Chapter 550: The Director's Past

"Don't misunderstand, that goat isn't weak."

The red-haired Director, whose drunkenness had initially subsided, regained some of her usual "wise and mighty" appearance. Even though she was curled up in Li Ang's arms with her eyes closed, she still guessed his thoughts and explained softly:

"In its peak era, it was indeed the strongest Great Demon under the True God. But it was too greedy; it refused to focus on one or two concepts like other demons, but chose seven top-level original sins at once, hoping to become the top Demon God in one leap."

"Although its talent was outstanding enough that it really touched seven original sin-level concepts simultaneously, its status was ultimately a bit lacking. It didn't have the level to master seven original sins at the same time, which made the strength of its individual abilities spread extremely thin."

"Most anomalous objects of the same level focus on one item or one main and one auxiliary. Its seven concepts are almost equal in strength. It's normal for its upper limit to be unable to compete with others. Or rather, for its abilities to be dispersed like this and still barely squeeze into the top 100, it can already be considered a testament to its innate talent."

So that's how it is...

Recalling the Black Goat's situation, a flash of realization crossed Li Ang's eyes, but he soon shook his head.

"But it's still in the top 100. The higher the ranking, the greater the difficulty must be. You have an anomalous object numbered 004 and one numbered 013 in your hands. Even if I gather the goat parts... uh... gather the Black Goat's parts, it's still far from comparable."

Hearing Li Ang's words, the red-haired Director couldn't help but open her eyes and glance at him lightly.

Yes, an anomalous object that can only squeeze into the top 100 is indeed incomparable to the 【Twelve Ant Nests】 numbered 004 and the 【Slaughtering Blood Hair】 numbered 013. But if it were someone else, would they think of comparing it with me in the first place?

"It might not necessarily be incomparable."

Not exposing the "ambition" Li Ang had inadvertently revealed, she shrank into the warm embrace behind her, closed her eyes again, and narrated peacefully:

"The numbers of anomalous objects change. The anomalous object numbered 013 was originally numbered 116. It only became anomalous object 013 after some things happened after it fell into my hands."

116 became 013? The progress is actually this great!

Hearing the red-haired Director's words, Li Ang couldn't help but raise his eyebrows and ask with curiosity:

"It actually jumped more than a hundred places... Director, what did you do?"

What did I do...

The red-haired Director shook her head upon hearing this, didn't answer Li Ang's question, but turned slightly, reached her palm into Li Ang's collar, untied the hair tied around his neck, then pinched one end of that red hair and tapped Li Ang's fingertip lightly.

【Name: Slaughtering Blood Hair-941026 (Slaughter, Scarlet)】

【Appearance: A bright red hair. If you rub it carefully with your soul, you will perceive a faint bloody smell, as well as the insults and curses full of resentment from an old man.】

【Ability: Slaughter Proliferation, Scarlet Domain】

【Cost: When your mind is clear, you will endlessly encounter insults from the killed.】

【File: After the failed descent of the Scarlet Lord, the previous generation of Golden Bull Directors collected its remains and created this growth-type anomalous object. For every human the holder kills, one additional blood-colored long hair that can be controlled will be added.】

【Due to the harsh growth conditions, even after two generations of holders, totaling 130 years of accumulation, the number of Slaughtering Blood Hairs has just broken 10,000. The effect shown is not proportional to the precious materials consumed. This anomalous object was once considered a complete failure.】

【But in the Serpent-Bearer Eclipse Kingdom incident, the third holder of the Slaughtering Blood Hair, Olivia, was forced to use the anomalous object "Thirteen Ant Nests" to completely destroy the Serpent-Bearer Branch of the Cleaning Bureau and the East Carlevon Kingdom. The number of blood hairs exploded to 129,600,000 overnight, the total number basically the same as the total population of the East Carlevon Kingdom before its destruction.】

【Evaluation: This is the most dangerous and terrifying anomalous object you have ever seen. If the holder is willing, it only takes five seconds to slaughter all living things in the entire Capital.】

【Infection Value: Cannot be determined, increases with the number of blood hairs activated simultaneously.】

?!!!

129,600,000... people?!!!

"It seems you already know the answer."

