Chapter 631

Damn it, if everyone actually believed your bullshit, I'd have to go make the Brain-Eater lick my brain Gou! And you're just going to offer a flimsy apology?

Having been battered by Li Ang's "Return the Blow" technique until his scalp tingled, the tall, thin man feared the Director of the Cleanup Bureau might actually believe Li Ang's lies, so he quickly turned back toward the main stage and pleaded:

"Director! He's only giving one side of the story! Whether this actually happened or not still depends on… uh… where's the Director?"

"The Director's time is up."

A board member stepped forward and answered with a look of helplessness:

"Just as you started arguing, Old Earth had just rotated behind the Halo, and the Director's projection was cut off. When he returns next time… probably seven or eight years!"

"…"

What the hell? The Cleanup Bureau's Director just vanished before we even decided how to handle Aquarius? And he's gone for seven or eight years? This is even less reliable than the United Nations!

Watching the Director's projection vanish from the main stage, Li Ang finally lost all composure.

Our Cleanup Bureau really is full of talent!

A Director who shows up once every eight years, a traitorous board member who wants to blow up our own space station, a division director obsessed with infighting at the critical moment, plus some Director who's sharper than a monkey when sober but turns into a monkey after drinking…

Fuck! This world has held out for years against Outer Gods thanks to a bunch of these bastards? I don't know what kind of dumb luck it is!

…

"Enough with the back-and-forth blame."

Several board members exchanged silent glances, then finally the Taurus Director stepped forward, his expression serious as he asked:

"Li Ang, was what you just said true? Did Aquarius really name names of who's colluding with him in the Bureau?"

"He did. And he named each person in detail."

Amidst the Taurus Director's shocked and furious expression, Li Ang nodded, then said with a sigh:

"But he spoke too fast. Except for the first few sentences, he was spitting out hundreds of words per second—I couldn't make out what he was saying. But…"

Glancing at the Taurus Director, who had subtly relaxed, Li Ang raised an eyebrow:

"But the Truth Balance in his hand turned his words into weights. Touch any weight, and you'll know its contents."

Hearing Li Ang's words, the Taurus Director's expression snapped taut!

"But then the Truth Balance suddenly exploded. Most of the weights scattered across the main stage and were crushed by the attacks that followed."

The Taurus Director's expression eased…

"But before those attacks landed, I managed to snatch a few weights."

The Taurus Director's expression tightened again!

"But among the weights I took, none contained the traitor list."

The Taurus Director's expression relaxed again…

"Though I didn't get the list of those colluding with Aquarius, I did manage to snatch…"

"Enough, you don't need to say it!"

Seeing Li Ang was deliberately mocking him, the tall, thin man gave up pretending and gritted his teeth to confess outright:

"I admit! Before the interrogation began, Aquarius visited me privately and promised me benefits, but he never mentioned anything about the Watch Palace!

He only told me that after the year-end review, there'd be an interrogation targeting him over his secret creation of anomalies, and he asked me to stand by him—nothing else! I take full responsibility for my words!"

"Aquarius visited me too—same situation as Edward…"

"Sigh… same here."

"Me too, but he only said it was a minor trouble…"

"And me, but I refused him." Not daring to gamble whether Li Ang truly held the traitor list, a total of over a dozen division directors stepped forward, admitting they had contacted Aquarius.

But all of them swore solemnly they'd only heard it was a minor issue and had no knowledge of Aquarius's plot against the Watch Palace.

Having achieved his goal, Li Ang wisely stopped. He noted them all in his memory, then dropped the nonexistent traitor list entirely, continuing after their confessions ended:

"I didn't get the list, but I luckily obtained the cultivation methods for two secret arts: one is Aquarius's lineage's Anomaly Creation technique, the other is called 'Overgod Fork Finger,' a suppression art specifically designed for deposed true gods. Do I need to surrender these two arts?"

"No need."

Hearing this, the Taurus Director sighed, shaking his head in disappointment:

"The Bureau already has backups of both arts. You don't need to hand them in. Besides, the talent requirements are unimaginably high—you can't master them just by having the method.

As for Aquarius's Anomaly Creation technique, no one can become a cultivator unless chosen by the Aquarius Star Palace. All twelve secret arts work this way: only those selected are eligible to learn.

As for 'Overgod Fork Finger,' besides the first-generation Aquarius and this generation's Aquarius, no third person has ever mastered it… Too bad. You got the two most valuable things on Aquarius's person—but also the two most useless ones."

That remains to be seen.

Recalling the two secret arts sealed in his mind, Li Ang nodded silently, even using the 【Performer】 Badge to feign regret—but inside, he was already planning.

If I get the chance someday, I'll have to find out what this Star Palace is like. With the 【Materialist】 Badge that grants "resistance boosts," maybe I can force myself to learn the Anomaly Creation technique even without being chosen.

…

"Olivia."

Unaware that someone was already scheming to exploit the system, after questioning Li Ang, the Taurus Director turned to her, smiling kindly:

"Thanks to you this time. If not for you and Beverly insisting, Aquarius might've slipped through—and even the Watch Palace could've been threatened… Tell me, what reward do you want?"

"I don't need a reward."

Always holding a strange reverence for the Taurus Director as a Palace Holder, the Red-haired Director immediately replied with solemn seriousness:

"Compared to your sacrifices for all humanity, my efforts mean nothing. It's merely my duty.

Besides, Aquarius created twelve anomaly bearers who roamed near the Capital for years—and I failed to capture them. That's serious dereliction of duty. Accepting a reward now would be shameful.

It was Li Ang who first spotted the signs and provided crucial evidence at the critical moment, forcing Aquarius into a corner. He deserves the primary credit. Beverly and the other division directors also worked tirelessly gathering evidence. Reward them instead."

"Don't refuse."

The Taurus Director shook her head:

"They'll all get their rewards. But you initiated this interrogation. If not for your persistent efforts, I wouldn't have approved it. Ordering Li Ang to capture the rebels was your doing. What's yours is yours."

"Then…"

Hearing the Taurus Director's words, the Red-haired Director hesitated, her eyes bright with hope:

"I remember the Pearl of

"Besides this."

"..."

"Don't even think about it—this really won't work..."

Looking at the red-haired director's disappointed face, the Taurus director sighed:

"Don't you know your own situation? That bead can brew any wine in the world—if you really got it, your Virgin Division would be dissolved by tomorrow morning!"

(End of Chapter)