"Heh heh, I knew I couldn't hide it from you."
Caught red-handed stealing, the short man didn't feel embarrassed; instead, he grinned cheekily,
"Don't be so serious, it's kind of scary. If I really wanted to steal from him, I'd have plenty of opportunities. Why would I do something so foolish, especially right in front of you? I just heard a newcomer has joined the bureau, and before even becoming permanent, he managed to take down a Holy Spirit. I got curious about him, so I just swiped it like that..."
"So where's the thing?"
Ignoring the short man's long-winded explanation, the Red-haired Director tapped the back of his hand on the table and then warned with narrowed eyes,
"Jerry, don't make me repeat myself a third time."
Noticing the Red-haired Director's fox-like eyes narrowing further, the short man couldn't help but tense up as well. Hastily, he pulled a photo from his pocket and obediently placed it on the table.
After picking up the photo from the table, seeing the couple standing arm in arm and the little girl holding her parents' hands with a joyful smile, the Red-haired Director paused momentarily, surprised.
Apart from controlling animals, Jerry's most remarkable Anomalous Object was the Cunning Hand of Fate, which allowed him to forcibly steal an item that had the greatest impact on someone's past life, whether or not the item was on their person, or even if it had been destroyed.
So if his ability was correct, the most significant influence on Leon's past life was this photo on the table?
"Director, what can this thing do? Can you tell me?"
Seeing the contemplative look on the Red-haired Director's face, the short man, brimming with curiosity, started scratching his head impatiently. He couldn't hold back anymore and then plead with a fawning expression,
"For a newcomer who has only been in contact with Anomalous Objects for less than a month to possess the power to single-handedly cleanse a Holy Spirit, this Anomalous Object's ability must be quite powerful, right?"
Hmm? So this photo was an Anomalous Object? But why was the aura so faint? Could it have been destroyed multiple times before?
Hearing the short man's question, the Red-haired Director raised an eyebrow slightly and then shook his head decisively,
"I don't know about that. The perception-type Anomalous Object I used most often was that sheep, which I've already given to Leon. The new perception Anomalous Object hasn't been approved yet, so my perception ability is pretty average right now. If you truly want to know what this Anomalous Object can do, asking me won't help, but there's someone in our bureau who possesses an ability called Intelligence Acquisition. With just a touch, he can learn the intelligence of most Anomalous Objects. You can try asking him."
What? We have someone like that in our bureau?!
Hearing this, the short man's eyes lit up with excitement. This ability was a perfect match for him. Not to mention, he had secretly acquired quite a few things over the years, but either he couldn't activate them at all, or he didn't dare to use them rashly due to unknown rules and costs.
If he could get this Intelligence Acquisition to help him, even if only a third of the Anomalous Objects he stored over the years worked, it might just elevate his power to a whole new level, promoting him to a First Level disaster handler!
"Director, why didn't you say so earlier?"
Braving himself to complain to the Red-haired Director, the short man rubbed his hands excitedly and pressed further,
"Who is this person? Oh, and also, would he be willing to trade his Intelligence Acquisition Anomalous Object? If he's willing, he can pick anything from my collection over these years!"
"A trade is unlikely, as his ability is more like a talent residing in his soul. As for who this person is..."
Casting a teasing glance at the short man, the Red-haired Director picked up the photo and wagged it with a grin,
"It's the very person you just stole from."
"Uh... you know me..."
Seeing the mischievous look in the Red-haired Director's eyes and realizing he had been duped, the short man's face fell. With some embarrassment, he spoke,
"Although I've got a bit of a stealing habit, I really never go after people I know. I usually just take a look and return it right away, and even if it's a stranger, as long as they're not a bad person, I generally wouldn't take what they love. So... could you..."
"Are you thinking of getting this thing back and secretly returning it so Leon doesn't hold it against you and refuses to help?"
Seeing through the short man's thoughts instantly, the Red-haired Director shook a finger and said with a smile,
"Ah... that might be difficult, you know~ Little Leon may have only recently joined the Purification Bureau, but not only do we get along swimmingly, he even treated me to some good drinks. If I were to help you keep this a secret from him, how would I live up to our boozy camaraderie?"
*Got it, you want a higher price, right?*
Seeing the Red-haired Director's amused expression, the short man could only give up his wishful thinking, painfully offering,
"How about I treat you to a drink as well..."
"Ahem, there's no need to bring that up. I'm not that kind of person."
Stopping the short man just before hearing an irresistible offer, the Red-haired Director cleared his throat and said earnestly,
"If I'm not mistaken, you hope Leon can use his ability to help you identify the 'spoils' you've gathered over the years, right?"
"Then it's easy to handle."
The Red-haired Director rapped his knuckles on the table and said with a smile,
"Though I'm not sure how much stuff you've hoarded over the years, given your habits, it's probably quite a bit. Helping you identify so many items in one go would exhaust a lot of physical and mental energy. It's undoubtedly a tough job, so... allowing him to choose one as grind compensation is not too much, right?"
"Not too much, not too much."
Though still feeling a bit reluctant, knowing the nature of his boss, the short man understood that haggling would only result in being fleeced harder, so he promptly agreed.
"Alright then, leave the stuff with me; I'll put in a good word for you later on."
With a pleased nod, the Red-haired Director pulled out a strand of hair, bundled up the photo suspected of being an Anomalous Object, placed it into a drawer, and then smilingly said,
"However, the evaluation might have to wait. He has an important investigation task today and cannot be distracted. Once his investigation is done, I'll have him examine your collection."
"Okay, I'll wait right here in the bureau for him then."
Once he agreed enthusiastically, the short man's curiosity started bubbling up again as he looked at the cheerful Red-haired Director, cautiously asking,
"By the way, Director, is Leon... perhaps familiar with other branch directors? Or favored by a Director? Or... are you..."
"You want to ask why I'm taking such good care of him, don't you?"
Casting a meaningful look at the short man, the Red-haired Director replied, somewhat exasperated,
"Before you ask, I suggest you take a good look at the kind of people working in our bureau first."
Before the short man could reply, the Red-haired Director ticked off on his fingers as he listed them out one by one,
"Failed coup plotters, adulterers with the Prime Minister's wife, thieves who robbed from the royal family, gamblers who lost the Kingdom's reserve funds, grain officers who got lost on the battlefield and nearly starved thirty thousand people, pharmacists whose potion mishap submerged half a county in a sea of sh*t..."
Seeing the short man looking awkward, the Red-haired Director squinted as he concluded,
"If not for joining the Purification Bureau, you guys would be starting with a death sentence on average. Even now, you're constantly being watched, needing to report in advance even if leaving the Capital City for a task. As for Leon, with a clean background, good moral character, smart and vigilant, reliable and hardworking, and highly talented, having taken down a Holy Spirit during his probation period... You tell me, compared to you guys, who else should I look after if not him?"