Netherworld Retrograde

Chapter 93: Chapter 42 Black on Black_2

Aside from that, there were no other problems.

”The team members all said you performed very well during the incident, they all think highly of you,” the Doll continued, and this wasn’t mere flattery.

After the Black Prison system was restored, everyone saw Li Yelai’s heroic act of covering for his teammates, facing the Zhe Lan Cavalry alone, and finally breaking through the military formation!

Even on the forums, there were related posts. But many people didn’t believe it, thinking it was an exaggeration. The First Team also harbored a hoarding mentality, loudly agreeing.

Li Yelai fell silent for a moment, then shook his head, ”It’s different, very different.”

Indeed, it was different; the other Processors fought with their lives on the line.

While he had Mr. Shadow as a safety net, which is why he dared to charge into the enemy lines.

He wasn’t as brave and fearless as everyone imagined.

”I don’t know why you want to deny this,” the Doll tilted her head and asked earnestly, ”Ancients have said, judge by deeds not thoughts, for no one is perfect in thought. Whatever you had in mind, the moment you did those things, you already shone like a hero.”

Looking at the girl’s gentle smile in her eyes, Li Yelai slightly shook his head and changed the subject.

”Do you usually come back here to eat?” Li Yelai asked.

”Mhm, I generally get food from the cafeteria and then bring it back here to eat,” the Doll’s eyes flashed with a hint of loneliness, but it turned into joy as she looked at Li Yelai and said softly, ”Luckily I have you...”

She had always been grateful to have met Li Yelai.

Otherwise, she might spend her whole life unable to talk with friends, cook together, and enjoy good food.

Feeling the kindness emanating from the girl, Li Yelai felt contemplative.

Mr. Shadow had indeed done something human after all.

At least he had given this pitiful girl someone to talk to, so she wouldn’t be so lonely.

After finishing the meal, Li Yelai helped wash the pots and bowls and then left the Doll’s room.

It wasn’t until he left the branch that Li Yelai murmured to himself.

”A hero? Can I even consider myself one?”

...

Processors in the various branches were all quite busy, the aftermath of the Fantasy Band incident had yet to fully dissipate.

The sudden increase in Wild Spirit Ability Users and Sufferers, along with several Taboo Items that had escaped, all kept the Processors constantly occupied.

But since the members of the First Team were mostly injured, and there had been significant casualties,

The upper echelons had no intention of assigning any tasks to the First Team, which left its members relatively idle.

Therefore, on the first of October, Li Yelai returned to the antiques shop.

Perhaps the location was too remote, coupled with its age, it had not witnessed any broadcasts.

Neither the antique shop owner nor the shop itself were affected by the previous event.

However, when Li Yelai walked into the antique shop with the Big Black Umbrella on his shoulder,

He saw several people at the counter of the antique shop, arguing incessantly with the owner.

Moreover, these arguing people were all robust in stature, and there was a faint scent of blood about them. Arms hanging down, they subconsciously rested their hands on their waists. Obviously, they had weapons or firearms concealed there.

’Oh, they’re Scavengers,’

Li Yelai thought to himself. As he approached the counter, he was noticed by the men.

One of them immediately pointed at Li Yelai, barking, ”Who are you?”

”Employee, employee! He’s my employee!” the owner behind the counter hastily waved his hands and said, ”Don’t be impulsive! Please, don’t be impulsive!”

Then, the owner gestured for Li Yelai to quickly come behind the counter.

”What’s going on?” Li Yelai walked behind the counter, put down the Big Black Umbrella, and asked in a low voice.

”There was a problem with the goods, and the investigation led to my shop,” the owner lamented with a troubled look.

Every antique shop had some connection to Scavenger teams or private trade convoys.

Those Scavenger teams would get antiques or other scraps from the wilderness and would trade with various antique shops at specific trade points.

So, the owner often left the shop to pick goods at those trade points.

This time, it seemed there were some issues during this process.

When the owner arrived, the original purchase scene had turned into a battlefield, with buyers and Scavengers killing each other.

They crazily fought over a certain item and ended up almost destroying each other in the process.

And the boss, arriving later, became one of the few survivors.

