Chapter 887

"So… you came looking for me?"

Standing in the hallway of Happy Apartments, after hearing the female police officer relay Ambassador Krok's threat, Li Ang couldn't help but adjust his cufflink, then evasively glanced around and said:

"But I'm on vacation right now—if you want me to help you find something, go file a report with the Cleanup Bureau and wait three working days…"

"Pfft, don't you dare deny it!"

Seeing Li Ang still trying to dodge her, the furious female police officer stomped her foot and hissed in a low voice:

"I've already confirmed it—those who attacked the boarding tower were you!"

"Others don't know yet, but I know for sure: the attackers' credentials and uniforms were genuine, all taken from the Secret Investigation Bureau's spare parts depot—and you just happened to ask me for a permit right before that!"

"…"

So I've been exposed…

Looking at the female police officer, whose eyes were dark as a panda's from relentless overtime since the boarding tower incident, Li Ang felt a small pang of guilt, then cleared his throat and awkwardly explained:

"This… sorry, but I had to keep this from you for a reason…"

"I don't care about your reasons—do you have what the Krok Kingdom wants?"

Grabbing Li Ang's collar, the female police officer whispered, irritated:

"I know you wouldn't act recklessly—there must be a reason you did this. That's why, even though the Police Department found the spare parts depot, I never leaked it—I've been covering for you. But now what do you say?

I may not understand international relations, but I know how vital Krok Kingdom's tech is. If the Police Department still can't find the attackers, they'll impose sanctions—what will the Kingdom do then?"

"Don't panic. Let me think."

After patting the female police officer's hand to reassure her, Li Ang frowned and analyzed the current situation.

Krok Kingdom had suddenly struck—likely after examining the airship wreckage and discovering that Atifi-128 had been taken. Since they couldn't locate Atifi-128, they were now applying heavy diplomatic pressure.

For a weak kingdom like theirs, the best solution now would be to hand over Atifi-128—but the problem was, it absolutely couldn't be returned. Its "brain" almost certainly contained the Kingdom's energy exploration records.

If they returned it, whether I was exposed or not was minor—but if the Krok Kingdom learned of the Kingdom's "volcanic energy," they'd inevitably choose war. For a kingdom just beginning to regain vitality, that would be a fatal blow. So…

"It's true, I have it—but I won't give it back to them."?!

Upon hearing the first half—that Li Ang admitted possessing the item—the female police officer exhaled in relief, but that breath got stuck in her throat as soon as she heard the second half.

"Explaining the reason is complicated… Simply put: if we don't return it, the Kingdom will only face sanctions. But if we do return it, war between the two nations is inevitable."

After briefly explaining why they couldn't return the item, Li Ang comforted her as she looked bewildered:

"Also, about these so-called sanctions—you don't need to worry too much. Krok Kingdom's situation is unusual. The Cleanup Bureau is already preparing an investigation, and they'll act once it's complete."

…

"The Bureau won't act directly."

After giving an unexpected answer, the Red-haired Director, seeing Li Ang's confusion, sighed and reminded him:

"Krok Kingdom's matter is important, but Lord Taurus is about to ascend to Denggong. At least for the next month, everything must yield to that. The Bureau's stance is to investigate first, and decide only after confirming the facts."

"That's still fine."

Li Ang thought for a moment and said:

"It's only a month or so until Lord Taurus successfully ascends to Denggong. A one- or two-month sanction won't hurt the Kingdom much."

"Not just one or two months—it could be half a year, even longer."??

"Because it's not just Krok Kingdom with royal issues. We can't act rashly—we'll wait until we've fully investigated all cases, then strike together."

The Red-haired Director explained:

"Li Ang, during your vacation, the Sagittarius Director ordered all branch offices to conduct internal audits—and we found that, besides Krok Kingdom, there are another…"

"Wait!"

Hearing the Red-haired Director's words, Li Ang interrupted sharply:

"Internal audits? Didn't that tin doll say there's another traitor in our Bureau? If you do audits across all branches, what if the news leaks?"

"Relax—our Bureau doesn't make such low-level mistakes… well… usually doesn't."

After adding this uncertain remark, the Red-haired Director continued:

"After you exposed the Aquarius Director and discovered he was also the Gemini Branch Director, eleven of us—myself included—underwent inspections and were temporarily bound by two Class-Numbered Anomalies using verbal constraints."

"Since using those two items consumes enormous energy, the number of verbal constraint slots is limited. We can't guarantee loyalty for smaller non-Zodiac branches, but for us senior Zodiac Branch Directors, loyalty is essentially assured. If we couldn't even guarantee that, the Cleanup Bureau wouldn't have lasted this long."

"…"

So that's how it is—impressive, my Bureau… but may I ask: which Bureau did the Gemini Branch Director betray? Cleanup? Processing? Definitely not ours, right?

"Cough… Anyway, after the twelve Zodiac Branches conducted internal audits, we found royal issues in four kingdoms—including Krok Kingdom."

"What?!!!"

In Li Ang's stunned expression, the Red-haired Director sighed helplessly:

"The royal ship of the Thousand Sails Nation, Saeo, has been fully transformed into a ghost ship. Anyone alive on it instantly becomes a ghost when exposed to full moonlight. If not for its permanent anchorage in the Obscured Sea, where thick fog never clears, it would've been destroyed long ago."

"The Witch Queen Nation, Mifala, also has problems. Their royal line has always been single-line succession. The current Grand Witch-King is over 130 years old and will soon die of old age—but her only daughter has vanished, leaving behind only a fake. We can't confirm whether the real daughter is still alive."

"…"

"The Twin Kingdom, Kaleven, is also in trouble. The former Eastern and Western Kaleven Kingdoms held completely different beliefs—worshipping Light and Darkness respectively. After Eastern Kaleven fell due to the Ophiuchus Branch incident, the Light-Worshiping Church of Lumin should have been eradicated."

"But recently, that church has reappeared, colluding with the Western Kaleven Kingdom's native Shadow-Praying Church of the Deep. They seem to be planning to overhaul the state religion and restore the old Eastern Kaleven Kingdom on Western Kaleven's soil—and they're very likely targeting the royal family."

"…"

So, counting the mechanized metropolis Krok Kingdom, which erupted during the Omnium Crisis, one-third of the world's twelve kingdoms have already been infiltrated? What the hell are the Twelve Zodiac Branches doing?

This is insane! You say your Bureau never makes low-level mistakes… Fine, you don't make low-level ones—but you sure make the damn life-or-death ones with gusto, don't you?