I! Cleaner!-Chapter 990 - 909: Two Peaches for Four Worthies
"The others... shouldn't have too much trouble."
After brushing the strange hair on his neck, the Sagittarius director frowned and replied:
"Out of the four of us, Cancer and I are at the end of our lifespans, and you and Pisces have soul deficiencies. We've been thoroughly restrained by the authority of death. After being directly hit by the Cliff of the End, it's naturally inescapable.
The remaining Capricorn and the directors of the Zodiac Bureau, though equally unable to rival the pillar gods, are much 'further' from death than we are and have stronger resistance to the authority of death. Retreating after exhaustion isn't difficult for them."
"It's not just that."
The Cancer director, who was swaying on the other side, chimed in:
"I was the last to be pulled down. When I was hit, the lamp that could communicate with the Cliff of the End had already been shattered by Capricorn and the others teaming up. Without that lamp, it's impossible for the Six-faced Elephant Deer to drag the Cliff of the End over again."
"Phew... that's good then..."
After hearing the words of the Cancer and Sagittarius directors, the Pisces director, looking drowsy, couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief, then forced himself to speak energetically:
"When we came down, the dead workshop master and Grandma Crow-eye were completely incapacitated. Only half a body of the yellow river worm remained, and two and a half incarnations of the Six-faced Elephant Deer were gone. Now, with the lamp capable of moving the Cliff of the End shattered, dealing with it isn't difficult anymore."
"Cough cough... but we still couldn't stop it."
After coughing painfully twice, the Taurus director beside them sighed.
"Even though half is missing, as long as the Six-faced Elephant Deer brings the authority of death back to the living world, it will certainly bring a massive amount of death..."
"There's nothing we could do... I tried my best, even at the cost of my life."
The Cancer director sighed in response, his eyes filled with helplessness:
"If it were in the living world or the astral realm, I could block a pillar god one-on-one, but this time we were acting in the Realm of the Dead—it's like stepping directly into someone's domain, and we all had our problems, restrained terribly.
If things had gone according to the plan with only the Faceless Man and the Artisan as the pillar god rulers, we could have definitely won. But who would've known another one, the Six-faced Elephant Deer, would appear? In a world where death is the primary authority, facing six full-power death pillar gods, getting this result is already not bad.
Besides, if it weren't for the soul's sudden problem, I think I could've taken another one down... Speaking of which, Joan, don't you feel like your soul was tampered with at all?"
"I really don't have that sensation..."
Seeing the other three directors' gazes, Taurus director couldn't help but check his soul once again, then shook his head:
"Everything's truly normal. I'm very sure my soul hasn't been tampered with... But you guys, if your souls were tampered with, how come you're only noticing something's wrong now?"
"..."
"..."
"..."
"Why aren't you saying anything?"
"Let me speak..."
After a moment of silence, the Sagittarius director opened up with a complex expression:
"Joan, who acted against us might very well be the Third Generation Master."
"?!!!"
"I think so too..."
On the side, the Cancer director nodded, analyzing with a not very upbeat face:
"After reaching the Realm of the Dead, we've always been staying in the Sage's Cemetery, protected by its rules. Even if the Six-faced Elephant Deer is strong, it's impossible to bypass the Third Generation Master's perception and tamper with our souls silently. Thus, the only one who could have schemed against us is the Third Generation Master."
"But... that doesn't make sense..."
Taurus director hesitated a moment, then confusingly questioned:
"The Third Generation Master must have a reason to scheme against us, right? What's his objective?"
"If you talk about my objective, it's, of course, to save your lives~"
"?!!!"
Hearing that familiar voice from above, the four directors in their huddle couldn't help but look up. In their faces brimming with astonishment, a sparse-haired square skull was peering over the cliff, showing a triumphant smile.
"Third Generation Master?!"
Seeing that old face on the cliff, the four directors floating below the Cliff of the End were stunned, then hastily inquired:
"Why are you here?"
"Where's the Six-faced Elephant Deer?"
"Did Capricorn and the others win?!"
"No win, Capricorn that little brat ran away!"
Looking at the severely wounded four directors below, especially the gravely injured Taurus director floating at the lowest point, the Third Generation Master grinned with wrinkles piling up on his old face.
"After you all got swept down, Capricorn noticed something was off and decided fighting on would be pointless. He immediately forced open a 'Heavenly Path,' sending the other brats to Heavenly Mountain.
But since Heavenly Mountain is too far from the Realm of the Dead, it'll probably take them more than half a month to get there. If they want to come back, it'll be more than a month or so."
"..."
So... after completing this mission, all the Zodiac directors successfully retreated, and it's just the four of us directors who were taken down?
"What sort of expression is that?"
Seeing the somewhat strained emotions of the directors, the Third Generation Master's smile suddenly dropped, and he scolded with a stern face:
"Capricorn didn't sell you out. He was just making sure to retreat timely to preserve some living strength for the bureau. You should learn from him instead of always wanting to go down together with the enemy! 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦
Even if you sacrificed everything to take down two more incarnations of the Six-faced Elephant Deer, so what after that? The bureau would lose four directors in one go. Who then would hold the fort? Should we absorb the land's descendants into the bureau and give them a director's seat or two?
Ugh... If old folks like me weren't cautious enough to do some maneuvering beforehand and pull you back at the critical moment, you wouldn't even have a chance to be floating under the Cliff of the End!"
"..."
If we remember correctly, weren't you the one who urged us to go up earlier? Now, why are you reprimanding us for being reckless? Is it that you want to take credit and blame, both?
Irritated by the Third Generation Master's high-ground words, the directors' formerly suspended hearts finally settled back down safely in their chests, seeing the apparent relief and triumph on his face.
"Third Generation Master."
After calling out loudly and interrupting the Third Generation Master's reprimand, the Sagittarius director shouted:
"What happened to the Six-faced Elephant Deer? Since you're here, it should be resolved already, right?"
"Of course!"
The Third Generation Master raised his eyebrows at that, then as he clung to the cliff, he replied with full pride:
"Under my command, that person used the anomaly I forged and set up an ambush at the spot I designated, taking out the Six-faced Elephant Deer before it could enter the living world!"
"?!!!"
"Haha, now do you see why I'm the fiercest director? Even without the power from back then, I still have the brains!"
Seeing the four directors' faces below filled with joy, the Third Generation Master proudly hummed with his head slightly tilted upwards:
"You little brats, just now really doubted me... If I hadn't schemed against you, could the Six-faced Elephant Deer have been handled so easily this time?
If only two incarnations had died, the Six-faced Elephant Deer would definitely have been tempted to check the living world. But if you guys had fought it out to kill four or five incarnations, it would need to recuperate well before trying to return... Hey? Keep still, you few, no fidgeting! Otherwise, it's hard to aim!"
Shouting to the cliff below for a couple of times, letting the directors stabilize their bodies, the Third Generation Master glanced at Leon who was quietly reloading behind him, then cheerfully shouted to the cliff below:
"Even though none of you died, not all of you can be saved. After killing the Six-faced Elephant Deer, that person only has two bolt shots left, so he can save at most two people.
As for the remaining two, they'll have to keep floating down there until he slays two more pillar gods before there's a chance to rescue them... So what do you say? Which two to come up?"
