I! Cleaner!

This rare and difficult task, I hope this is the last time you'll find me for it...

As Atifie, wrapped in paint, entered the painting and returned to that year's banquet, Leon carefully stepped into the Cooling Lake behind Research Facility No. 1, his feet treading through restless waters.

"Don't worry, just keep going forward boldly, there shouldn't be any issues."

Noticing Leon seemed a bit nervous, the female Cleaner Mona's soul emerged and comforted him:

"No matter what stands in between, my [Forward Path] can always open a road, even crossing life and death temporarily if not for that Death Messenger stopping us before.

This is just a small lake. As long as you leave a bit of strength to ensure the effect of [Forward Path] doesn't suddenly cut off, you won't drown in the lake water."

"Mm-hmm."

Leon responded and then explained:

"Actually, I'm not worried about drowning but about being detected by the abnormal object detection instruments. If the Scorpio Bureau intercepts us before we destroy the intelligence machine core, Feiliya's coup will become a joke."

"There's no need to worry too much about that."

After hearing Leon's concerns, the fishing guy Frankie also piped up, speculating together:

"Among the abnormal objects frequently used by Director Edward, most are rule-based and offensive types. The few defensive ones are mostly for single-target defense, lacking in large-scale protection measures.

And the intelligence machines of the Crolock Kingdom are so large, there's always a place he can't cover. Even if intercepted by the director's puppet, our goal to destroy the intelligence machine is still achievable."

"Let's hope so."

Not sounding very confident, Leon squinted at the huge circular shadow at the bottom of the Cooling Lake and frowned slightly:

"Senior Ruben, what kind of abnormal objects does Director Edward commonly use?"

"The director has a very special abnormal object, probably named [Between Puppets], that can enhance puppets and dolls to ensure they can't be destroyed by any means, hence he loves to collect various puppet-type abnormal objects."

After hearing Leon's question, Ruben's soul also emerged and replied:

"The most commonly used one is a pale doll covered in thorns. Anyone it gazes upon whose Leon Value is lower than the director's will be forcibly transformed into a similar doll and suffer the same damage as the pale doll.

Second most common is a cross puppet board hanging with many transparent strings. If these strings touch you, you lose control of your body and become a puppet manipulated by him.

Then there are a dozen or so dolls each with different effects, or uniquely shaped transforming puppets, to handle various unexpected situations and use in different environments."

"What about in the sea?"

"I'm not sure about the sea."

The female Cleaner Mona shook her head:

"Director Edward hasn't often taken us on missions, nor has he gone underwater with us, but he did mention once that he does possess corresponding abnormal objects for that."

"I see."

Hearing this, Leon nodded and then pointed to the massive shadow below, his brow furrowed as he inquired:

"The thing down there, is it not one of the abnormal objects your director uses in the water?"

The thing down there?

Upon Leon's inquiry, the three cleaners of the Scorpio Branch were taken aback, then all simultaneously leaning forward to look down, followed by a collective sharp intake of breath.

Lo and behold, as Leon ventured deeper into the Cooling Lake, the huge circular shadow below finally revealed its true form.

The intelligence machine body they were looking for was still deeper at the lake's bottom, and what they initially thought to be the machine body was actually a gigantic strange fish suspended vertically in the lake.

In the dim light of the lakebed, the streamlined tubular body of the fish was completely made of wood, coated with waterproof paint. Its two enormous pectoral fins were tightly pressed against its belly, glimmering with a metallic luster.

The crescent-shaped flattened caudal fin below was made of some unknown strange material, neither stone nor jade, appearing extremely heavy. Each subtle sway stirred strong currents in the lake.

This is way too big!

Looking at the giant fish puppet over 20 meters long, the size of an eight-story building, the four of them felt their scalps tingle.

Even among Cleaners with abnormal objects, there aren't many who can "spar" with such a large creature underwater, let alone one reinforced by [Between Puppets], making it indestructible.

With its predictable power and toughness, if this thing caught up and struck, even people made of iron would likely turn into flat iron discs!

More troublesome was, before Leon could react, the overwhelmingly intimidating puppet fish had already responded first, spreading its metal fins on its sides, slashing through the water, and then with a powerful swipe, shot up instantly!

Oh crap!

Seeing the puppet giant whale below accelerating like an arrow leaving the bowstring, Leon discarded his backup plan, chugged a bottle of liquor, and threw a handful of hazelnut-sized seeded shells.

"Ruben!"

"Right away!"

With Mona's urgent reminder, Ruben's weak soul suddenly blazed, and the seeds thrown by Leon rapidly expanded, aging in seconds to produce hardened fruit the size of small table tops.

Prepared in advance, Frankie flung out a tangle of transparent fishing lines, connecting these odd-looking large fruits to form a massive net anchored by weights on all sides.

"Boom!"

The giant strange fish surged upward blindly, crashing straight into the net without dodging, slightly slowing down but still bullheadedly pushing against the hundreds of table-sized "weights," continuing its determined ascent.

"How is that possible?!"

Seeing their combined effort with Frankie's only briefly stalled the fish, Ruben was astonished.

Those were specially chosen seeds! Even without Frankie's net, the weight of over a hundred shellpieces of sunken wood should be around eighty or ninety tons. How could the fish still push upward with such a heavy load?!

"I'll do it!"

Without anyone maintaining the path, [Forward Path] in the lake was fractured by the fish's massive water currents, with water seeping in from all sides.

Taking advantage of the fish's deceleration, the now fully activated Immortal of Liquor Leon seized the [Silver Dagger of Cutting] tight, diving underwater in reverse to slash directly at the charging whale head.