of her existence.

Even the one who truly deserves to die can live another twenty or thirty years—until he's old, frail, and has forgotten even what he did—before he finally faces judgment."

Turning her gaze from the emerald-green Golden Cuckoo crest on the curtain wall, Emma looked at Li Ang beside her, her voice calm and resolute:

"This is unfair!"

"…"

In Li Ang's speechless silence, Emma lowered her gaze and said calmly:

"Perhaps from the beginning, I vaguely knew Ellie wasn't the real Ellie. But out of greed for this last warmth, I deceived myself for six years with the excuse of endurance—and I was cowardly for six years.

Now, I will do what I should have done six years ago.

As a daughter, I will kill him for my parents! As a mother, I will kill him for Ellie, who was drowned! As the last of the Treasure Flowers, I will kill him for all those clan members who could have been saved!

"…"

…

How can you possibly reason with this?

Watching Emma beside him, no longer filled with rage but returned to calm, Li Ang felt a sudden chill in his heart.

If Senior Emma was merely provoked by the Golden Cuckoo family's schemes and acted out of a fleeting rage, I might still find a way to persuade her to endure a little longer—for Ellie's sake.

But judging by Senior Emma's demeanor, after her initial anger passed and she spent a day reflecting, she has now calmed down—she truly understands what she wants, and nothing can stop her now.

"What about Ellie?"

Holding on to his last hope, Li Ang ventured to remind her:

"You said yourself that Ellie will grow up—couldn't you wait just a little longer, until she's a bit older, at least…"

"Li Ang, you said you'd respect my choices."

"..."

"I know you're right—in better circumstances, I might not need to do this. But I've waited six full years. I truly can't wait any longer."

Smiling gently at Li Ang, Emma reached out and smoothed his furrowed brow, softly pleading:

"Let's drop this topic for now. Let's forget those troubling things and help Ellie have a birthday without regrets, all right?"