Chapter 752: Plan Going Smoothly!

"Thank you, Li Ang."

Watching his daughter, who had spent the entire day running wild behind William and Melanie, and who, after barely two bites of cake, was already fighting to keep her eyelids open, her little head nodding off bit by bit, Auntie Auntie Ai Ma gathered her into his arms with tender affection, gently nuzzling little Ellie's crown with his cheek.

"Ellie really loved the fireworks you gave her. This wasn't just the happiest birthday she's ever had — it was also the happiest day I've had in years. Being able to end on such a happy note means I have no regrets left."

"It's nothing. Ellie is a very lovely child, and I like her very much too."

Facing Senior Auntie Auntie Ai Ma's words, which sounded like a "farewell," Li Ang, who had likewise already made up his mind, did not try to dissuade her any further. Instead, with a calm expression, he asked softly:

"Senior Auntie Auntie Ai Ma, have you already made your preparations? Even if it means being banished by the Bureau to the Realm of the Dead, and perishing together with him?"

"Mm…"

After casting Li Ang an apologetic glance, Auntie Auntie Ai Ma gave a slight nod and said with eyes full of earnestness:

"All of my clansmen are in the Realm of the Dead — father, mother, grandfather… they're all still in the City of Lingering Regret. I should have gone with them six years ago. Now I'm only going to the place I should have gone long ago."

"I see… Since you've already decided, then I won't stop you."

After glancing at William, who was still stubbornly forcing himself to eat cake at the table's edge but kept poking his fork into his nose, and at Melanie, who had long since curled up in Anna's arms and was snoring with her little nose scrunched up, Li Ang switched 【Master of Performance】 out, sighed as if playing his part to the hilt, and said his farewell with a melancholy expression:

"Senior Auntie Auntie Ai Ma, then… goodbye."

Looking at Li Ang — whose eyes seemed to hold four parts bleakness, three parts desolation, and three parts of an inexpressible sense of regret, as though he were bidding forever farewell to something extraordinarily precious — Auntie Auntie Ai Ma's heart clenched sharply, and words to ask him to stay nearly slipped from her lips.

But the pain and remorse of nearly two thousand days and nights over the past six years, along with the hatred honed ever sharper through that torment of grief, still managed to hold back her reason, turning the promise that had nearly left her lips into an equally dry and low farewell.

"Goodbye."

After hearing her reply, the last glimmer of hope in Li Ang's eyes gradually faded. He gave a soft hum, then forced a bitter smile, rose from the table, and took Melanie from Anna's arms.

"Anna, let's go."

"Alright, then I'll go call the carriage."

After spending the entire day together, although Li Ang and the others had kept avoiding talking in her presence, the perceptive Anna had long since noticed that the atmosphere between Big Brother and Sister Auntie Auntie Ai Ma was a little off. To spare the two of them any awkwardness, she had taken the initiative to pull William out of the little wooden house early.

After sending her daughter back to her room, gently tucking the blanket in around her, Auntie Auntie Ai Ma silently walked Li Ang out of the little wooden house, then wrapped her arms around his waist and gave him a warm, soft embrace. With gentle, apologetic eyes, she said softly:

"I won't see you off any further… Li Ang, I… if only I had met you sooner."

"…"

It's not too late — at least, it isn't too late yet!

After gazing at her deeply for a moment, Li Ang did not answer. He simply waved his hand, then, still holding the snoring Melanie, walked slowly along the gravel path through the garden.

"Since you're already awake, get down and walk on your own."

"…"

"Stop pretending."

After walking a little further, Li Ang couldn't help but stop, patting Melanie's taut little bottom and saying in exasperation:

"Who falls asleep with their legs still stiff? And snores faster than they breathe? Could you at least pretend a little more convincingly?"

"Oh…"

After being exposed by Li Ang, Melanie — who had been squirming and making faces while holding it in with great difficulty — relaxed all over, opened her big eyes that darted about, carefully glanced at Li Ang, then clung to his neck as if acting spoiled, testing the waters in a small, cunning voice:

"Big Brother, Aunt Auntie Auntie Ai Ma… I mean… are we… not going to be able to come play with little Ellie anymore?"

You really are a little imp, mature beyond your years!

Looking at his little sister, who had clearly understood something — and might even have guessed that Auntie Auntie Ai Ma was bidding him a "forever farewell" — Li Ang couldn't help but reach out and pinch her little nose bridge, saying in exasperation:

"Don't go guessing wildly! Nothing will happen to your Aunt Auntie Auntie Ai Ma. From now on, when you and William don't have school, you can still come over to play with little Ellie!"

"Oh…"

After answering half-believingly, Melanie blinked her big, watery eyes and asked curiously:

"Then… what were you two just…"

"Your Aunt Auntie Auntie Ai Ma was thanking me for helping with Ellie's birthday, so she got emotional and hugged me — that's all. Where do you get all this wild nonsense from? Oh, right!"

