Netherworld Retrograde

Chapter 139: Chapter 63 Curse Usage_2

Yang Chen meant to suggest that Li Yelai should learn from the Doll and turn his curse, his own Calamity, into a weapon in combat.

Li Yelai actually tried this, but it wasn’t very effective. At most, it could only disrupt the enemy.

At present, if we disregard the Principle ”You Must Meet Strong Enemies,” the most dangerous Calamity encounter Li Yelai faced was a runaway dump truck.

You can’t expect to find a runaway dump truck for every fight, right? It wouldn’t be good to harm innocent people.

Moreover, for those with a High Awakening as Spiritual Ability Users, a dump truck is not dangerous.

Someone as powerful as the Doll could swing a billboard and bat an oncoming dump truck out of the air.

What Abnormal Otherworld artifacts - they would be useless in front of her.

”Based on our research, your Calamity actually increases the probability of accidents happening. It’s somewhat like a cycle of karma,” Yang Chen explained, ”For example, if you accidentally bump into a cabinet, and a vase on top wobbles, there’s a chance it might fall, and then fall directly onto your head. With you, the chance of that happening skyrockets to certainty – if you dare bump it, that vase will definitely fall and hit you on the head!”

”I know that. You guys have explained it to me,” Li Yelai nodded.

Official reports regarding Li Yelai’s curse had been provided to him.

Li Yelai responded, ”Actually, I’ve used it in combat before, but it’s mostly just a supportive measure. Falling chandeliers, cracking floors, flipping manhole covers... these things are dangerous for normal people, but they’re not lethal for Spiritual Ability Users. They’re just an annoyance.”

When Li Yelai fought against Void Realm Creatures and that security chief, he had thought about using his Calamity as a weapon. Regrettably, the force of these Calamities wasn’t enough.

”This is because the ’accidents’ you encounter aren’t dangerous enough,” Yang Chen said, ”For instance, with your Calamity, if it were during a thunderstorm...”

Li Yelai’s mouth twitched, ”Can we not talk about that?”

Li Yelai checked the weather forecast every day. If there were thunderstorms, no, even just rain, Li Yelai had no plans to go out.

He was afraid that once he used his power and his Calamity kicked in, the likelihood would increase, and he’d be struck by lightning.

With the strength and physique that Li Yelai possessed now, getting struck by lightning would leave him gravely injured, if not dead. He would just be handing over an easy kill to his enemies.

However... Li Yelai pondered and asked, ”If I had no choice but to use the Face during a thunderstorm, in an open environment, and triggered my Calamity... perhaps, I could use the lightning strikes against my enemies?”

”That’s the idea,” Yang Chen nodded. ”When Calamity strikes, it’s not just you in danger. Everyone around you could be affected. But as long as you can protect yourself amidst the danger, then the enemy...”

Li Yelai thought for a moment, ”Although I’m very unlucky, I can drag the enemy down with me. As long as I have strong self-preservation, I won’t be harmed, but the enemy can’t be sure of that.”

Imagine Li Yelai fighting an enemy in the thick of it.

A bolt of lightning could strike, maybe not just one, hitting both Li Yelai and the enemy.

Then, the enemy, charred on the outside and shocked on the inside, lying on the ground bewildered, would see Li Yelai, who was prepared all along, stand up unscathed.

That expression would probably be priceless...

”Hmm, that’s more or less the point,” Yang Chen nodded. ”That’s why I totally approve of your choice of Magic Potion. Mimicry·Scale Armor has enhanced your defenses, increasing the chances of saving your life. Both struck by lightning, you might be able to withstand it longer, but the opponent is another story.”

Li Yelai smacked his lips; although the Captain’s reasoning was strange, it made sense.

Li Yelai possessed the Champion Marquis Face of Wolf Vanquisher of Juxu that allowed him to use the Wind Forest Fire Mountain to bolster his defense.

Later, with Mimicry·Scale Armor added, he could continue stacking armor!