Feeling Li Ang's suddenly stiff body and his subconsciously loosened arms, the red-haired Director sighed faintly, then gently pushed Li Ang's arms away, left the long-lost warm embrace behind her, sat up from the sofa, and said calmly:

"Do you want to leave the Virgo Bureau?"

Gazing at Li Ang's eyes, which were shocked beyond measure, the red-haired Director, whose cheeks still carried a hint of wine color, suggested softly:

"If you want to work somewhere else, the Director of the Lion Branch, Beverly, is quite familiar with me and is very interested in your abilities. I can recommend you to go over there, and I guarantee the treatment will be the same as here."

"Other than being too fond of snacks, she doesn't have any outrageous past. She is a thoroughly good person. You should be able to live..."

"Director."

Interrupting the red-haired Director, Li Ang asked hesitantly:

"Thirteen Ant Nests... is that the anomalous object numbered 004? What is the relationship between the East Carlevon Kingdom and the northern Carlevon Kingdom? And what is the Serpent-Bearer Eclipse Kingdom incident?"

"These..."

After staring at Li Ang for a while, the red-haired Director's lips moved, then she turned her head slightly and explained in order:

"Thirteen Ant Nests... after the East Carlevon Kingdom disappeared, it should now be called 【Twelve Ant Nests】, corresponding to the twelve kingdoms remaining now. I think you can guess its ability without me saying it."

"As for the East Carlevon Kingdom... the current Carlevon Kingdom was previously called the West Carlevon Kingdom. The place separated by a river is the ruins of the original East Carlevon Kingdom."

"And the Serpent-Bearer Eclipse Kingdom refers to a rebellion launched by the Serpent-Bearer Branch of the East Carlevon Kingdom. The Director of the Serpent-Bearer Branch attempted to sacrifice the entire East Carlevon Kingdom to ascend to godhood and turn half the world into his divine kingdom."

"Because they couldn't accept this result, the twelve directors held nine rounds of voting. Finally, four abstained and eight passed, deciding to use the 【Thirteen Ant Nests】 to destroy the East Carlevon Kingdom first and forcibly thwart his plan. I was the executor responsible for the action."

"Since then, the Thirteen Ant Nests became the Twelve Ant Nests, and I have been guarding it ever since. The number of Cleaning Bureau branches has changed from the original 88 to the current 87, and internal investigations and controls have become increasingly strict. Any behavior that slightly crosses the line will be severely punished..."

So that's how it is...

After listening to the red-haired Director, Li Ang finally sorted out the general context, then said with a rather complex look in his eyes:

"So those people upstairs scolding you... were they originally..."

"It's just as you think..."

Responding vaguely, the red-haired Director avoided his gaze, then said with a somewhat dim look in her eyes:

"The original people of the Virgo Bureau also left after that incident. You can't blame them. After all, there are over 100 million... um... Li Ang, if you want to leave because you can't accept this kind of thing, it's the same. I can understand your feelings."

"..."

After sitting on the wide sofa and remaining silent for a while facing the red-haired Director, Li Ang didn't say whether he wanted to leave, but asked softly:

"Director, can I ask you a question?"

Hearing Li Ang's words, a flash of surprise crossed the red-haired Director's eyes, but she still nodded:

"Ask."

"Suppose there is a train about to pass through a junction..."

After recalling slightly, Li Ang said: "There are twelve people tied to the track in front of the train, and one person tied to the other track. And you are holding the control lever that changes the track. Would you pull the control lever to make the train drive to the other track and save the twelve people in front?"

"I..."

After subconsciously clenching her fists, the red-haired Director didn't answer the question immediately but bit her lip and asked back:

"Are you talking about my situation? But these two situations are different..."

"So would you pull the control lever to make it hit someone who wouldn't have died, or let it go and let the train continue to hit those twelve people?"

Li Ang insisted on asking.

"I... I don't know."

"Of course you don't know."

Li Ang nodded and said warmly:

"Because you are not that person at all. The directors who voted are that person. You are just the control lever being held."

"..."

"Thank you for your comfort..."

Seeing that Li Ang seemed prepared to open her heart, the red-haired Director smiled reluctantly, then said with dim eyes:

"But these two things are really different. I am not just a puppet following orders. I had the ability to refuse to pull the 'control lever,' but I didn't refuse in the end, and instead personally..."

