Chapter 426, Ghosts
"Skeletons can awaken abilities? Even the King's skeletons have abilities now."
"It can even kill Tier 2 mutated zombies in seconds. The King is even stronger now."
"Yeah, it's amazing."
Intense discussions erupted in different train cars.
If skeletons could use abilities,
Then the human theory that abilities depend on genes would be overturned.
Skeletons have no cells or genes to speak of.
Bone marrow, perhaps, but that's about it.
In the control room, Qi Hancai and the driver were both stunned by the scene.
Unlike others watching through surveillance,
They saw the battle outside directly through glass and iron bars.
That skeleton, always by the King's side and not particularly large, was incredibly powerful.
A Tier 2 mutated zombie was killed in one strike.
Qi Hancai remembered that killing a Tier 2 mutated zombie used to require preparation.
Now it was easier than slaughtering a chicken.
"Sister Qi, that skeleton is too fierce."
"What kind of ability is that? How did it suddenly get there?"
The two drivers whispered.
Qi Hancai kept watching outside and said softly, "This matter is not to be spread. Keep it to yourselves. I'll tell the others the same."
"Understood," they replied.
Qi Hancai withdrew her gaze.
She glanced at the skeleton guards assigned to her.
She wondered if any of them had special abilities.
Judging by their bones and height, there didn't seem to be much difference.
Then she looked down at her own figure through her down jacket collar.
She wasn't inferior to Li Yanhong, right?
...…
The main battlefield's combat continued.
A large number of zombies fell, gradually forming a mountain of corpses.
"Push forward," Wu Heng commanded.
Amid the sound of bone and armor grinding together,
The defensive skeletons straightened up.
Holding spears, they began advancing slowly.
Like an iron wall bristling with spikes, they pushed the zombies back.
Zombies fell continuously like harvested wheat.
The glaring lights cast a bloody red glow.
The skeleton army, trampling over corpses, advanced to the station's exterior and halted.
The zombie horde had been completely wiped out.
Wu Heng ordered the skeletons to separate the corpses of Tier 2 mutated zombies and evolved zombies.
He cast [Raise Skeleton], and several skeletons rose from the corpses.
They continued sifting through the flesh and retrieved one Tier 2 corpse core and three Tier 1 corpse cores.
After storing them away,
Wu Heng cast [Bone Transplantation] on the skeleton army. Damaged skeletons approached nearby corpses.
They removed corresponding parts and attached them to themselves.
Once the original skeletons were repaired,
Wu Heng cast [Battlefield of the Dead] again, raising more skeletons from the ground.
"Clear the tracks," Wu Heng ordered.
Clatter~!
The sharp sound of bones grinding echoed.
The idle skeletons sprang into action, clearing debris such as flesh, clothing, suitcases, and backpacks blocking the tracks.
Once the larger items were cleared, the train restarted.
Rolling over scattered flesh along the way, it slowly entered the station.
...…
Outside the station,
"Get me a flashlight," Wu Heng instructed through the walkie-talkie.
Qi Hancai disembarked and handed over a high-power flashlight, cautioning, "There are still ghosts inside."
"I know. You head back first. I'll notify you once the ghosts are dealt with," Wu Heng said, testing the flashlight.
After switching space rings several times, he realized his flashlight was left in the bedroom drawer on Gold-Silver Island.
So he hadn't brought it along.
"Alright. I'll prepare the train. If it gets tough, we'll retreat," Qi Hancai said.
"Okay!"
Qi Hancai returned to the train while Wu Heng made his way inside.
"They should be inside. You head back. I'll notify you once it's done," Wu Heng reiterated.
Qi Hancai hesitated but said, "I'll have the train ready. If things don't go smoothly, come back quickly, and we'll leave by train."
"Understood!" Wu Heng replied, and Qi Hancai returned to the train.
Shining the flashlight, Wu Heng entered the waiting hall.
Xiaoxiao flew over urgently, "Aunt Glenda caught a ghost over there. Quick!"
There really was a ghost.
"Where?"
"On the second floor. There's a staircase over there," Xiaoxiao pointed.
Wu Heng quickly ascended, shining the flashlight.
He saw Glenda in a shop and another ghost, semi-transparent, disheveled, and ferocious-looking.
Clawing and roaring incessantly,
But its body seemed trapped by an invisible force, unable to escape.
This was Glenda's ability, Soul Binding.
It could immobilize spirit targets, restricting their movements.
Back in Rentam City, Glenda had used this ability to trap Xiaoxiao in a basement during her reconnaissance.
Wu Heng had freed her upon arrival.
Assessing the situation,
He casually cast [Dancing Lights] to illuminate the area.
He quickly approached. Glenda flew over, saying, "This low-level specter is incapable of communication and retains only the instinct to attack the living."
"Where did you find it?" Wu Heng asked.
"Right here. I immediately restrained it," Glenda said, glancing at the frenzied ghost. "What do you want to do with it?"
"Absorb it directly," Wu Heng replied.
Glenda nodded. "Alright."
Xiaoxiao, hiding behind Wu Heng's shoulder, curiously asked, "What does absorbing mean?"
"One way specters improve is by absorbing each other," Wu Heng explained.
This concept was mentioned in both the Necromancer's Tome and mage manuscripts.
Specters could consume and absorb one another to gain energy or inherit powers.
"But I can't do that," Xiaoxiao said.
"Have Aunt Glenda teach you. You'll learn quickly."
"Oh, okay!"
Wu Heng looked at the ghost and asked, "Xiaoxiao, check its level."
Xiaoxiao stared for a moment and said, "It's close to Level 5."
"Then absorb it directly. Glenda, take care of Xiaoxiao," Wu Heng instructed.
"Understood!" Glenda nodded.
The restraining force was lifted, and the ghost broke free.
Ignoring Glenda, it lunged at Wu Heng.
Glenda intercepted, flying directly at it.
The two specters collided, forming a swirling vortex as they tangled together.
A voice called out, "Xiaoxiao, come quickly."
Xiaoxiao glanced at Wu Heng. "Uncle, if it gets dangerous, save me, okay?"
She then rushed in as well.
Three masses of energy intertwined, with two clearly overwhelming the third.
After about ten minutes,
The ghost separated from the vortex.
[Specter advanced to Level 7, Constitution +2, Perception +1, Charisma +1.]
[Specter advanced to Level 11, Constitution +1, Intelligence +1.]
As expected, it leveled up.