I! Cleaner!

"Splat!"

With a sound that seemed somewhat sticky, a black-and-white worm-like creature fell onto the report, rolling over lazily as if it hadn't fully awakened.

[Name: Word-Eating Worm Progeny (Knowledge, Simulation)]

[Appearance: A worm with a finger-sized girth and abnormal color rings. Its hue adjusts automatically according to the paper's base color and the text color. The lower part of its body has numerous strange organs resembling octopus suckers.

These small suckers are actually its mouth. Any text that falls upon the paper gets erased as it crawls over.]

[Ability: Extracts text and outputs simulation]

[Cost: After enlisting its help, you need to write a creative, knowledgeable, or interesting piece as a reward. Beware, it is quite picky.]

[File: A progeny split from the God Tier Word-Eating Worm, it is one of the "tools" distributed by the Purification Bureau to each director-level member.

Primarily responsible for consuming confidential documents generated after cleanup tasks to prevent them from being glimpsed by Outer Gods seeking to exploit their authority. It also aids in modifying certain documents to ease the workload of directors.

This larva was allocated seven years ago to Olivia, director of the Purification Bureau's Virgin Branch. During this time, it consumed 617 confidential documents and 215,307 text labels on alcoholic beverage bottles. It is now temporarily lent to Leon Laine, a Level Three incident handler at the Virgin Branch.]

[Evaluation: An interesting little insect. After consuming so many liquor labels in Olivia's office, it showed a keen interest in the taste of alcohol. Once it finishes modifying the document, you might want to treat it to a bit of whiskey, just a bottle cap's worth.]

[Contamination Value: 0.1]

Eat, eat! As long as you can change this report, I won't just give you a bottle cap of whiskey, I'll offer you a whole barrel!

After Leon prodded it awake with his finger, the black-and-white rings of the [Word-Eating Worm Progeny] stretched lazily and began to crawl slowly over the investigative report in Leon's hand.

As it moved across the paper grids, line by line, the text on the entire report was consumed. Once it had eaten enough, the [Word-Eating Worm Progeny] turned around and, retracing its steps, "pulled" the consumed text back line by line.

Indeed, it pulled them back.

Piece by piece, content drastically different but in handwriting identical to the original, emerged from the pin-sized "*" of the [Word-Eating Worm Progeny] and naturally blended into the paper, as if they'd been written that way from the start. Even the original author would be unable to distinguish truth from falsehood.

[ID: 941001]

[Location: Laine County and Northern Merino County...]

[Target: Geothermal Source Investigation]

[...]

[Quality Analysis: D+, processing difficulty is significant. Requires the construction of a giant mining facility rated S, along with all related amenities. However, the energy impurities are extensive, requiring repeated purification before use...]

[Reserve Estimation: S-. Absent significant geological changes, the crustal energy could sustain a semi-permanent energy output, but the area's geological activity is frequent, so the estimated viable extraction years are low...]

[Value Assessment: Common cooperative extraction grades as C-, extreme special extraction as B-.

The advantage lies in the enormous reserves, capable of semi-permanent supply without geological changes. However, the cost of large-scale extraction is exorbitant and could cause a catastrophic impact on the environment within 12,000 square kilometers, potentially inciting high-intensity warfare... The profits do not match the expenses... Recommendation: Abandon...]

*Not bad at all.* Despite the somewhat disgusting method of alteration, *this little liquor worm's prowess is truly impressive. It looks genuine.*

After inspecting the document, skillfully altered with no obvious flaws, Leon couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. He then took out the first three chapters of a hastily scribbled "The Duke Fell in Love with Me" from last night and handed it to the Word-Eating Worm, looking up at him for a reward.

Well done, eat up, eat up; there's more if you want!

...

"Boss."

Just as Leon curiously watched the [Word-Eating Worm Progeny], wondering what reaction it might have after consuming "The Duke Fell in Love with Me," a plump, middle-aged rebel squeezed in through the door, cheerfully reporting:

"Lucy has already finished over there. The relevant personnel's memories have been completely modified. If you've wrapped up here, we can make our withdrawal."

"Great!"

Hearing that Lucy had completed her task, Leon couldn't help but brighten. He tossed the Word-Eating Worm, feasting on "The Duke," into the Mirror World, instructing the Black Goat to grant it another bottle of whiskey. He then exited the investigator's room.

"Let's do one last check, make sure there's nothing missed, and erase all traces of our presence. Leave no trace if possible..."

After instructing everyone to conduct a final review, Leon habitually fiddled with his cufflinks and used the Black Goat's soul vision to survey the surroundings.

"Wait!"

Spotting the soul by the entrance of the Secret Port, with its unmistakably familiar scent, Leon was taken aback.

*Nathan... no! Is that Joshua, now middle-aged, returned from the [Gate of the Other World]? Wasn't he taken away by the Aquarius Director? How did he end up at the Boarding Tower?*

"What's wrong?"

The rebels, noticing Leon's uneasy expression, also tensed up, as the plump middle-aged man couldn't help but inquire: