I, The Janitor! Chapter 86: The Master Thief and Care - Novel Cool

Chapter 86: The Master Thief and Care

Chapter 86: The Master Thief and Care

"Hehe, I knew you'd see through me."

Caught red-handed, the short man didn't feel embarrassed at all but instead grinned mischievously, "You don't have to be so serious, it's not like I'm stealing from you. If I really wanted to take something from him, I'd have plenty of opportunities. Why would I do something so foolish and steal right in front of you?"

"I just heard that there's a new recruit in the Bureau, and before even becoming official, he took down a Holy Spirit. I was curious about him, so I just reached out and..."

"So, where is the item?"

Ignoring the short man's lengthy explanation, the red-haired Bureau Chief slightly lowered her outstretched hand, tapping the table forcefully with the back of her hand. She then narrowed her eyes in warning, "Jerry, don't make me say it a third time."

"I'm getting it, I'm getting it!"

Seeing the red-haired Bureau Chief's fox-like eyes narrowing further, the short man couldn't help but tense up. He quickly took out a photo from his pocket and placed it on the table.

A photo?

Picking up the photo, the red-haired Bureau Chief looked at the couple embracing each other and the little girl holding her parents' hands, smiling happily. Her expression froze for a moment.

Aside from controlling animals, Jerry's most remarkable anomalous ability was [Theft Mastery], which allowed him to forcibly steal an item that had the most significant impact on the target's past life after making contact with them. This was true regardless of whether the item was currently in the target's possession or even if it had been destroyed.

So, if his ability hadn't failed, was the photo on the table the item that had the most impact on Lyon's past life?

"Bureau Chief, what's the ability of this item? Can you tell me about it?"

Seeing the red-haired Bureau Chief's thoughtful expression, the extremely curious short man couldn't contain his excitement. He scratched his ears and cheeks, trying to hold back, but eventually, he couldn't resist and asked eagerly, "An ability that can give a newcomer, who has only been exposed to anomalies for less than a month, the power to single-handedly take down a Holy Spirit must be incredibly powerful, right?"

Hmm? So, this photo is an anomalous item? But why is its aura so faint? Could it have been destroyed multiple times before?

Upon hearing the short man's question, the red-haired Bureau Chief's eyebrows lifted slightly, and she shook her head decisively. "I'm not sure about that. My most frequently used perception-type anomaly is that sheep, which I've already given to Lyon. I haven't received a new perception anomaly yet, so my perception ability is quite average right now.

If you really want to know about this anomalous item, asking me won't help. But there's someone in our Bureau who has an ability called [Information Acquisition]. With just a touch, he can learn the information of most anomalies. You can go and ask him."

What? Someone in our Bureau has such an ability?! The short man's spirits lifted. This ability is a perfect match for his own! Aside from that, the items he had 'borrowed' over the years were numerous, but many couldn't be activated, and he didn't dare to use the others due to not knowing their rules and costs.

If he could get help from this [Information Acquisition], perhaps one-third of the anomalous items he had accumulated over the years could become useful. With that, his strength might increase significantly, and he could even be promoted to a Level One Disaster Handler!

"Bureau Chief, why didn't you tell me earlier?!"

After mustering the courage to complain to the red-haired Bureau Chief, the short man rubbed his hands together in excitement and asked eagerly, "Who is that person? Oh, and can his [Information Acquisition] anomaly be exchanged? If he's willing to trade, he can pick from my collection!"

"It's probably not exchangeable. His ability seems more like a soul-inhabited talent. As for who that person is..."

The red-haired Bureau Chief glanced playfully at the short man and picked up the photo. "This is him."

"..."

"This... you know about my..."

Seeing the red-haired Bureau Chief's mischievous gaze, the short man's expression fell as he realized he had been tricked. "I do have a bit of a stealing habit, but I never steal from people I know. I usually just take a look and then return it. Even with strangers, I wouldn't take anything unless they were truly evil."

"You want to get this item back and secretly return it, so Lyon won't hold a grudge against you and refuse to help you, right?"

"With a glance, the red-haired Bureau Chief saw through the short man's thoughts and wagged her finger with a mischievous smile.

'Oh dear... This might be a bit tricky~

Little Leon has only recently joined the Cleanup Bureau, but not only does he get along with me exceptionally well, he also treated me to a grand drinking session. If I were to hide this from him, how could I live up to our drinking buddyship?'

'...'

Got it. I need to raise the price, right?

Looking at the beaming expression of the red-haired Bureau Chief, the short man abandoned his wishful thinking and reluctantly suggested, 'Then I'll treat you to a drink too...'

'Ahem, there's no need to mention that. I'm not that kind of person.'

Before the short man could hear the terms he couldn't refuse, the red-haired Bureau Chief hurriedly stopped him and coughed, her face turning serious.

'If I'm not mistaken, you want Leon to use his abilities to appraise your 'harvest' over the years, right?'

'Yes...'

'Then it's simple.'

The red-haired Bureau Chief bent her finger joints and tapped the table, then smiled and said,

'I don't know how many things you've accumulated over the years, but judging by your style, the number must be significant.

Appraising so many items at once requires considerable physical and mental strength. It's a genuinely challenging task, so... Letting him choose one as a hardship fee doesn't seem unreasonable, does it?'

'No, not at all.'

Although he still felt a bit reluctant, the short man, understanding the Bureau Chief's character, knew that haggling would only result in a harsher deal. So, he quickly agreed.

'Alright, I'll leave the items with you. Later, I'll put in a good word for you.'

After nodding in satisfaction, the red-haired Bureau Chief plucked a strand of hair, bundled the photos of the suspected anomalies, and placed them in a drawer. Then, with a smile, she said,

'However, the appraisal might take some time. He has an important investigation task today and can't be distracted. After he completes the investigation, I'll ask him to appraise your collection.'

'Great, then I'll wait right here at the Bureau!'

As the short man nodded in delight, his curiosity about the beaming red-haired Bureau Chief grew. He cautiously asked, 'By the way, is Leon closer to the other Bureau Chiefs? Or is he favored by a Director? Or perhaps...'

'You want to know why I'm so supportive of him, don't you?'

After a quick glance at the short man, the red-haired Bureau Chief sighed and said,

'Before you ask that question, I suggest you consider the kind of people we have in our Bureau right now.'

Before the short man could respond, the red-haired Bureau Chief started counting on her fingers:

'The traitors who failed the coup, the sex maniac who had an affair with the General's wife, the thief who stole from the Royal Family, the gambler who lost the Kingdom's reserve funds, the supply officer who got lost and almost starved three thousand people, the alchemist whose mistake flooded half a county with sewage...'

Looking at the short man's embarrassed expression, the red-haired Bureau Chief narrowed her eyes and concluded,

'If they weren't in the Cleanup Bureau, most of you would be facing the death penalty. Even now, you're all under constant surveillance, and you have to report your every move.

As for Leon, he's clean, virtuous, intelligent, diligent, and exceptionally talented. He hasn't even finished his probationary period, and he's already taken down a Holy Spirit. Tell me, compared to you, whom should I support if not him?'

(End of Chapter)

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