[{"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-964":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},2286800,4472,"Chapter 964: 562 The Clown","i-m-the-cleanup-crew-chapter-964",964,"\u003Cp>「?」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without receiving a reply from Li Ang, the young version of Prince Andre saw a hint of regret in his eyes, and he furrowed his brow before continuing:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>«You should already guess part of the current situation. This world before you is drawn from my memories, and with your current abilities, there’s no way to break out of it.»\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>«So what?»\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ang raised an eyebrow at this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>«You tell me this—are you trying to make me give up resistance, or to surrender directly to you?»\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>«No need. I don’t care about any of that.»\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prince Andre shook his head, then pointed at the emerald-eyed girl shielded behind Li Ang, his expression earnest:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>«I only want Philia. If you return her to me, I’ll let you both leave this place immediately.»\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>«Andre brother…»\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After hearing Prince Andre’s “simple” request, the emerald-eyed girl’s eyes filled with emotion, and she moved to step out from behind Li Ang—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>«That doesn’t seem right.»\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grabbing Philia’s collar, Li Ang yanked her back behind him and stared into the young prince’s green eyes:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>«The Krook royal family now has only you and her left. If you take her too, the Krook bloodline will be extinguished, and the Watch Palace’s power will weaken—my mission will fail completely.»\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>«That’s your problem.»\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After hearing Li Ang’s reply, Prince Andre frowned slightly, then spoke coldly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>«The strength of the Watch Palace’s power has nothing to do with me or the Krook royal family. Neither I nor the Krook royal family bear any responsibility to maintain the Watch Palace’s efficacy for the Clearance Bureau.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for your mission… Lord Li Ang, I hope you understand: I’m standing here negotiating with you only because I don’t wish to fight you in this world and dirty my painting—not because I lack the ability to eliminate you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right now, I’m willing to let you and Director Edward leave. So you’d better accept. Don’t keep testing my patience, or the outcome will be one neither of us wants.»\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>«Mm-hmm.»\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nodding noncommittally, Li Ang gripped the struggling Philia and narrowed his eyes:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>«I do care more about my own safety than completing the Clearance Bureau’s mission. This deal isn’t impossible—but how can I be sure that after I return Princess Philia to you, you’ll actually let me and Director Edward go?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, I’m trapped inside your painting, and Princess Philia is my only bargaining chip. If you were just bluffing just now, and you seize her then immediately attack me and Director Edward, what am I supposed to do?»\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prince Andre frowned, growing impatient:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>«Just say it—what do you want?»\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>«I want a guarantee.»\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ang raised his [Cutting Silver Dagger] and held it against Philia’s forehead, then proposed earnestly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>«To ensure you won’t renege, I’ll return half of Princess Philia to you now. The other half—I’ll give you only after I and Director Edward are safe… Hmm… Do you want the left half or the right half?»\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>«?!?!»\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Li Ang’s proposal and seeing the glinting dagger at her forehead, the struggling emerald-eyed girl froze instantly, motionless, frantically signaling to Prince Andre:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No! I don’t want to be split down the middle! Don’t you dare agree to him!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>«…»\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>«Fine, if you don’t want to negotiate, then forget it.»\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the [Cutting Silver Dagger] clutched tightly in Li Ang’s hand, Prince Andre understood he had rejected his terms. He fell silent for a moment, then lifted his head, expressionless:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>«I didn’t want to dirty this painting, but since you refuse my terms, I have no choice… Goodbye. I hope you won’t regret this later.»\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After uttering a cryptic threat, the young version of Andre shuddered slightly, as if something were being drawn out of his body. His eyes, moments ago tinged with irritation, returned to their original, uncorrupted clarity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>«Huh?»\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blinking in confusion at Li Ang before him, the young Andre patted his own head with the ball in his arms, puzzled:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>«You’re…»\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>«The assassin sent to kill you.»\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After casually replying to young Andre, Li Ang lunged forward, seized the startled prince, and stabbed him seven or eight times with a series of wet thuds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>«Your Highness?!!!»\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this sudden scene, the distant guard captain stood frozen, his eyes bulging with blood as he scrambled toward them, desperate to wrest Prince Andre from the “assassin’s” grasp and see if there was any hope left—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>«So cool!»\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Touching his own body, now pierced seven or eight times yet showing no wounds, the young prince gasped in amazement, dropped the ball, clapped his hands enthusiastically, then asked excitedly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>«Are you a magician? Your blade has a mechanism—it retracts when it touches someone, or it’s flexible! Am I right?»\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>«Wrong.»\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Letting the young prince touch the blade of the [Cutting Silver Dagger] to confirm its condition, Li Ang sighed faintly as he looked at the prince’s unharmed clothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only could the “canvas” not be cut, but even the “content” and “figures” within the painting were uncuttable—any place severed instantly healed, except where the blade’s edge made direct contact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seems Prince Andre’s painting ability truly counters mine perfectly. Director Edward’s judgment was correct: without seeing the opponent’s true form, I simply cannot handle this kind of battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Li Ang silently worried, the towering guard captain, who had rushed halfway toward them, now saw the prince’s body completely unharmed and the young prince curiously examining the small knife. The guard captain let out a long breath, then staggered two steps and leaned against a nearby statue, exhausted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damn it… you sneaky magician—I’ll beat you every time I see you!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Glaring fiercely at Li Ang, the guard captain, still shaken, watched as Prince Andre grabbed Li Ang’s arm and stabbed himself repeatedly with the dagger. He hurried over and pleaded earnestly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>«Your Highness, these people are suspicious—you should…»\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>«Huh?»\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing the guard captain’s warning, the young prince blinked in surprise, then pointed at Li Ang’s red, round nose and his garish face paint, asking puzzled:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>«What’s suspicious about him? Isn’t he the clown Father hired from the circus to liven things up?»\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>«??»\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, it was Li Ang’s turn to be stunned. Looking at the sudden bright red nose in his vision, he widened his eyes—before he could speak, he felt his clothes grow suddenly heavy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was as if an invisible giant brush, dipped in meticulously mixed pigments, had lightly brushed twice over his body, transforming his newly changed black wool greatcoat into a clown outfit covered in vertical colored stripes and dazzling patches.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Immediately afterward, a flood of muddled circus performer memories—along with surprisingly skilled acrobatic skills—suddenly flooded Li Ang’s mind. His previously stiff lips curled involuntarily into a wide, formulaic grin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>«…»\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Holy shit—I’m actually a magician now!\u003C\u002Fp>",1128,"2026-06-20T03:18:35.371Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","fc48c6efc8a02a07cc2f1958ecb93f473e59459dab0967b8ee478e24af31412f","i-m-the-cleanup-crew-chapter-965","i-m-the-cleanup-crew-chapter-963",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fi-m-the-cleanup-crew-cover.jpg"]