Chapter 765: The Mystery of Pink

"Chief!"

While the entire police force of the Secret Investigation Bureau had been mobilized, searching everywhere for a certain suspicious suspect, Hearing Li Ang, who had returned to the Cleanup Bureau, hurriedly knocked open the door to the chief's office.

"I'd like to take half a day off!"

After stating his request, Hearing Li Ang said with a slight frown:

"The Security Department is currently investigating the attack on the boarding tower. Because we were in such a rush that time, a lot of things weren't done discreetly enough. I'm worried they might dig something up.

Chief, please approve half a day off for me this afternoon. I want to get in touch with the rebels who attacked the boarding tower with me back then, and clean up some of the more obvious traces we left behind."

"Fine."

After listening carefully to Hearing Li Ang's request, the red-haired chief, who had been pouring tea into a liquor bottle, deliberated for a moment, then took a slip of paper from a drawer and handed it over.

"Don't bother taking leave either. I'll just count it as a field assignment for you. But after you finish the job, you'll have to do one extra thing."

A new mission?

Hearing the red-haired chief's words, Hearing Li Ang's expression turned slightly solemn, and he took the slip of paper from the desk and began reading it.

In the VIP area this afternoon, find a waiter named Jacob and ask him whether he picked up a guest's wallet that was left behind at the bar yesterday.

"Understood."

After firmly committing the contents of the slip to memory, Hearing Li Ang asked with a serious expression:

"Chief, what's the deal with this Jacob? A naturally awakened anomalous object holder? A servant of some evil god? Or perhaps a remnant of the Chengjin Sect?"

"..."

He's none of those things—just an ordinary, run-of-the-mill waiter. He just very likely swiped the wallet I left at the bar... but how could I possibly bring myself to tell you that?

"He's... a bit of a hassle to explain, and besides, you've still got things to do later, so I won't say more..."

After vaguely going around in circles for a few sentences, the red-haired chief nodded slightly and said with a solemn expression:

"In any case, you must handle this matter very carefully. Just keep contact with him to the bare minimum. As for anything unrelated to the mission—especially any information about the wallet's owner—absolutely do not ask, or you'll easily arouse his suspicion!"

Not even his name or appearance? Looks like the wallet's owner must be someone pretty important...

"I'll keep that in mind."

After committing the chief's earnest instructions to memory, Li Ang tentatively asked:

"What if that waiter named Jacob didn't take the wallet? Do you need me to find a way to get it back?"

"Hmm?"

The red-haired chief said, somewhat surprised:

"Aren't you only good at finding people? Since when do you have the ability to find things?"

"It's not that I can find things, but I can use the method of eroding dreams to indirectly pry into a bit of someone else's memories."

Pointing to the 【Desire-Dream Eroder】 hanging inside his shirt at his chest, Li Ang answered:

"This is a usage I discovered recently in Cui... I mean, I just discovered it recently. After interacting with the target enough times, I can briefly drag them into a dream and replay some things that happened before.

If the target's memory of a certain event is vivid enough, then I can follow along in their dream and watch that portion of their recollection, gaining some related intel."

Meaning... if that waiter didn't take my wallet, but saw who did, then you could replay that night's events in a dream and see the thief's face and build?

That's quite the ability—practically tailor-made for a Cleanup Agent!

After hearing Hearing Li Ang's explanation, the red-haired chief was slightly tempted, but the moment she recalled how she'd tried to play it cool in front of him, a wave of intense shame washed over her, and she hurriedly shook her head in refusal:

"No, no! You just need to confirm whether he took the wallet. Don't do anything else."

"I see..." Hearing Li Ang couldn't help but frown slightly at her words.

Looks like the opponent this time is no pushover—possibly even very dangerous—so the chief doesn't want me to have too much contact with them.

Also, judging by the chief's dead-serious demeanor, could that wallet be a spatial anomalous object containing a large amount of dangerous items?

"You go on ahead now!"

Seeing Hearing Li Ang's furrowed-brow, deep-in-thought expression, and worried he'd keep asking and blow her cover, the red-haired chief hurriedly shooed him away:

"Remember, safety first this time. Just handle what's written on the slip and nothing else. Leave the rest to me!"

"Got it!"

Looking at the red-haired chief, who despite facing a formidable enemy still repeatedly emphasized that he had to stay safe, Hearing Li Ang felt a small warmth in his heart. He nodded seriously in acknowledgment, then pushed the door and left the chief's office.

And after he left, the red-haired chief, who had been sitting ramrod-straight with a solemn expression, immediately let out a long breath, picked up the whiskey bottle filled with tea, and took a big swig.

Now she actually hoped her wallet really had been taken by that waiter.

Earlier she'd accidentally let something slip, and Emma, in a fit of embarrassed fury, had snatched back the money she'd lent her. Jerry, who might be able to find the wallet, had no idea when he'd be back.

If Hearing Li Ang's end didn't go smoothly either and he failed to recover her wallet, then she'd have nothing to drink for the next few days... Maybe she should try filing a report with the Minister of Public Order in the Security Department, suggesting the cafeteria supply some alcoholic beverages too?

Unaware that the "important mission" he'd just taken on was actually the private matter of a certain unscrupulous chief, when less than an hour had dipped below the horizon, Hearing Li Ang arrived on time at Taole Street, where the target bar was located.

As one of the most bustling streets in the Canal District, close to the port, every ship passing through the royal capital and entering the Canal District's port brought a large influx of customers to Taole Street, along with plenty of tourists desperate to relax and unwind.

Therefore, this place had the most bars and nightclubs in the entire royal capital—a raucous world that lay silent and empty by day, only awakening at night. And the target of the mission, the Pink Mystery, was the brightest night-pearl among the streets that only came alive at six in the evening.

"Guest, up ahead is the Pink Mystery's water gate."

After pointing at the arch-shaped structure ahead of the small boat that resembled a bridge opening, the boatman, dressed in a macho-pink uniform, skillfully pushed off with a similarly pink-painted punt pole, letting the small boat drift along the artificial waterway toward the right side, then said with a beaming smile:

"Is this your first time? The Pink Mystery is divided into nine different districts. There are no roads or bridges between the districts—they're completely independent of each other, connected only by waterways. You need to decide now where you want to go."

"..."

This place called the Pink Mystery seems a bit too upscale...

Looking at the nine waterways flowing in different directions beneath the brightly lit "arch bridge," Hearing Li Ang, who was carrying a ram's head, identified them for a moment, then pointed at the waterway marked with a bottle symbol on the sign beside it and asked:

"Is that the waterway to the bar? If so, let's go there!"

"The Drinks District? Got it, just a moment."

The boatman in the macho-pink uniform smiled and nodded, poling the pink little boat into the leftmost waterway. However, after glancing at the ram's head in Hearing Li Ang's hand, he kindly reminded him in a low voice:

"Sir, according to the rules, the beverage and dining areas of Pink Mystery don't allow outside food. Could you leave this thing at the—"

"Bullshit!"

Just then, an enraged curse burst out from the shopping bag.

"You're the goddamn ingredient! Your whole family are ingredients!"

(End of chapter)