Chapter 77

The taint value is actually 48 points? After going over the intel provided by [Materialist], Leon couldn’t help but slightly pause, directing an inquisitive gaze towards the Red-haired Bureau Director.

Didn’t they say before that even if you chose the first option, it could only reach 45 taint points, and selecting the third option would cap out at 42? How did it end up so much higher now?

“…”

Why are you looking at me? Hurry up and thank them already!

Upon receiving Leon’s gaze, the Red-haired Bureau Director couldn’t help but glare at him again, then quickly placed her hands behind her back, stealthily beckoning Leon with her fingers.

“Huh?”

After his neck was pulled down slightly from his hair being tugged, Leon immediately understood the Red-haired Bureau Director’s hint. He promptly bowed with full sincerity and expressed his gratitude:

“Thank you for your teachings, Honorable Director. I will not betray the expectations of the Bureau Director, nor will I betray this anomalous item crafted personally by you!”

“How did it get so formal again… sigh…”

Easily seeing through the Red-haired Bureau Director’s little trick, the silver-haired old lady couldn’t help but glare at her, then sighed somewhat helplessly and laughed: “Truly… If I had known it would turn into this, I would have requested to keep my identity confidential back then. It’s troublesome everywhere now, with all these bows and greetings…”

“Bows and greetings are all voluntary, stemming from heartfelt respect for you.”

After hearing the silver-haired old lady’s words, the usually unorthodox Red-haired Bureau Director straightened her posture this time, her expression serious as she said:

“Honorable Taurus, whether it be past achievements or future choices, this respect is what you deserve.”

“Maybe… But it’s really troublesome…”

With a lackluster response, the silver-haired old lady stood up from the sofa and then bid farewell:

“That’s all then, Olivia. I came today just to deliver something and check on the situation at your Sixth Bureau. Since everything is normal, I won’t bother you anymore.”

“You’re too kind.”

The Red-haired Bureau Director respectfully nodded in acknowledgment, then subtly tugged at Leon, pulling him back a bit. Meanwhile, the Golden Bull Director, who looked no different from an ordinary elderly woman, hunched her back and walked toward the window upstairs, then vanished without warning as if stepping into another world.

“…”

No wonder I didn’t see any footprints; so none of you use the stairs either…

After a flash of realization crossed his eyes, upon seeing the seemingly high-ranking director leave, Leon, who had been holding back a bunch of questions, finally couldn’t help but ask:

“Who was that just now…?”

“That person is one of the twelve directors, the current Taurus Director, and also the master most skilled at creating anomalous items within the Bureau.”

After briefly explaining the old lady’s identity, the Red-haired Bureau Director remarked with some sentiment: “I originally thought having a master craftsman overseeing the forging would be good enough, but unexpectedly, the Honorable Taurus happened to be available, not only taking charge of the forging work for this thing but even personally delivering it afterward. Your luck is really quite good.”

So… Is it because this master forged it that the taint value ended up so much higher than expected?

Nodding understandingly, Leon glanced at her expression, then continued asking: “Director, how strong are those twelve directors? How do they compare to you?”

“You’ve misunderstood.”

Glancing at Leon, the Red-haired Bureau Director shook her head and said: “The reason I asked you to respect her isn’t because of her strength or her status, but out of genuine admiration.

In at most a year’s time, the Honorable Taurus will voluntarily give up her physical body and become a part of the [Watchtower Palace].”

“It’s an anomalous item created by the Clearing Bureau, hanging outside our world. As for its specific function, it’s exactly as its name suggests: existing as the watcher for all humanity, serving as the strongest and final barrier protecting this world.”

After briefly explaining the role of the [Watchtower Palace], the Red-haired Bureau Director said with a complex look in her eyes: “Only individuals who genuinely love humanity from the bottom of their hearts can be selected by the Watchtower Palace. Once they accept the selection, they will be stripped of their physical bodies and most of their emotions, leaving behind only the purest will to watch over humanity, being guided into the Watchtower Palace.

The Honorable Taurus has already accepted the selection and will go to the Watchtower Palace outside the world within a year, monitoring potential disasters threatening the human world and sitting silently in the desolate void until even her last remaining will is completely erased by merciless time.”

Is this watching? Are you sure it’s not a variant of life imprisonment? After hearing the Red-haired Bureau Director’s explanation, Leon just followed her words and imagined it, feeling his chest tightening.

Leaving the colorful world and the families who rely on each other, sitting alone indefinitely in the silent void, waiting until even your will is entirely swallowed by loneliness—this is an extremely cruel punishment for any intelligent creature.

“Does it have to be this painful?”

Thinking about the gentle and kind face of the silver-haired old lady, unable to bear what she will soon endure, Leon couldn’t help but ask:

“This anomalous item was made by the Bureau, right? Can’t we modify it slightly to make people take turns guarding the Watchtower Palace? At least change shifts?”

“No.”

Red-haired Bureau Director sighed and said:

“Only extremes are remembered, only obsession dares to move forward, only madness understands greatness… This is a widely circulated saying within the Bureau.

My understanding is that whether it’s positive love or reverence, or negative hatred or dissatisfaction, only these most extreme and pure things can truly influence the world and bring about corresponding ‘anomalies.'”

When she got to this point, the Red-haired Bureau Director paused, then looked up at the sky outside the window, her tone distant as she said:

“The existence of the [Watchtower Palace] follows such rules. Its selection is entirely voluntary, and there is even a ten-year preparation period before ascending, during which you can always change your mind, and no one will remember that you were ever selected.

Most people in the Bureau believe that these ten years are merely a cooling-off period for the chosen ones, but I think that both the excruciating eternal watch afterward and the ten years of deliberation are actually processes through which the Watchtower Palace gains power, a selection and purification of the will to watch.

And only a pure will that chooses to proceed resolutely despite knowing the desperate future ahead and the ability to safely withdraw at any moment can give birth to the boundless power that spans past and future, capable of protecting all humanity.”

So that’s how it is…

Finally understanding why the normally unrestrained director behaved so “obediently” today, Leon unconsciously took a deep breath, revealing deep admiration in his eyes.

Even without mentioning the matter of crafting the anomalous item for him, as one of the humans protected by the [Watchtower Palace], the silver-haired old lady deserves his respect.

Yeah… Watchtower Palace… Who would have thought that the Clearing Bureau possesses something so great…

“Zzz…”

[By earnestly listening to relevant narratives, you have obtained a large amount of intelligence related to the “Watchtower Palace,” activating the anomaly badge “Materialist Soul (Bright Red).”

Due to learning about the existence of the “Watchtower Palace,” understanding its source of power, and knowing part of its operational rules, your resistance to this anomalous item has significantly increased, allowing you to shield against general levels of influence.]

“…”

???

(End of Chapter)