Chapter 866

Ah, this…

After staring at the female journalist who had pulled him out of the dog's mouth and claimed she was willing to be eaten in his place, Li Ang, after a moment of stunned disbelief, was genuinely moved.

Although he had long known from his soul's view that the female journalist's moral standards were not low, her willingness to sacrifice herself in his stead still caught him off guard.

"What are you doing for me?"

Looking at the female journalist who was desperately tugging at him, Li Ang winced and said:

"Aren't we on opposite sides? You were captured by our director, and if I hadn't interrogated you, you might never have triggered Water Bearer's backup plan—you'd have been dumped straight into the Death Realm… So why the hell are you dying for me? Because you feel guilty?"

"I… maybe…"

After shouting out impulsively, the female journalist seemed to hesitate, but then she remembered how her "indulgence" toward Water Bearer had caused Li Ang to endure "unimaginable agony," and her resolve hardened once more.

"Lord Angxi!"

Amid the three-headed dog god's bewildered gaze, the female journalist spoke again:

"You said I could go back. I'm not leaving now. Let him go!"

"…"

Wait… you're acting so noble like this—what does that make me?

Watching the female journalist insistently offer herself as food, preparing to "die heroically," Li Ang found himself crumbling.

Of course it's good to live—but if the price is tricking someone else into dying for me, I'll never rest easy for the rest of my life; every time I think of today, I'll slap myself hard!

…

Fine, I'm just unlucky…

Looking at the female journalist who was desperately holding onto him, Li Ang couldn't help sighing inwardly.

If only she'd done more bad things—then tricking her into dying for me wouldn't weigh on my conscience at all.

But the trouble is that she's not actually a bad person—aside from hiding information about the Watchtower Palace due to her upbringing by the Water Bearer, she's done nothing truly wrong. If I just brush this off, I'll regret it for the rest of my life.

Tsk… now that I think about it, karma really moves fast.

Just moments ago I was desperately stoking her guilt to extract intel on Water Bearer, and now—snap! the roles reversed, and I'm being tormented by my own guilt.

"Forget it. You don't have to replace me."

Unable to pry her fingers loose and unable to bear the guilt, Li Ang awkwardly explained:

"I may have a grudge against Water Bearer, but I'm not really a victim—I didn't suffer any pain. Everything before was just an act."

All of it was an act?!

Hearing Li Ang's words, the female journalist's eyes widened, and her grip on his arm loosened slightly.

But then she recalled the pain in his eyes, and her resolve returned; she tightened her hold, shaking her head stubbornly:

"I don't believe you! I've seen many people suffering over the years—those eyes are exactly like yours, and none suffered more than you. No one could fake that feeling!"

"…"

Ah, this… sorry, I really was just acting…

Seeing she still didn't believe him, Li Ang switched to a more brutal approach, glaring and barking:

"Let go!"

"No!"

"This is my business! None of your concern!"

"Willing to die for you is my business!"

"…"

Holy shit, this conversation is absurdly stupid…

Realizing the situation was spiraling into a clichéd soap opera, Li Ang, unable to hold it together, turned sharply to the three-headed dog god, ready to end this ridiculous farce.

"Hurry up! Which one do you eat?"

"Me…?"

At Li Ang's sharp demand, the three-headed dog god blinked its six eyes, then shook its three heads, mimicking Li Ang's earlier tone with a grin:

"What if I told you there's a possibility I could eat both of you at once?"

"…"

"…"

"Alright, looks like you've got no more questions. I'll start then."

Amid Li Ang and the female journalist's stunned expressions, the three-headed dog god, having watched the spectacle long enough, opened its massive jaws, snatched one in each mouth, and swallowed them both without even chewing.

"Two idiots."

After judging the intelligence of Li Ang and the journalist, the three-headed dog god licked its nose, feeling the unusually potent souls inside its belly, then lazily yawned and sprawled back into its giant doghouse beside the Gate of the Dead.

Technically, it shouldn't lie down right after eating—especially after consuming two souls, one of which was a genuine Level One Cleaner, a proper feast—ideally, it should take a walk to aid digestion.

But for the three-headed dog god, the supreme happiness was eating, then sleeping, then eating again. Slower digestion was fine—besides, sleeping with something in your belly always made sleep deeper… Huh?

A strange scent had reached its nose. Moments ago languid, the three-headed dog god suddenly lifted its neck; all six ears snapped upright, and its six basketball-sized nostrils dilated fully as it inhaled sharply.

An unfamiliar scent, yet slightly familiar.

The intensity suggested a True God's level, but it lacked the fervent buzz of a True God or the rotting stench of a Demonic God. If it were human, it carried the ethereal aura of a Dream Realm creature…

"Sssllaa!"

With a sound like tearing paper, a small paper cutter emerged from the mist beyond the Gate of the Dead, then slashed sharply downward, ripping open a massive fissure.

Immediately, a young man in a sky-blue robe stepped through the black-and-white tear, standing before the three-headed dog god, and asked in surprise:

"Angxi? How did you wake up before I even entered?"

"…"

"Oh, you probably don't recognize me."

Smiling gently at the confused three-headed dog god, Water Bearer explained:

"I've had some trouble lately and had to swap bodies. Many old friends don't recognize me anymore."

"So who exactly are you…?"

"I'm Camus… yes, also the former Water Bearer of the Cleanup Bureau."

Water Bearer? You're dead!?

Hearing the blue-robed youth's words, the three-headed dog god froze, then bared its teeth in wary suspicion.

"You want to enter the Death Realm?"

"Yes, I do have business there."

Surveying the surroundings, spotting two shoe tracks on the ground, Water Bearer asked curiously:

"Someone came before me? No wonder you woke up immediately… By the way, where are they? Did you eat them?"

"Enough talk! Fight!"

Crouching low into a ready stance, the three-headed dog god bared its teeth:

"My duty is to guard the gate. To enter the Death Realm, you must defeat me first!"

"Mm, I know the procedure."

Water Bearer nodded with a smile, then interlaced his fingers and slammed them downward. With a thunderous *thud*, an invisible force crushed the three-headed dog god's mountain-sized body to the ground, pinning it motionless.

Damn the God-Suppressing Finger Technique! Damn Water Bearer!

Facing the specialized anti-mystic technique, the three-headed dog god—the weakest True God in the Death Realm—had no chance to fight back. It groaned helplessly on the ground, cursing Water Bearer in its mind, wishing he'd be eliminated by the Cleanup Bureau soon… yet…

"By the way, Angxi."

Looking at the pinned three-headed dog god, Water Bearer paused, then didn't step past it as he used to. Instead, he stood before it, and said hesitantly:

"Every time I want to enter the Death Realm, I have to fight you. It's become a nuisance. So I've decided to solve this problem permanently."

Huh?

Hearing Water Bearer's words, the three-headed dog god blinked, then asked confusedly:

"My duty is guarding the gate. How do you plan to solve this? Are you going to create some anomaly that exempts me from my duty?"

"Sorry, that won't work."

Water Bearer shook his head:

"Guarding the gate is one of the Death Realm's rules. Changing it would cost too much. I'd rather use a simpler method… Sorry."

"???"

Amid the three-headed dog god's bewildered expression, Water Bearer offered a regretful smile—then a small paper cutter slipped soundlessly into its skull, twisting wildly inside.

"I thought about it. Killing you directly is just easier."