I! Cleaner!-Chapter 450 - 388: I’m Very Curious

"Take this."

Just as Leon followed the red-haired director up the stairs, entering the vault at the Virgo sub-bureau where anomalous items were stored, at a certain location in the middle of a pitch-black river flowing with countless shattered dreams, a giant crowned with a mirror-like crown and enveloped entirely in deep gray mist reached out its right hand to the elder in front of it.

"This is a pass for traveling in the Demonic Soul Abyss, allowing you to move freely in nightmares. You’ll need it when dealing with the Scarlet Hair Lady."

With a peculiar, ear-piercing voice, the giant extended its slender gray palm over the river, slowly unfurling five knife-like fingers, revealing a small wooden boat as the dark nightmare swiftly dissipated from its grasp.

"Since it’s a pass personally issued by the King of Nightmares..."

After observing the softly contoured, exquisitely carved little wooden boat floating slightly in the palm of the gray mist giant in sync with his breathing, the old Investigator—or rather, the Aquarius Director—smiled, then with a tense-faced female reporter, took the initiative to step on board.

"Then I’ll take it with peace of mind."

After the two boarded the small boat, the gray mist giant’s hand gradually dissipated, and the wooden boat lightly settled on the pitch-black river, creating dark ripple rings.

However, as if triggered by some mysterious switch, the moment the dark ripples spread, the river flowing with countless nightmares trembled violently.

Numerous human arms, adorned in various attires and forms, sprang forth like fish attracted to bait, pointing straight upward like reeds, scrambling to grab hold of the small wooden boat’s edge.

"?!!"

Witnessing the eerie and horrifying scene before her, the female reporter’s expression involuntarily tightened. She instinctively stepped forward, reaching out to sweep away the hands clutching the boat’s edge, but the Aquarius Director caught her wrist first.

"Don’t be nervous."

Gesturing for the female reporter to stay calm, the Aquarius Director straightened his slightly hunched back, and gently tapped his foot on the small wooden boat.

Immediately, a chorus of agonized cries echoed from the pitch-black lake as if touched by a red-hot brand. Those hands scrambling aboard frantically let go, fleeing back into the river’s dreams.

"They’re merely people trying to escape their nightmares. As long as you stand firmly on the boat, they can’t come up."

After using the boat’s inherent power to disperse the arms emerging from the black river, the Aquarius Director looked up at the towering giant filled with gray mist, smilingly said to the female reporter behind him:

"The King of Nightmares still has a decent reputation. At least until our cooperation is completely successful, there’s no need to worry about it turning against us...

However, once I wake up in the real world, this boat won’t be as stable, so make sure to get off promptly, otherwise, who knows what might happen."

"Cackle cackle cackle~"

Upon hearing the Aquarius Director’s words, the gray mist giant cackled as if hearing a particularly amusing joke. The tall gray figure twisted slightly, parting a corner of its robe-like mist, revealing countless interlinked skeletal arms inside.

"You, when you were in the Clean-up Bureau, were truly disagreeable, ruining many of my plans."

Lowering its mist-shrouded face slightly, aligning seeming eye positions on the two of them, the King of Nightmares laughed aloud:

"However, after you defected from the Clean-up Bureau, I suddenly found you more agreeable. Whether speaking or acting, it aligns well with my tastes... Hmm... how about it, are you interested in settling in the dream realm and becoming my Angel Envoy from now on?"

"I think I’ll pass."

Facing the sincere invitation from the King of Nightmares, the Aquarius Director chuckled and shook his head:

"I don’t mind becoming a Dream Realm Creature, but do you really dare let me become your Angel Envoy?"

"Um... you’re right, indeed I dare not."

After pondering for a moment at the Aquarius Director’s counterquestion, the gray mist giant slightly nodded:

"Your ambitions are too large; even the Clean-up Bureau couldn’t contain you. If you became my Angel Envoy in the dream realm, I’d constantly worry about any ulterior motives you might have, and I’d never sleep well.

Forget it, consider what I just said retracted; it’s better we remain partners."

"As it should be."

Nodding serenely, the Aquarius Director gazed into the giant’s mist-wreathed face, calmly stated:

"Furthermore, even though I’ve arranged for the Virgo sub-bureau Cleaners to be redeployed, the Scarlet Hair Lady doesn’t lack assistance.

The one named Leon beside her, a third-level Cleaner with black hair and eyes, remember to keep an eye on him and it’s best to deal with him early, to prevent any trouble."

"A third-level Cleaner?"

Upon hearing the Aquarius Director’s instructions, the gray mist giant’s form flickered slightly, somehow appearing in the black river below the small boat.

The enormous head, drenched by the black river, lay silently on the stern, with the King of Nightmares’ mist-covered eyes fixedly staring at the Aquarius Director’s back. It curiously asked:

"He didn’t lie... I’m intrigued, is such a mere third-level Cleaner really worth such emphasis?"

"Absolutely worth it."

Slowly turning around, positioning the female reporter behind him, the Aquarius Director earnestly advised:

"The reason I’ve fallen to collaborating with someone like you is all thanks to him. Although Leon’s power isn’t worth mentioning, there’s something peculiar about him.

My advice is, when encountering him, never take him lightly, but don’t be curious either.

If you don’t want to end up in some bizarre, unexpected predicament, then act swiftly with pure force to take him out immediately, never giving him a chance to speak or manipulate!"

"Is that so? Interesting~"

After hearing the Aquarius Director’s repeated emphasis, at what seemed to be the mouth area on the gray mist giant’s face, an inverted crescent appeared; two rows of shark teeth, stained with thick black droplets, ground against each other with a clang, revealing a somewhat sinister, bizarre smile.

"That’s not quite right, is it?"

"If you truly wish for me not to communicate with him and take severe measures to kill him, then you shouldn’t be saying such things."

The enormous head drifted eerily around the boat, observing everything about the two on board, then the King of Nightmares, with a somewhat icy tone, said:

"The origin of dreams stems from one’s own ignorance paired with curiosity of the world, giving birth to unfettered fantasies beyond conscious control. Curiosity is an inherent trait of all Dream Realm Creatures.

Yet, knowing full well that I can’t control my curiosity, you insist on giving this advice... Now, may I assume that you actually wish for me not to kill him immediately, giving him instead a chance to turn the tables and kill me?"

The source of this c𝐨ntent is freewe(b)nov𝒆l