Chapter 356: 356 One Strike, Then Weakening, Then…

「……」

After hearing the Red-haired Director's "negotiation" content, Li Ang's expression twitched slightly in awkwardness.

Imagining the scene where the Red-haired Director, whose life was going quite well, threatened the Square-head Old Man that if he didn't help, he'd spread everywhere that he was his "disciple," ruining his reputation, Li Ang even felt a faint pang of guilt.

After all, although the Square-head Old Man had a strange personality and a foul mouth, he was still contributing to humanity even in death—threatening him with this was truly a bit too much.

After silently apologizing to the Square-head Old Man on the Director's behalf and memorizing this useful negotiation tactic, Li Ang reached out and touched the translucent, peculiar gloves.

【Name: Crying Hands (Suppression, Resentment, Revival)】

【Appearance: A pair of strangely shaped translucent gloves, with reinforced knuckles, entirely stitched from translucent stinging nettles growing in the Yellow River, and upon close inspection, covered in countless extremely fine barbs】

【Ability: Suppress divinity, Grudge True Words, brief revival】

【Cost: Requires no infusion of power—merely wearing them on the hands activates their effect.】

【But each time a punch strikes a target, the barbs inside and outside the gloves pierce both parties' skin, injecting a massive amount of soul toxin that suppresses divinity and causes unbearable pain】

【File: An anomaly forged by the Anomaly "Spirit of Forging," made from translucent stinging nettles growing beside the Yellow River and fragments of the Water Bottle Director's special soul, exerting extremely strong suppression over the divinity distributed within a true god's flesh.】

【Additionally, enraged by the shameful threat he endured, the "Spirit of Forging" accidentally selected the ultra-penetrative translucent stinging nettles during material selection—greatly enhancing suppression effects while inflicting unimaginable pain on the user and keeping their soul perpetually alert and sharp.】

【And under initial contact without psychological preparation, the toxin seeping through the translucent stinging nettles into the soul is potent enough to briefly make the dead scream back to life from pain】

【Evaluation: One punch, two screams—one yours, one mine】

【Contamination Value: 0. 】

「……」

Seeing the file's note that the gloves could "briefly make the dead scream back to life from pain," and the evaluation "One punch, two screams," Li Ang's mouth twitched violently.

Thank you, Third Master, for this generous gift!!!

From now on, you are my only teacher in the art of forging! No one can stop me from spreading your fame!

Carefully stowing the thing away in the Mirror World and warning Little Ha to never touch it under any circumstances, Li Ang—whose mood had greatly improved upon learning of the Water Bottle Director's death—turned to Emma beside him and smiled as he asked:

"Sorry, Elder Emma, I didn't quite catch that… what did you say Ellie needs?"

「……」

Ellie needs a complete family, especially one that treats her… and her mother… exceptionally well, one that can make up for the paternal love she's lacked for so many years… the…

"Why are you looking at me?"

Ignoring her best friend's "Why aren't you leaving yet?" glare, the Red-haired Director had zero awareness of being a third wheel, staying comfortably in Li Ang's office, squinting with a malicious glint and smiling as she urged:

"Go on, Emma~"

"Say what you want~ I like little Ellie too, and I'll help her get whatever she wants~"

「……」

You leaving right now is the biggest help you could give me and Ellie!

Emma's earlobes had turned crimson without her noticing; she glared at the Red-haired Director with fierce irritation, wishing she could stab her into a red-furred hedgehog with her eyes alone.

But no matter how venomous her gaze, the words already on the tip of her tongue remained stuck.

……

Simply because there was a full ten-year age gap between them—even her own daughter was now the same age as Li Ang's younger siblings.

Even if Li Ang had once drunkenly claimed he didn't care, if the roles were reversed, it would be like a divorced middle-aged man with children courting a freshly adult, dewy-eyed girl.

Olivia might say it, but her own face simply wasn't that thick; she couldn't bring herself to do such a thing.

The first time she almost said it, it was because she'd suddenly heard Ellie could return to normal—her emotions had surged too violently, temporarily overwhelming reason.

The second time she'd managed to speak, it was thanks to the belief in "cherishing what's before you" and the desire to give Ellie a complete family, barely summoning enough courage—only for Olivia to ruin it again.

Now, after the emotional surge had calmed and the courage she'd mustered had been forcibly interrupted, this third attempt was already nearly impossible—especially with a bastard who knew both her and Li Ang well, watching her with a smug, teasing grin…

How could she possibly speak now?

After glaring furiously at the Red-haired Director several times—only to have it all bounce off harmlessly—Emma realized she had no power over this rogue. She bit her lip, enduring the burning heat in her earlobes and the bitterness in her heart, and spoke in a steady voice:

"Ellie… needs peers and friends, and also a normal child's life… could she attend a school with Melanie and the others?"

After forcing herself to speak, concern for her daughter surged again; Emma gathered her scattered thoughts and added hesitantly:

"Ellie is rather introverted, has never interacted with children her age, and has never been to school. I'm worried she won't adapt if suddenly thrust into an unfamiliar environment… so if possible, could your younger siblings look out for her?"

"No problem!"

Overwhelmed by the news of the Water Bottle Director's death and in extremely high spirits, Li—Green-Young-Girl—Ang didn't notice the silent battle between the Director and Elder Emma; he immediately patted his chest and promised enthusiastically:

"Let Ellie join the same class as William and the others! And if possible, seat her close by!

As for Ellie making friends, although Melanie and the others aren't great students, they get along wonderfully with their classmates—having them guide her, Ellie will fit in within no time."

"Thank you…"

She offered her thanks with genuine sincerity, yet her heart ached with reluctance; she couldn't bear her best friend's two parts gleeful, three parts mocking, five parts deeply suggestive smirk.

Emma's cheeks flushed red; she instinctively turned her head away from Li Ang and the Director's gazes, hastily shoved open the office door, and fled out like a runaway, leaving behind only a voice trembling slightly:

"I… I have something to do—I'm leaving!"

After her hurried departure, the two inside, who had appeared perfectly calm, both relaxed simultaneously.

Just as Li Ang opened his mouth to ask about the details of the Water Bottle's death and whether any inconsistencies remained, he felt his collar tighten—before a stunningly beautiful face, teeth clenched in a "furious smile," suddenly loomed before his eyes.

"Three days!"

Grabbing Li Ang's collar, the Red-haired Director, who had been holding it in for hours, bit her teeth and hissed with a half-laugh:

"I was gone for only three days! And you've already won over my Emma? You bastard, how are you so damn efficient?"