I, The Janitor! Chapter 23: Badge Inventory (Two in One) - Novel Cool

Chapter 23: Badge Inventory (Two in One)

Chapter 23: Badge Inventory (Two in One)

【Martyr Sommelier: Is this wine? It's flowing cold fire, a cure for worries, an oasis in the city, an antidote to a painful life, a river of warmth, and in countless cold nights, it's the loneliness that boils deep within.】

【Effect: The more alcohol content in your body, the less influence negative emotions like fear, timidity, and panic will have on you.

When there is 20mg of alcohol in every 100ml of blood, this effect will reach its maximum, directly immunizing you from the effects of related negative emotions and entering the special state "Drunken State".】

【Drunken State: Your reaction time increases by 50%, limb coordination decreases by 50%, environmental perception decreases by 50%, and courage increases by 300%.】

【Advancement: After tasting 1,000 types of "Craft" level or higher, 100 types of "Excellent Brew" level or higher, 10 types of "Rich Brew" level or higher, and 1 type of "Intoxicating Brew" level or higher, this badge will automatically advance to the "Immortal in Wine" anomalous badge.

Current progress: 117/1000, 7/100, 1/10, 0/1】

【Hidden Trait (No Need to Wear): After a hellish drinking session, your body has adapted to the ravages of alcohol and found a way to cope, greatly increasing your alcohol metabolism.】

A golden badge for a night of heavy drinking and a day of sleep... I guess... that's... not unacceptable?

After reading the detailed effects of 【Martyr Sommelier】, Leon's emotions gradually calmed down.

True to its golden rank, the badge's effects were indeed powerful.

Although he wasn't timid, facing the hospital that directly "ate people" did make him feel a bit scared.

Especially the hellish scene in the first-floor lobby, even observing it through a scope made his heart race.

To be honest, if he hadn't been sniping from a distance but had entered with a gun alongside Senior Emma, he might not have been able to shoot accurately in that extremely terrifying situation.

But with this golden badge, as long as he carries a strong alcohol with him, he can directly reduce the influence of these negative emotions, allowing him to regain his calm. In a job that walks the line between life and death, staying calm and rational can be lifesaving in critical moments.

Additionally, according to Senior Emma, abilities like Black Sheep that directly affect the soul are rare but not impossible to encounter. With the Cleanup Bureau's terrifyingly vast scope of work, he might run into one at any time.

Although this 【Martyr Sommelier】 badge has a limited scope, only immunizing against fear, timidity, and panic, if an opponent's ability falls within this range, it will be directly countered. Even with a narrow scope, it's an extremely powerful trump card.

It seems... there's still much to uncover in the badge system.

Looking at the seven badges on his panel, three Black Iron, two Bronze, one Golden, and one anomalous, Leon couldn't help but ponder.

Among the seven activated badges, 【Unemployed Youth】 not only had a confusing ability but also required him to quit to advance, not just effort. For now, he'll pass on it. The same goes for 【Probationary Worker】, which can only be upgraded after two months of employment.

As for 【Trustworthy Brother】, there's no advancement route, and 【Materialist Soul】 has reached its peak. Although 【Martyr Sommelier】 can be upgraded further, he doesn't understand wine and doesn't have the money to buy so many fine wines, so he'll have to put it on hold for now.

That leaves only 【Demon's Favorite】 and 【Shooting Novice】 as potential upgrades.

The former is the easiest; he just needs to secretly buy more "High-T" for Black Sheep. The latter requires live-fire shooting, so he'll have to figure something out with the military... Hmm... Wait, doesn't the Police Department have a shooting range?

Recalling the armed police he saw while eating at the Police Department cafeteria, Leon set his sights on them.

Although the Cleanup Bureau is nominally under the Police Department, it's still considered part of it. To them, he's practically family, so borrowing their training facilities... shouldn't be a problem, right?

