CHAPTER 531: CHAPTER 466: A PARENT’S LOVE FOR THEIR CHILD

Indeed, the Scarlet Hair Lady arrived quickly. If she had been any later, the two of us might have been completely digested.

Hearing Leon’s words, the female journalist nodded and prepared to follow him back the way they came, through the Canine Deity’s open mouth. However, they hadn’t gone far when Leon stumbled and fell with a splash.

What the...?

Sensing something was wrong, Leon looked down at his legs and helplessly found that both of his legs were almost entirely transparent, barely able to support his body’s "weight" anymore.

Come to think of it.

While the Canine Deity was alive, its pitch-black stomach walls constantly secreted digestive juices capable of eroding souls. Just hitting the stomach wall twice with his right hand had turned it more than half transparent.

And since being swallowed by the Canine Deity, his legs had been in contact with the secretions, naturally speeding up the "transparency" process. It’s already not bad that they held up this long.

"Let me go first."

After pulling Leon from the ground and seeing his whole soul turn transparent, the female journalist couldn’t help shaking her head and said:

"My soul has been digested nearly thirty percent. Your soul’s strength is far weaker than mine, probably six to seventy percent digested by now. With your current soul strength, even a scratch from the Canine Deity’s teeth would make you disperse on the spot."

"Alright..."

After hearing the female journalist’s words, Leon could only reluctantly nod. He then followed her into the spacious esophagus of the Canine Deity.

However, just as he was about to follow the female journalist out of the Canine Deity’s throat, she suddenly snapped, pushed back hard with her right foot, and kicked Leon back inside.

???

Wait, what are you doing?

As anger rose in Leon’s heart over the unexpected kick, ready to ask what she was doing, he heard the female journalist outside exclaim in shock:

"Aquarius? Why... why are you here?! "

Aquarius?

Upon hearing the female journalist’s shout, Leon’s mind buzzed, completely thrown into disarray.

So the one coming to rescue wasn’t my director but yours?

...

"Nicole..."

Unaware of what was happening inside the Canine Deity’s stomach, the Aquarius Director sighed as he looked at the defensive and wary female journalist before him, his youthful eyes showing a hint of weariness.

"You won’t even call me director anymore?"

...

Upon hearing the Aquarius Director’s question, the female journalist’s lips trembled slightly but quickly bit down hard, pressing her lips together without saying a word as she looked at him.

"Forget it, don’t call if you don’t want to."

Seeing no trace of past closeness, only full of vigilance and wariness, the Aquarius Director sighed again, then instructed somewhat tiredly:

"I’m leaving. When the Scarlet Hair Lady arrives, just say you haven’t seen me and know nothing. I used other means to deal with it, and the investigators from the Clean-up Bureau won’t find out."

...

"Besides, you don’t need to hide information about me.

When the people from the Virgin Branch ask you, just tell the truth. You don’t need to worry that this information will affect me because since I had you infiltrate the Royal Capital, all the information you know has been fake.

But in the places pointed by that fake information, as well as the safe house and laboratory you are aware of, I’ve deliberately left some traces. If the Clean-up Bureau people follow the information to investigate, they will find I just left and even gain some ’key’ finds, so no one will suspect you of providing false information."

"Why?"

After hearing the incomplete instructions from the Aquarius Director, the female journalist touched the antler mark on her head, unable to resist asking:

"Director... didn’t you set something in my soul for confidentiality, that if I spoke, I would be sent to the Realm of the Dead? Why did you arrange these things then?"

...

The Aquarius Director fell silent for a while and then somewhat helplessly said:

"Nicole, though you’re an excellent Cleaner, all your talents lie in dealing with abnormal objects. When it comes to figuring out people, your mind is really not great!

Not to mention, if you’d replaced with that Level 3 Cleaner in the Virgin Branch, he’d probably figure out seventy or eighty percent just by seeing me here, even if I kept my mouth shut."

...

If you’re talking about Leon... he’s indeed right here, less than two meters away, even able to hear our conversation...

"Forget it, I’ll explain it to you."

Seeing the female journalist still full of confusion, worried she’d reveal everything to the Scarlet Hair Lady due to misunderstanding, the Aquarius Director had to sigh and explain:

"To make it clearer... being sent to the Realm of the Dead doesn’t necessarily mean death. This journey, though dangerous, is actually good for you.

According to my arrangement, if the Three-Headed Canine Deity hadn’t suddenly awakened and inexplicably swallowed you, you’d only have been pulled to the vicinity of [Zangyi Mirror Lake] and stopped, not sent to the depths of the Realm of the Dead.

And when the Scarlet Hair Lady comes, because you’re ’almost dead’ from betraying me, you’ll truly be able to cut ties with me and won’t be executed as a traitor by the Clean-up Bureau... Do you understand what I mean?"

Meaning... the director didn’t actually plan to kill me?

"You really are..."

Seeing the female journalist seem to grasp something yet still full of doubts, the Aquarius Director had no choice but to remind her further:

"My objective is to replace the Director of Taurus and become the Seatkeeper of the Watcher’s Palace. So once I ascend to the Palace, what would be your outcome? Have you thought about it?"

"I..."

"Don’t think, I’m not asking you a question—it doesn’t matter whether you’ve thought about it or not. When the time comes, your only outcome will be death, even a fate worse than death."

Shaking his head helplessly, the Aquarius Director continued:

"Take it as twenty years of friendship; I can’t bear to see you die so foolishly, so I devised a way to provide a backdoor, ensuring that after I ascend, you can still live foolishly as ever.

After all, anything involving the Watcher’s Palace is never a trivial matter. To protect you from being held responsible because of me, an advocate above the rank of Yellow Road Director must plead for you, otherwise your fate will surely be bleak."

At this point, the Aquarius Director paused and then somewhat reluctantly said:

"Although the Scarlet Hair Lady thwarted my plans, I have to admit she truly is a good person. Among those qualified to advocate for you, only she would stand up because ’you’re a good person’ and vouch for you.

Similarly, although your record is very clean, since you followed me to betrayal, only she and her peculiar Virgin Branch might have room for you as a traitor... Do you understand now?"

"I think I get it... "

"If you understand, hurry back, then insist you know nothing and saw nothing, and don’t utter any unnecessary words! The fact that you miraculously survived is already the biggest suspicion. Anything more said will just make things worse!"

Pointing to the Canine Deity’s body, the Aquarius Director massaged his temples, slightly annoyed:

"The Scarlet Hair Lady is incredibly cunning; sometimes even that Level 3 Cleaner thinks more than her. With your mind, I don’t expect you to keep up the ruse forever. It’s enough if you hold out until I ascend.

But they are not hard to deal with. Remember, just keep being your good person; even if they sense something wrong, they certainly won’t harm you, possibly even choosing to help you cover it up."

"Okay..."

"Then I’m off... don’t forget what I said!"

Seeing the journalist’s expression become exceedingly complex after finally understanding his arrangement, the Aquarius Director shook his head, left a reminder, and turned to leave.

But before leaving, he seemed to remember something, suddenly turned back, and stared at the journalist now relieved, asking:

"By the way, there should be another soul that went into the Realm of the Dead with you. Who is that soul?"