Chapter 489: Sleight of Hand and Care

"Hehe, I knew I couldn't hide it from you."

Being caught stealing to one's face, the short man didn't feel embarrassed at all, but said with a cheeky smile:

"You don't have to be so serious, it's quite scary. If I really wanted to steal his things, I'd have plenty of opportunities. Why would I be so stupid as to have to do it in front of you?"

"I just heard that a newcomer had arrived at the Bureau, and he had killed a Holy Spirit before even becoming a regular employee. I was a bit curious about him, so I just reached out and took a look..."

"So, where is the item?"

Ignoring the short man's long-winded speech, the red-haired Director's outstretched hand moved slightly downward, tapped hard on the table with the back of her hand, and then warned with narrowed eyes:

"Senior Senior Jie Rui, don't make me say it a third time."

"Taking it out, taking it out!"

Seeing the red-haired Director's fox eyes narrowing tighter and tighter, the short man couldn't help but tense up, hurriedly taking a photo from his chest and placing it honestly on the table.

A photo?

After picking up the photo on the table, looking at the couple standing together in an embrace and the little girl holding her parents' hands, smiling very happily, the red-haired Director couldn't help but be slightly stunned.

Besides controlling animals, Senior Senior Jie Rui's most outstanding anomalous object is 【Sleight of Hand】, capable of forcibly stealing an item that has had the greatest impact on the target's past life after coming into contact with them, regardless of whether the item is on the target or not, even if the item has been destroyed.

So if his ability didn't go wrong, the item that had the greatest impact on Li Ang's past life is this photo on the table?

"Director, what is the ability of this thing? Can you tell me?"

Looking at the red-haired Director's thoughtful expression, the short man, who had extreme curiosity, was suddenly so anxious he was scratching his head. After holding back and holding back, he still couldn't help but ask flatteringly:

"To allow a newcomer who has been in contact with anomalies for less than a month to possess the power to clean up a Holy Spirit one-on-one, the ability of this anomalous object must be very powerful, right?"

Hmm? So this photo is an anomalous object? But why is the aura so faint? Could it have been destroyed many times in the past?

Hearing the short man's question, the red-haired Director's brow couldn't help but raise slightly, then she shook her head decisively:

"I'm not clear about this. The perception-type anomalous object I use most often is that sheep, which has now been given to Li Ang. The new perception anomaly hasn't been approved yet, so my current perception ability is quite average."

"If you really want to know the ability of this anomalous object, looking for me is useless. But there is someone in our Bureau who has an ability called 【Information Acquisition】. As long as he touches it with his hand, he can know the information of most anomalous objects. You can go find him and ask."

What? Our Bureau has such a person?!

The short man couldn't help but be energized upon hearing this. This ability is simply a perfect match for himself! If nothing else, he has stolen... secretly borrowed quite a few things over the years, but either they couldn't be activated at all, or he didn't know the rules and costs and didn't dare to use them randomly.

If he could ask this 【Information Acquisition】 for help, as long as one-third of the anomalous objects he had hoarded over the years could exert their effects, he might be able to raise his strength to a higher level and advance to a Level 1 Disaster Handler!

"Director, why didn't you tell me earlier!"

After daring to complain to the red-haired Director, the short man rubbed his hands incessantly, and asked with excitement:

"Who is that person? Oh, also, is he willing to trade that 【Information Acquisition】 anomalous object? As long as he's willing to trade, he can pick from my collection over the years!"

"Trading should be impossible. His ability is more like a talent residing in the soul. As for who that person is..."

After glancing at the short man playfully, the red-haired Director picked up the photo and shook it, saying with a smile:

"Here, the one you just stole from is the one."

"..."

"This... you know me..."

Looking at the red-haired Director's mischievous eyes, the short man, knowing he had been played, saw his face fall, and said with some embarrassment:

"Although I have a bit of a stealing habit, I really never act against people I know. I usually touch them to take a look and then return them. And even with strangers, as long as the other party isn't some bad guy, I usually won't take what others love. This... can you..."

"You want to get this item back and return it secretly, so Li Ang won't hold a grudge against you and refuse to help you, right?" Seeing through the short man's thoughts, the red-haired Director shook her finger and said with a smile:

"Oh my... this is a bit hard to handle~"

"Little Li Ang has only joined the Cleanup Bureau for a short time, but he is not only very compatible with me but also treated me to a great drink. If I help you hide it from him, how can I face the drinking friendship between us?"

"..."

Understood, I need to increase the price, right?

Looking at the red-haired Director's smiling expression, the short man had no choice but to honestly give up his wishful thinking and proposed with a pained expression:

"How about I treat you to a drink too..."

"Cough, cough, there's no need to mention this. I'm not that kind of person."

Hurriedly stopping the short man before hearing a condition she couldn't refuse, the red-haired Director coughed and said with a serious expression:

"If I'm not mistaken, you hope Li Ang will use his ability to help you appraise your 'harvest' over the years, right?"

"Yes..."

"Then that's easy to talk about."

The red-haired Director knocked on the table with her knuckles and said with a smile:

"Although I don't know how many things you've hoarded over the years, judging by your style, the quantity certainly won't be small."

"And appraising so many things in one go requires a lot of physical strength and willpower. It's a hard job, so... it's not too much to let him pick one as a hard-work fee, right?"

"Not too much, not too much."

Although he was still reluctant, the short man, who knew his Director's personality, understood that bargaining would only lead to being slaughtered even more severely, so he agreed sensibly.

"Okay, then leave the item with me first. I'll help you put in a good word for you later."

After nodding with satisfaction, the red-haired Director pulled out a hair, bound the suspected anomalous object photo, put it into the drawer, and then smiled and shooed him away:

"However, appraising things might have to wait. He has an important investigation mission today and can't be distracted now. After the investigation mission is completed, I'll ask him to appraise your collection."

"Okay, then I won't go anywhere, I'll wait in the Bureau!"

After nodding with joy, looking at the smiling red-haired Director, the short man's curiosity couldn't help but stir again, and he couldn't help but ask cautiously:

"By the way, Director, is Li Ang... familiar with Directors of other branches? Or is he favored by a certain Director? Or... are you..."

"You want to ask why I take such good care of him, right?"

After glancing at the short man, who spoke with deep meaning, the red-haired Director said speechlessly:

"Before asking this question, I suggest you first carefully ponder what kind of people are in our Bureau now."

Without waiting for the short man to answer, the red-haired Director counted them one by one with her fingers:

"A rebel who failed a coup, a pervert who had an affair with the Prime Minister's wife, a master thief who stole from the royal family, a gambler who lost the kingdom's reserve funds, a grain officer who took the wrong road on the battlefield and almost starved 30,000 people to death, a pharmacist who made a mistake in developing a potion and flooded half a county with a sea of shit..."

Looking at the short man, whose face was a bit embarrassed, the red-haired Director narrowed her eyes and summarized:

"If you don't join the Cleanup Bureau, you guys basically start with a death sentence on average, and even now you are always being watched, and you even have to report in advance if you want to leave the capital to perform a mission."

"As for Li Ang, he has a clean background, good character, is smart and alert, works hard, and has quite outstanding talent... He killed a Holy Spirit before his probation period was even over... You tell me, compared to you guys, if I don't take care of him, who should I take care of?"

(End of Chapter) ===== CHAPTER 490 =====