*Go undercover with the Rebels? Are you kidding me!*
When Ryan heard the Red-haired Director's suggestion, his first reaction was that she was talking nonsense again. After all, even without bringing up his identity as the Duke of Lionheart, he was already marked by the Rebels.
First, there was the bandaged woman who intended to attack the Ryan Family, then the doppelganger who went undercover in the Secret Investigation Bureau at the Ministry of Police, and finally, the shabby old man at the conferral ceremony whose presence sped up people's heartbeats.
All in all, three Anomalous Object holders from the Rebels had ended up in his hands, and the reason he asked the Director for those three "protective feathers" was to safeguard his family from the Rebels.
This relationship, even if not a deep-seated grudge, could certainly be considered a never-ending feud. And now he was to join the Rebels to infiltrate them? This was just...
*Huh... Maybe it's not impossible?*
After glancing at the [If] on the table, Ryan pondered for a moment and realized that this task wasn't as far-fetched as it seemed.
Now that he possessed the Heart of Ambition, his safety was undoubtedly assured. And with the intelligence provided by Amy, as long as he could locate the Rebels' gathering point, he could use the [If] to impersonate a Rebel member directly, try to contact those holding Anomalous Objects, and attempt to capture them all at once.
Considering the unclear relationship between the Rebels and the Aquarius Director, doing this would not only eliminate the threat from the Rebels, ensuring his family's safety, and help Princess Veronica retrieve her lost identity, but also reduce the help Aquarius might have, and thwart any possible conspiracy he had.
Five birds with one stone...
After weighing the risks and benefits of the undercover task, Ryan nodded decisively and agreed.
The Red-haired Director nodded with satisfaction and said,
"Ryan, the inquiry into the Aquarius Director will officially begin in about five or six days, but the timing can be slightly advanced, maybe in two or three days.
Once I and Taurus His Excellency initiate the inquiry, the Aquarius Director will certainly rush back to Headquarters to fully prepare for the internal inquiry, and from when he's drawn away to the inquiry's conclusion, there will likely be about two weeks.
During this period, I can roughly track his whereabouts to ensure he won't appear at the Rebel gathering point, and with the Heart of Ambition for protection, your safety will be maximally guaranteed.
So from two days later until two weeks later is your specific timeline for this infiltration mission. If the inquiry succeeds, the time can be extended. If it fails, you must leave immediately. As for the mission target..."
At this point, the Red-haired Director thought for a moment and then lightly tapped the table with her fingertips and said,
"The primary targets are the grandmother and granddaughter who might have the ability to erase memories. You need to prioritize finding them to quickly help Princess Veronica restore her identity. The secondary objective is to contact the other Anomalous Object holders, clarify their abilities, and confirm their locations.
Before the inquiry against the Aquarius Director begins, I will remain in the Bureau. If I go to participate in the inquiry, then Emma will remain in the Bureau to oversee things. Once you've determined their locations and abilities, you can send the little dog Jerry gave you to deliver the news, and I'll or Emma will come to apprehend them."
"Alright, I've noted it down."
"I haven't finished yet."
The Red-haired Director shook her head and said,
"Besides these two missions, you have a hidden task. I hope you can confirm whether there is another Prince Joshua among the Rebels."
Seeing Leon's astonished look, the Red-haired Director didn't immediately explain and instead asked,
"Do you remember that nightmare Prince Joshua had when you and Emma went to visit the Prince?"
*That 'future-predicting' strange dream?*
After recalling, Ryan nodded and then asked curiously,
"Of course I remember... Was there an issue with that dream?"
Pouring tea into an empty wine bottle and taking a big gulp to drown her sorrows, the Red-haired Director said with a headache visible on her face,
"Prince Joshua's nightmare should be the King of Nightmares' curse on the royal family. The King of Nightmares believes that, compared to the fictitious horrors of ordinary nightmares, the deepest regrets in one's heart are a person's most feared nightmare.
So, the curse from the King of Nightmares has always been to make people recall their most painful pasts, rather than those hollow, unreal nightmares. This clashes with the content of Prince Joshua's nightmare."
"So... you suspect there are two Prince Joshuas?"
The Red-haired Director shrugged helplessly and said,
"I know it sounds absurd, but when paired with Emma's recount of the nightmare's content, the only conclusion I can come up with is that there's another Prince Joshua who has experienced those painful futures and returned to this past, which is his present.
As Prince Joshua's age increases, his intelligence gradually matures, his concepts and personality become fixed, and his soul begins to align with this future Prince. Thus, when the future Prince suffered the King of Nightmares' curse, the real-time Prince unluckily 'shared' this nightmare."
*That actually... could make sense?*
After weighing the Red-haired Director's theory, Ryan found himself somewhat convinced. There weren't many significant flaws in her proposal.
"So, you think the Prince Joshua from the future has likely hidden among the Rebels?"
"It's uncertain, but based on what the Rebels have done in the past, there's at least an eighty percent chance... After all, a future Prince Joshua, filled with persistence, wouldn't simply come back to take a look, right?"
"If it makes sense, then get ready!"
Taking out a small notebook from the drawer, writing a few lines, and then closing the notebook and handing it over, the Red-haired Director said seriously,
"Take this to the Ministry of Police and find the first assistant to the Minister of Security. He will appoint you as the warden of the dead cell. With this identity, you can activate the vicarious dying ability of the Heart of Ambition.
Additionally, given that your intelligence about the Aquarius Director is completely transparent, it's possible he might inform the Rebels. Therefore, refrain from using the Witch's Broom, Holy Spirit Pendant, and other Anomalous Objects registered in the Bureau unless absolutely necessary. Otherwise, your cover might be blown.
However, to come into contact with those Anomalous Object holders, it would be best to show a bit of special ability... Hmm... Do you have any unregistered Anomalous Objects or abilities?"
Unregistered Anomalous Objects or abilities?
"In terms of abilities, I actually have one..."
After taking the notebook and putting it away, Ryan hesitated for a moment, then glanced at the brilliant-looking [Migratory Thrush Prince] on his badge panel and said somewhat unsurely,
"If the conditions are right, I might be able to forcibly make others bow to me."