"If you had refused, you would just be a passerby passing by with a plunger. Someone else would have taken a new control lever, stood in your original position, and sent the train down the road with only one person tied to it."

"..."

"Director, sometimes, people really shouldn't think of themselves as too important."

"..."

After waiting for a while, looking at the red-haired Director who was still biting her lip tightly and remaining silent, Li Ang shook his head and said:

"I won't say things like your choice wasn't wrong, or that they would have died sooner or later anyway, so it's better to save others by dying at your hands, and that you should have done it.

After all, if I were a person from the East Carlevon Kingdom, I would scold you just as fiercely upstairs, and scold the entire Cleaning Bureau along with you, hoping you would be hit by a carriage the moment you went out tomorrow and be crushed back and forth seven or eight times.

But now, since I am one of the twelve people tied to the original track, and my life was truly saved by your choice, I don't have the qualifications to scold you, including those seniors who left the Bureau. They can choose to leave you, but they don't have the qualifications to blame you."

"You really are... It's not that no one has tried to persuade me, but no one has ever said it like you..."

After shaking her head with a strange expression, looking at Li Ang, who was very weak in strength but seemed to have a stronger heart than herself, the red-haired Director couldn't help but look at him and ask back:

"What about you? What would you do? Let the train continue to drive and hit the twelve people tied to the track?"

"I would try to find the person who tied them up first, and then press his head into the train's boiler."

"You really are... how can you play dirty?"

"I'm not playing dirty, I really think so."

Li Ang shook his head, met the red-haired Director's slightly annoyed gaze, and said earnestly:

"Director, I'm a person with no sense of security. To tell you the truth, ever since I learned the truth about this world, I have begun to crave power, very, very much!

And the main reason I pursue power is to have the ability to kill the dog who tied them up directly when such a problem arises, so I don't have to do this multiple-choice question that never has a correct answer."

"Then... if you have done everything you can, but still encounter this kind of problem."

"In that case..."

Li Ang hesitated upon hearing this, then took something out of his arms and showed it to the red-haired Director.

"Look at which side my family is tied to, and I will directly pull the train to the other side, and then honestly endure the scolding of those 100 million-plus people, and then drink like you every day, so I don't feel bad when I'm awake."

"..."

Looking at the small wine bottle in Li Ang's hand, the red-haired Director couldn't help but shake her head speechlessly, and said with a mix of amusement and annoyance:

"Isn't that the same as me? You really are..."

"It is the same."

After unscrewing the cap and taking a sip, Li Ang smiled helplessly:

"Since I have tried my best but still can't solve the problem, what else can I do? Escapism is shameful, but it's very useful, isn't it?"

"Yes! It's indeed very useful!"

Looking at the sparkling small wine bottle in Li Ang's hand, the red-haired Director's eyes couldn't help but curve, and she laughed along with him. Her smiling face, still carrying a hint of wine red, was like a rhododendron blooming in a garden.

The scolding in her ears was still crazy and shrill, the pressure in her heart was still as heavy as dark clouds, and the deep guilt that had been tormenting her was still as sharp and cold as usual, with the stinging pain of a sharp weapon deep into flesh, not reduced in the slightest.

But for some reason, she suddenly wasn't so afraid in her heart. If she had to find a reason, it was probably that someone not only respected her choice but even identified with her weakness and escapism.

Hmm... at a time like this, she really should drink something!

Reaching out to snatch the small wine bottle from Li Ang's hand, she raised her slender neck and drank it in one gulp. The red-haired Director licked the slightly spicy wine on her lips, threw the empty bottle aside, and, emboldened by the alcohol, greeted him heroically:

"I just borrowed money from Ai Ma during the day! Let's go! I'll treat you to a drink! The most expensive one!"

The people in the Virgo Branch are really... too outrageous!

After knocking on the door for a long time without getting a response, looking through the window of the Director's office at the mountain of empty wine bottles on the ground and the man and woman sleeping soundly on the desk wrapped in a blanket, the two investigators couldn't help but shake their heads. Then they simultaneously took out their investigation forms, wrote a few lines on them, and casually added two big red crosses.

The Director is leading the way in alcoholism! Indulging all night! Suspected of having an illicit affair in the Bureau! Not to mention the Bobby Laien Blood Night, the atmosphere and business rating must be downgraded severely!

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 551 =====