Chapter 877

Isn't… aren't you spoiling her a bit too much?

Although he knew the Taurus Director got along extremely well with their own director and treated her almost like a daughter, after hearing the Taurus Director's words, Li Ang still couldn't quite keep his composure.

But just as Li Ang was about to say something, the Red-haired Director seemed to anticipate his thoughts, leaning slightly to whisper in his ear:

"I have a pair of ear studs on my ears. Whenever you attack me or I attack you in battle, these 【Heart-Stealing Studs】 activate, letting me hear fragments of your thoughts."

"…."

So that's how it is…

After hearing the Red-haired Director's explanation, a flicker of understanding passed through Li Ang's eyes.

No wonder the Possessed Doe had been bullied so badly yet stubbornly refused to fight back— as a member of that secret organization, it must have had a secret it couldn't let the Director know about, and thoughts, even gods couldn't fully control.

So the more the Possessed Doe didn't want the Director to hear, the more it fixated on those very thoughts; if a real fight broke out, it would be practically the same as confessing outright, hence its desperate avoidance of direct confrontation.

"Director, may I ask something?"

After glancing at the Taurus Director deep in thought within the Celestial Mirror, Li Ang poked the Red-haired Director's back and communicated through soul-link:

'How effective is your 【Heart-Stealing Studs】? Are they easy to trigger?'

'Pretty easy.'

The Red-haired Director blinked and replied:

'These two Heart-Stealing Studs are a pair. The one on my left ear triggers every time my body is struck; the one on my right ear triggers every time I strike someone else's body. I usually only need the right one.'

Every time I strike someone's body, the 【Heart-Stealing Studs】 activate?

Hearing this, Li Ang's eyebrows lifted slightly.

If that's true, then the frequency of 【Heart-Stealing Studs】 activation is directly tied to attack frequency—and his own Director's 【Blood-Slaying Crimson Hair】 has over a hundred million strands; in terms of attack frequency, no one could even come close.

That means, unless she's worried about being overwhelmed by too much useless mental noise and overheating her mind, anyone fighting her has absolutely no secrets—every intention is exposed before it's even formed.

Ugh… now that I think about it, that's seriously deranged. No wonder no one wants to mess with her.

'Li Ang.'

Quietly reaching behind her back, the Red-haired Director twisted his hand on his palm and glared at him irritably.

'Didn't you forget our souls are still linked? I can hear what you're thinking.'

Uh… I didn't forget, but I can't control what I think…

Caught red-handed mentally badmouthing her, the embarrassed Li Ang quickly changed the subject:

'The Aquarius Director said everyone in that organization signed something that kills them instantly if they leak secrets. Even though it was later modified under the Aquarius Director's advice, there must still be restrictions.'

'So your 【Heart-Stealing Studs】 are literally a perfect counter to them. If we ever encounter someone suspected of belonging to that organization, you could ask them about it first—if they're guilty, they drop dead on the spot; if not, you still get some intel.'

'Brilliant idea!'

…

'Olivia.'

As the Red-haired Director and Li Ang whispered, plotting how to use the 【Heart-Stealing Studs】 to directly eliminate the Aquarius Director's accomplices, the Taurus Director on the other side of the Celestial Mirror finished his thoughts, frowning deeply:

'I've just been thinking this over, and I suspect this matter may be far more serious than we imagined.'

'If I'm not mistaken, the ultimate goal of that organization in targeting royal families across nations is to weaken—or even block—the Watch Palace's protective effect.'

Again, the Watch Palace?

Hearing the Taurus Director's judgment, Li Ang and the Red-haired Director exchanged a glance, and the Red-haired Director spoke up:

'Could you explain in more detail? Why would targeting royal family members weaken the Watch Palace's effect?'

'It's a long story…'

The Taurus Director's expression darkened:

'When we "Palace-Sitters" complete Denggong, we initially retain our human hearts—but over countless centuries, we're inevitably shaped by the Watch Palace, gradually losing our will and dimming our human emotions.'

'Yet the source of the Watch Palace's power is love—for oneself, for one's kin, even for all of humanity. A soul lacking this love cannot align with the Watch Palace's power and becomes unfit to continue serving as a Palace-Sitter.'

Here, the Taurus Director paused briefly, then sighed:

'To be honest, this is rather cruel…'

'Because Palace-Sitters are exceedingly rare, and sometimes even vacant, to ensure each one's "service lifespan" lasts long enough until the next one emerges, the original Pisces Director devised a clever solution: he proposed adding a "Anchor Point" to every Palace-Sitter.'

'Anchor Point?'

'You can think of it as the person the Palace-Sitter cherishes most—ideally a spouse or direct blood descendant.'

The Taurus Director explained gently:

'Love is not just an emotion—it's also a habit. With this Anchor Point, even if the Palace-Sitter's soul gradually loses its original depth of feeling over time, it still clings to the habit, maintaining its state and continuing its duty to protect humanity.'

'The ancestors of the Twelve Kingdoms' royal families all chose their own children as their Anchor Points before Denggong. Though those original "Anchor Points" have long since died, this bond has been passed down through bloodlines, dispersed among the royal descendants of the Twelve Kingdoms.'

'But weren't the souls of those past Palace-Sitters already scattered by time?'

Li Ang couldn't help asking:

'If they're gone, wouldn't the presence or absence of these Anchor Points no longer affect the Watch Palace?'

'No. Though their souls are gone, their will does not vanish—it becomes part of the Watch Palace.'

The Taurus Director shook his head:

'Depending on soul strength, a Palace-Sitter can last at least three or four hundred years, and some even up to a thousand, until their essence is completely worn away. That's an incredibly long time.'

'Even an ordinary person sitting facing a wall for years might leave a shadow on it. These predecessors' souls were immensely powerful, and after millennia of silent vigil within the Watch Palace to protect humanity, their "shadows" have been etched deep into the Watch Palace itself, becoming part of its foundation.'

'The increasing strength of the Watch Palace's power is directly tied to these predecessors' lingering "shadows." Even though their souls have long been erased by time, their will still follows their "lifelong" habits, continuing to protect our people.'