Chapter 606

"……"

After hearing the answer Li Ang gave, although no one around spoke, the tense atmosphere that had just been present suddenly relaxed.

As for the middle-aged man who had already begun to suspect Li Ang's identity, even though the doubt in his eyes had not yet faded, his expression softened slightly, and he said with a smile:

"The answer is correct... Little Bagins, I hope you won't blame me for being suspicious. After all, I am the leader, and I must be responsible for the safety of so many people.

And you were just an ordinary person yesterday; it was only after blowing in the night wind for a bit that you suddenly awakened an anomalous ability. This transformation is truly a bit too fast, so just to be safe, the necessary tests cannot be skipped."

"You are right."

Knowing that there was no way to be serious with the middle-aged man about this kind of thing, Li Ang nodded calmly and gave a perfunctory reply. Then, as if nothing had just happened, he spoke directly to ask:

"Leader, just as you said, until yesterday I was only an ordinary member, and I am not familiar with everyone. Could I ask you to introduce them?"

"Of course."

The middle-aged man nodded, then looked at the burn-scarred man beside Li Ang, and said at a steady pace:

"The one sitting next to you is Tiger; you already know each other. Next are Luke, Oliver, Phoebe, and Lucy..."

After simply reporting everyone's names and completing a round of introductions that could not have been more rudimentary, the middle-aged man smiled and said:

"As for everyone's abilities and other situations, it would be too troublesome to introduce them one by one. Plus, there are very important matters to discuss later, so we will skip that for now. You can find them yourself later to learn more."

"……"

Learn more myself later...

Most of these people don't seem to be in the valley, and each has other hidden identities. Where am I supposed to go to learn more? So after all your introductions, all I got in the end were some names that I don't even know are real or fake?

Under Li Ang's rather speechless gaze, the middle-aged man shifted his target and began to introduce to the crowd:

"Everyone, this is Little Bagins. He was originally responsible for material procurement in the organization, but he awakened an anomalous ability yesterday, so he has become one of us...

By the way, Little Bagins, what is your ability like? Is it convenient to talk about it?"

……

So I went through all this trouble to mix in, not only did I not get any intelligence, but instead, I have to be the one to have intelligence extracted from me first?

Looking at the middle-aged man who had clearly begun to guard against him, Li Ang couldn't help but narrow his eyes slightly. Then, under the curious gazes of the group of rebels, he nodded and exposed himself:

"Of course. My ability is actually very simple to describe: as long as the conditions are met, I can make anyone bow to me."

Make anyone bow to you? What kind of hellish ability is this?

After hearing Li Ang's words, everyone, including the middle-aged man who intended to probe, couldn't help but be stunned for a moment. After waiting for a while without seeing any follow-up, the middle-aged man couldn't help but ask:

"And then?"

"That's it."

Li Ang shook his head slightly and said with a frank expression:

"Just this... or at least that's all I've discovered so far."

"……"

This...

Looking at the frank-looking "Little Bagins" and confirming that he was not joking with everyone, the group of rebels in the room couldn't help but look at each other, not knowing what to say for a moment.

"Your ability... is actually quite special..."

After looking at "Little Bagins" with skepticism, the middle-aged man pondered slightly, then continued to ask:

"So how long can your ability last? What is the maximum distance it can take effect? How long is the interval each time?"

Ah, right! There's also that!

After hearing the middle-aged man's words, the group of rebels in the room, who were greatly disappointed, suddenly regained their interest.

Forcing others to bow sounds like trash, but if one could force others to bow continuously for a whole day from several kilometers away, or make others bow repeatedly, then it wouldn't be completely useless.

As long as the conditions are right and it is used properly, this seemingly useless anomalous object might have miraculous effects at critical moments!

"As for the duration..."

Under the expectant gazes of the group of rebels, Li Ang pondered for a moment before answering:

"It's probably just that one bow; once the bow is finished, it's over."

"……"

"In terms of distance, it must be face-to-face, about a bit larger than this room; any further than that and it's useless."

"……"

"As for the interval, there isn't really any, but the ability requires verbal persuasion to take effect. As long as you don't let me finish speaking, you don't have to bow to me."

"……"

Then you... really are useless enough...

