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Chapter 147: The Director's Past
Chapter 147: The Director's Past
"Don't get the wrong idea, that goat wasn't that powerful."
As the alcohol's effects began to wear off, the red-haired Director regained some of her usual 'wise and valiant' demeanor, even with her eyes closed and snuggled in Leon's embrace. She still guessed his thoughts and explained softly:
"At its peak, it was indeed one of the most powerful demons beneath the True Gods. But it was too greedy. Unlike other demons that focus on one or two concepts, it chose to pursue all seven of the highest-level sins, hoping to become the most supreme demon lord."
Although its talent was exceptional, and it managed to grasp all seven sin-level concepts, its rank fell just short. It couldn't handle the simultaneous mastery of seven sins, resulting in its individual abilities being spread too thin.
Most anomalies of the same level specialize in one or two concepts. This anomaly's strength in all seven concepts was almost equal, which is normal. Or, to put it another way, with its abilities so dispersed, it could barely make it into the top hundred. That it managed to do so is a testament to its extraordinary talent."
So that's what happened...
After recalling the situation with the black goat, Leon's eyes flickered with understanding, but he quickly shook his head.
"But it's still in the top hundred. The higher the rank, the more challenging it is. You have item 004 and item 013. Even if I gathered all the goat's parts... I mean, even if I gathered all the black goat's components, it still wouldn't compare."
Hearing Leon's words, the red-haired Director opened her eyes and glanced back at him.
Yes, an anomaly that could barely make it into the top hundred couldn't compare to item 004, the Twelve Ant Nests, and item 013, the Bloodthirsty Red Hair. But if it were anyone else, wouldn't they immediately compare it to me?
"It's not necessarily inferior."
Without revealing Leon's unintentional display of ambition, the red-haired Director snuggled back into the warm embrace behind her and closed her eyes again. Her voice remained calm as she continued:
"The numbering of anomalies can change. That item 013 was originally numbered 116. After it fell into my hands, certain events transpired, and it became item 013."
116 became 013? Such a significant improvement!
Upon hearing the Director's words, Leon couldn't help but raise his eyebrows in curiosity. "You skipped over a hundred numbers... What did you do, Director?"
What did I do...
The red-haired Director shook her head without answering Leon's question. Instead, she slightly leaned to the side, reaching into Leon's collar to untie the hair tied around his neck. She then held one end of the red hair and gently touched it to Leon's fingertip.
[Name: Bloodthirsty Red Hair - 941026 (Slaughter, Scarlet)]
[Appearance: A strand of bright red hair. If carefully examined with the soul, one can perceive a faint scent of blood, along with the curses and insults of an elderly man filled with resentment.]
[Abilities: Slaughter Proliferation, Scarlet Domain]
[Cost: As long as your mind remains clear, you will endlessly hear the curses of those you've killed.]
[Archives: After the failed descent of the Scarlet Lord, the previous Bull Director gathered the remains and created this growth-type anomaly. With each person killed by the holder, a new strand of controllable blood-red hair is added.]
[Evaluation: Due to the stringent growth conditions, even after two generations of holders and a combined total of one hundred and thirty years of nurturing, the number of Bloodthirsty Red Hair strands has just barely surpassed ten thousand. This imbalance between the precious materials consumed and the growth rate has led to this anomaly being considered a complete failure.]
[But during the Serpent Erosion Country incident, the third holder of Bloodthirsty Red Hair, Olivia, used item 013, the Slaughtering Red Hair, to completely annihilate the Snake Bureau and the Eastern Calven Kingdom. Overnight, the number of red hair strands increased to 129,600,000. This number is roughly equal to the total population of the Eastern Calven Kingdom before its destruction.]
[This is the most dangerous and terrifying anomaly you've encountered so far. If the holder is willing, it would take just five seconds to slaughter every living being in the royal capital-wide massacres.]
[Corruption Value: Undetermined, increases with the number of activated red hair strands.]
?!?!
One million, two hundred and ninety-six thousand... people?!?!
