Chapter 787: Ragtag Crew

Has the arrival of the King of Nightmares become inevitable?

After hearing the Red-haired Director's judgment, Li Ang's eyes widened instantly.

Of course, the intelligence about the location of the Black Cult of Nightmares' base came from the Water Bearer Director—he had tampered with it; it's not just highly likely, it's 100% certain!

I remember Senior Emma once told me that when the Fallen Soul Black Abyss merges with reality, the connection between body and soul weakens, dream-world creatures and related abilities surge dramatically, and the King of Nightmares seizes the chance to invade reality.

If the King of Nightmares truly succeeds in descending, ordinary people affected won't die outright, but will be haunted by nightmares for life; as for us Cleaners, we're highly likely to be forcibly captured and dragged into the dream world, transformed into dream-world creatures under its control, eternally enslaved.

"Director! Quickly request reinforcements from headquarters!"

Knowing what would happen within three days, Li Ang couldn't help but urge:

"Senior Emma told me the King of Nightmares has no physical form and can move freely through dreams—it's not a type you're skilled at handling. Can't we ask a Director who specializes in countering it, or another branch's Director, for help?"

"I've already requested aid, but it's unlikely to arrive in time."

Pointing to the cabinet beside the desk, the Red-haired Director showed Li Ang the faintly flickering Celestial Sphere Mirror, then rubbed his temples:

"The Li Ang value of the King of Nightmares is around 63 points. Non-Zodiac branch Directors have Li Ang values of only 50–59, and even with the Star Palace's enhancement, they can only reach 60."

"Though the difference seems small, you know—60 Li Ang points is the boundary between human and god. Even if another branch Director arrived, facing the Fallen Soul Black Abyss-enhanced King of Nightmares, they'd be of little help."

"What about other Zodiac branch Directors?"

"If they could come, they might help—if two or more arrived, we might even try killing the King of Nightmares. But none of them can come…"

The Red-haired Director sighed:

"Headquarters is currently in self-imposed lockdown. Except for the three Directors, all other personnel's Star Palace teleportation abilities have been temporarily blocked. Only those from the Leo Branch and Scorpio Branch might arrive within two days."

"The Scorpio Branch Director and I have a grudge—he's unlikely to drop everything and rush over immediately. As for Beverly from the Leo Branch, though she's close to me, after you exposed the Water Bearer's conspiracy, she requested as her reward a month's stay in the Sweet God's divine realm to eat pastries. She's not even in this world right now—how could she possibly arrive?"

"Then…"

"I'm still contacting the Directors."

Pointing to the two fish-shaped emblems circling a sphere atop the Celestial Sphere Mirror, the Red-haired Director said:

"The Pisces Director excels in dreams and souls. If he's willing to act, the two of us could directly enter the Fallen Soul Black Abyss and forcibly trap the King of Nightmares within the dream world. But I suspect he's currently…"

"Zzz…"

As if echoing the Red-haired Director's words, the two fish emblems above the Celestial Sphere Mirror stabilized, and a little girl with a face full of delight appeared in the mirror.

"Olivia~ Are you here to play with me?"

"He's currently in a state where he can't act."

After finishing his sentence, the Red-haired Director, seeing Li Ang's bewildered expression, scratched his messy hair and said with helpless resignation:

"Play later, Your Excellency Pisces. I'm busy now… Are the Taurus and Sagittarius Excellencies beside you?"

"Alright then…"

After the Red-haired Director declined her invitation, the little girl pouted in disappointment but obediently nodded, then ran off from the mirror, her little shoes squeaking.

"I'll go call them for you!" "Thank you."

"..."

"That child just now was Mimi—she's roughly one-quarter of the Pisces Director."

After the little girl vanished beyond the Celestial Sphere Mirror, the Red-haired Director turned to Li Ang, who wore an expression of astonishment, and explained:

"The Pisces Director's situation is unusual. His soul has been split by an anomaly into four parts: a boy, a girl, an old man, and a middle-aged woman—specifically, a six- or seven-year-old girl, a twenty-three- or twenty-four-year-old young man, a forty-five- or fifty-six-year-old woman, and an octogenarian."

"His body is controlled in rotation by these four souls—from youngest to oldest. Though all four souls, originating from the same source, are recognized by the Pisces Star Palace, only the octogenarian possesses true Director-level power."

"..."

So the Pisces Director only has Director-level combat power one-quarter of the time?

Watching the six-year-old Pisces Director leave, Li Ang, unable to hold back his disbelief, stared at the pink wooden rocking horse placed before the mirror and asked:

"With so many anomalies at headquarters, isn't there any way to bring out the eighty-year-old Pisces Director earlier?"

"Impossible."

The Red-haired Director shook his head:

"About twenty or thirty years ago, before he defected, the Water Bearer Director teamed up with the Taurus Director to create an anomaly targeting souls, aiming to resolve the Pisces Director's soul fragmentation."

"Even combining two secret arts, they failed. All they managed was to fix the previously chaotic soul rotations into a fixed sequence—from youngest to oldest."

"The octogenarian Pisces Director you saw when you exposed the Water Bearer's conspiracy at headquarters just emerged. Now, the cycle must rotate back from oldest to youngest before he appears again… It'll take over a month."

Another month? By then, the flowers will have long withered!

With a deeper understanding of how the Cleaner Bureau was nothing but a ragtag makeshift operation, Li Ang was about to ask again when hurried footsteps echoed from the other side of the 【Celestial Sphere Mirror】. The six-year-old Pisces Director returned, dragging two people along excitedly.

"Olivia! I brought them back for you! Next time you come…"

"Next time you come, I'll make sure she brings you more interesting toys."

Interrupting her, the slightly weary Taurus Director gently stroked the girl's head and said softly:

"Mimi, we have business to discuss. Why don't you go play over there, alright?"

"Oh…"

Sensing the serious expressions of the Taurus Director and the Red-haired Director, the girl blinked, pouted, and trudged off with her squeaking shoes. The Taurus Director then took her place opposite the Celestial Sphere Mirror.

"Olivia, I have something to tell you."

Before the Red-haired Director could mention that the Water Bearer Director was still alive, the grave-faced Taurus Director spoke first, sighing with anxiety:

"The Watchtower Palace… may have a problem."

(End of Chapter)