Now, those Scavengers planned to take the boss for an investigation, even suspecting that the boss was one of the attackers against the Scavengers back then.

After all, matters concerning the Scavengers wouldn’t involve the Guard Hall. They had their own rules.

However, these rules were usually quite deadly.

So, the boss was not at all willing to assist with any investigation, fearing it would cause trouble.

He didn’t want to provoke anyone, whoever it might be.

”Boss, what was the situation like at that time?” Li Yelai was somewhat curious; in the world of Scavengers, it wasn’t uncommon for there to be in-fighting. But it was rare for multiple purchasers to suddenly strike at a Scavenger group they had cooperated with multiple times.

Who would out in the open backstab and make it so obvious?

Wasn’t that just looking for trouble? The purchasers involved in the robbery must have been marked by the Scavengers by now.

”At that time...” The boss frowned and recalled, ”When I got there, the fight was already out of control. I didn’t dare get too close. Then...”

”Then you thought about muddying the waters?” A burly man with a fierce face sneered, ”What did you take?”

”Nothing, nothing...” The boss quickly waved his hands but was grabbed by the arm by the burly man with a fierce face, ”You better think carefully before you speak! You know our methods as Scavengers!”

The burly man exerted force with one hand, turning the boss’s face pale with pain. Just as he was about to threaten again,

he felt a pain in his wrist.

Because Li Yelai had already reached out and grabbed the burly man’s wrist.

”Don’t be violent, sit down and talk this over!” Li Yelai’s face showed an expression of ’let’s discuss this calmly.’

With Li Yelai’s current strength, it didn’t take much effort to make the burly man sweat from pain,

who hastily pulled back his arm.

”For God’s sake, don’t be violent!” The burly man clutched his now-bruised wrist, eyeing Li Yelai warily.

The rest of the Scavengers also got ready, with their hands already on their waists.

”You don’t think you’re safe just because you’re inside Giant City, do you? Are you faster than a bullet?” Someone looked at Li Yelai with a cold gaze.

It had to be said, this guy seemed to have a lot more martial integrity than Wang De did. And more scruples too.

Wang De was the type to order shooting without hesitation even after knowing that Li Yelai and his group were Spiritual Ability Users.

”Wait, hold on, no fighting, no fighting! Xiao Ye, don’t be impulsive!” The boss said through gritted teeth, ”You can search here, feel free to do so. I didn’t take anything!”

”Hmph, no need to search. Just come with us!” The burly man with the fierce face said coldly, ”We have our own ways of investigation. If we have wronged you, we will offer compensation and afterwards, you will have priority in selecting our goods. But if it was you...”

”Fine!” The boss said through gritted teeth, ”I have a clear conscience, after all!”

Then, the boss turned to Li Yelai, ”Xiao Ye, I’ll leave the antiques store to you for now.”

”No, this kid is your employee, he has to come with us!” The burly man with the fierce face stared intently at Li Yelai.

The boss’s complexion changed, but Li Yelai nodded and said, ”Okay!”

Li Yelai naturally agreed.

Or rather, he wanted to go and see for himself. He at least needed to make sure the innocent were safe.

From the conversation just now, it was clear that this wasn’t just a regular case of in-fighting.

Those purchasers involved were not only from the antiques store but also included underlings of wealthy merchants within Giant City, and some antique aficionados.

People of different identities and statuses were all suddenly scrambling for the same item. This was indeed very odd.

Therefore, Li Yelai believed that this incident might be related to Spiritual Ability Users, or even Taboo Items.

Perhaps, a Processor team from the branch had already noticed this and might be investigating.

Since he ran into this, as a Processor himself, Li Yelai couldn’t just stand by and watch.

If it were a misunderstanding, that would be fine. Li Yelai wouldn’t interfere with anything.

But if it involved Taboo Items or Spiritual Ability Users, then it was something for a Processor to handle.

And so, with the Big Black Umbrella, Li Yelai got into the burly man’s pickup.

Meanwhile, within the West City Branch, a message resounded.

[All support teams be aware, it has been observed that a member of the East City Branch, ’Night General,’ has unexpectedly got involved in this operation.]