Hmm... Training with guns to upgrade badges, investigating the Water Utility Company and Road Authority, visiting the middle-aged nurse named Hannah... He's only been on the job for two days, but he already has so much to do.

Covering his dizzy head, Leon, with a pale face, got up from bed and rummaged through the old desk by his bed.

After a rummaging noise, he found a half-cut carbon rod and some tissue paper. He carefully recorded everything he needed to do, folded it neatly, and put it in his pocket with his money.

"Bro! You're awake!"

Perhaps he heard the sound of something being moved, a little boy with features similar to Leon's, but with a slightly dopey expression, peered through the door crack.

Upon seeing that Leon was awake, he rushed in with a delighted expression, tightly hugging his brother's leg. His eyes welled up as he spoke:

"Sister coughed so loudly the other day, her handkerchief turned red from coughing. She hasn't come back yet, and you were so hard to wake up after you returned. I... I thought..."

"William! What are you doing!"

Hearing the commotion, another girl, around the same age, with light golden hair, ran over and tugged on the little boy's sleeve, her face flushed with anger.

"The sister with tomato-colored hair said that big brother was just drunk, right? Drunk, do you understand?

It's just a minor illness like a cold. After a good sleep, he'll be fine. I'll hit you if you keep talking nonsense!"

After scolding the boy, who was half a head taller than her, the girl with hair the same color as Anna's hesitated for a moment. Finally, she rushed over and hugged Leon's other leg, her head down and eyes red as she spoke:

"Big brother, how is our sister...?"

"Anna is fine. She's all right now."

Seeing the two children tightly hugging his legs, Leon couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt.

The night before last, Anna had suddenly coughed up blood. Leon hastily entrusted William and Melanie to a neighbor without even having time to leave instructions. He carried Anna to the hospital, where they spent an entire day. That night, he had to report to the Cleanup Bureau, deal with an anomaly incident, and stay up all night.

After resolving the issue with the out-of-control infectee, Leon, along with Senior Emma, helped revive the doctor and nurses. They moved Anna to a new ward and administered new medication. By the time they finished, the sky was already brightening, and Leon was so exhausted that he couldn't make it back home. He ended up taking a short nap in Anna's hospital bed.

When Leon woke up, he rushed back to the Cleanup Bureau to report the situation. After the report, he had intended to check on Anna and then return home. However, he received intelligence about a potential anomalous creature from the gas company, forcing him to make another trip to the bureau.

Sigh... Leon hadn't slept well for two days, and with the hectic schedule, he not only forgot to send word home but also ended up drinking heavily after work and then slept through the entire next day.

Indeed... with the adults at home either sick or bedridden, and Leon not returning home for over two days, the siblings must have been terrified. He hadn't been a very responsible older brother...

...

Leon gently patted the children's heads and sat them down by the bed. He leaned over and reassured them in a soft voice:

"Don't worry. I specifically asked the doctor yesterday, and he said Anna's condition is stable. Her illness is under control."

"Really?"

Hearing Leon's words, the dopey-looking William kept his head down without a sound. However, the more lively Melanie suddenly lifted her head, her face filled with joy.

"So, what the red-haired sister said was true? Anna will be able to come home soon?"

"Mm."

Leon smiled and nodded.

"The doctor said that after two more days of rest, she can go home. She just needs to take her medication regularly, and within three months, she'll be completely cured. She won't cough anymore."

Upon hearing this good news, the two children were overjoyed, their faces beaming with genuine happiness.

When they were younger, their parents, both mechanics, had sacrificed themselves in the national defense war a few years ago. The siblings had vague memories of their parents, and Anna, who was barely sixteen herself, had taken on the role of a mother figure to them.

So, despite Anna's young age, the phrase 'an elder sister is like a mother' was not an exaggeration to them; it was a true description. Hearing that Anna was fine, the siblings were undoubtedly happier than anyone else in the world.