With higher defensive power, wouldn’t he be able to withstand more than his opponent?

Plus, Li Yelai himself would be somewhat prepared for impending dangers, like thunderbolts on a stormy day, or a house collapse in an old building...

For the enemy, these would be accidents.

This tactic would be most effective when besieged.

Especially when there were no allies nearby, only enemies.

Just when the enemies circled around him, grinning, unleash a Calamity on them!

That scene would be even more beautiful.

’Can you survive my Calamity? Crying? Crying counts too!’

But in the end, this tactic was essentially a pyrrhic victory.

If the Calamity was too strong, bringing dangers too terrible, I figured it would end with mutual destruction.

Moreover, there couldn’t be any teammates around. Otherwise, Li Ye would have cause to weep.

”Deliberately creating certain calamities... turning the random occurrence of an accident into a certainty. For instance, using Weakness Perception to shatter a load-bearing column... deliberately triggering a Calamity. Dragging both myself and the enemy into danger, and relying on my own defense and experience to prepare in advance. But it mustn’t affect the teammates...” Li Yelai contemplated.

Yang Chen said, ”These require you to improvise on the spot. I’m just giving you a suggestion. Everything should prioritize your personal safety. But if you encounter an Abnormality or enemy you can’t match, this might be a tactic that saves your life.”

”I understand, it’s a trump card not to be used lightly,” Li Yelai nodded. ”When necessary, I’ll initiate the Calamity and select a few lucky audience members to take along with me...”

”The core of this tactic is your response and defensive ability. You need to know about potential dangers before the enemy does, and take precautions,” Yang Chen reminded.

Prepare in advance... Li Yelai nodded slightly, indicating understanding.

If I knew what was going to happen next, but the opponent didn’t.

This asymmetry of information indeed could be the critical factor in determining victory. If the opponent became alert, it would actually be disadvantageous.

Moreover, I had to be mindful of the intensity of the Calamity. I couldn’t bring about a catastrophe like getting hit in the face with a meteorite.

...

When Li Yelai’s training ended, it was already past six in the evening.

At the end of October, after six, it had already become dark.

After showering off the sweat in the rest room of the branch, Li Yelai changed into a set of clothes and hurried to the Doll’s residence. He hadn’t forgotten the appointment with the Doll.

The Doll’s residence was within the ground-level building of the branch, in an apartment located on a high floor above the office area.

Because of her curse, she had not a single neighbor to her left, right, above, or below.

To avoid troubling those around her, she had deliberately chosen this place to live.

At the same time, the entire room was shrouded in thick curtains, for fear of startling anyone outside.

This also caused the entire room to be dim, as if it were located in a basement.

”Shouldn’t it be better to bask in the sun? I’ll persuade her later...” Li Yelai thought to himself and rang the doorbell.

After a flurry of movements inside the house, the door opened.

Li Yelai was taken aback.

Perhaps due to being at home, the Doll had shed the bulky, stifling Doll’s suit and wore something more refreshing.

The girl in front of him had her hair tied into a ponytail, dressed in a clean oversized T-shirt, with long, fair legs poking out below, her soft, radiant little feet in cute pink slippers, standing pertly behind the door.

That originally stunning and exquisite face wore a shy blush, revealing an incredibly beautiful allure.

The girl couldn’t bear to meet Li Ye’s gaze, murmuring softly, ”Welcome... I’ve already prepared the meal.”

This attire made her feel shy. But this was indeed her usual home wear.

After all, no one would come to visit... except for Li Yelai.

Yes, except for him...

With this thought, the Doll mustered the courage to look into Li Yelai’s eyes and said, ”Shall we... go have dinner?”

And Li Yelai tried hard not to pay attention to the girl’s legs.

Who would have thought that the Processor, feared by outsiders.

The girl of unparalleled strength, known as the strongest in the branch.

Would actually... present herself in front of Li Yelai like this.

He could only stabilize his emotions and respond in a similarly low voice: ”Then excuse my intrusion.”