"It seems you already know the answer."
Sensing Leon's suddenly stiffened body and his unconscious release of her arm, the red-haired Director sighed softly. She gently pushed Leon's arm away, leaving the warmth of his embrace, and rose from the sofa. With a calm expression, she asked:
"Do you want to leave the Maiden Suite?"
Staring at Lyon with wide, unblinking eyes, the red-haired director, her cheeks still slightly flushed from alcohol, spoke softly, "If you want to work somewhere else, I'm quite familiar with the director of the Lion Bureau, Beverly. She's very interested in your abilities, and I can recommend you to her. I can assure you that the treatment will be the same as here."
"The only thing she's a bit excessive about is her love for snacks. Other than that, she's a genuinely good person. You'll probably get along well there..."
"Director," Lyon interrupted, his voice hesitant. "The Thirteen Ant Nests... Is that related to Anomaly 004? What's the relationship between the Eastern Calven Kingdom and the Northern Calven Kingdom? And what about the Serpent Erosion Country?"
The red-haired director's lips twitched as she looked at Lyon, then turned her head slightly and explained, "The Thirteen Ant Nests... After the disappearance of the Eastern Calven Kingdom, it should now be called the Twelve Ant Nests, corresponding to the remaining twelve kingdoms. I'm sure you can guess its ability.
As for the Eastern Calven Kingdom... The current Calven Kingdom was previously known as the Western Calven Kingdom. Across the river lies the ruins of what was once the Eastern Calven Kingdom.
The Serpent Erosion Country refers to a rebellion initiated by the Serpent Bureau of the Eastern Calven Kingdom. The director of the Serpent Bureau attempted to sacrifice the entire Eastern Calven Kingdom to ascend to godhood and transform half the world into his divine nation.
Unable to accept this outcome, the twelve directors held nine rounds of voting. In the end, four abstained, and eight voted to use the Twelve Ant Nests to destroy the Eastern Calven Kingdom first, thwarting his plan by force. I was the executor of this decision.
Since then, the Thirteen Ant Nests became the Twelve Ant Nests, and I've been in charge of them. The number of divisions in the Cleanup Bureau has decreased from 88 to 87, and internal investigations and control have become increasingly stringent. Any behavior that crosses the line is severely punished..."
Lyon finally understood the general situation after listening to the red-haired director. His expression became complex as he said, "So, those people upstairs who were cursing at you... Were they..."
"Yes, just as you think..." The red-haired director responded vaguely, avoiding Lyon's gaze. Her eyes dimmed as she continued, "Most of the people from the Maiden Suite left after that incident. We can't blame them; after all, there were over a hundred million people... Um... Lyon, if you can't accept this, I understand if you want to leave."
Lyon stood up and sat on the spacious sofa, facing the red-haired director. After a moment of silence, Lyon didn't say whether he wanted to leave. Instead, he asked softly, "Director, can I ask you a question?"
The red-haired director was surprised by Lyon's question but nodded. "Go ahead."
"Suppose there's a train about to pass through a junction..." Lyon paused to recall, then continued, "Twelve people are tied to the tracks in front of the train, and one person is tied to the tracks on the other side. You're holding the lever that can change the train's path. Would you pull the lever to divert the train, saving the twelve people?"
The red-haired director clenched her fist instinctively and didn't answer immediately. Instead, she asked, "Are you talking about my situation?"
"So, would you pull the lever to hit the one person or let the train continue toward the twelve people?" Lyon persisted.
"I... I don't know."
"Of course you don't know." Lyon nodded and spoke gently, "Because you're not the one making the decision. The directors who voted are the ones in control. You're just the lever they're holding."
"..."
"Thank you for your comfort..." The red-haired director forced a smile, sensing that Lyon was trying to console her. Her eyes dimmed as she said, "But these two situations are different. I'm not just a puppet following orders. I had the choice to refuse, but I didn't. Instead, I..."
"If you had refused, you'd be like a passerby holding a cane. Someone else would have taken the lever and stood in your place, sending the train down the track with only one person tied to it."