Although they were mentally prepared, after hearing this ability—which couldn't be called useless, but could only be called trash—the group of rebels still couldn't help but show extremely speechless expressions on their faces.

To be reasonable, the effect of Little Bagins's crappy ability feels like it's not even as useful as a nail gun.

Not only can it only be activated face-to-face, but the effect is only that one bow. If you have that spare time, wouldn't it be faster to pull out a gun and shoot him directly?

And also... what do you mean by using verbal persuasion?

……

"It's exactly what it sounds like."

After the middle-aged man, representing the group of rebels in the room, asked this question, Li Ang "honestly" spouted nonsense:

"For example, if I want everyone to bow to me, I must first find a way to persuade you, make you identify with my point of view from the bottom of your heart, and then you will enter the range of my ability and bow to me according to my requirements."

"……"

Ah, this... this... are you serious?

After hearing this outrageous activation condition, even the burn-scarred man beside him, who had always firmly believed that Li Ang was "not simple," couldn't hold it together anymore.

To be reasonable, only being able to make people bow face-to-face is already trashy enough, and you actually have to persuade the other party first to make them bow to you? You... are you sure this thing can be called an anomalous ability?

"You aren't spouting nonsense, are you?"

After reaching out to rub his bald head, the straightforward bald woman was the first to stand up and question him with disbelief:

"It's one thing that the effect is weak, but the restrictions are actually this big? You have to persuade the other party first? Can you even call this an anomalous ability? I could hold a nail gun to someone's head and force them to bow to me faster than you!"

"Perhaps... the effect is a bit useless, but I can guarantee that the performance of this ability is indeed something that cannot be achieved by normal means. It must be an anomalous ability. If you don't believe me..."

After blinking his eyes in a troubled manner, Li Ang suggested:

"Shall we try it out a little?"

"Let's try it..."

"Wait!"

After stopping the bald woman who wanted to experience it personally, the middle-aged man narrowed his eyes to examine Li Ang and slowed his speech to ask: "Little Bagins, don't blame me for overthinking, but all the information about your bowing ability comes from your own account; we don't know what it's specifically like.

So can I assume that the true face of your ability might not be bowing, but that after cooperating with you, one will be controlled, have their inner secrets peeped at, or even become completely obedient to you from now on?"

?!!!

After hearing the middle-aged man's words, the group of rebels in the room couldn't help but tighten their expressions, and their expressions toward Li Ang suddenly became dangerous.

That's it! How could there be such a boring ability that just makes people bow? The reason he said that might just be to make us lose our vigilance and actively cooperate out of curiosity, entering the range of his ability!

If the situation is really as Nathan guessed, then everyone might be this kid's puppets from now on!

"Leader, you have misunderstood."

Feeling the unfriendly gazes cast by the group of rebels, Li Ang tactfully raised both hands in a gesture of surrender and tried his best to explain:

"The situation is not what you imagine. My ability really only makes people bow. As for the test I just proposed, it doesn't require any cooperation from you; you just need to listen to me say one sentence.

If you would be controlled just by listening to me say one sentence, then you have already listened to me say so many things, wouldn't you have been controlled long ago?"

……

That's also true...

After hearing "Little Bagins's" defense, the group of rebels pondered privately and felt that what he said was not unreasonable. Meanwhile, the burn-scarred man beside Li Ang couldn't wait to stand up, waving his hand impatiently to shoo people away:

"Those who want to try, stay and listen; those who are afraid to listen, plug your ears or just get out and wait! Why are you dawdling over such a simple matter?"

After firing a "shot" at the group of rebels, the burn-scarred man sniffed again and turned his head to look at Li Ang:

"Come! Try it on me first! I want to see how you can make me bow to you with just one sentence!"

"Okay."

After hearing the burn-scarred man's words, Li Ang did not speak immediately, but looked around and reminded him with a serious expression:

"Everyone, one last reminder: my ability is activated by language, so if there are those who are still worried about being controlled, please be sure to cover your ears tightly; it's best to leave temporarily."

"……"

After hearing "Little Bagins's" reminder, the group of rebels in the room fell into silence again, but no one chose to leave. Even the middle-aged man in the main seat did not move after hesitating for a while.

After all, if it could be activated just by listening to one sentence, then before "Little Bagins" talked about his ability, he had countless opportunities to activate the anomalous object; there was no need to finish explaining the rules before activating the ability...

