Chapter 758: The Parting Gift

Seeing her best friend tightly hugging Leon, as if trying to melt into his body, the red-haired director's expression froze slightly, and she felt utterly unwell.

To prevent that damn Aquarius Director from laying hands on Watch Palace, I had to go down to the Underworld alone on my birthday, squatting for days beside the filthy River of the Dead, checking dead souls passing through the Path of No Return and watching the giant crocodile gnash its teeth.

And yet, while I was slaving away down there protecting the world, you two were already doing it in the office?

Don't you even feel guilty?

"Director? You've arrived just in time!"

Seeing the red-haired director burst in, Leon's heart instantly brightened.

So far, the night raid on Emerald Feather Manor has gone flawlessly—there's not a single clue pointing back to me—but one vulnerability remains: the existence of the 【Dream Invader】.

If the director had honestly registered the 【Dream Invader】 and reported its abilities truthfully, any investigator looking into this incident would only need to check the capital's newspapers, learn that Reynard had suffered nightmares before death, and easily connect it to me—the one who possesses the 【Dream Invader】.

Fortunately, the 【Dream Invader】 was just forged, and it was crafted by the third-generation director who resides permanently in the Underworld; there are no prior records, not even Emma's predecessor knows its exact abilities, and only the director and I are aware of it—leaving room to maneuver.

If the director agrees to cooperate, conceal the 【Dream Invader】's existence, or file a vague false report, this final flaw will vanish, and Emma and I will be truly safe.

As for whether the director will help us hide it…

……

"You two bastards!"

Dragged into "Soul Private Chat" by Leon and Emma, after hearing what had happened over the past two days, the red-haired director glared furiously at Leon:

"You're really… I assigned you to walk the Path of No Return with Emma so you could convince her to wait a few more years! Not so you could help her take revenge!

With Emma's strength, she could've become a branch director in just a few years—then I wouldn't have stopped her from seeking vengeance! But now? If you're discovered…"

"It won't happen."

Leon shook his head seriously:

"Before I acted, I already planned the outcome, and I've just patched up the remaining gaps. The only flaw left is the existence of the 【Dream Invader】, so…"

"So I still have to cover for you, and even file a fake report, right?"

The red-haired director glared.

"Are you dragging me into this too? This is at least aiding and abetting, you know? Lord Taurus trusts me so much—I'm already betraying him just by not reporting you…"

"So, Olivia, will you report us?"

"…"

Report them? Hell no!

On one side is a dead scumbag; on the other, my best friend avenging her daughter, and my capable subordinate acting out of righteous fury—what choice do I have? Should I turn you both in to die with him?

Besides, no matter what the investigators say, this case will definitely be classified as an "unsolved case" involving an anomaly. Though fewer died than in the Lyon family incident, the bizarre nature of the deaths has caused a city-wide uproar and severely damaged our reputation—it'll definitely be noted in the year-end review.

Really…

How many days ago did the last review end? Now we're getting hit with another black mark? Can this year even get better?

After glaring resentfully at Leon and Emma, the red-haired director let out an angry huff and stormed out, slamming the door.

"Write your own report! Damn it! I must've owed you both from my last life!"

We've finally cleared this!

Hearing the red-haired director's words, Leon finally relaxed completely, then turned to look at Emma, who was gazing at him—they exchanged a quiet smile.

"Leon…"

Looking at the man who understood her so well, Emma—who had been about to speak before the red-haired director interrupted—felt her ears flush, then deliberately looked away, lowering her head slightly as she spoke gently:

"I've thought about it—I think… Ellie needs…"

"Oh, by the way, I forgot to mention!"

At that moment, the red-haired director pushed the door open again, her eyes tinged with malice as she announced:

"The Aquarius Director is dead!"

"Really?" Leon's attention snapped back to her, his eyes bright with delight:

"Director, are you sure?"

"Absolutely—I saw it with my own eyes. I even had a small fight with him, shouting at him through the light of the 【Underworld Street Lamp】."

After glancing at her best friend, who had clenched her lips again and looked slightly annoyed, the red-haired director smiled sweetly:

"Just as we suspected—the Aquarius Director left a backup plan. Soon after entering the Underworld, his soul, caught in the 【Underworld Street Lamp】's light, began expanding wildly, most of it spilling out beyond the lamp's range, leaving less than one-tenth still bound."

"And then?"

"Then I acted, of course."

Rolling up her crimson hair ends, the red-haired director—who had stormed out moments ago in fury—now spoke cheerfully:

"I shattered the soul fragments that spilled beyond the lamp's range, beyond repair. As for the portion still inside the 【Underworld Street Lamp】, it ran along the Path of No Return deep into the Underworld.

Had his soul remained intact, he might've waited until the 【Underworld Street Lamp】's power weakened and struggled free. But now, with only one-tenth left, he'll be dragged all the way to the end of the Underworld and fall straight from the 【Cliff of Finality】. He's finished!"

"Oh, by the way, here's this for you."

As she spoke, the red-haired director remembered something and tossed Leon a pair of oddly shaped, semi-transparent gloves.

"What's this…"

"Made from the Aquarius Director's fingers—technically, they're fragments of his soul."

"Huh?"

"It's disgusting, sure, but if it works, that's all that matters."

Seeing Leon startled, the red-haired director sneered:

"Remember the secret technique 【God-Suppressing Fork Fingers】, designed to suppress true god flesh? The Aquarius Director had perfected it—so much so that parts of his soul had changed accordingly.

You said earlier that no matter how hard you tried, you couldn't harm the Wealth Goddess's body. So when I cut his soul apart, I specifically preserved the finger fragments and had the third-generation elder forge these gloves.

If the Wealth Goddess suspects something and comes after you, just wear these gloves—they'll temporarily suppress the divinity within her flesh. Even if you can't kill her, you'll make her hurt."

"Sigh… Originally, I planned to give these to you as a thank-you gift if you could convince Emma to hold back. But now… Hmph! Consider them temporarily loaned for your protection! When you've dealt with the Wealth Goddess, remember to return them!"

Ah…

Looking at the extraordinarily precious "gift" the director had brought back, Leon felt moved and said:

"Thank you, Director… When we left the third-generation director, he was already furious—didn't you have to suffer a lot to get him to agree to forge this anomaly for me?"

"Not at all."

The red-haired director waved her hand, smiling:

"The third-generation elder was furious at first and refused outright—but after I asked him one question, he changed his mind immediately."

"What? What did you ask him?"

"Heh—I told him: 'You don't want anyone to find out Leon's forging technique was taught by you, do you?'"

(End of Chapter)