I! Cleaner!
Chapter 248 - 248: 0209 Second Hand and Second Hand and Second Hand_1

[Usurper: Driven by immense ambition, an aspirant seeks to completely overthrow a legitimate regime or organization using improper or unethical means to fundamentally alter the existing order.]

[Wearing Effect: Your stealth and efficiency will be greatly enhanced when engaging in illegal or unethical activities.]

[Advancement Route: After completely usurping a national-level organization or ten regional-level organizations, this badge will automatically advance to the Gold Level Hidden Badge "Unrighteous Pretender King".]

[Hidden Trait (no need to wear): Upon successfully usurping a regime or organization, you will forcibly acquire a high-value item from the usurped party.]

…

Receiving "official certification" from the Badge System, Leon, who had secured his identity as the leader of the Rebels, couldn't help but sigh deeply in his heart.

*Damn… the director was right,* he thought. *I really went undercover all the way to becoming the leader… but this badge seems quite powerful?*

Leon glanced at the new badge on his panel, flickering with a dim silver light and seemingly ready to emit an evil laugh at any moment. He couldn't help but turn his gaze to the middle-aged Joshua beside him.

Unfortunately, Leon had acquired the Usurper badge only after completing the usurpation. If he had received it earlier, he might have had the chance to "take" the "Beyond the Gate" from middle-aged Joshua.

But now, according to the behavior of the Aquarius Director, if he really attempted to act against "Beyond the Gate," that thing would probably activate immediately and escape with Joshua…

Wait a minute!

As he pondered this, a sudden realization struck Leon, and his eyebrow twitched slightly before he spoke to the group of Rebels, "Since everyone trusts me, I won't decline…

"Additionally, attacking the Boarding Tower involves the Crolock Kingdom, and I don't know enough about it to ensure the right decisions, so the attack is temporarily shelved. However, the investigation can start first. Does anyone have any objections?"

"No objections."

"I agree!"

"Alright… I was looking forward to a good burn."

"…"

"Since nobody objects, let's conclude today's meeting here!"

Not having figured out exactly how to manage these Rebel members and considering a way to remove "Beyond the Gate," Leon decided not to wait for the long-overdue Senior Emma and instead made a direct decision to dismiss the meeting, saying, "If there's nothing else to discuss, since the 'gate' opened by Joshua hasn't closed yet, let's head back. Once there's progress on the Boarding Tower investigation, we can reconvene… Additionally, Phoebe and Lucy, please stay behind."

Us?

Hearing the new leader's request, the elderly woman looking quite aged paused slightly, then nodded while holding her still-sleeping sister, not moving. The other five members of the Rebels, filled with anticipation, left the meeting room one after another, passing through the 'gate' as Leon instructed.

*Sigh… troublesome…*

Watching the expectant figures leaving, Leon couldn't help but rub his temples.

Although these core members of the Rebels weren't truly bad people, under Joshua's misguided leadership, they had still committed many wrongdoings. Leon wasn't in a position to forgive them on behalf of the victims but couldn't justify disposing of them according to the Kingdom's laws either.

After all, they were also victims. Besides Joshua's misguided leadership, they had been manipulated into nurturing Anomalous Objects under the Aquarius Director's influence. Their increasing Contamination Values had magnified the extremism and hatred in their hearts, making it difficult to control their actions.

*Maybe… after the director finishes the questioning, I should ask if these people meet the standards for recruitment by the Purification Bureau? If, for the sake of guarding a normal world, they risk a nearly ten percent mortality rate to fight against Abnormals, perhaps it could also count as atonement?*

"Leader?"

Watching Leon's ever-changing expression and the complex look in his eyes, the elderly Lucy couldn't help but ask, "Did you have something difficult you needed us sisters to do?"

"Indeed, there's something I need your help with."

Leon nodded, "Your grand… uh… your sister Phoebe used an Anomalous Object at Nathan's request recently, erasing many people's memories. Can you have her lift that effect?"

"I can do that; it's not difficult."

Hearing Leon's request, Lucy readily agreed, but looking at the sleeping Phoebe in her arms, she couldn't help but ask, "Leader, if possible, could we wait until my sister wakes up? You don't know, last time she overused her ability, and her sleepiness is actually restoring her spirit and stabilizing her soul. If she doesn't get enough rest, I'm worried she'll…"

"No rush. It's fine to lift it when she wakes. Additionally…"

Already aware of the sisters' soul status through the Black Goat's soul vision, Leon pondered for a moment before reminding them, "Your abilities are quite unique and can produce effects far exceeding your Contamination Value… um… far beyond your level's limits by paying extra Costs. That's why you've ended up like this due to excessive usage.

"During this period, unless absolutely necessary, try to use your Abnormal Abilities as little as possible. Let me think of a way; maybe there's a chance to revert."

*What?!*

Hearing Leon's words, the incredibly aged Lucy was overwhelmingly ecstatic.

At this moment, she couldn't care less about the surprisingly detailed knowledge of Abnormal Ability operations that clearly didn't belong to "Little Baskin." Filled with disbelief, she asked, trembling, "Leader, are you serious? Can my sister and I really return to our original appearance?"