"Since everyone is ready to try, then I will begin."

Seeing that no one left and no one covered their ears after looking around, Li Ang nodded with satisfaction and then held up two fingers.

"I believe that one plus one equals two. Those who agree with me, please stand up and bow to me now."

"Swish, swish, swish, swish!"

The moment Li Ang's voice fell, the sound of a large number of chairs dragging on the ground sounded simultaneously. The group of rebels in the room discovered in horror that they had truly lost control of their bodies.

Everyone in this room stood up from their chairs at the same time and performed a standard bowing salute toward "Little Bagins." Two people who were relatively short even knocked their heads on the table with a bang.

"Holy crap! It's actually real!"

After reaching out to pick up the hood that had been knocked onto the table, the bald woman touched her forehead, which had been bumped red, and said with full surprise:

"I just thought about it for a second and believed that what you said was right, and I actually lost control of my body and bowed to you directly!

Good fellow! You really weren't lying! There really is such a useless anomalous ability; as long as you agree with what you say, then... uh... Leader?"

Looking at the middle-aged man who was the only one still sitting in his chair and did not stand up to bow to "Little Bagins," the bald woman asked with some confusion:

"Isn't this one plus one? Why are you..."

"It's because I didn't activate the ability on him."

Just as the bald woman showed a look of confusion and began to question the middle-aged man's mathematical ability, Li Ang interrupted her:

"After all, Lord Nathan is the leader recognized by everyone. I felt it wasn't very good to ask him to bow to me, so when I was using the ability just now, I didn't choose him as a target."

"Oh, oh, so that's how it is!"

After confirming that "Little Bagins" was not lying and that everything he said from beginning to end was the truth, the bald woman's attitude suddenly became much closer, and she even complained with a laugh:

"Really... you should have said something about this kind of thing. I thought the leader couldn't even calculate one plus one!"

Heh, I don't know if he can calculate one plus one, but I already know who he is!

After returning a gentle smile to the bald woman, Li Ang looked at the 【Prince of Traveling Cuckoo】 with golden light flowing in the slot, then turned his head to look at the middle-aged man frowning in the main seat, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly involuntarily.

So it was you!

……

Not using the ability on the leader, of course, was purely nonsense. According to the ability of the 【Prince of Traveling Cuckoo】, everyone whose "status" was lower than his own prince status should immediately stand up and bow under the restraint of the badge.

And the only person who might be an exception is the "prince" whose status is equal to his own "prince," which is Prince Joshua, who returned to the present from the future using some unknown method!

I really didn't expect that the leader of the rebels who stirs up trouble everywhere would actually be a prince of the kingdom... This guy really is as punchable as ever, no matter how old he gets!

After completing a meaningful look at the middle-aged man, discovering the foundation used for concealing blemishes on his cheeks, and vaguely identifying some facial features, Li Ang finally understood where the sense of familiarity came from when he first saw him.

Don't ask; asking means I've punched him in the mouth, and not just once. He belongs to the standard category of old acquaintances!

"Everyone!"

After moving his right wrist, which was suddenly itching to act, Li Ang, who had proven he wasn't lying, sat back in his chair and reminded them with a smile:

"I remember, there seems to be a very important meeting today? Can we continue now?"

Right! We came here for a meeting!

After hearing Li Ang's reminder, the crowd, who were still studying the bow just now, suddenly came back to their senses and echoed one after another:

"Right! There is a very important matter!"

"It is indeed time to continue!"

"Indeed, we have already wasted quite a bit of time!"

"……"

Why do I feel... the situation is a bit wrong?

Looking at "Little Bagins" at the end of the long table with his hands crossed and resting on the tabletop, gazing at him with deep meaning, the middle-aged man in the main seat only felt a sense of awkwardness in his heart, and the chair under him felt uncomfortable no matter how he sat.

Whether it was the echoes of the surrounding rebel members or the meeting reminder that should have been issued by himself, everything seemed to be vaguely indicating something. It seemed that with that strange bow just now, something that should have been firmly controlled in his own hands suddenly began to "flow."

This strange thing, which does not truly exist but is extremely important, is flowing away from himself, who is sitting in the main seat, along this old conference table, slowly and unstoppably flowing toward the other end of the long table...

(End of chapter)