Saying this, Li Ang narrowed his eyes in a "Director-style" manner, then threatened in a way utterly unbefitting a big brother:

"After we get back, if Anna asks, then everything you just heard and saw…"

"Heard what?"

Melanie blinked her big eyes.

"I was dreaming the whole time! I dreamed Big Brother bought me a new doll, and then when I woke up I was already on the carriage!"

Good grief — she's even taking the chance to extort me!

After shooting a look of mingled amusement and exasperation at the opportunistic Melanie, Li Ang said in exasperation:

"Fine, I'll buy it for you! But absolutely no next time! You really are…"

"Big Brother's the best~"

After giving Li Ang a kiss on the cheek with a grin, Melanie, who had played all day, couldn't help but let out a yawn. Then she closed her big eyes, curled up in the crook of his arm like a little kitten, and murmured drowsily:

"Aunt Auntie Auntie Ai Ma's a good person, and so is little Ellie, but Big Brother, you have to take care of yourself too, okay? You still have to buy me… ah-choo… buy dolls… hmm… and you have to keep raising me from now on… no backing out…"

"…"

Sure enough, although the ability of 【Master of Performance】 was powerful, against people who knew him too well, its effect was not very good — it was easy for them to see that something was different from usual.

Looking at his little sister in his arms, who had once again started snoring but whose small hand was tightly gripping his lapel, Li Ang couldn't help but shake his head, then the corners of his mouth curved up slightly.

"Mm, Big Brother promises you."

……

"Clop-clop-clop"

"Toot…"

Following the clopping of hooves and the long, shrill whistle, a carriage, its boiler puffing white steam, slowly pulled over to the side of the road.

"35 Bridge Street, Happiness Apartments."

After taking out the fare he had prepared and handing it to the coachman, Li Ang stepped on the carriage's passenger step, settled the fast-asleep Melanie onto a seat, then lifted William, who had been leaning against his leg, up into the carriage. Turning around, he said with a hint of apology:

"Anna, today I'll first…"

"Understood."

Gripping the handle and boarding the carriage, Anna settled the sleeping Melanie onto her lap, then cut Hearing Li Ang off, her lips slightly bitten as she said:

"Sister Auntie Auntie Ai Ma is a good person, but you're the only brother I have. You… whatever you want to do, I won't stop you, but remember you absolutely must be careful." "…"

So you saw through it too…

Looking at Anna, whose eyes held half encouragement and half worry, then glancing at Melanie in her arms, frowning in her sleep, Hearing Li Ang felt a warm surge in his heart and couldn't help but sigh with a touch of emotion.

It seemed that even though 【Master of Performance】 could fool an unfamiliar true god, for family members who lived with him day in and day out and knew his temperament through and through, it would always be a clumsy act, burst at the slightest poke.

"Huh?"

Just then, William, leaning against the seat back, struggled to open his drowsy eyes, his little face full of bewilderment as he asked:

"What's wrong? What is big brother going to do?"

"…"

Mhm… but the prerequisite was that family members couldn't actually be half-asleep, or be obviously lacking in emotional intelligence.

"Nothing."

After ruffling his little brother's tiger-like head, Hearing Li Ang answered with a smile:

"Big brother isn't going home today. I'm preparing to do something that, if I don't do it now, I'll definitely regret it fiercely later."

"Then I get it."

Nodding knowingly, William forced his eyes open, his little face full of earnestness as he cheered Hearing Li Ang on:

"Go for it, big brother! I read it in 'The Great Emperor's Biography' — a real man isn't afraid before he does something, and after he's done, he won't regret it even more!"

What nonsense is all this…

"Just go to sleep!"

Facing William's clearly off-topic chicken soup, who was so sleepy he could barely keep his eyes open, Hearing Li Ang couldn't help but laugh and scold him, then reached up to close the carriage door, seeing off his brother and sister.

After looking up at the sky, Hearing Li Ang wiped the smile from his face, walked out past Redwood Avenue, and waved toward another carriage waiting at the roadside.

"To the Municipal District, the Security Bureau!"

"You got it!"

……

This carriage, also waiting at the intersection of Redwood Avenue, had already seen Hearing Li Ang's family preparing to hail a ride, but was just a step too slow — a closer box-car had snatched the fare first.

Originally thinking this job was a lost cause, who would have thought that family didn't all get in together, but left one behind, and that one needed to head to the far-off Municipal District at night — truly an unexpected windfall.

"That'll be one silver wheel… please, get in!"

After accepting the one silver wheel Hearing Li Ang had prepaid, the carriage driver, who had unexpectedly landed a big job just before clocking off, beamed as he struck up conversation:

"Sir, are you a public official at the Security Bureau?"

Hearing Li Ang, his steps a bit light, climbed aboard and nodded:

"Mhm, I am."

