*It seemed I had guessed correctly.*
Watching the flame a few hundred meters away that desperately fled, Leon couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. He then swung a leg over the Witch's Broom that automatically hovered nearby, ready to pursue and bring the opponent to justice.
But just as the Witch's Broom was about to start, the lesson from narrowly escaping a bullet shot earlier surged in his mind, causing Leon to hesitate slightly. He then turned back to the princess, wrapping the Plague-Infected Blood Bandage around her, intending to wake her up first.
Although according to that shabby old man's "testimony," there seemed to be only two rebels in Ryan Manor with an Anomalous Object, since they had found a way to evade his soul vision, it's not impossible that they faked their stories during "interrogation."
If there was indeed a third rebel nearby, once Leon left to capture someone, they wouldn't even need to use an Anomalous Object. Even just a tiny Nail Gun could easily end the princess's life. It was safer to take her along.
Soon, under the "health" supplied by the Plague-Infected Blood Bandage, the princess, who fainted due to excessive blood flow, awoke with a faint bewilderment as she looked at Leon.
"I... what happened to me?"
"Your Highness, the rebels just launched an assassination attempt against you, which I thwarted. I am now preparing to apprehend the assailants."
After briefly explaining the situation, Leon helped the still-dazed princess onto the broom, advising her to hold tight around his waist, and then gently tapped the Witch's Broom with his heel.
Accompanied by Princess Veronica's exclamation, the fully accelerated Witch's Broom shot out from the hall like an arrow, controlled by Leon as they chased after the desperately fleeing short man.
"You... you stay away! Stay away from me!"
Seeing that demon who could see into people's hearts was now flying directly towards him, the short man couldn't help but crumble instantly. His legs gave out as he nearly fell to the ground.
Yet at that moment, with the sound like a soap bubble bursting, as if a veil covering the soul was suddenly wiped away, the short man's fear-filled, chaotic eyes cleared in an instant.
*So I wasn't a coward after all; memories of being a coward were woven into me to make me flee out of fear and lure the target into an ambush?*
*Damn it! Used as bait again!*
Realizing what had happened to him, even if he recalled that he had initially agreed to this plan, the short man couldn't help but feel a twinge of discomfort in his heart.
If it weren't for being utterly crushed during interrogation by that demon, nearly leading to a mental breakdown that abandoned his escape, forcing Lucy to prematurely release part of the Ability, he might not have regained his true memories until the assassination mission was fully completed.
*Lucy's old witch's memory Ability is... terrifying every time I wake up afterward, but it's oddly useful for completing missions. After all, even a bait like me didn't know there was an ambush, so the one behind wouldn't be able to react in time.*
Shivering violently, the "coward" who regained a sliver of memory managed to avoid collapsing directly. He merely staggered a few steps before regaining his footing and continued to flee madly towards the manor's exit.
Meanwhile, Leon, who was relentlessly pursuing, remained cautious, never exiting his soul vision, and suddenly detected a small ripple in the soul of the short man.
*Could this be a trap?*
Watching the distant soul, whose level of fear had halved, Leon's brows furrowed slightly. He hesitated for a moment before purposely slowing down.
*The Emma Remnants Scripture*'s seventh rule was to never underestimate an opponent's intelligence. The ability to conduct "sting operations" wasn't exclusive to Cleaners; it also belonged to intelligent Anomalous Objects, Uncontrollable Afflicted, and the Evil God-worshipping Underground Sect.
Those brainy enemies, when trying to execute plans, would similarly toss out bait, luring incautious Cleaners into traps to eliminate them in advance, paving the way for their own actions.
*I have to guard against this!*
Reflecting on Senior Emma's teachings, Leon squinted at the short man who was about to escape Ryan Manor. Instead of pressing the Witch's Broom to accelerate, he pulled up the broomstick and flew upward, then gently tapped the small mirror he carried.
*Wherever you want to lead me, the trap can't work unless I'm physically "there," can it?*
Feeling a cold chill penetrate his heart as if some extremely lethal thing had locked its sight on him, the short man shivered all over, cautiously turning his head to check behind him while fleeing.
Seeing Leon in the sky several hundred meters away, assembling a sniper rifle silently, the short man felt utterly doomed.
According to information, the leader somehow acquired knowledge that while the target's Ability was comprehensive in attack and defense, its maximum shooting range wasn't impressive, supposedly only a few dozen meters. This ensured his safety.
*But even though his Ability has limited range, he's actually carrying a sniper rifle! I'm dead for sure!*
Staring at the weapon gradually forming in the sky behind him, the short man ignored any ambush locations and dashed toward the nearest building, knocking out an occupant en route. He then hid behind a shelf stacked with stuff, but...
With a faint sound like a gas leak, the sack filled with rice burst open. Shelves, walls, bricks, and outer walls... all obstacles in front of the short man were simultaneously pierced by a glowing Nail.
The short man felt a sudden chill at his thigh crease; before he could react, he was knocked out by the momentum of the nail, the burning smell of scorched flesh wafting into his nostrils.
*No! I don't want to die yet!*
Using the remarkable intuition of a soul-type Anomalous Object user, he vaguely sensed a second shot was imminent—one that would assuredly be fatal. The short man collapsed, scrambling towards the window, hoping to plead with the demon in the sky, testing if surrendering would save his life.
Yet as he crawled to the window, intending to proclaim his surrender, the man in the sky riding a peculiar broom, casting a presence more menacing than a demon's, suddenly twitched violently, then plunged like a kite with its string cut.
Inside the small clock tower six streets over.
Re-adjusting her fallen headscarf to cover her shiny bald head, the woman with odd goggles put away her slingshot and turned her curious gaze towards the middle-aged man beside her:
"Chief, how did you know he would fly up?"