[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-i-m-the-cleanup-crew":3,"chapter-i-m-the-cleanup-crew-i-m-the-cleanup-crew-chapter-869":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","I'm the Cleanup Crew!",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2286705,4472,"Chapter 869","i-m-the-cleanup-crew-chapter-869",869,"\u003Cp>Indeed, Xue Fa Ji arrived in time—if she’d come a moment later, the two of us would’ve been fully digested.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After hearing Li Ang’s words, the female journalist nodded and prepared to follow him back the way they came, out of the Great Dog God’s mouth, but before they’d gone far, Li Ang stumbled, thudding to the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damn…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sensing something wrong, Li Ang looked down at his legs and, with a touch of resignation, realized his two legs had become nearly transparent, barely able to support his body’s weight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then again, it makes sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While the Great Dog God was still alive, its pitch-black stomach lining constantly secreted digestive fluids that eroded souls; I’d merely punched its stomach wall twice, and half my right hand had already turned transparent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And since I was swallowed, my feet have been in constant contact with those fluids—of course my legs would turn transparent faster, and the fact that they’re only giving out now is already impressive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let me go first.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After pulling Li Ang up from the ground, the female journalist looked at his now entirely transparent soul and shook her head:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My soul has been digested by nearly a third; yours is far weaker than mine—likely already 60 to 70 percent digested by the Great Dog God. At your current soul strength, even a single scratch from its teeth will cause immediate disintegration.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After hearing the female journalist’s words, Li Ang sighed and nodded, then followed her into the Great Dog God’s spacious esophagus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as he followed behind her, just as they were about to emerge from the Great Dog God’s throat, the woman in front suddenly went mad—her right foot kicked back violently, stomping Li Ang straight back inside. ???\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What the hell are you doing?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Li Ang, unjustly kicked, bristled with rage and prepared to demand an explanation, the female journalist outside cried out in utter shock:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aquarius? You… how are you here?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aquarius?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing the journalist’s cry, Li Ang’s mind went suddenly deafeningly blank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So the one coming to rescue us isn’t my director—it’s your director?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nicole…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unaware of what had transpired inside the Great Dog God’s stomach, Aquarius Director sighed, gazing at the female journalist before him, whose eyes brimmed with wariness. A hint of weariness flickered in his youthful gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You won’t even call me Director anymore?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Aquarius Director’s question, the female journalist’s lips trembled slightly, then she bit down hard, staring at him without speaking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Forget it. Don’t call me if you won’t.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the journalist’s expression—no longer warm, now filled entirely with caution and suspicion—Aquarius Director sighed again, then wearily instructed:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m leaving. When Xue Fa Ji arrives, say you never saw me—just claim you know nothing. I killed it using other methods; the Cleanup Bureau’s investigators won’t find a trace.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Also, don’t hide any information about me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the Virgo Branch asks you, tell them the truth—don’t fear it will harm me, because since I assigned you to infiltrate the Royal Capital, every piece of information you knew was already false.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the locations those false leads pointed to, the safehouses and labs you knew about—I’ve left deliberate traces. When Cleanup Bureau agents follow those leads, they’ll find I just left, and even uncover some ‘key’ findings. No one will suspect you gave false intel.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After hearing Aquarius Director’s cryptic instructions, the female journalist touched the deer horn mark on her head and couldn’t help asking:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Director… didn’t you implant something in my soul to send me to the Death Realm the moment I spoke? Then why set all this up?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aquarius Director fell silent for a moment, then said with resignation:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nicole, you’re an excellent Cleanup Agent, but your talent lies only in handling anomalies. When it comes to reading people, your brain is truly abysmal!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For instance, if it were the Virgo Branch’s Level Three Cleanup Agent, he’d probably guess most of it just by seeing me here—even if I stayed silent.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you mean Li Ang… he’s right here, less than two meters away, and he can even hear our conversation…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Forget it. I’ll explain.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the journalist still confused, fearing she might blurt everything to Xue Fa Ji out of ignorance, Aquarius Director sighed:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To put it plainly… being sent to the Death Realm doesn’t necessarily mean death. This journey is dangerous, but for you, it’s actually beneficial.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to my plan, if the Three-Headed Dog God hadn’t suddenly awakened and randomly swallowed you, you’d have been pulled only as far as the [Mirror Lake of Hidden Garments] and stopped—never reaching the deepest depths of the Death Realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, when Xue Fa Ji arrives, you’ll appear to have been killed ‘just barely’ for betraying me, allowing you to truly sever ties with me—so the Cleanup Bureau won’t execute you as a traitor. Do you understand?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So… the Director never intended to kill me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You really are…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching the journalist seem to grasp something, yet still brimming with doubt, Aquarius Director added:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My goal is to replace Taurus Director and become the Throne Holder of the Watch Palace. But after I succeed, what will become of you? Have you ever considered that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t think about it. I’m not asking you a question—it doesn’t matter whether you thought of it or not. When that time comes, your fate is death. Worse than death.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shaking his head helplessly, Aquarius Director continued:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Consider this: out of twenty years of loyalty, I couldn’t bear to see you die so foolishly, so I arranged a way out for you—ensuring that after I ascend the Throne, you’ll still be alive, still as clueless as ever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But nothing concerning the Watch Palace is trivial. To spare you from blame because of me, I need someone of at least Zodiac Director rank to plead for you. Otherwise, your end will be unbearable.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Here, Aquarius Director paused, then added with slight irritation:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Though Xue Fa Ji ruined my plans, I must admit she’s a good person. And among those with the authority to plead for you, only she would stand up for you for such a simple reason as ‘you’re a good person.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Likewise, though your record is clean, you did defect with me. Only she—and her bizarre Virgo Branch—could possibly tolerate a traitor like you. Do you understand now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I think I get it…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then get back. Stick to ‘know nothing, saw nothing,’ and say not a single extra word! The fact that you survived by sheer luck is already the biggest red flag—the more you speak, the more you’ll slip up!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pointing at the Great Dog God’s corpse, Aquarius Director rubbed his temples, looking pained:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Xue Fa Ji is cunning. That Level Three Cleanup Agent sometimes thinks even more than she does. With your brain, I don’t expect you to keep this hidden forever—just hold out until I ascend the Throne before you’re exposed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But they’re not hard to fool. Remember: keep being the good person you are. Even if they sense something’s off, they won’t touch you—they might even help you cover it up.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Okay…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then I’m leaving… don’t forget what I said!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching the journalist’s expression now filled with complex emotion, Aquarius Director shook his head, gave one final warning, then turned to leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But before he went, he suddenly remembered something, turned back, and fixed his gaze on the journalist, who had just sighed in relief:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By the way, there should’ve been another soul with you in the Death Realm—who was it?”\u003C\u002Fp>",1259,"2026-06-20T03:18:35.371Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","5860a0f300c324f0d7fdf0b67d366caf03c71bc1804fe28fab3f5a2f395fc7b6","i-m-the-cleanup-crew-chapter-870","i-m-the-cleanup-crew-chapter-868",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fi-m-the-cleanup-crew-cover.jpg"]