"You're heading over this late… is it overtime on short notice?"

"Mhm, that's right."

"Oh my, still have cases this late — you folks at the Security Bureau really have it tough!"

The rather talkative carriage driver tilted his head slightly, glanced back at the passenger whose expression was plain and whose figure looked a bit blurred in the night, deliberately pulled the small lamp inside the cabin a little brighter, then continued to exercise the talkative nature of the "cab driver" profession, chatting away with great gusto:

"Speaking of cases, the Sun recently added a special unsolved-cases issue. A female reporter named Nicole dug up all the kingdom's unsolved cases over the years, publishing them one by one, causing quite a stir. Surely you're not going back to work overtime because of her?"

"That's right, exactly that."

"Ahaha, then she's done you quite a disservice. I heard from other Security Bureau passengers I've driven before…"

"Toot…"

A sharp, drawn-out whistle sounded again, temporarily drowning out the carriage driver's somewhat noisy chatter. The box-style steam carriage carried Hearing Li Ang away from the roadside, heading toward the Municipal District.

And the other Hearing Li Ang, left behind on the roadside by the carriage, looked at the "himself" sitting ramrod-straight inside the cabin, heading back to work overtime, and nodded with unusual satisfaction.

To beat the Taurus Director, the Third Generation Bureau Chief had truly thrown everything into crafting his anomalous object. Combined with the materials being upgraded from a Holy Spirit fragment to a true god's weapon, the effects of the new main combat anomalous object could be considered a comprehensive upgrade.

Compared to the 【Holy Spirit Pendant】, which truly used spirit to alter matter, the 【Dream-Desire Invader】, which borrowed the power of the Dream Realm to erode reality, though it needed to use "the dreamer" as a springboard to exert its reality-eroding power, consumed far, far less.

When it was still the 【Holy Spirit Pendant】, merely briefly turning hard stone bricks into mud had nearly drained his strength, and could only be maintained for a few short seconds before being rewritten back.

But now, he had only exchanged a few words with the carriage driver, then paid out roughly 1.5 contamination points worth of power, and successfully used his soul as a springboard to pull a character dream out of the Dream Realm — a figure named "Hearing Li Ang going back to the bureau to work overtime."

Although this "Dream Hearing Li Ang" could only be seen clearly by the carriage driver, appearing as nothing but a hazy shadow to anyone else, it was nonetheless truly existent, and would actually get off at the Security Bureau, go in and work a full night of overtime, and wouldn't vanish until the carriage driver woke up the next day.

And the 【Dream-Desire Invader】, which had created "Dream Hearing Li Ang" with just a few sentences, not only had an equally concealed trigger method, extremely low power consumption, and a very long duration… even though its damage ceiling had dropped somewhat, its functionality was far stronger than the Taurus Director's 【Holy Spirit Pendant】.

Truly worthy of being the second-best anomalous object forger — the Third Generation Bureau Chief really had some skill!

After silently giving the square-headed old man a thumbs-up in his heart, Hearing Li Ang turned around with slightly unsteady steps and walked off in the direction opposite the steam carriage, pondering in his mind exactly how to make his move later.

After all, a person could act out of anger, but before acting, one had to finish thinking first — at the very least, think through the consequences of acting. Otherwise, that would be truly stupid!

Apart from anything else, if Hou Jue, that long-overdue-for-death Marquis, suddenly dropped dead, the Bureau's first reaction would surely be to come looking for Senior Auntie Auntie Ai Ma, and they'd most likely also keep an eye on him along the way.

And facing the 【Dream-Desire Invader】, refitted from a true god's weapon and inherently of extremely high rank, the Bureau's investigators would definitely be unable to detect it. After all, if they could handle even this kind of thing, they wouldn't be investigators.

At best, given those internal investigators' average level, they could only discover that the carriage driver's soul had experienced slight tremors — they certainly wouldn't get any concrete evidence.

And these insufficiently concrete points of doubt gave him room to wrangle with the Bureau. That "himself" who had followed the carriage away and truly worked a full night of overtime at the Bureau could also help him get past those relatively rudimentary lie-detection methods.

Once he got past all of these, then all he had to do was hold the line.

Relying on the Bureau Chief's and the Taurus Director's trust, as well as the great merit he had just earned by exposing the Aquarius conspiracy and saving the Watch Palace, the current him was effectively shielded by a "halo." If there was no concrete evidence, just some points of doubt, it was unlikely anyone would keep pressing the issue.

And if at that point someone still insisted on digging in, then he would find a way to come up with a reason to bite back, then drag that person along to have their brain licked by a divine-rank mind-eating demon!

As for what reason to find… wasn't one ready-made?

Anyone who dares suspect I did it — that person is a spy who took bribes from the Aquarius Director, attempting to help him persecute a meritorious official!

Plan goes according to script!

(End of chapter)