Esper X Family – Chapter 167 – Tactical Retreat

Early the next morning.

Ye Yao learned about the Countermeasures Bureau’s discussion from the mysterious newspaper-reading man on the couch.

As expected, Fang Tang’s “custody” had officially been handed over to Sequence Zero.

The Sanctuary successfully took the blame.

And Sequence Zero emerged as the biggest winner!

“I’m heading out today.”

Today, Ye Yao planned to go to the Countermeasures Bureau to slack off again.

While there, she would lure Lou Wei to meet the fission body.

Just to add a bit of excitement to her mundane life.

Since Ye Yao had been spending her daytime slacking off at the Countermeasures Bureau base lately.

Mo Qiuli naturally wouldn’t come over to hang out.

Instead, she chose to continue her intense training at the Countermeasures Bureau base’s training ground.

It had to be said that Mo Qiuli had indeed made significant progress.

Ye Yao noticed that her stats had improved considerably.

From just over a hundred initially, she was now close to two hundred.

It seemed that she might soon break the two-hundred mark.

Ye Yao felt that Mo Qiuli must have been spurred on by something.

On the other hand, Luo Jianhua hadn’t made much progress recently.

She had essentially abandoned her cultivation.

Instead, she poured all her energy into her daily life.

Spending her days slacking off and playing games with Ye Yao.

Or just wandering around aimlessly.

Enough to be called the “Fallen Genius” within the Countermeasures Bureau.

Many of the old timers there must have felt a sense of regret.

But there was nothing to be done about it.

They couldn’t exactly call Luo Jianhua back from Ye Yao’s side and have her resume her cultivation.

So, she was left as Ye Yao’s companion.

Although she had neglected her training, her mental power was still close to five hundred.

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No matter how hard she tried, Mo Qiuli couldn’t catch up in such a short time.

Especially when compared to Ye Yao, who seemed to be using cheats.

Mo Qiuli had witnessed her “power of bonds”.

As the founder of the Magical Girls Alliance, she naturally didn’t want to be the one dragging the team down.

So, Ye Yao was considering whether there was a way to give her a cheat.

Ye Yao appeared at the entrance of the Countermeasures Bureau base.

At the same time, the fission body also appeared at a corner not far away.

The two were only a few hundred meters apart.

The moment fission body Ye Yao emerged from Mu Luo’s Dark Erosion Space.

A figure silently landed on the ground.

This time, it wasn’t a conversation high in the sky.

But a ground-level discussion on the horizon.

Lou Wei stared at the silver-haired girl who had appeared near Ye Yao again.

Countless thoughts flashed through his mind.

After their last spar, he had ordered her not to approach Sequence 001 again.

Yet, he didn’t take action this time.

Perhaps it was because her face made it impossible for him to strike.

Ye Yao stared at Lou Wei in front of her.

Her desire to provoke was at its peak.

Since it was difficult to beat him in both combat and games.

How would she fare in a war of words?

The corners of her lips curled into a teasing smile.

“I thought you’d drag me up into the sky to talk again.

What made the usually ‘high and mighty’ you willing to talk to me on the ground this time?”

Lou Wei didn’t respond to her provocation, instead asking coldly, “What are you here for?”

Ye Yao was displeased with Lou Wei’s evasive reply.

But as a mind reader, she could see through the question he was avoiding.

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“Since you’re here, Sequence 001 must be nearby, right?

What was it you said before?

That I’m not allowed to approach Sequence 001?

Well, I’m here now. What are you going to do about it?

I can stay right here.

I’m quite curious about how I’ll die this time.”

Ye Yao was dancing on the edge of death.

If anyone else had dared to provoke Lou Wei like this, they would likely be reduced to ashes.

If it were her old black mist form.

She would probably be waiting for her respawn cooldown by now.

Lou Wei remained calm, seemingly unaffected by Ye Yao’s taunts.

What adult would get angry at a child?

In Lou Wei’s eyes, Sequence 002 was just a rebellious teenager.

“If you’re here just to provoke me, I can send you away for free.”

Ye Yao feigned surprise.

“Is that a death threat?

Hmm~ What should I do? Maybe I’m the real body this time.

If I die once, I might really die.

Oh my~ How careless of me. I should’ve sent a clone instead.”

How does the saying go?

It’s delightful to see you annoyed but unable to do anything about it.

Ye Yao had never imagined that playing the fox under the tiger’s might ¹ Idiom for bullying others using connections. could be so fun.

Pretending to be my own older sister is definitely the right move!

Would Lou Wei dare to confront her now?

Back then, he wouldn’t hesitate to strike.

He had been eager to eliminate any suspicious figures around Sequence 001.

Although it was for the sake of the main body’s safety.

Ye Yao hadn’t forgotten the times she had been killed.

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This time, she was determined to get her revenge verbally.

She would mock him relentlessly!

And incidentally, vent her pent-up anger!

However, the outcome left Ye Yao somewhat disappointed.

Lou Wei remained unmoved.

Ye Yao’s face turned red.

A girl’s blush can surpass all curses.

Damn it!

Why did it feel like she was the one looking like a clown after all that talking?

Lou Wei’s calm demeanor was as if he was watching a show.

His mental fortitude as the strongest of the current era was too stable.

There was simply no way to provoke him.

Ye Yao could only pout.

“Boring.”

The worst outcome of a verbal battle is when you have said so much, but the other party doesn’t react at all.

Ye Yao wanted to curse more harshly, even bringing family into it.

But her core logic prioritized family above all.

Mentioning parents would be like cursing herself.

That would make her insults sound more like whining.

Seeing the silver-haired girl finally quiet down, Lou Wei continued to ask, “What’s the purpose of your appearance this time?”

“Why should I tell you?”

Ye Yao sounded a bit sulky.

Lou Wei still didn’t react.

They just stared at each other.

He was well aware that Sequence 002’s attitude stemmed from his previous actions.

It was only natural for her to hold a grudge after being beaten up several times.

Lou Wei didn’t regret his past decisions.

Given the circumstances, it was a necessary part of her growth.

As for Sequence 002’s intention to stall here, it didn’t matter to him.

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Lou Wei had plenty of time and energy.

Ye Yao was the first to break.

She didn’t enjoy staring contests.

“What if I go to see Sequence 001 now?”

Lou Wei shook his head. “It’s not the right time yet. I will stop you.”

“Can you really stop me?”

Ye Yao sounded defiant.

Preventing the fission body from meeting the main body was her choice.

Not something she couldn’t do.

Back when she was first adopted, the fission body and main body had scrubbed each other’s backs in the bathroom!

Ye Yao suddenly felt like having the fission body confront the main body to see Lou Wei’s reaction.

Would he lose his temper?

Lou Wei countered with a question, “If you really wanted to meet, why didn’t you go see her when she was at the orphanage?”

This was something he had long wanted to clarify.

Based on past clues, Sequence 002 seemed to have been secretly protecting Sequence 001.

So, why hadn’t they acknowledged each other? That remained a mystery.

Ye Yao blinked.

Oh no.

She hadn’t come up with a backstory for that yet.

Without a proper explanation, having a “sisterly” meeting would seem illogical.

It might expose something.

Ye Yao had to change the subject.

“I came here to give something to your Countermeasures Bureau.”

A tactical retreat is not shameful!

Author Note

Daily request for small gifts~

Text: I am proposing to you   Please agree