Looking at the clueless rebels blocking the way completely, the Iron Princess felt a chill run down her spine.
Although she had long known from Veronica’s memory fragments that this Kingdom was already rotten, it was beyond her imagination that it had decayed to such an extent.
The stationed guard army in the capital was unable to understand flag signals from their Flag Officer, the palace guards neglected their duties, and during the day were all absent from their posts. The patrol soldiers outside seemed dead, allowing these rebels to break in without shedding any blood, yet...
How is this possible?
Unable to comprehend why she had failed, the Iron Princess, pinned down according to Ryan’s orders by the bald woman, felt bitter and began to ponder where the mistake occurred.
The palace must have a problem. No matter how rotten the Kingdom is, it shouldn’t be this bad. And although the old King is stubborn and muddled, he isn’t as foolish as his son. At least he can manage a palace.
The answer is straightforward then; the Clean-up Bureau must have done something, and maybe they had early information and specially set up a trap for me!
When Ryan arrived, with a goat’s head at his left waist and a king’s head at his right, the Iron Princess, pinned to the ground, raised her head with bitterness and said:
"But can you tell me how I was exposed? Did Watcher’s Palace provide some information? Or did someone on our side give you the inside scoop beforehand?"
Hearing the Iron Princess’s question, Ryan’s eyebrows slightly raised.
Judging from her words... could it be that you are not some sudden rogue abnormality but some antagonistic force against the Clean-up Bureau, who infiltrated the palace with premeditation?
As Ryan pondered how to extract more information, the black goat at his waist sneered:
"Practice harder if you’re weak! Admit your loss! Can’t you die without making excuses? We disdain those with a hard mouth like yours!"
You?! Stupid demon! What do you know!
Provoked by the black goat’s disdainful gaze, the Iron Princess stared angrily at it, about to retort, but seeing Ryan approaching, she quickly warned:
"Don’t come closer! I know your ability. You better not touch me. If you try to touch me, I’ll self-destruct instantly to ensure you get nothing!"
Know my ability huh...
Upon hearing the Iron Princess’s threat, Ryan squinted his eyes.
Knowing my details means she probably saw my submitted file. She must be from the Bureau, or at least colluded with someone from the Bureau, this is truly...
I had known the Clean-up Bureau is a very loose organization with rampant internal chaos, but how can anyone dig out information from it? Is this even feasible anymore?
"Leon Layne, I know you!"
Just as Ryan silently cursed the troublesome nature of the Bureau, the pinned Iron Princess took a deep breath and then looked at him standing two steps away, gritting her teeth:
"Leon Laine, a Level 3 Cleaner of the Virgin Branch in the Clean-up Bureau, has the abnormal ability ’Compulsory Intelligence Acquisition,’ and has an excellent affinity with Demonic Abnormalities. Although joined the Bureau for only over two months, the record is astonishing, with a report of single-handedly repelling a Holy Spirit in the first month of employment.
Furthermore, during the year-end assembly of the Clean-up Bureau, you publicly exposed the conspiracy of the Aquarius Director, survived from his hand, and forced him into exile, later with two Level 1 Cleaners from the Virgin Branch, disrupted the Scales Gold Sect assembly, killed a Holy Spirit, and repelled the Wealth Goddess from the Dream Realm.
Recently, during the arrival of the Demonic Soul Abyss, alongside the director of Scorpio Branch who came to aid, you held off the physically arriving King of Nightmares, even personally releasing the [Dream-Eater Mutant Shell], consuming most of the Dream Realm, causing the most severe disaster in a century..."
Impressive... really anything I file, you know, huh?
The MI6 of Britain permeated like a sieve by KGB, doesn’t seem to have so many loopholes as our Clean-up Bureau. Although this job gets decent perks, reflecting deeply, it truly is annoyingly troublesome...
Watching the Iron Princess recite his resume like a list, with Ryan slightly overwhelmed, he sighed, letting the other rebels retreat a bit, to avoid overhearing too much, then directly retorted:
"Why are you reciting my file?"
"I mean, I can exchange information with you."
Finding finally the opportunity to negotiate, the Iron Princess slightly relaxed her taut body, then directly stared into Ryan’s eyes:
"Do you want to know where I got this information? Or to put it more bluntly, do you want to know who’s the traitor within the Clean-up Bureau?"
"Then you have to tell me first, who is the traitor among us!"
"Alright, then you go first."
Slightly shaking the shoulders under pressure, the Iron Princess insisted:
"I’m already caught by you. If I go first, what if you change your mind? Either you go first or the deal is off!"
Ryan’s eyes flickered slightly, then planning to bluff, since he knows nothing, hoping to trick some information, he fabricated:
"I can’t mention the name, but I can tell you, it is someone absolutely unexpected by you."
Absolutely unexpected by us?
Upon hearing, the Iron Princess was slightly stunned, then frowned and said:
"How does that differ from saying nothing? No deal!"
Understanding the negotiation principle, that whoever seems to care more loses, Ryan decisively chose to overturn the table, extending his hand towards the pinned Iron Princess.
"Wait! Wait a moment!"
Desperately retreating a bit, dodging Ryan’s hand, the Iron Princess angrily said:
"I didn’t say I wouldn’t tell you, but at least you need a little sincerity, just one sentence isn’t enough!"
"Then add another sentence."
Ryan thought for a bit, then continued to blurt with empty detail:
"The traitor among you is someone who once died."
Reflecting deeply on Ryan’s words, the Iron Princess’s expression suddenly tightened.
According to this clue, the recently deceased Aquarius Director must be one to consider, but besides him, it seems like there are others worth suspecting, even the old Four Pillar Gods were once killed by the Bureau, including perhaps... Serpent Bearer?
Faking profoundness with empty reasoning, seeing the Iron Princess bewildered and guessing, Ryan urged expressionlessly:
"So, who’s colluding with you in the Bureau, exposing my file?"