Netherworld Retrograde

Chapter 202: Chapter 95 First-Level Combat Readiness_2

”That must be a reminder sent from other Ark Chosen Ones, still some conscience left!” Li Yelai responded, ”How should we respond?”

”All three Giant Cities are taking this very seriously, and are actively dispatching Ye Boshou teams to the Doomsday Forest for reconnaissance. They have also started constructing defenses to withstand the beast waves,” Yin Fire said, ”If we could gather more information on Disaster Fog Number 71, we could prepare proper countermeasures.”

”What about the civilians of Border City?” Li Yelai asked.

”Lava Mine City has announced it can take in civilians. But we can’t send all the civilians from the three Giant Cities there,” Yin Fire asked, ”Can you determine which Giant City will encounter the Disaster Fog Number 71?”

Li Yelai shook his head bitterly.

The officials of the Giant City now believed in this intelligence and had prepared for the worst-case scenario, that the Giant City would be invaded by the Disaster Fog.

The most important thing, then, was to relocate the civilians.

As long as the civilians were safe, once the Disaster Fog broke through the Giant City, it could only slink away defeated.

In the era before the Calamity erupted, a great leader had said, ”If the people survive but the land is lost, both will endure. If the land survives but the people are lost, both will be lost!”

But the problem is, there are currently three Giant Cities threatened by the Disaster Fog.

Number 1, 2, and 3 Border Cities.

The total population of the three Border Cities is over twenty million—how could all be evacuated? Even a single Giant City’s population would be too much for Lava Mine City to accept.

Lava Mine City is indeed wealthy, being a rearward Giant City.

But even such a wealthy city had never thought of taking in the population of an entire Giant City!

The four Giant Cities are supposed to support and watch over each other.

If one Giant City has an issue, the other three will provide full support. But who could have anticipated the simultaneous threat to three cities?

Moreover, even moving the population of one Giant City would consume vast resources and time!

Time!

No one knows when the Disaster Fog Number 71 will appear and if there will be time to evacuate the people.

Yin Fire continued, ”Border City Number 3 has the Old Mad King in charge, and that Catastrophe Fog Master hasn’t reached King-level strength yet!”

”But there are King-level beasts in the Doomsday Forest too, and it was still invaded by the Disaster Fog,” Li Yelai reminded.

”I know, but the presence of the Old Mad King should deter the Catastrophe Fog Master to some extent. Thus, if there really is a crisis, some civilians could stay in the Giant City and move to the Upper City District, protected by Taboo Items,” Yin Fire replied, ”As of now, the Giant City will enter a first-level combat readiness state, except for Ye Boshou on urgent missions, all other Ye Boshou will return to defend the Giant City. If the Disaster Fog appears in the wilderness, we can at least delay it for a while. Hopefully, we can create evacuation time for the residents of the Giant City.”

Li Yelai nodded heavily, and then gave Yin Fire the Magic Potion Recipe he’d traded with Black Umbrella.

Yin Fire examined it and sighed, ”The Sixth Sense Elixir recipe, this would’ve been great news, but with the information about Disaster Fog Number 71, I really can’t get excited about it.”

Then, Yin Fire continued to Li Yelai, ”Old rules, after verifying its efficacy, you’ll be gifted a bottle of the Magic Potion, though verifying the Sixth Sense Elixir will take a lot of time.”

”No problem,” Li Yelai shook his head. Let’s get past Disaster Fog Number 71 first.

Then, Li Yelai looked at the nun, ”I may need your help later, for now, you’re the only one who can help me with this.”

The nun seemed surprised, her beautiful face smiling, ”No problem.”

After nodding his thanks, Li Yelai was escorted away by a Ye Boshou.

In the car, Li Yelai received an urgent communication sent by the officials on his Communicator.

All Processors in the Giant City were on wartime standby, carrying their Spiritual Ability Equipment and weapons at all times.

There was a lot of discussion on the [Forum] regarding this communication. Most were guessing if this time it would be a war against the Forbidden Zone.

[Just a beast wave? Let them taste our Giant City’s walls and Plasma Cannons!]

