Netherworld Retrograde

5: Chapter 4 Now, We Are Comrades 5: Chapter 4 Now, We Are Comrades When Li Yelai saw the strange lights and dense fog, he knew he had once again entered Black Shadow’s dream.

It seemed he was still alive?

But this time was different.

He was no longer bound and could move freely in the dream.

At the same time, he didn’t see the Black Shadow.

Instead, he saw the Skin Stripping who he had cracked open the skull of.

In Li Yelai’s dream, the Skin Stripping had come back to life, only to emit a terrified scream and get dragged into the thick fog by dark tentacles.

Afterwards, the sounds of flesh being torn and bones breaking emanated from deep within the fog.

A few seconds later, a dark tentacle reached out from the depths of the fog, slowly unfolding in front of Li Yelai.

It revealed an object, a snow-white mask.

Watching this scene, Li Yelai was completely confused, not quite understanding what had happened.

A sacrifice?

The word came to him inexplicably.

Had he killed the Skin Stripping, turning it into a sacrifice, and thereby received a gift from Black Shadow?

Gained an empty mask?

Or should he say a Face?

Li Yelai did not reach out to take the mask.

What a joke, what would he have to pay if he took the mask?

After the danger had passed, Li Yelai had no desire whatsoever to touch the mysterious existence of Black Shadow.

It seemed that as soon as Black Shadow sensed Li Yelai’s thoughts, a light snort echoed from the depths of the fog.

In an instant, Li Yelai left the dream.

When he opened his eyes, he saw an unfamiliar ceiling; he was lying in some strange hospital room.

“Yo, you’re awake?” someone said by the bed.

It was a young girl in a sweatshirt, wearing large-framed glasses, looking serene and short-haired, very capable-looking.

Right now, she was looking at Li Yelai with a smile: “The surgery was very successful, you’re a girl now.”

Li Yelai was shocked at these words, this price was perhaps too steep.

And the square-faced, older youth standing next to the girl, clad in a black coat, steady in demeanor, sighed at the girl: “Don’t scare him, he’s just encountered the Skin Stripping.”

Then, the older youth turned to Li Yelai and said, “Don’t worry, your body is in very good health now.”

“Who are you?” Li Yelai sat up in bed, looking at the older youth: “Guard Hall?

Or the City Defense Army?”

He vaguely remembered the sound of sirens after killing the Skin Stripping.

They must have saved him.

The older youth and the girl exchanged a glance, then slowly shook their heads and said, “No, but our duties are the same as those of the Guard Hall and the City Defense Army, all to protect the citizens of Giant City.

You could think of us as a specialized institution for dealing with events like the Skin Stripping.”

‘A specialized institution?’ Li Yelai recalled the words the Skin Stripping had said before dying, and tentatively said, “Giant City officials?”

“You could say that, we are indeed officials, Spiritual Ability Users.” The older youth extended his hand with a smile: “The full name of our organization is the Disaster Processing Department.

I am a Disaster Handler, Yang Chen.”

The girl added: “Disaster Handler, code name Cheese.”

Li Yelai got out of bed, shook hands with both Yang Chen and the girl, and introduced himself: “My name is Li Yelai.”

“Nice to meet you,” Yang Chen nodded and continued, “and thank you for eliminating the Skin Stripping.

He was the perpetrator behind several recent murders.

But because his ability was special, making it very easy for him to hide, we had been unable to catch him.

Thank you.”

Li Yelai felt a bit embarrassed and replied, “I was just trying to survive, I didn’t have any heroic intentions.

Is Doctor Wang still alive?”

“Unfortunately, Doctor Wang has been killed,” Yang Chen shook his head.

Li Yelai sighed inwardly; he had been quite familiar with Doctor Wang.

But at least he had avenged him…

As Li Yelai pondered, he suddenly thought of something and hesitated for a moment.

“You can ask me any questions you have,” Yang Chen said.

“Umm, during the past fight, I think I may have broken something.”

“That’s all right, we will take full responsibility for the losses,” Yang Chen appeared slightly startled but still smiled, “Not only that, you’re also eligible for a reward.

Though it’s not much.”

There’s a reward?

Li Yelai’s eyes lit up: “Also, my backpack and the antiques inside it were lost during the fight, those were worth some money.”

Antiques?

Those low-quality crafts, afraid they’re all made within the last ten years.

How did they become antiques?

Yang Chen’s expression turned peculiar, while Cheese gave a look that seemed to say ‘not satisfied with the bargain, huh?’

They thought Li Yelai would ask about Spiritual Ability Users, but didn’t expect him to bring up this matter.

“Can I claim for the reimbursement?” Li Yelai asked.

“Yes, yes,” Yang Chen gave a wry smile.

“Listen, I know you have a lot of questions, and you can ask us anything,” Cheese said.

For some reason, the girl’s words made Li Yelai inexplicably trust her.

So, setting aside other doubts in his mind, he asked, “The Skin Stripping…

what exactly is that?

Why did it call me a fellow kind?

Can I ask this?”

Yang Chen seemed to have anticipated this question and nodded before saying, “Of course, you’re now eligible to know these things.

But first, do you know how the Giant City was built?”

Li Yelai nodded; it was common knowledge, history every citizen of Giant City was clear about.

Seventy-one years ago, strange mists appeared in mountainous and forested regions around the world.

They had no physical form and seemed no different from ordinary fog.

Still, no building or landscape could stop their advance.

They were called Calamity Fog by humans at the time, abbreviated as Disaster Fog.

And in the areas covered by the Disaster Fog, all humans would mysteriously disappear, while other animals were unaffected.