Chapter 862

It sounds a bit absurd, but it also seems like there's nothing wrong with it...

After hearing the current situation of the Kroke Kingdom described by the female reporter, Li Ang couldn't help but blink in speechlessness.

He had originally thought that after the machine intelligence crisis broke out in the Kroke Kingdom, the people there should be living in dire straits, but it turned out that the average standard of living had actually jumped significantly; it seems he had overthought it.

Hmm... thinking about it carefully, it's actually more normal this way.

After all, judging from the communication between himself and Artie 128, they don't seem to have any hostility toward humans; they aren't the kind of "artificial idiots" who say things like "Humans are the cancer of the Earth!" or "Data-wise, humans are trash organisms that should be erased."

What's more, even Artie 128, as a sub-body, knew how to take the initiative to negotiate with him to save its life when the airship was about to be blown up, so Artie 01, which is more "intelligent" than it, of course knows how to weigh the pros and cons.

It just so happens that the Kroke Kingdom has outstanding technological levels; it's not short of money, food, or productivity. With the small population of the Kroke Kingdom, it's no big deal to just support everyone; it wouldn't cost much anyway.

For Artie 01, rather than killing or enslaving ordinary people and bringing a whole bunch of trouble upon itself, or even starting a war, it's more cost-effective to just support them like this.

After all, if it manages to support the people well and cultivates a few more great scientists, it might even be beneficial to itself. Comparing the two, Artie 01, with its high intelligence, naturally wouldn't take action against humans recklessly.

"Fine then..."

After figuring out the logic behind the current situation of the Kroke Kingdom, Li Ang's mouth twitched slightly. After recording this situation, he asked about another thing he cared about.

"Then the next question... during the time before the Nightmare King descended, did you go to the Pink Mystery bar on Taole Street?"

"Yes..."

Upon hearing Li Ang's words, the female reporter bit her lower lip, then nodded slightly:

"I did go, and I stole the Blood-Haired Maiden's wallet."

It really was you.

Li Ang blinked upon hearing this, then asked with some confusion:

"Why did you steal her wallet?"

"I don't know either."

The female reporter shook her head:

"I was only responsible for stealing the wallet; the Director didn't tell me anything else. As for the Director's purpose, it was definitely to deal with the Blood-Haired Maiden in the end; you can guess that even without me saying it."

Hmm... this sentence is also the truth.

Looking at the female reporter's soul, which was completely open and without any darkness or concealment, Li Ang couldn't help but frown again.

If it were before, he might have worried that the Aquarius Board member would use the aura on the Director's wallet to remotely cast some kind of curse.

But after touching the Director's little white teeth just now, Li Ang was very convinced in his heart that, facing the all-around protection of the 【Thirty-Two Imperial】, curses or the like could never take effect.

That makes it a bit strange; what did the Aquarius Board member want the Director's wallet for? It couldn't just be for fun, could it?

"Mr... Li Ang."

Just as Li Ang was completely baffled by the Aquarius Board member's actions, the female reporter recalled the conversation just now and discovered that Li Ang, who had a "deep-seated hatred" for the Aquarius Board member, really hadn't asked many questions related to Aquarius, vaguely feeling that something seemed not quite right.

But the heart-wrenching expression on Li Ang's face and the indescribable sorrow in his eyes didn't look fake at all. After hesitating for a while, she couldn't help but probe with slight suspicion:

"If you don't mind, could you tell me what the Director did to you?"

Hmm... she's realized something is wrong.

Looking at the female reporter's vigilant soul, Li Ang understood after a moment's thought that his questions were likely not appropriate enough, deviating somewhat from his persona as a "bitter victim of Aquarius," which made her suspicious.

"You want to know what I encountered?"

After re-brewing his emotions, Li Ang closed his eyes in pain, biting his lower lip until it turned white, looking like he couldn't bear to look back. But after a short while, he opened his eyes again, gazing at the female reporter with teary eyes, trying to suppress the hatred in his eyes:

"As long as you tell me his whereabouts, I promise to tell you everything. How does that sound?"

"I..."

Looking at the tooth marks on Li Ang's lower lip that were seeping blood, the female reporter shuddered violently. Not daring to look into those eyes that were too emotionally intense, she hurriedly lowered her head again, whispering:

"I was thinking... if you are willing to accept it, I can try my best to compensate you..."

"Compensate me?"

Upon hearing this, Li Ang took a step forward and squatted down in front of the female reporter. Looking at her panicked eyes, he refused with a voice as cold as frost:

"Then abandon that foolish loyalty of yours and tell me his whereabouts! That is the only way to compensate me!"

"I'm sorry... I'm truly sorry..."

The suspicion that had just risen in her heart was smashed to pieces in one go by the 【Performance Master】. Looking at the "victim" in front of her who had suffered such great pain, the guilt-ridden female reporter couldn't help but have red-rimmed eyes.

"I'm sorry to you too, but he saved my life and raised me... I... I really am..."

"Heh, are you sure he saved your life, rather than taking a fancy to your talent, killing your parents, and ruining your original life?"

"I..."

"I am very disappointed in you."

After taking the female reporter's file and placing it in front of her, Li Ang said with eyes full of disappointment:

"According to the investigation results of the Pisces Branch, although you failed to stop the Aquarius Board member from doing evil, you privately contacted many victims, not only trying to change their encounters but also reporting anomalous events to other branches in advance, saving many people from his hands.

Even after the Aquarius Board member discovered your actions and stopped keeping you by his side, you still didn't stop these actions, privately sabotaging many of his experiments. So after reading your file, I feel that you are not the same kind of person as him; at the very least, you still have some conscience.

It is precisely because I knew these things that I never used torture, but tried to persuade you, to let you understand your mistakes, and I also hoped to give you a chance to change. But now it seems... heh, I thought too much."

"I..."

Facing Li Ang, who had climbed onto the moral high ground and started using the grand PUA technique, the female reporter, who was being CPU-ed for the first time, immediately had red-rimmed eyes. She felt that she was truly heinous and really lived up to the trust of the "victim," and began to doubt whether her choice was correct.

Hmm... I guess she's about ready to break.

Looking at the female reporter's soul, which was shaking like it was dancing, Li Ang remained silent for a while, said nothing, but sighed deeply and rose to leave with heavy steps.

And just as Li Ang was counting the beats and walking toward the door with "disappointed" steps, and opened the door with a creak, the female reporter finally couldn't withstand the torture of the guilt in her heart and called out with teary eyes:

"Wait... wait! I'll tell you!"

Got her!

Upon hearing the female reporter's words, Li Ang, who was pretending to pull the door, curled his mouth, then walked back to the female reporter, but said nothing, only looking at her with eyes full of relief.

"..."

I really shouldn't have!

Looking at Li Ang's warm eyes, which were like ice melting in the snow, the female reporter immediately repented fiercely in her heart again, then said with a trembling voice, somewhat choked with sobs:

"Aquarius... he hasn't given up on his original plan yet, he's preparing to launch a surprise attack... wah!"

Before she could finish her sentence, the female reporter's face suddenly turned pale, and she opened her mouth to vomit a large mouthful of bright red, hot blood, which splashed directly onto Li Ang. Her soul, as if swept by a violent wind, emerged from her body without warning and slammed into Li Ang with a bang.

"Wang? Wang? Wang?"

Hearing only three confused dog barks, Li Ang's soul was knocked out of his body along with hers. The huge gate at the entrance to the Dead World appeared quietly, and the three-headed dog god lying under the gate woke up from its nap, its three dog faces looking over with surprise.