Chapter 614: The Secret of the Water-Bearer (Part 1)

"I think I understand why you touched my hand now..."

After Jeri Senior tried pulling three times and his right hand was dragged three times by an inexplicable force, Li Ang suddenly realized, recalling the premonition dream of "Young Joshua":

"Just as the Nightmare King makes both Joshuas share the same nightmare, in the 【Stealing Fate's Skill】's judgment, these two Joshuas are one person with two divergent fate trajectories—so two objects that most influenced him appeared."

"And if I'm not mistaken, the shadow on the left should be the thing that most influenced Middle-aged Joshua, while my right hand is likely the thing that most shaped Young Joshua's fate—hence it appeared among the options."

"..."

That actually makes a kind of sense?

After listening to Li Ang's guess, Jeri nodded slightly in agreement, then asked with confusion:

"Li Ang, what's with your hand? Why does it have such a massive influence on Joshua's fate?"

"Uh... honestly, nothing much—I just slapped him twice..."

After briefly explaining the big brawl during the inheritance ceremony and the brutal beating he gave the real brother-in-law during the investigation with Senior Emma, Li Ang explained with unwavering confidence under the dwarf's ghost-struck gaze:

"I didn't use any anomalous objects—just my bare hands. The agreement between the General Bureau and royal houses only forbids using anomalous objects to influence or harm royal members—it never says you can't just punch them, right?"

"..."

The agreement indeed doesn't have that clause—but that's because for any normal person, the odds of killing a prince are far higher than the odds of slapping him, aren't they?

You're something else... I thought stealing from the royal family was already insane enough, but I never imagined there'd be someone like you—no wonder you made it into our Virgin Division. You're definitely no ordinary guy!

After giving Li Ang a silent thumbs-up, the dwarf shifted the target of the 【Stealing Fate's Skill】 and reached toward the faintly trembling, unidentifiable object on the left.

Though we couldn't determine which was the 【Door to the Other Side】 before, now that we've confirmed the right one is Li Ang's hand, the true 【Door to the Other Side】 must be this left one—so all we need to do is steal it... Huh?

Another anomaly occurred.

With a soft *plop*, the solid yet formless shadow on the left exploded the moment Jeri grasped it—then, like a beast scenting fresh blood or a demon sensing a thread of escape from hell, it surged violently up Jeri's right arm!

?!!!

Seeing this eerie sight, both instantly realized disaster was imminent. Jeri didn't yank his hand back immediately; instead, he extended his left hand toward the office window glass and let out a sharp dog bark.

"Wang!"

With a crisp reply, a golden dog's head flashed past the window glass, and a blunt short dagger suddenly appeared in Jeri's left hand.

He seized the dagger etched with strange patterns, yanked his captured right arm back hard, pressed the blade tightly against the skin of his right forearm, and sliced off a small piece—while beside him, Li Ang tore the red hair tied around his neck and hurled it toward Joshua's chest.

"Ma Bu Wu!"

Amid a strange roar—half fury, half despair—the arm gripped by the shadow instantly turned into the small slice of skin Jeri had just cut off.

Meanwhile, a portion of the shadow chasing after Jeri's retreating hand, drawn from Joshua's chest, was instantly shredded into countless black-tinged meat fragments by the director's faintly bloody red hair, splattering a large patch across the carpet.

Where's the 【Door to the Other Side】? What the hell is this thing?!

"…Don't go!"

As Li Ang and Jeri were still reeling, the shadow—apparently recognizing their race—suddenly spoke in human language.

"Take me out! Take me out!"

Following the lingering ripples of the 【Stealing Fate's Skill】, it had chased all the way to Joshua's chest, now pounding desperately from within, sending violent ripples across Joshua's chest as it shrieked wildly:

"Wealth! Power! Youth! Even eternal life! If you free me, I'll give you anything!"

"Fuck you!"

To rid himself of this unidentifiable thing, Jeri had been forced to cut off a large chunk of his own flesh with a blunt blade—his face twisted in pain as he roared in fury, ready to shut down the 【Stealing Fate's Skill】 and let this clearly dangerous thing vanish far away.

But just as he was about to stop, Li Ang reached out and stopped him.

'Wait—let me ask it a few questions!'

Blocking Jeri with a soul whisper, Li Ang first wrapped bandages around Jeri Senior's hand to heal his wound, then fixed his gaze on the now clearer shadow and asked rapidly:

"What exactly are you? And what's your connection to the Aquarius Director of the Cleanup Bureau?"

"Aquarius!!!"

Upon hearing the name "Aquarius Director," the strange thing erupted in fury, shrieking:

"He's the one who imprisoned me!

He filed my bones! He cut my flesh! He squeezed my blood! Damned Aquarius! If I ever escape, I'll make him experience firsthand the torment I've endured for over two thousand years!"

Two thousand years?

Hearing the thing's roar, Li Ang and Jeri exchanged a stunned glance, then Li Ang pressed on:

"You mean... the current Aquarius Director has lived for two thousand years?"

"Lived two thousand years? He doesn't even deserve to breathe the same air!"

After cursing the Aquarius Director furiously, the thing seemed to regain a sliver of reason—realizing these two humans couldn't possibly free it, and were likely just gathering intel. It sneered coldly:

"You pitiful short-lived creatures—no matter how powerful you become, you're bound by flesh. Without replacing your bodies, one hundred and fifty years is your absolute limit!"

"The Aquarius who imprisoned me wasn't this worthless fool—it was the Aquarius Director fifteen generations ago! These damned bastards treated me like family property—passed down for fifteen generations!"

Remembering the endless torment of these two millennia, the unidentifiable thing erupted again in hysterical curses—human speech laced with incomprehensible ancient tongues, its voice like a knife scraping glass, piercing Li Ang and Jeri's ears with sharp pain.

After venting his rage with full satisfaction, the unidentifiable thing noticed the two humans, though visibly pained, hadn't left—and nodded in satisfaction, then sneered:

"Enough talk. I can tell—no matter what I promise you, you two bastards won't free me."

"But you're clearly not aligned with Aquarius. You found me because you're after his weakness... So hurry up! Before Aquarius realizes someone's contacted me, ask your questions now!"

(End of Chapter)