[After this great battle, the prices for our Spiritual Ability Equipment should definitely drop. What reason would those profiteers in the Equipment Department have to hike prices then?]

[I’m already chomping at the bit!]

[It’s time to show our real skills!]

[I’m here, not a single beast dare come close to the Giant City!]

[Don’t be careless, the number of beasts is huge, otherwise the civilians wouldn’t be evacuated.]

Processors quickly posted their messages online, their language brimming with confidence.

Only high-clearance processors were privy to the information about Disaster Fog No. 71.

Because the officials didn’t want to incite panic within the Giant City, they used the beast tide as a pretext, having the processors stay fully prepared.

When Li Yelai returned to his family apartment, he first glanced at Li Yunyan, who was still studying.

Li Yunyan, dressed in a sports vest, was twirling a hula hoop while listening to an audiobook.

In this period, she had put on a little weight from Cheese and Dolls, eventually unable to hold back, she started to diet.

Seeing Li Yelai return, Li Yunyan stopped her exercise and picked up a cup of milk tea, saying, ”Hey, big bro!”

Li Yelai suppressed the anxiety in his heart and instead looked at the milk tea in her hand, laughing, ”Forget it, you’ve just wasted your workout today.”

Li Yunyan frowned and protested, ”That’s nonsense, this milk tea is zero calories!”

Li Yelai smiled and then said, ”We’ve got a really troublesome operation coming up that requires the civilians to evacuate. If I’m not around, a colleague codenamed ’nun’ will help you.”

”Don’t worry, she’s a legendary Spirit Extinguisher. You’ve studied Spiritual Energy theories, so you should know about such beings, hailed as miracles of humanity. She won’t be affected by your curse, you can follow her with confidence.”

”And listen, her existence is top secret, so don’t spread the word when the time comes.”

This was Li Yelai entrusting the nun with the task, should the worst scenario occur.

He would ask the nun to help Li Yunyan evacuate. Otherwise, given Li Yunyan’s curse, she could be scared to death by others.

As a Spirit Extinguisher, the nun had curse resistance comparable to Li Yelai’s. She was one of the only two people who wouldn’t frighten Li Yunyan.

Li Yunyan fell silent, then asked softly, ”What operation?”

She detected a hint of barely perceptible worry in Li Yelai’s words.

”Beast tide, stuff from the Doomsday Forest. We have to attack the beasts from atop the high walls to prevent them from damaging the walls,” Li Yelai said. ”For the Giant City, a mere beast tide is not a danger, but their numbers are overwhelming, and the officials are concerned some might enter the Giant City, hence the potential need for civilian evacuation.”

Li Yunyan thought for a moment and then punched Li Yelai in the chest, ”So what’s with the talk that sounds like a farewell, trying to scare me to death?”

She glared reproachfully at Li Yelai, seemingly believing he was deliberately trying to scare her.

”Don’t be silly, I’m not going to die. I’ve lived for twenty-three years and have never died once, clearly I’m immortal,” Li Yelai laughed, gradually easing his worried state of mind.

”That theory is kind of badass, are you a genius or something?” Li Yunyan said mockingly.

Then, she started to pack her luggage.

Muttering to herself, she said, ”I hope our house doesn’t get destroyed. I just arranged the furniture...”

The next day, evacuating the civilians went in full swing, with many unwilling to cooperate.

It was their life’s possessions; they did not want to abandon everything and leave.

Mediators from the Guard Hall, with persuasions and explanations, informed them that they could return once it was certain there was no threat.

This finally made the stubborn civilians relent.

Li Yelai, meanwhile, went to the division to prepare for the potential upcoming war, needing to replenish his ammunition.

This time, the member from the Equipment Department was surprisingly generous.

They actually gave Li Yelai ten sets of hot melt bombs for free, filling his backpack to the brim.

Li Yelai was somewhat surprised: ”So generous, huh?”

”Don’t be mistaken, I’m only this generous once,” the member laughed. ”Next time, I won’t give you a discount.”

”Don’t worry, I’ll haggle,” Li Yelai responded with a smile.