"..."
"Director, sometimes people shouldn't think too highly of themselves."
"..."
After a while, seeing the Red-Haired Director still tightly pursing her lips and maintaining her silence, Lyon shook his head.
"I won't say that your choice wasn't wrong, or that they would have died eventually if sacrificed, so it's better to die by your hand to save the others. I won't say that what you did was right either."
After all, if I were a person from the Eastern Calven Kingdom, I would have scolded you harshly from the top floor, even more fiercely than anyone else, and while I was at it, I would have cursed the entire Cleanup Bureau, hoping that tomorrow you would all be run over by a carriage and then crushed under its wheels seven or eight times."
"But now, since I was one of the twelve people tied to the original track, and you saved my life with your choice, I don't have the right to scold you. This includes the former colleagues who left the bureau; they could choose to leave you, but they alone don't have the right to blame you."
"You really are... I'm not the only one who tried to persuade you, but no one has ever spoken to me like you just did..."
Lyon shook his head, looking puzzled, at the weak but seemingly more resilient Lyon. The Red-Haired Director couldn't help but turn to him and asked:
"What about you? What would you do? Let the train keep going and crash into the twelve people tied to the tracks?"
"I would first try to find the person who tied them and push their head into the train's boiler."
"You really are... How can you be so unreliable?"
"I'm not being unreliable, I really think that way."
Lyon shook his head, facing the Red-Haired Director's slightly annoyed gaze. He replied earnestly:
"Director, I'm a person with no sense of security. To be honest, ever since I learned the truth about this world, I've craved power, desperately so!
The main reason I seek power is so that when problems like this arise, I have the ability to directly kill that dog who tied them and not have to face this kind of choice with no right answer."
"What... if you did everything you could, but still encountered this problem?"
"In that case..."
Lyon hesitated for a moment, then took something out of his pocket and showed it to the Red-Haired Director.
"I'd look at which side my family was tied to, and then I'd force the train to the other side. After that, I'd endure the curses of over a hundred million people, and then, like you, I'd drown my sorrows in alcohol to avoid feeling the pain of their scolding when I'm sober."
"..."
Looking at the small bottle in Lyon's hand, the Red-Haired Director couldn't help but shake her head in disbelief. She chuckled and said:
"That's just like me, isn't it? You really are something..."
"It's the same, no doubt."
Lyon opened the bottle, took a sip, and smiled helplessly.
"Since we've done our best, but the problem remains unsolved, what else can we do? Escapism may be shameful, but it's useful, isn't it?"
"Yes, it's very useful!"
Looking at the sparkling little bottle in Lyon's hand, the Red-Haired Director's eyes curved into a smile, joining him in laughter. Her smile, still tinged with alcohol, was like a blooming azalea in a garden.
The curses in her ears remained fierce and shrill, and the heavy pressure in her heart was still as dark as a cloud, tormenting her with deep guilt. The sharp pain, like a blade piercing flesh, hadn't lessened in the slightest.
But for some reason, she suddenly felt less afraid. If she had to find a reason, it was probably because someone had not only respected her choice but also understood her weakness and desire to escape.
Hmm... At times like this, I should indeed have a drink!
Reaching for the small bottle in Lyon's hand, the Red-Haired Director took a swig, licked her slightly spicy lips, and tossed the empty bottle aside. With the alcohol in her system, she boldly called out:
"I just borrowed some money from Emma during the day! Let's go! I'll treat you to a drink! The most expensive one!"
...
The people from the Maiden Suite are really... too much!
After knocking on the door for a while without a response, the investigators looked through the window of the director's office. They saw the mountain of empty bottles on the floor and a man sleeping soundly on the table, wrapped in a blanket. The investigators shook their heads and simultaneously took out their investigation forms, writing a few lines before marking them with two big red crosses.
"The director is leading by example in debauchery! Indulging all night! Suspected of misconduct in the bureau! Not to mention Lane Blood Night, the work ethic and performance ratings must be severely downgraded!"
(End of Chapter)
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