I! Anomaly Cleansing Agent!

“You?!!!!”

“Your anomalous item is really useful.”

Amidst Bureau Director Scorpion’s shocked expression, Leon, with blurred eyes from drunkenness, grinned provocatively: “The Crocodile Kingdom’s Mechanical Intelligence core had very meticulous waterproofing, with over thirty isolated zones. It was almost impossible to destroy them all at once. So, I originally thought that if I could destroy half of them, it would be enough.

But your [Whale Shark Puppet] is truly amazing. I just made it crash full force, and every single waterproof zone shattered, not a single one remained.”

“……”

Upon hearing this, the Scorpion Bureau Director couldn’t help but grow stern-faced, his brows furrowing as he questioned harshly:

“So this was your plan all along… You let me capture you on purpose? Just to make me lower my guard so you could seize control of the Whale Shark Puppet?”

“……”

After hearing the Scorpion Bureau Director’s words, Leon’s smile faltered slightly, and he fell silent momentarily.

The plan was indeed this plan, no doubt about it, but there was also no denying that he hadn’t fought back…

Not to mention, his Taint Value was artificially boosted, while his actual reaction speed and movement speed were still at a measly 12 Leon points, far behind the Scorpion Bureau Director. No matter how powerful the [Silver Knife]’s destructive power might be, it’s useless if it can’t reach its target.

“Fine, this time I underestimated you.”

Seemingly interpreting Leon’s silence as disdain, facing the Leon who wouldn’t deign to answer his question, the Scorpion Bureau Director’s face flushed slightly. He then sneered coldly with an angry gaze:

“I admit, your scheming was indeed excellent, catching me off guard. But the gap in strength between you and me isn’t something intelligence alone can bridge.

Though you succeeded in destroying the Artefact’s core, the cost was falling into my hands. Once the duration of your indestructibility runs out, you will die immediately! In the end, the loser is still you!”

“……”

After hearing the Scorpion Bureau Director’s words, Leon involuntarily glanced up at him and revealed a somewhat sympathetic expression.

It seems the Artefact’s soul encoding technology really does affect one’s IQ…

Exchanging my life for the destruction of the Artefact’s core is such a bad deal—how could I not know that? So have you ever considered why I insisted on destroying the Artefact’s core?

“Mr. Leon!”

Just as the Scorpion Bureau Director approached angrily, sword in hand, ready to stab Leon a few more times to vent his frustration, a voice filled with exhaustion suddenly came from Leon’s pocket.

“My secondary objective failed, but the primary one is complete. You may proceed now!”

This is…

Vaguely recognizing the owner of the voice, the Scorpion Bureau Director’s expression stiffened immediately. He slashed open Leon’s clothes with a reverse grip, revealing the mouth and ears inside the pocket, connected by Sixian threads.

Algernon?!!!!

“What have you done?!”

After piercing through the ear connected by Sixian threads in Leon’s pocket with his sword and pulling it back, the Scorpion Bureau Director asked sharply with a cold gaze: “Algernon! Answer me! What did he make you do?!”

“Bureau Director…”

Hearing the Scorpion Bureau Director’s anxious questioning, Algernon’s voice wavered slightly before declining politely: “I should obey you normally, but your mind isn’t clear right now. So, let’s wait until Mr. Leon rescues you, and then I’ll explain everything.”

“I want you to tell me now!”

“It’s fine, go ahead and tell him.”

Quietly canceling the exchange targeting the [Whale Shark Puppet], Leon commanded the [Word-Eating Worms] in the Mirror World to eat away the text written in his blood on the [Unjust Serpent Pact]. He then chuckled and said to Algernon:

“Even if he knows now, it’s already too late for him to do anything. You can tell him the situation without any issues.”

“Alright then.”

With Leon’s permission, Algernon sighed in relief and answered amidst the Scorpion Bureau Director’s unpleasant expression:

“Bureau Director, Mr. Leon prepared me to enter Research Zone 1 the moment the mechanical core was destroyed…”

Is this… a feint?!

Realizing Leon’s intention, the Scorpion Bureau Director was startled and grabbed Leon’s collar.

“Your target is Prince Andre? After luring me out, you sent Algernon in to capture him?”

“One out of two.”

Smiling at the Scorpion Bureau Director, Leon replied:

“Don’t worry. Sending him to capture Prince Andre was only the secondary objective. Didn’t Senior Algernon just say that the secondary objective failed? There’s no need for you to worry about his safety.”

“Yes…”

Hearing Leon’s words, Algernon’s mouth sighed, then explained helplessly: “Sorry, I split about 30% of my body to find Prince Andre, but whenever my Sixian threads approached the secret chamber where he was located, they lost control instantly and disappeared. So, I stopped searching.”

“No problem. Prince Andre is after all a member of the Execution King Assembly. If he were completely ordinary, it would be strange for him to lack some hidden skills.”

Understanding the self-reproach in Algernon’s words, Leon consoled him: “He must have foreseen that I would keep Bureau Director Edward busy while you sneak-attack Research Zone 1. Yet, he still chose to send Bureau Director Edward to deal with me, which means he must have other cards up his sleeve, confident in handling your attack.

So from the start, I set capturing him as the secondary objective. It’s fine that you couldn’t catch him. As long as our primary objective is accomplished, it counts as success.”

Primary objective?

At this point, the Scorpion Bureau Director couldn’t help but ask curiously:

“What is your primary objective?”

“Hmm… Regarding this question…”

Leon pondered for a moment upon hearing the question, then nodded: “Calculating the timing, it’s about right. Telling you won’t hurt… Senior Algernon’s first task was to take away all the scholars in Research Zone 1 except Prince Andre, along with some essential instruments for creating new bodies.

With his Level 2 Cleaner abilities, once I disrupt the Artefact’s Mechanical Core, causing a temporary shutdown of the defensive systems in Zone 1 Research Area, he only needs a minute to take away all living beings inside.”

“Why take them away? What is your ultimate goal?”

Good grief… I’ve hinted so clearly, and you still haven’t figured it out?

Glancing at the Scorpion Bureau Director’s increasingly agitated soul, which even disrupted its usual “precision,” Leon didn’t answer his question but instead mused aloud: “By the way, if you were fully controlled, shouldn’t you immediately retreat upon learning that Senior Algernon entered Research Zone 1? Now, instead of rushing to protect Prince Andre, you’re acting like you’ve lost your cool, grabbing my collar and shouting… Could it be that Prince Andre’s control over you isn’t complete? Can you resist the soul encoding control when you’re emotionally charged?”

(End of Chapter)