Chapter 959

“You?!!!”

“Your anomaly is incredibly useful.”

Amid the stunned expression of the Scorpion Director, Li Ang grinned drunkenly and taunted:

“The sentient core of the Krokok Kingdom was heavily waterproofed, with over thirty separate waterproof compartments—nearly impossible to destroy all at once. So originally, I thought destroying half of them would be enough.”

“But your [Whale Shark Puppet] is truly excellent—I just made it slam into it once, and every single waterproof compartment shattered, not one left intact.”

“…”

Hearing this, the Scorpion Director’s face darkened, his eyes sharp and hostile as he demanded:

“So this was your plan all along… You let yourself be captured on purpose? To make me lower my guard and seize control of the Whale Shark Puppet?”

“…”

Upon hearing the Scorpion Director’s words, Li Ang’s smile faltered slightly, and he fell silent.

The plan was indeed this plan—but he really hadn’t fought at all…

Leaving aside other matters, his contamination level was merely brute-forced upward; his actual reaction and movement speed remained at the baseline 12-point Li Ang level—far behind the Scorpion Director’s. No matter how powerful the [Cutting Silver Dagger] was, if it couldn’t land a hit, it was useless.

“Fine, I underestimated you this time.”

Interpreting Li Ang’s silence as contempt, the Scorpion Director’s face flushed with anger as he sneered:

“I admit your calculations were brilliant—you caught me off guard. But the gap in strength between you and me cannot be bridged by wit alone.”

“Though you succeeded in destroying Atifi’s core, the cost was you falling into my hands. Once your immortality timer expires, I’ll kill you instantly! In the end, you’re still the loser!”

“…”

After hearing the Scorpion Director’s words, Li Ang looked up at him, then offered a look of faint pity.

It seems Atifi’s soul-coding technology really does impair intelligence…

I know perfectly well it’s a bad trade to exchange my life for Atifi’s core—so didn’t you ever wonder why I insisted on destroying it?

“Mr. Li Ang!”

Just as the Scorpion Director advanced with his stiletto, furious and ready to stab Li Ang again, a weary voice suddenly emerged from Li Ang’s pocket:

“My second objective failed, but my first has been accomplished—you may proceed!”

This is…

Recognizing the voice’s owner, the Scorpion Director’s expression hardened. He spun around and slashed open Li Ang’s clothing, revealing a mouth and ears stitched with silk threads inside the pocket.

Alger?!!!

“What did you do?!”

After stabbing through the silk ear in Li Ang’s pocket and retracting his stiletto, the Scorpion Director glared coldly:

“Alger! Answer me! What did he make you do?!”

“Director…”

Hearing the Scorpion Director’s impatient demands, Alger’s voice grew faint, then declined:

“Technically, I should obey you—but your mind isn’t clear right now. I’ll explain everything after Mr. Li Ang rescues you.”

“I want you to tell me now!”

“This…”

“It’s fine. Tell him.”

Having secretly canceled the exchange targeting the [Whale Shark Puppet], Li Ang ordered the [Word-Eating Earthworm] in the Mirror World to devour the blood-written characters on the [Unfair Snake Pact], then smiled at Alger:

“Even if he knows now, it’s too late for him to act. You can tell him everything.”

“Alright then.”

With Li Ang’s permission, Alger exhaled slightly, then spoke as the Scorpion Director’s face twisted in fury:

“Director, Mr. Li Ang instructed me to prepare—to enter Research Zone One the instant the sentient core was destroyed…”

This is… a diversion?!?!

Realizing Li Ang’s plan, the Scorpion Director froze, then seized Li Ang’s collar.

“Your target is Prince Andre? You lured me out so Alger could go seize him?!”

“Half and half.”

Smiling at the Scorpion Director, Li Ang said:

“Don’t worry—sending Alger after Prince Andre was only the second objective. Besides, didn’t Senior Alger just say his second goal failed? You needn’t fear for his safety.”

“Yes…”

Hearing Li Ang’s words, Alger sighed, then said reluctantly:

“Sorry—I allocated about 30% of my body to search for Prince Andre. But as soon as my threads neared his sealed chamber, they lost control and vanished. I stopped pursuing him.”

“It’s fine. Prince Andre is a member of the Executioners’ Guild. If he were truly ordinary with no hidden tricks, that’d be strange.”

Hearing Alger’s self-reproach, Li Ang reassured him:

“He must have anticipated I’d hold you off while you attacked Research Zone One. Yet he still let you come after me—meaning he has other cards up his sleeve, confident he can handle your strike.”

“So from the start, capturing him was only the second objective. If you couldn’t catch him, it doesn’t matter—as long as our first objective succeeded, we win.”

First objective?

Hearing this, the Scorpion Director couldn’t help asking:

“What’s your first objective?”

“Hmm… this question…”

Li Ang paused, then nodded:

“Time’s about up—I’ll tell you. Senior Alger’s primary mission was to extract every scholar from Research Zone One—except Prince Andre—and all the necessary equipment for body reconstruction.”

“With his Level-One Clearance status, once I destroyed Atifi’s sentient core and caused a brief system shutdown in Zone One, he only needed one minute to evacuate every living person inside.”

“Why take them? What’s your real goal?”

Seriously… I’ve hinted this clearly, and you still don’t get it?

Glancing at the Scorpion Director’s increasingly agitated soul—its precision now visibly fraying—Li Ang didn’t answer. Instead, he asked thoughtfully:

“If you were truly fully controlled, wouldn’t you rush back to defend Zone One the moment you learned Alger had entered?”

“Yet you’re not rushing to protect Prince Andre—you’re just grabbing my collar, screaming like a gambler who’s lost everything… Doesn’t that suggest Prince Andre’s control over you isn’t complete? When you’re emotionally stirred, can you resist the soul-coding’s influence?”