Chapter 535

It’s not… What kind of bizarre badge is this…

Looking at the “Decapitating a patient increases healing effects on the body” effect from the [Headless Doctor], Leon’s lips couldn’t help but twitch a couple of times, making it hard for him to keep his composure.

After dying once and being resurrected again, Bandit Older Brother sat up with a dazed expression. Surrounded by pools of exploded blood plasma, he stared blankly into space. Meanwhile, Bandit Younger Sister, who had woken up earlier, was already unsteadily standing up. With eyes full of disbelief, she examined her own body.

“Gone! All gone!”

Seeing that her arms were now as clean as those of other children her age—no longer covered in the dense, chilling blood spots—she felt her body no longer transmitting its usual abnormal pain. Overwhelmed with joy, she turned around and hugged Bandit Older Brother, still confused, saying,

“Brother! We’re saved! We don’t have to die!”

“Ah…”

Scratching the back of his head, still unable to process the experience of dying and coming back to life, Bandit Older Brother said with a vacant gaze:

“I think I died… but maybe I didn’t… I…”

“You should stop thinking too much. Leave these brainy tasks to your sister.”

Unable to resist commenting sarcastically, Leon quickly waved his hand before Bandit Younger Sister could thank him. He repeated the instructions he had given them earlier at lightning speed, then patted the glass behind him.

“Alright, go inside. Remember to hide well. Don’t let me save you for nothing.”

“I… Thank you! We will hide properly!”

Without making any promises about repaying the favor, Bandit Younger Sister just stared deeply at Leon, memorizing his appearance. Then, kneeling down, she bowed her head forcefully twice and dragged her still utterly confused brother into the glass leading to the Mirror World, accompanied by the cries of the puppy.

“Wow, this kid is truly remarkable.”

After the siblings left, the black goat in Leon’s hand opened its mouth, and Franky’s soul emerged, carrying a fishing rod. He looked impressed and said: “Even we seasoned cleaners are disoriented for a while after dying, when our souls are torn away from our bodies. But she snapped out of it almost immediately—truly exceptional talent on the spiritual level.”

“Not just the spirit.”

After Franky, Mona, the female cleaner, also emerged, her expression somewhat complicated: “That child has poor physical talent, but her mental strength is very strong. Apart from her painful past, she has an obsessive personality and intense emotions—she’s practically born to be a cleaner.”

“Indeed.”

Following the female cleaner, Reuben’s soul with petal-shaped wings appeared behind him. He marveled: “In my soul state, I’m much more perceptive. I actually had a vague feeling that, given her previous condition, she was almost on the verge of becoming an anomalous entity. A little more stimulation, and she might have crossed that line.

Given the talents she displayed, if she doesn’t encounter a fatal task too early, she might become a Level One Cleaner by the age of twenty, or even an elite like ‘Executioner Emma.’ Your Virgo Subdivision has found a good prospect.”

“We’ll see.”

Shaking his head nonchalantly, Leon glanced at the retreating backs of the bandit siblings through the mirror and sighed slightly: “Our job as cleaners may have decent pay and benefits, but the fatality rate is way too high—it’s really not a good job.

Their first half of life has been unlucky enough. Rather than risking their lives as cleaners, they’d better return to the kingdom and live as ordinary people, taking care of each other like normal siblings.”

“…”

That’s true…

Although becoming a cleaner grants far greater power than ordinary people, even the authority to temporarily mobilize the army, one must also abide by the regulations of the Clearing Bureau and carry out extremely dangerous missions.

The worst part is, before starting a mission, no one knows which ones will be fatal. Plus, the abilities of anomalous items are unpredictable and strange. Even the strongest cleaners can’t avoid encountering situations beyond their control.

Not to mention, if Leon hadn’t taken the risk and ventured into the Deathscape to retrieve all three of them, none of them would have survived. They would have all been counted among the fatalities of the Scorpio Division this year.

And since their bureau director was ambushed, though his soul didn’t enter the Deathscape, his body was destroyed. Like them, he would also count towards the death toll. This year, the Scorpio Division was truly cursed.

…

“Alright, Seniors, let’s wrap up the chat here.”

As the three veteran cleaners looked melancholic, Leon glanced at the distant Crocodile Kingdom Royal Palace, then turned back, his expression serious: “Whether we can deal with Prince Andre depends on what happens next! Let me make something clear beforehand: what’s coming will be extremely painful and may even lead to the shattering of our souls. If you can’t handle it…”

“If we can’t handle it, consider it repayment for saving us.”

Before Leon finished speaking, the fiery-tempered female cleaner, Mona, cut in:

“If you hadn’t pulled us out, we would’ve already been eaten by that Death Ambassador. Now, we at least have a chance to survive. At worst, we die anyway. When we chose this job, we were prepared for that.”

“So do we.”

After Mona spoke, Franky and Reuben exchanged glances and replied with odd expressions: “Actually… Director Edward hinted a bit about you to us, suggesting you were dangerous and we should be careful.

Then, I lightened the heavy atmosphere by joking that, no matter how crazy you got, you’re still a cleaner—you wouldn’t eat us, right? Didn’t expect my joke to come true.”

“Alright, stop chit-chatting!”

Slapping Franky’s back, Reuben took a deep breath and stepped in front of Leon.

“Eat! Our souls are yours!”

“Thank you for your trust, Seniors.”

Looking at the expressions of the three senior cleaners, confirming they were ready, Leon clenched his fists slightly. Then, kicking aside the sneaky black goat trying to edge closer, he opened his mouth toward the souls of the three cleaners.

“Ssssss…”

With a clear sound of inhalation, the three cleaners’ souls swayed slightly, losing their human forms. They transformed into faint white mist, rushing toward Leon. The mist curled around his senses and poured furiously into his orifices.

As the “Guardian of the Dead Dog,” the Three-headed Dog God received its “salary” by freely selecting souls entering the Deathscape to consume as nourishment.

Through killing and consuming the Three-headed Dog God, Leon inherited its powers and began his first “meal.”

(End of Chapter)