Otaku Translation: I! Anomaly Cleansing Agent! C119

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Chapter 119: The Activation of the Badge

Leon had no idea that his chief was in possession of his sister’s family portrait. As soon as he left the Chief's office, he headed toward the first floor, glancing at the nameplates on the doors of the offices along the way.

Harry… Spike… Tom… Jerry… Ah, this must be it.

After confirming the nameplate that read “Jerry Baker (Level Two Crisis Handler),” and ensuring he hadn’t made a mistake, Leon raised his hand to knock on the door. Suddenly, he felt an odd sensation wash over him, as if he were standing on a stage under the intense scrutiny of countless eyes.

"Squeak."

Startled by Leon’s abrupt turn, the mice hiding in the shadows let out a terrified squeal before scurrying away. A small group of ants that had quietly crawled up to Leon’s feet scattered like they’d spotted an anteater, their six legs moving in frantic unison. Even a pair of flies perched on the corridor ceiling above hastily took flight, disappearing into the far corner before Leon could even glance upward.

So… these are his “friends,” huh?

Watching the insects and rodents scatter, feeling the weight of those invisible “gazes” on him, Leon blinked thoughtfully, forming some guesses about Jerry’s abilities.

Just then, behind the window of the office, a golden retriever suddenly popped its head up. It curiously eyed Leon through the glass before quickly retreating. Almost immediately, the door swung open, and a short man hurried out of the office.

"It’s about time you showed up."

Before Leon could say anything, the short man grabbed him by the arm and ushered him inside with an overly enthusiastic demeanor. Once they were both in the office, the man leaned in eagerly, saying:

"Heh, actually, I was free when you went on your last mission. I wanted to lend a hand, but Chief said it was just a reconnaissance job, nothing serious, so she didn’t send me. Never expected it would drag on for so many days. By the way, did Chief mention me to you? Anyway, I’ll need your help now, and regardless of how things turn out, I promise you won’t be disappointed with the compensation."

"..."

???

Seeing Leon’s utterly perplexed expression, the short man faltered slightly.

"Chief didn’t tell you?"

"No…"

Leon replied, confusion evident in his voice.

"Chief assigned me a few tasks. One of them is rescuing someone from Rose Manor, and I’ll need your help to guide me there. Other than that, she didn’t say anything else."

"Oh… well, it doesn’t matter. If she didn’t mention it, we can discuss it ourselves."

Muttering a silent curse at his unreliable boss, the short man led Leon to the couch in the office. He sat down, gave the glass panel on the desk a light tap, and clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth twice, producing a sound akin to "tsk tsk."

"Woof."

With a bark, the same golden retriever that had peeked through the window earlier appeared beneath—or perhaps inside—the glass coffee table. After sizing up Leon, who looked mildly astonished, the hefty dog nudged the man’s hand with its nose and even licked him.

"I’m not here to play; I need something," the short man said, shaking his damp hand dry. He glanced at Leon, then rubbed his face and throat before making a series of barking noises interspersed with growls and grunts.

To Leon’s amazement, the golden retriever nodded as though it understood every word. It turned and walked off-screen—literally—and returned moments later dragging what appeared to be a sturdy mesh bag. With visible effort, the dog hauled it closer and flung it outward with a sharp jerk.

"Clatter, clang."

A cascade of strange objects spilled onto the desk, accompanied by the clinking of hard surfaces hitting glass. Bloodstained ballet slippers, peculiar dried fish reeking of brine, a notebook with an eye on its cover, spinning coins with cryptic engravings, a miniature bed bound by chains, and a hole-riddled Santa hat… Altogether, there were at least thirty or forty bizarre items.

Leon stared at the pile, his jaw slack. After a moment, he managed to stammer:

"These… are all anomalies, aren’t they?"

"Pretty much."

The short man rubbed his hands together excitedly, chuckling.

"Since you’re bound to find out sooner or later, I might as well come clean. I have… uh… a bit of a kleptomaniac streak. So naturally, my first few anomalies were related to theft. This collection represents years of hoarding. Don’t worry—I may be a thief, but I do have principles. I only steal from outsiders, never acquaintances. Since you’ve joined our organization, you’re one of us now, so rest assured, I won’t steal from you for real."

"..."

Not stealing “for real,” but implying occasional “pretend” thefts? Leon mentally noted this quirky trait and added an extra layer of caution. Carefully, he ventured:

"So… you sought me out because you know I have the ability to extract information about anomalies? You want me to analyze these items for you?"

"Bingo."

Relieved that Leon didn’t seem opposed, the short man’s face lit up with excitement.

"I’ve collected quite a few treasures over the years, but anomalies aren’t like ordinary objects. Without knowing their effects or costs, I wouldn’t dare touch them recklessly. That’s why they’ve just been sitting here. Despite having more anomalies than Emma, I’m still stuck at Level Two. When I heard about your ability from Chief a few days ago, I nearly lost my mind with joy. If you can help identify these anomalies and make a few usable ones available to me, you’ll be doing me a huge favor. In return, any anomaly I don’t use is yours to take."

Helping with identification in exchange for picking one item?

After listening to this “NPC-like” quest giver, Leon raised an eyebrow slightly. He opened his badge interface and wasn’t surprised to see the [Connected Individual] badge flashing incessantly.

([Bronze Hidden Badge “Connected Individual” activated. You have received resource support from within the organization. Complete the provider’s conditions to claim the resources.])

So this was the effect of the hidden badge activating before heading to Lion’s place. No wonder it was called a hidden badge—just a simple interaction earned him access to an anomaly. Quite the bargain.

Closing the badge interface, Leon didn’t hesitate. He pulled out a notepad and pen, smiling as he nodded.

"Thank you for your generosity, Senior."

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