Netherworld Retrograde

50: Chapter 24: The Date 50: Chapter 24: The Date The Doll had never expected Li Yunyan to say that and, blushing, covered her face while simultaneously raising an advertisement sign.

[No, no, we’re just colleagues ⁄(⁄⁄•⁄ω⁄•⁄⁄)⁄]

“Clearly there’s something fishy!” Li Yunyan murmured a complaint.

Upon hearing Li Yunyan’s words, Li Yelai first complained, “Is ‘keeping’ the only thing on your mind?

Can’t you think of anything else?”

Then, realizing something, he expressed surprise, “You…

aren’t afraid?”

The Doll, confused, quickly checked to make sure she hadn’t revealed a strand of hair.

But Li Yunyan just shook her head.

Her curse prevented her from looking directly at anyone other than Li Ye, any other living creatures, humans, animals, or even living plants.

So, every time Li Ye would have to kill fish at the market while vegetables were unavoidable, and Li Yunyan simply had to dodge them.

Therefore, Li Yunyan had seen Li Ye enter the kitchen on several occasions with a bag of grotesque, terrifying things, which he then turned into perfectly normal food.

“Maybe it’s because…

I haven’t actually seen the real person?” Li Yunyan speculated, looking at the Doll: “I can only see a weirdly cute snowman doll.

Why does she dress like that?”

The Doll replied with her sign [Others feel fear when they see me (ಥ_ಥ)]

She didn’t hide her curse but frankly informed Li Yunyan about it.

“That’s quite the opposite of me,” Li Yunyan quipped: “I feel fear looking at anyone.”

The Doll appeared somewhat shocked, then looked at Li Ye.

Li Ye simply nodded slightly and whispered to the Doll, “The captain is aware of this, but please keep it a secret.”

[Sure sure, my lips are sealed (｀＾´)ノ]

Li Yunyan and the Doll’s curses were exactly the opposite.

In Li Yunyan’s eyes, everyone looked like demons and ghouls.

She feared everyone.

And to outsiders looking at the Doll, it was like seeing demons and ghouls.

Everyone who saw her felt fear.

The Doll dressed up in a Doll costume to avoid the curse, shielding herself from all gazes.

Thus, preventing the curse from taking effect because others couldn’t see her true form.

As a result, Li Yunyan’s curse also had no effect, and she only saw a snowman Doll.

“Does that mean if I could put every creature in your field of vision in a Doll costume, you wouldn’t have to be afraid anymore?” Li Ye pondered.

“I think that’s a stupid idea,” Li Yunyan retorted.

The Doll, now understanding the situation, reminded them [Your sister should not stay on the streets too long, let’s get going, I’ve called the logistics team (◉ω◉υ)⁼³₌₃]

The logistics team was a department specifically responsible for post-mission support and assistance, falling under the logistics division but not composed of Spiritual Ability Users.

Like the driver who had come to help Li Ye move, who was an ordinary person.

Usually, during Spiritual Ability User missions, they were responsible for transporting Spiritual Ability Equipment or Processors.

So, he didn’t ask further and just nodded at Li Ye and the Doll before silently stuffing the luggage into a nanny van’s trunk.

Then, carrying the three of them on the road, they finally let Li Ye and Li Yunyan heave a sigh of relief.

Li Yunyan didn’t look at the ‘demons and ghouls’ outside the car window but focused on the small talk with the Doll.

Perhaps, this was the first time in years she had a face-to-face conversation with an outsider.

Or perhaps because she and the Doll shared a similar solitary plight.

She enjoyed chatting with the Doll quite a bit.

The two talked about everything from what condiments to use for the specialty mochi from No.3 Border City to the flamboyant style of Lava Mine City, where Plasma Cannons and Hot Melt Bombs were used to flaunt wealth.

They almost talked about everything under the sun.

Soon, the three arrived at the family apartment.

After showing the Disaster Processing Bureau’s credentials, Li Ye and company were admitted into the community.

Yang Chen had been very thorough in his preparations, specifically selecting several nicely located apartments for Li Ye to choose from.

After Li Yunyan made her choice, they could directly pay and get everything stamped.

They could move in that same evening.

Around midnight, Li Ye and Li Yunyan officially moved into the family apartment.

It was a three-bedroom and one-living-room apartment located on the seventh floor of Building Three, Unit One.

It is said to cost 25 Merit Points, but the captain, Yang Chen, covered the change, saying it was a previous award.

Having arranged everything, Li Ye said to the Doll standing at the door, “Thank you.”>

If not for the help of Yang Chen and the Doll, Li Ye would have probably needed more time.

He was truly grateful for this.

The Doll responded with her advertisement sign [It’s fine, it’s fine, I also had a great time chatting (..›ᴗ‹..)]

“So…

do you have time tomorrow?” Li Ye invited opportunistically, remembering the promise he had made to treat the Doll to a meal.

For this, he had specially asked for leave from the antique shop owner, who hung up the phone with a surprised ‘Have you finally come to your senses?’ reaction.

[Yup yup (๑*◡*๑)] The words in the advertisement reveal her joy.

“Let’s go for a meal tomorrow noon then?”

[Okayヾ(ﾟ∀ﾟゞ)]

After the Doll cheerfully left, Li Ye closed the door.

Only to hear Li Yunyan comment weirdly, “Clinically lovesick, huh, big bro!”

“What’s ‘clinically lovesick’?” Li Ye was bewildered, completely not understanding his sister’s meaning.

“That colleague of yours, the Doll,” Li Yunyan said, feigning secrecy with her fingers: “She followed you home without your knowledge.

She’s also been very enthusiastic about you, looking at you several times in the car, and even helped you move just to have a meal with you sooner.

Isn’t that the very definition of ‘clinically lovesick’?”