"Yes, you can."

Having consulted the Black Goat, Leon nodded, answering with confidence, "The process should be reversible, but the recovery will take a very long time and can never be entirely complete. In the end, there will always be some lingering issues.

"For example, your physical state will still be somewhat older than your peers, and your sister's mental age will remain much younger than her peers, but your appearances should be restorable."

"Enough, enough! That's enough!"

Touching her wrinkle-filled face, Lucy, overwhelmed with joy, couldn't help but cry tears of happiness. Large droplets of tears fell into the neat braids on Phoebe's head.

"We… don't need to be exactly like normal people. Being able to revert even a little is already plenty! Leader! Thank you! Thank you!"

"You're welcome; it's what I should do."

…

Smiling as he sent the grateful Lucy on her way, Leon watched the meeting room, now empty again, and silently walked over to Joshua, who lay amidst a pile of shattered wood. He couldn't resist giving him a firm kick in the butt.

*You certainly caused a lot of trouble!*

*Clearly holding the script of a reborn hero protagonist from a sensational novel where the country is saved after falling into ruin, you wound up carrying out petty attacks and caused destruction, doing nothing but causing trouble like a third-rate villain. You really are…*

*Well… never mind. Not having personally experienced the things he went through, my criticism might be unfair. But this kick was necessary.*

Resisting the urge to spit on him, Leon pulled out a rope and tied him up, then removed the watch capable of detecting "aptitude" and tossed it into the small mirror. He then knocked on the mirror's surface, calling out Young Ha.

"What's going on? Why hasn't Senior Emma arrived yet?"

"Woof! Woof woof woof!"

("She's not here! She isn't at the Purification Bureau!")

Senior Emma isn't here?

Hearing Young Ha's report, Leon frowned.

Before heading to the questioning, the director had promised him that Senior Emma would be stationed at the bureau, ensuring she could assist at any time.

And with the responsible nature of Senior Emma, an ordinary situation couldn't possibly lead to her "abandoning her post." So… was there an "Abnormal" launching a large-scale assault in the Capital City? Or was there an issue with her daughter?

"Woof woof woof, woof woof woof!"

("She's not here, but there's a letter for you on her desk!")

If she still left a letter, then the situation shouldn't be too dangerous, right?

Hearing Young Ha's words, Leon felt a bit relieved. He then accepted the envelope, still bearing Young Ha's tooth marks, tore it open, and read through it swiftly.

'Leon, about an hour after you and the director left, investigators from headquarters came, claiming that a few high nobles who had betrayed the Bauhinia Family were dead, with traces similar to those left by my "Execution Platform" on their bodies. They requested my presence at headquarters for investigation.

'The situation caught me off guard, and I had no choice but to try evading the investigators and leave a message for Jerry's "friends," asking him to sit in at the bureau in my stead and take on the responsibility of supporting you. However, his previous task hasn't ended, so it's unlikely they received the message in time.

'If you're seeing this letter, it means you are likely in a dangerous situation, so please hold out for two days! He will definitely arrive in two days!'

…

Damn Aquarius Director!

After reading the letter left by Senior Emma, Leon's face darkened, realizing it was probably another move by the Aquarius Director.

Leon and the director had planned to take advantage of the Aquarius Director's absence to directly raid the Rebels' base, but the Aquarius Director hadn't been idle either. If Leon deduced correctly, he had likely used methods similar to Senior Emma ahead of time, eliminating her enemies.

His objective was most likely to strike the Purification Bureau while the director was away and Senior Emma was under investigation, aiming to seize the photos in the director's drawer. As for the person tasked with attacking the Purification Bureau…

*Tch…*

Looking over at the Mirror World, where the watch with six pins clung unwaveringly to the "photos," Leo couldn't help but click his tongue.

There was no need to guess; it was certainly Joshua, and this watch was the tool intended to find the 'photos.' Lucky for Leon, his usurpation was swift, allowing him to capture Joshua beforehand. Otherwise…

*Well… otherwise, he'd have only managed to steal fake photos.*

Confirming this incident had turned out to be a close call, Leon couldn't help but laugh, his foot once again involuntarily kicking the conniving old brother-in-law involved with the Aquarius Director.

It could be said that when it came to cunning, his director wasn't any less crafty than the Aquarius Director and could even be considered a step ahead. Not only did they prepare fake photos in advance, but they also sent Leon ahead to wipe out the Rebels' stronghold preemptively.

Besides, capturing Joshua was an unexpected bonus. Conventionally, touching the "Beyond the Gate" would cause it to disappear instantly, but with Senior Jerry, the "Master Thief," around, the Aquarius Director was likely to lose it.

Thinking of the "Cunning Hand of Fate" that could steal the object most influencing a person's destiny, Leon couldn't help but look up, gazing at the "Beyond the Gate" left open after the sisters had left, showing a confident smile.

*When it comes to the thing that most influences Joshua's destiny… apart from it, there probably isn't anything else.*

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