The Contamination Value was actually 48 points?

    After reading the intelligence provided by [Materialism], Leon couldn''t help but be slightly taken aback. He cast a probing glance at the Red-haired Director.

    Wasn''t it said earlier that even if you chose the first option, the Contamination Value could only be 45 points, and the third option had a maximum of 42? Why was it so much higher now?

    "..."

    Why are you looking at me? Hurry up and thank the person!

    Receiving Leon''s gaze, the Red-haired Director couldn''t resist glaring at him once more. She then placed her hand behind her back and secretly beckoned Leon with a finger by his neck.

    "Ah?" Sёarch* The N??elFirё.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    With his neck slightly lowered by his hair, Leon immediately understood the Red-haired Director''s prompt. He quickly bowed along with the gesture and sincerely expressed his gratitude, saying, "Thank you, Your Excellency Director, for your teachings. I will certainly not let the Director''s expectations down, nor will I disappoint this Anomalous Object personally crafted by you!"

    "Why make it so formal again... sigh..."

    Easily seeing through the Red-haired Director''s little ruse, the Silver-haired Old Lady couldn''t help but glare at her. Then, with some helplessness, she chuckled, "Honestly... if I had known it would become like this, I would have applied for identity confidentiality. It''s so troublesome everywhere I go, with all the bowing and greetings..."

    "The bowing and greetings are done voluntarily by everyone; they are expressions of heartfelt respect for you."

    Upon hearing the Silver-haired Old Lady''s words, the usually lax Red-haired Director surprisingly straightened her posture this time and seriously stated, "Your Excellency Taurus, regardless of past achievements or future choices, this respect is what you deserve."

    "Perhaps... but it''s indeed troublesome..."

    After responding listlessly, the Silver-haired Old Lady stood up from the sofa and proceeded to bid farewell: "So, that''s all for today, Ollie. I came here to deliver something and to check on the status of your Sixth Bureau. Since everything is normal, I won''t disturb you further."

    "You are too kind."

    The Red-haired Director nodded and bowed respectfully, then discreetly tugged at Leon, pulling him to take a step back together. Meanwhile, the Taurus Director, who looked no different from an ordinary elderly woman, hunched her back and walked towards a window on the second floor. She unexpectedly vanished without a trace as if stepping into another world.

    "..."

    *No wonder I didn''t see footprints; you all don''t take the stairs...*

    A hint of realization flashed in his eyes. Seeing the departure of the seemingly high-ranking Director, Leon, who had been holding a bellyful of questions, couldn''t help but finally ask, "Just now, that person..."

    "That person is one of the Twelve Directors, the Taurus Director of this generation, and also the Bureau''s most skilled master in crafting Anomalous Objects."

    After briefly explaining the old lady''s identity, the Red-haired Director spoke with a bit of emotion, "I originally thought having a master craftsperson oversee the forging would be great, but I didn''t expect His Excellency Taurus to have time, not only taking over the forging work but also personally delivering it after completion. You''re really quite lucky."

    *So... was it because this master crafted it that the Contamination Value was so much higher than expected?*

    Nodding with a face of understanding, Leon sneaked a glance at her expression, then continued to ask, "Director, are the Twelve Directors very powerful? How do they compare to you?"

    "You misunderstand."

    After casting a glance at Leon, the Red-haired Director shook her head, saying, "The reason I asked you to show her respect is not because of how strong she is, nor because of her high status, but due to genuine admiration.

    Within at most a year, His Excellency Taurus will voluntarily give up her body to become a part of the [Watcher''s Palace]."

    "The Watcher''s Palace?"

    "It''s an Anomalous Object crafted by the Purification Bureau, suspended outside our world. As for its specific function, it exists, as its name suggests, as the vigilance for all humanity, serving as the strongest and last shield guarding this world."

    After briefly explaining the function of the [Watcher''s Palace], the Red-haired Director spoke with complicated emotions, "Only those who truly love humanity from the bottom of their hearts can be chosen by the Watcher''s Palace. Upon accepting the selection, one must give up their body and most emotions, leaving only the purest will to watch over humanity, and be guided into the Watcher''s Palace.

    His Excellency Taurus has already accepted the selection; within a year, she will head to the Watcher''s Palace beyond the world to monitor those colossal disasters that threaten humanity, sitting in the silent void in vigil, until even her last lingering will is completely worn away by the relentless passage of time."

    *Is this vigilance? Is it not essentially a form of life sentence?*

    After listening to the Red-haired Director''s explanation, Leon merely imagined what she had described in his mind and felt a suffocating weight in his chest.

    To leave behind a colorful world and a loving family, to sit alone in the desolate void for an indefinite time until even one''s will is entirely consumed by solitude—this was an extremely cruel punishment for any sentient being.

    "Does it have to be so painful?"

    Thinking about the Silver-haired Old Lady''s gentle and kind face, Leon couldn''t bear the thought of what she was about to endure. He couldn''t help but ask, "This Anomalous Object was created by the Bureau, right? Can''t it be slightly modified to have people take turns sitting in the Watcher''s Palace? At least to switch shifts?"

    "No, it cannot."

    The Red-haired Director sighed, saying, "Only extremes are remembered, only obsession dares to forge ahead, and only madness can comprehend greatness... is a widely circulated saying in the Bureau.

    My understanding of it is that, whether it''s deep love or reverence, or hatred or reluctance, only these most extreme and pure emotions can truly affect the world, giving birth to corresponding ''Anomalous'' existences."

    Pausing at this point, the Red-haired Director lifted her head to look at the sky outside the window, speaking with a wistful tone, "The existence of the [Watcher''s Palace] follows these rules. Its calling involves no coercion, and there''s even a full decade of preparation time before ascending the Palace, during which you can regret at any time, and no one will remember you were ever chosen."

    Most people in the Bureau believe this decade is merely a cooling-off period for the chosen, but I think that whether it''s the extreme pain of eternal vigil that follows or the decade of weighing and consideration, it''s all part of the [Watcher''s Palace]''s process of gathering power, a selection and purification of the will to watch over.

    Only a pure will, that, knowing the hopeless future it faces and can safely retreat at any time, still chooses to forge all the way forward, can give birth to that monumental power across past and future, enough to protect all humanity."

    *So that''s how it is...*

    Finally understanding why the usually unconstrained Director was behaving so "composed" today, Leon unconsciously took a deep breath, his eyes revealing a deep reverence.

    Even if not mentioning the fact that she helped craft the Anomalous Object for him, as one of those blessed by the [Watcher''s Palace], that Silver-haired Old Lady deserved his respect.

    *Hmm... Watcher''s Palace... I never thought the Purification Bureau held something that could be considered so grand...*

    "Zi..."

    [By carefully listening to the relevant narrative, you have gained substantial intelligence about the "Watcher''s Palace." The Heterochromatic Badge "Materialist Soul (Crimson)" has been activated.

    Due to learning about the existence of the "Watcher''s Palace," understanding its Source of Power, and knowing some of its operational rules, your resistance to this Anomalous Object has significantly increased, now capable of shielding against general levels of influence.]

    "..."

    ???