Chapter 625: Top-Tier Torment

No, no, no! I didn't say anything—this is all your own guesswork!

After patting the divine-class brain-eating demon's rear end again, Li Ang turned off ninety-five percent of its Memory Furnace's output with perfect composure, then shook his head solemnly.

"I can't say for sure… but I've touched it several times now, and each time my ability told me the Memory Furnace is functioning perfectly—no signs of malfunction."

"Hmm, I understand."

After glancing at this young upstart who dared play tricks on him, the head of the Cleanup Bureau nodded indifferently, then fixed his gaze on the Water Bearer Director being licked by the demon, silently pondering.

Li Ang's little scheme was glaringly obvious—he'd seen through it at once: the boy simply wanted to smear Water Bearer and help Olivia win the interrogation.

But so far, everything he'd said was true. And judging by the Taurus Director's puzzled expression, he genuinely didn't understand why the Memory Furnace had failed… so this young man's words deserved serious attention.

Could it be that Water Bearer truly had some hidden trick to evade detection by the divine-class brain-eating demon?

And as for the Memory Furnace's malfunction—could Li Ang have tampered with it after touching the demon?

Impossible. Absolutely impossible!

After sensing the pitifully weak level of contamination on Li Ang's body, the head of the Cleanup Bureau immediately shook his head, dismissing the absurd notion.

The gap between this young man and the divine-class brain-eating demon was greater than that between an ant and an elephant—if not for my protection, the demon would've crushed him the moment it "unfolded."

A man this weak could not possibly manipulate the divine-class brain-eating demon—his chance of doing so is lower than an ant impregnating an elephant!

…

Safe. The blame has been mostly shifted away!

Sneaking a glance at the head of the Cleanup Bureau's expression and confirming he'd grown suspicious of Water Bearer, Li Ang internally gave himself a firm nod, then quietly increased the Memory Furnace's output a little more.

It wasn't out of pity for Water Bearer—after all, the first copy only captured five percent of memories. If the second was also five percent, it would take twenty licks to fully copy everything, and Water Bearer might just snap if he couldn't endure it.

But if the second copy captured twenty percent, then three or four rounds would be enough to prove his innocence. Given Water Bearer's nature, with the sunk cost of two readings already done, he'd likely grit his teeth and agree to one more.

And when he undergoes the third reading, I'll adjust the Memory Furnace's "power" again—copy thirty percent of his memories, but make twenty-five percent of it redundant.

Hehe, after all, memories are randomly distributed—like gacha pools in pay-to-win mobile games. Nothing says duplicates aren't allowed. Repeating pulls? That's normal.

And if Water Bearer still doesn't lose his temper and stubbornly agrees to a fourth reading… then I'll bump it up another five percent—let him truly understand what "luck can't save you when your wallet's empty" means!

"Watch yourself."

As Li Ang plotted how to torment Water Bearer and drag him into more pulls, the head of the Cleanup Bureau seemed to sense something, turned back, and warned him:

"You touched it too many times just now—you may have been contaminated. Your demonic aura has grown stronger. Step back behind me. Don't let it assimilate you."

"Oh… thank you, Director. I'll be careful."

Nodding solemnly, Li Ang withdrew his right hand—now adjusted to the modified Memory Furnace—and stood obediently behind the head of the Cleanup Bureau, quietly observing Water Bearer's condition…

Finally… it's over…

As the slimy tongues withdrew once more, Water Bearer, his mind nearly numbed by electric shocks, slowly rose, struggling to open his cloudy eyes, and fixed them on the head of the Cleanup Bureau on the main stage.

"This…"

Though he'd suspected Water Bearer might have manipulated things due to Li Ang's warning, when he met the director's pleading gaze, the head of the Cleanup Bureau's upper lip trembled slightly—he simply couldn't bring himself to ask for another round. He turned his head away, avoiding direct eye contact, and hinted indirectly:

"It's better than last time—about twenty percent this time. Combined, you've now had a quarter of your memories copied."

"If we can get another thirty percent, we'll surpass half. Half the memories should be enough to prove your innocence. So… so would you consider…"

So what about your promise that this time it wouldn't fail?

Hearing he might have to endure one more licking—or even two, if luck ran out—Water Bearer, even with his famously deep composure, finally snapped. Bloodshot eyes locked onto the head of the Cleanup Bureau as he hissed:

"Director, instead of pressuring me to undergo another reading, why don't you step in yourself and test this thing? See where exactly it's broken?"

"I don't need to."

Seeing Water Bearer, now emotionally out of control, begin to "bared his teeth" at him, the head of the Cleanup Bureau turned back, narrowed his eyes, and stared coldly:

"Water Bearer, if you refuse to continue with the memory extraction, then perhaps the Pisces Branch Director should intervene—trace every location you've visited over the years. But due to your rank, this investigation must proceed slowly—roughly one year."

"And during that year, you will remain in the Bureau's underground vault, in stasis until the Taurus Underlord ascends. Until the investigation concludes, you must remain completely unconscious, ensuring neither the Watch Palace nor the Taurus Underlord is disturbed… How does that sound?"

"…"

One or two more memory extractions… or sleep in the vault for a year until Taurus ascends? Do I have a choice?

After staring at the head of the Cleanup Bureau with bloodshot eyes for a long moment, Water Bearer said nothing. He turned away, staggered back to face the divine-class brain-eating demon, and pressed the thin copper plate embedded in the back of his skull once more.

The first time, no electric shock—only five percent copied. The second time, after the shock, it jumped to twenty percent. If I increase it a little more this time, could it reach thirty percent—or even more?

Though the shock was painful, if it meant fewer readings, this pain was nothing!

…

Hmm? Is he pressing something?

Most people noticed Water Bearer pressing his skull, but the Cleanup Bureau members—being "magic-side" personnel—paid it little mind.

Even the head of the Cleanup Bureau was focused on detecting abnormal energy fluctuations, fearing Water Bearer might use an anomaly to cheat. Only Li Ang, who'd once witnessed "science-side" abilities, gave the gesture a moment's extra attention.

Watching Water Bearer's skull for a while, he caught a faint metallic glint amid the thinning hair. Li Ang frowned, then shouted before the brain-eating demon could begin its next reading:

"Director Water Bearer, could you answer this—why is there a metal plate on the back of your skull?"

(End of Chapter)