After carefully examining the children's appearance and complexion, ensuring they hadn't gone hungry or cold these past two days, Leon finally felt at ease. He patted Melanie's golden hair and smiled as he asked:

"Where's the red-haired big sister? Melanie, tell me, when did she leave, and what did she say to you?"

"Hmm... let me think..."

Although she was the youngest in the family, Melanie was clearly more clever than her somewhat dopey twin brother, William.

After tilting her head in thought for a moment, she counted on her fingers and relayed the information earnestly:

"The red-haired big sister gave our aunt, who was taking care of us, a silver coin and asked her to look after us until you woke up.

"And she said she'd give me and William a day off today, and we could deal with the nurse stuff tomorrow. And she bought us really sweet candies... and she said she'd get us new clothes..."

"But we didn't take them!"

At that moment, the little boy, who had been quietly listening, couldn't help but interject, "Brother and Sister both said it! Anyone who offers us candy or clothes must be a bad person, a child trafficker. We must never go with them."

"So as soon as she mentioned buying us clothes, I glared at her with all my might! I shouted that there was a child trafficker, and she got so scared she ran away!"

"..."

(⊙_⊙)?

As Leon's expression shifted from speechless to bewildered, the simple-minded little William stood up, patting his small chest proudly, "Brother! I scared away the bad person and protected Melanie! Was I good?"

"Tsk! You're shameless!"

Before Leon could respond, the angry blonde girl pounced, slapping her twin brother's forehead with her small hands while scolding, "Idiot! Fool! Big fool! Stubborn! Stupid head! Are you dumb? Can't you think? Our sister was carried here by her, so how could she be a bad person? You owe me new clothes!

And if you really thought she was bad, why did you take the candy? I hate you!"

"I... but you ate several pieces first!"

The simple-minded little boy, shielding his head with his skinny arms, defended himself, "I thought that since you ate the candy and were fine, it proved the candy wasn't poisonous. Why wouldn't I eat it if it's not poisonous?"

"..."

Wow... his logic was surprisingly strong, but was he a fool or a genius?

As the siblings' bickering intensified, making a mess of the room, Leon, who had been feeling guilty, quickly switched to the parental mode of finding his children increasingly annoying. He covered his head, still dizzy from his hangover, and waved his hands weakly, "Stop fighting, please... you two are something else. Our family will have money soon. When the salary comes, I'll buy you candy and new clothes, I promise!"

After promising a reward worth two Copper Wheels, a significant amount, Leon finally managed to stop the siblings' argument. He looked at the darkening sky outside and forced himself to get up to prepare some food.

"Are you both hungry? I'll make you something to eat."

"No need, we already ate!"

Melanie glared at her foolish twin brother, her light golden braids swaying as they were all outside.

"Although the fool William scared her away, the red-haired sister came back quietly and left a lot of food at our home. We ate a lot of it before coming to see you."

"That's right!"

William, remembering the delicious food, licked his lips and nodded enthusiastically, "Especially the fried fish and smoked sausage, they were so fragrant, we ate a lot!"

"Hmph! But you said she was a bad person, why did you eat her food? Aren't you afraid of being caught?"

"I'm not afraid. I only ate after you finished and saw you were fine. Like the mashed potatoes you didn't eat, I'm smart!"

"I... you're so annoying!"

"Enough, enough!"

As the siblings started arguing again, Leon quickly intervened, changing the topic, "And then? After eating all that food, did you thank her properly?"

"Of course!"

Melanie glared at her foolish twin brother and said proudly, "Anna said we may not have parents, but we're not orphans. We must always be grateful.

So I not only thanked the big sister, but I made William thank her too! But... um... the big sister didn't seem happy. I wanted to hug her, but she ran away..."

Melanie seemed to remember something she couldn't quite understand, and with her bright, crystal-like eyes, she looked confused as she fiddled with her skirt, "She said she didn't like children because they easily see others as their mother and then forget her...

Brother, I didn't quite understand what the big sister meant. Why would we forget her after getting to know her?"

(End of Chapter)

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