Chapter 355

Seeing her best friend tightly hugging Li Ang as if trying to melt into his body, the Red-haired Director's expression froze slightly, and she felt utterly unwell.

To prevent that damn Aquarius Director from laying hands on Watch Palace, I had to go down to the Underworld alone on my birthday, squatting for days beside the filthy River of the Dead, spending every day checking corpses passing through the Path of No Return and watching the giant crocodile baring its teeth.

And yet, while I was slaving away down there protecting the world, you two were already doing it in the office?

Don't you even feel guilty?

"Director? You've returned just in time!"

Seeing the sudden arrival of the Red-haired Director, Li Ang immediately felt a surge of relief.

So far, the night raid on Emerald Feather Manor has gone flawlessly—there's not a single clue pointing back to me—but one vulnerability remains: the existence of the 【Dream Invader】.

If the Director had simply filed a proper record of the anomaly and truthfully reported the 【Dream Invader】's ability, any investigator looking into this incident would only need to glance at the capital's newspapers, learn that Reynard had suffered nightmares before his death, and easily connect it to me—the one who possesses the 【Dream Invader】.

Fortunately, the 【Dream Invader】 was just forged, and it was crafted by the third-generation Director who resides permanently in the Underworld; there are no prior records, and even Senior Emma doesn't know its exact capabilities—only the Director and I are aware of it, leaving room to maneuver.

If the Director is willing to cooperate by concealing the 【Dream Invader】's existence—or filing a vague, false ability report—then this final flaw will vanish, and Emma and I will be truly safe.

As for whether the Director will help conceal it…

……

"You two bastards!"

Dragged into "Soul Private Chat" by Li Ang and Emma, after hearing Li Ang recount everything that had happened over the past two days, the Red-haired Director glared at him furiously:

"You really are… I assigned you to walk the Path of No Return with Emma so you could convince her to wait a few more years—not so you'd help her take revenge!

With Emma's strength, she could've become a Branch Director in just a few years, and then I wouldn't have stopped her from seeking vengeance! But now? If you're discovered…"

"It won't happen."

Li Ang shook his head seriously:

"Before I acted, I already planned the outcome, and I've just patched up the remaining gaps. The only flaw left is the existence of the 【Dream Invader】, so…"

"So I still have to cover for you, and even file a fake report for you, right?"

The Red-haired Director glared.

"You're dragging me into this too? This is at least aiding and abetting, you know? Lord Taurus trusts me so much—I'm already betraying him just by not reporting you…"

"So, Olivia, will you report us?"

"…"

Report them? Pfft!

On one side is a dead bastard; on the other, my best friend avenging her daughter, and my loyal subordinate acting out of righteous fury—what choice do I have? Should I turn you both in to die with him?

Besides, no matter what the investigators say, this case will definitely be classified as an "unsolved case" involving an anomaly. Though fewer died than in the Lyon family incident, the bizarre nature of the deaths has caused a city-wide uproar and severely damaged our reputation—it'll definitely be noted in the year-end review.

Really…

How many days ago did the last review end? Now we're getting hit with another black mark? Can this year even get better?

After glaring resentfully at Li Ang and Emma, the Red-haired Director let out an angry huff and stormed out, slamming the door behind her!

"Write your own report! Damn it! I must've owed you both from my last life!"

We've finally cleared this!

Hearing the Red-haired Director's words, Li Ang finally relaxed completely, then turned to look at Emma, who was gazing at him. The two exchanged a quiet smile.

"Li Ang…"

Looking at the man who understood her so perfectly, Emma—who had just been about to speak before being interrupted by the sudden arrival of the Red-haired Director—felt her ears flush warm. She averted her gaze, lowering her head slightly as she spoke gently:

"I've thought about it—I think… Ali… she needs…"

"Oh, by the way, I forgot to mention!"

At that moment, the Red-haired Director pushed the door open again, her eyes glinting with malice as she announced:

"The Aquarius Director is dead!"

"Really?"

Li Ang's attention snapped back to the Red-haired Director, his eyes bright with delight:

"Director, are you sure?"

"Absolutely—I saw it with my own eyes. I even had a small fight with him, shouting at him through the light of the 【Underworld Street Lamp】."

After glancing at her best friend, who had once again pressed her lips together, looking slightly annoyed, the Red-haired Director smiled sweetly:

"Just as we suspected—the Aquarius Director left a backup plan. Soon after entering the Underworld, his soul, caught in the 【Underworld Street Lamp】's light, began swelling uncontrollably. Most of it spilled out beyond the lamp's range, leaving less than one-tenth still bound."

"And then?"

"Then I acted, of course."

Rolling up her crimson hair ends, the Red-haired Director—who had stormed out in fury just moments ago—now spoke with a cheerful grin:

"I shattered the soul fragments that spilled beyond the lamp's reach—so thoroughly they couldn't be stitched back together. As for the portion still within the 【Underworld Street Lamp】, it kept running along the Path of No Return, deeper into the Underworld.

Had his soul remained intact, he might've waited until the 【Underworld Street Lamp】's power weakened and struggled free. But now, with only one-tenth left, he'll be carried all the way to the end of the Underworld and fall straight off the 【Cliff of Finality】. He's finished!"

"Oh, by the way, here's this for you."

As she spoke, the Red-haired Director seemed to remember something, tossing a pair of oddly shaped, semi-transparent gloves toward him.

"This is…"

"Made from the Aquarius Director's fingers—technically, they're fragments of his soul."

"Huh?"

"It's disgusting, sure, but it works."

Seeing Li Ang startled, the Red-haired Director sneered:

"Remember the secret technique 【God-Suppressing Fork Fingers】, designed to suppress a true god's physical form? The Aquarius Director had perfected it—so much so that parts of his soul had undergone corresponding changes.

You mentioned earlier that no matter how hard you tried, you couldn't harm the Wealth Goddess's body. So when I cut his soul apart, I specifically preserved the finger fragments and had the third-generation old man forge these gloves.

If the Wealth Goddess senses something's off and tries to harass you, just wear these gloves—they'll temporarily suppress the divinity within her body. Even if you still can't kill her, you'll make her hurt."

"Sigh… Originally, I planned to give this to you as a thank-you gift if you'd managed to talk Emma out of revenge. But now… Hmph! Consider it a temporary loan for your protection! When you've dealt with the Wealth Goddess, remember to return it!"

Ah…

Looking at the extraordinarily precious "gift" the Director had brought back, Li Ang felt moved:

"Thank you, Director… When we left the third-generation Director, he was already furious. To get him to agree to forge this anomaly for me, you must've suffered a lot, right?"

"Not really."

The Red-haired Director waved her hand, smiling:

"The third-generation old man was furious at first and refused outright—but after I asked him one question, he changed his mind immediately."

"Huh? What did you ask him?"

＿￠o

"Heh—I told him: 'You don't want anyone to find out that Li Ang's forging technique was taught by you, do you?'"