Chapter 862

Sounds a bit absurd, but somehow it doesn't seem wrong either…

After hearing the female journalist's account of the current state of the Krook Kingdom, Li Ang couldn't help but blink in stunned silence.

He had assumed that after the Omnium Crisis, the people of the Krook Kingdom would be suffering terribly—but apparently, their average standard of living had skyrocketed, as if he'd overthought it entirely.

Hmm… now that he thought about it, this actually made more sense.

After all, from his exchanges with Atifé 128, they didn't seem to harbor any hatred toward humans—not the kind of AI that screams, "Humans are the cancer of Earth!" or "Statistically, humans are garbage that should be erased."

Moreover, even Atifé 128, as a subordinate, knew to negotiate for its survival when the airship was about to explode—so the more "intelligent" Atifé 01 certainly understood how to weigh costs and benefits.

Fortunately, the Krook Kingdom's technological level was exceptional: it didn't lack money, food, or productivity. With its tiny population, it would be trivial to just keep them all fed—barely a drop in the bucket.

For Atifé 01, it was far cheaper to simply keep them alive than to kill or enslave ordinary people, inviting endless trouble—or even outright war.

After all, if raising humans led to the emergence of a few great scientists, it might even benefit Atifé 01 itself. Compared to the alternatives, a sufficiently intelligent Atifé 01 would never act recklessly against humanity.

"Alright…"

Once Li Ang understood the logic behind Krook Kingdom's current state, his lips twitched slightly. He noted this down, then asked about another matter he cared about.

"Next question… during the period before the Nightmare King's arrival, did you go to the Pink Mystery Bar on Taole Street?"

"Hmm…"

Upon hearing Li Ang's question, the female journalist bit her lower lip, then gave a slight nod.

"I did go. I stole Blood-Hair Queen's wallet."

So it was you.

Li Ang blinked, then asked, puzzled:

"Why did you steal her wallet?"

"I don't know."

The female journalist shook her head.

"I was only assigned to steal the wallet. The Director never told me anything else. As for his purpose—well, you can guess it's to deal with Blood-Hair Queen."

Hmm… this is the truth.

Seeing the journalist's soul—completely open, unshadowed, unhidden—Li Ang couldn't help but frown again.

Previously, he might have worried that the Aquarius Board used the Director's wallet to cast remote curses.

But after touching the Director's little white tooth, Li Ang was now certain: under the Quanfangwei protection of the Thirty-Two Guardians, curses simply couldn't work.

Then why did the Aquarius Board want the Director's wallet? Surely not just for fun?

…

"Mr. Li Ang…"

As Li Ang puzzled over the Aquarius Board's actions, the journalist recalled their conversation and noticed that Li Ang—supposedly harboring a deep grudge against Aquarius—had asked almost no questions about Aquarius at all. A faint unease stirred in her.

Yet his face bore an expression of profound anguish, his eyes filled with indescribable sorrow—how could that be fake? After hesitating, she ventured cautiously:

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

Hmm… she's realized something's off.

Seeing the journalist's soul grow wary, Li Ang instantly understood: his questions had been too off-script, straying from his "deeply wronged victim" persona, and now she was suspicious.

"You want to know what happened to me?"

After rekindling his emotions, Li Ang closed his eyes in pain, biting his lower lip until it turned white, wearing the look of a man haunted by the past. Then he opened his eyes again, his tiger-like gaze wet with tears as he forced down his hatred:

"If you tell me where he is, I swear I'll tell you everything. What do you say?"

"I…"

Seeing the blood seeping from the bite marks on Li Ang's lower lip, the journalist trembled violently, unable to meet his overpowering gaze. She quickly lowered her head and stammered:

"I was thinking… if you'd accept it, I could try to make it up to you…"

"Make it up to me?"

Li Ang stepped forward, crouching before her, staring into her panicked eyes, his voice icy:

"Then abandon your foolish loyalty and tell me his whereabouts. That's the only way you can make it up to me!"

"I'm sorry… I'm truly sorry…"

The suspicion she'd just felt shattered instantly under the 【Performance Master】's act. Seeing the "victim" before her, wracked with unbearable pain, the journalist's eyes welled with guilt.

"I owe you too—but he saved my life. He raised me… I… I just can't…"

"Heh. Are you sure he saved your life—or did he just covet your talent, kill your parents, and destroy your original life?"

"I…"

"I'm disappointed in you."

Li Ang picked up her file and placed it before her, his eyes filled with disappointment:

"According to the Pisces Branch's investigation, though you failed to stop Aquarius from committing atrocities, you secretly contacted many victims, tried to change their fates, and reported anomalies to other branches—saving countless lives from his hands.

Even after Aquarius discovered your actions and stopped taking you along, you never stopped. You sabotaged many of his experiments. After reading your file, I believed you weren't his kind—at least you still had a conscience.

That's why I never resorted to torture. I tried to reason with you, to make you see your error, to give you a chance to change. But now… hah. I overestimated you."

"I…"

Facing Li Ang's moral high ground assault—his first-ever 【CPU】—the journalist's eyes flooded with tears. She felt truly monstrous, unworthy of the "victim's" trust, and began doubting her own choices.

Hmm… seems she's worn down enough.

Seeing the journalist's soul trembling like it was dancing, Li Ang fell silent for a moment, sighed deeply, then rose with heavy steps and walked away.

Just as Li Ang counted his steps, walking with "disappointed" strides to the door and pulled it open with a creak, the journalist could no longer bear the guilt crushing her heart. Through tears, she cried out:

"Wait—wait! I'll tell you!"

Got her.

Hearing her words, Li Ang—who had been pretending to open the door—smirked slightly, then returned to stand before her. He said nothing, only gazed at her with quiet relief.

"…"

I'm so unworthy!

Seeing Li Ang's eyes soften like ice melting, the journalist internally berated herself again, voice trembling with choked emotion:

"Aquarius… he hasn't abandoned his original plan. He's preparing to launch a surprise attack… wah!"

Mid-sentence, her face turned deathly pale. She vomited a gush of hot, crimson blood, drenching Li Ang entirely. Her soul, like a leaf torn by a gale, erupted from her body and slammed into Li Ang with a thud.

"Wang? Wang? Wang?"

Three confused dog barks echoed. Li Ang's soul was likewise ejected from his body. The massive gate of the Death Realm appeared silently, and beneath it, the three-headed hound god stirred from its nap, three canine faces turning toward them in delighted surprise.