Chapter 757: Two Embraces

The cause of Baron Jin Juan's sudden death sparked endless speculation within the capital; due to the extraordinarily complex forces involved and too many suspicious details, almost no one could determine the truth.

But upon learning of Renard's death, without a single trace of doubt or hesitation, Emma immediately identified the killer—or rather, the benefactor.

"Li Ang!"

After knocking on the office door and seeing Li Ang's usual expression, utterly unaltered, Emma, her eyes brimming with tears, bit her lip and softly greeted:

"I… good morning…"

Hearing this ordinary yet profoundly unusual opening, Li Ang first blinked in surprise, then gave her a radiant smile.

"Senior Emma, good morning!"

Looking at Li Ang's calm face, Emma, her heart surging, took a deep breath, clenched her fists tightly, and asked with a trembling voice:

"Have you… heard about the Jin Juan family?"

"Mm."

Seeing Senior Emma, who was clearly asking to confirm what she already suspected, Li Ang smiled and stopped concealing it, speaking directly:

"Congratulations. From now on, the fog has finally lifted."

"Thank you… truly, thank you!"

Confirming her suspicion through Li Ang's gentle gaze, Emma felt the world before her blur instantly; large, scalding tears spilled relentlessly from her eyes.

She stepped forward abruptly and embraced Li Ang tightly, burying her face against his shoulder as she wept uncontrollably, until his legs went numb from standing, and only then did she finally stop.

But after crying herself out, Emma lifted her head, wiped her tears, and did not smile—instead, she bit her lip, her expression solemn:

"Li Ang, this won't do."

"Huh?"

Before Li Ang could ask, he felt a soft pressure in his palm—and Senior Emma's voice transmitted through the contact:

"When someone bearing Word-Spell dies, it's a serious matter. Even if headquarters has sealed it, investigators from the Bureau will arrive within a week.

Although Renard's rank isn't high enough to warrant something like 【Temporal Rewind】, once all suspects are identified, they'll use their issued anomalies to investigate every 'utterance' and 'action' those suspects made in the past several days.

For example, our conversation just now—if you had confessed to me the moment you saw me, it would have triggered 【Words of Honesty】 or 【Unreserved Words】, directly flagged by their anomaly.

Even if you were extremely cautious and never confessed to anyone, if you performed obvious 【Acts of Killing】 or 【Acts of Coercion】, you'd still be flagged by that anomaly…"

After briefly explaining the Clearance Bureau's investigation process, Emma warned him with concern:

"Li Ang, think carefully—since then, have you directly harmed that man's body? Forced him to drown himself with words? Or confessed the truth to anyone?"

"No."

Squeezing Senior Emma's hand in return, Li Ang answered confidently—he had researched this beforehand:

"Everything happened in a dream. I merely murmured a faint 'mm' from over ten meters away, did nothing else, and never confessed to anyone.

Only before you arrived did I briefly speak with the black goat on the desk—but all exchanges related to that day occurred between souls, undetectable by anyone."

"So don't worry, Senior Emma. If I didn't have confidence in escaping blame, I wouldn't have acted so lightly."

"Good—you have confidence… but still be extra careful!"

Seeing that Li Ang had clearly prepared properly, not acting on reckless impulse, Emma felt significantly relieved, then softly admonished him with guilt in her eyes:

"Also, if—just if—the investigators come and accidentally uncover something, and suspect you, you must say I ordered you. Absolutely do not shoulder the blame yourself!

In Olivia's absence, I'm temporarily in charge of the Virgin Branch. I issued you this task out of personal vengeance; you, trusting your senior, carried it out without suspicion. That's the best way to absolve you of guilt."

"Senior Emma, I—"

After squeezing Li Ang's hand tightly, Emma blinked her still reddened eyes and said seriously:

Gripping Li Ang's hand tightly, Emma blinked her still-red eyes, her face stern:

"I already owe you too much for making you do this. If something happens and you try to take the blame alone, I'll turn myself in! Then both of us, as conspirators violating regulations, will face internal execution!

But if you say I ordered you, at least one of us will survive! Li Ang, I'll give you a formal task authorization later—keep it on your person at all times, understood?"

"..."

"Speak!"

Seeing Li Ang nod helplessly, a smile finally reappeared on Emma's serious face.

Watching Li Ang nod helplessly, Emma's stern face finally broke into a smile again.

Feeling the uniquely comforting warmth in his palm, she felt lighter than she ever had, and softly chided:

"Li Ang, I just remembered—did you teach Ellie to wish for me to spend the whole day with her on her birthday?"

Hearing this, Li Ang couldn't help scratching the back of his head, then nodded and admitted frankly:

Hearing this, Li Ang scratched the back of his head, then nodded, admitting frankly:

"I was afraid you'd go after Renard that very night after Ellie fell asleep, so I came up with a plan to keep her tied to you all day."

And then you went to Cuiyu Manor that night and finished everything, didn't you?

"You even used a child…"

Glancing at Li Ang with soft eyes, Emma bit her lower lip:

"When I left home, Ellie asked me to ask you—what gift are you giving her? I want to see what you've cooked up this time to sweet-talk her!"

Watching his usually gentle and composed senior Emma display a rare touch of coquettishness, Li Ang couldn't help rubbing his nose, then replied with a smile:

Watching Senior Emma, usually gentle and composed, display such rare, tender petulance, Li Ang rubbed his nose, then smiled and replied:

"A body like any normal child's—one that won't turn transparent in sunlight, that can attend school normally, grow up normally, and live a full life… what do you think of that gift?"

Amid Emma's overwhelming joy, Li Ang gripped her hand and explained his discovery in detail, then added with a slight apology:

Amid Emma's overwhelming joy, Li Ang gripped her hand and explained his discovery in detail, then added with slight apology:

"After finding Ellie's… location, I originally planned to bring her back immediately. But I was working overtime at the Bureau that night—I couldn't appear at Cuiyu Manor, let alone take something that belonged in the lake.

And with Baron Jin Juan dead, if Ellie immediately regained her body, it might make investigators suspect you. So I didn't act directly…"

"Enough! Li Ang! That's enough!"

Suddenly releasing his hand, Emma embraced him again, her vision blurred with tears:

"You've done so much for me and Ellie already! I… I truly don't know how to repay you! I… maybe…"

Just as Emma, on the verge of tears from happiness, was about to speak, Li Ang's office door was violently shoved open, and a voice brimming with delight rang in from outside.

Just as Emma, overcome with joy, was about to speak, Li Ang's office door was violently shoved open—a voice filled with delight rang in from outside:

"Hah! Little Li Ang! Amazing news!"

The red-haired Director, covered in yellow mud and exhausted, burst in, his expression wildly excited:

"Water-Bottle—he… uh… you two?"

【68】 (End of Chapter)