Chapter 427, Mother and Daughter Reunited
They leveled up.
Absorbing other specters is indeed the most convenient way to level up.
Xiaoxiao advanced two levels, and Glenda also gained one level.
Their attributes improved.
However, no new abilities were unlocked.
The book mentioned inheriting abilities from the absorbed specter, but it seems that didn't happen.
"How do you feel?"
"Pretty good," Xiaoxiao replied.
Glenda also nodded in satisfaction, indicating she felt good too.
Xiaoxiao thought for a moment and said, "So, if we encounter other ghosts in the future and absorb them, will our levels just keep getting higher and higher?"
Wu Heng considered it and felt that specters couldn't be absorbed arbitrarily.
After all, some possess intelligence. Other than lacking a physical body, they are not much different from living beings.
"From a humanitarian perspective, if the specter retains its consciousness and can communicate normally, as long as it hasn't done anything bad, we can talk to it. If it's just a low-level specter like the one earlier, and a malicious one that kills indiscriminately, we can absorb it as usual."
Hearing a necromancer advocate for humanitarianism, Glenda found it amusing.
Xiaoxiao, on the other hand, shyly emphasized, "Other than Uncle, I haven't harmed anyone else."
"You just didn't get the chance, did you?"
Xiaoxiao raised her head, avoiding his gaze. "I've been working really hard to help Uncle."
"Hmm, that's true. Then I forgive you. Xiaoxiao is still a good child."
"Of course!"
Handling the ghost issue turned out to be simpler than expected.
Under Glenda's ability, the ghost couldn't even move.
Moreover, after specters absorbed one another, the level-up was apparent.
A specter below Level 5 allowed Glenda, who was Level 10, to advance by one level, and Xiaoxiao gained two levels.
Clearly, the distribution wasn't based on experience points.
This could warrant paying special attention to specter-related matters in the future for their enhancement.
With the matter resolved,
Wu Heng continued, "Let's scout the area again. If there's no danger, I'll let the survivors in."
The two specters nodded and immediately separated to scout the surroundings.
They returned shortly after, confirming no dangers.
Wu Heng took out his walkie-talkie. "It's safe inside. Bring everyone in."
"Understood!"
...…
Soon, Qi Hancai was the first to enter.
She cautiously scanned the surroundings and saw Wu Heng descending from the second floor with his skeletons.
She then signaled to the group behind her.
The accompanying survivors quickly filed in.
Thin electrical wires were pulled from the train to the waiting room, lighting up one bulb after another.
The once-dark space was illuminated.
Then, equipment was assembled, wooden boards sealed broken windows and doors, and steel bars were welded.
Another group connected welding machines and cutting tools, starting to weld and sharpen the steel pipes and spearheads brought along.
Everyone worked as if rehearsed.
They instantly entered their work mode.
After giving a few more instructions, Qi Hancai walked over. "There's still some time before dawn. You should rest on the train for a while."
"No need. I'll look around," Wu Heng replied.
"Rest for a while. We haven't done much along the way. Take a break. If anything happens, I'll call you," Qi Hancai said, pulling him toward the train.
Wu Heng didn't decline further and instructed the two specters to monitor the area.
He returned to the train car.
Lying on a fixed bench, covered with a bearskin, he closed his eyes for a short nap.
...…
Knock, knock, knock~!
Unsure how long he'd slept, there was a knock on the door.
Qi Hancai entered with a basin of water, placing it aside. "How was your rest last night? The train's conditions are a bit rough."
Wu Heng stretched his stiff neck. "It was alright."
"Wash your face. The conditions aren't great, so make do," Qi Hancai said softly.
"Thank you!" Wu Heng quickly washed his face and dried it.
Sitting by the table, he took out some food from his space ring, sharing a portion with Qi Hancai.
Qi Hancai raised her eyebrows slightly and sat across from him.
Picking up a pizza-like food item, she took a bite.
Tasting the meat and seafood flavors, her eyes lit up, and a look of surprise appeared on her face.
In the current situation, some supermarkets might still have canned meat or sealed meat products.
But nothing could compare to this flavor.
She initially tried to maintain a reserved image but couldn't resist the food's aroma and began eating ravenously.
"Slow down. There's more if you're still hungry," Wu Heng poured her a glass of water.
Qi Hancai felt a bit embarrassed. "It's enough. I just didn't expect it to taste this good."
"I'll bring you more if there's another chance."
Qi Hancai swallowed and asked, "Did you make this?"
"Someone else did," Wu Heng replied.
"Oh, I see."
After breakfast, the two disembarked from the train.
They entered the waiting room.
The broken glass windows and doors had been sealed, and the debris inside was piled into a corner.
Even after a simple cleanup, clear claw marks and bloodstains remained on the walls and surroundings.
The survivors adjusted their tasks.
A few continued working, while the others returned to the train to rest.
"Over a hundred iron spears have been made. Production will ramp up. The station's exterior has been scouted; the roads are filled with zombies, similar to what we encountered before," Qi Hancai explained softly as she followed Wu Heng.
Wu Heng said, "Have everyone prepare. We'll clear the zombies in the vicinity later."
"Understood!" Qi Hancai nodded and relayed the orders via walkie-talkie.
Wu Heng instructed the skeletons to move all the weapons outside and distribute them to the newly transformed skeleton warriors.
...…
About half an hour later,
The survivors were ready.
Wu Heng led the skeleton army, forming a spear formation outside the station, waiting silently.
Shortly after, Xiaoxiao and Glenda returned.
"They're just regular zombies. Nothing dangerous!" Xiaoxiao reported.
"I didn't find any strange rotting corpses on my end either," Glenda added.
Wu Heng nodded in acknowledgment.
Picking up the walkie-talkie, he asked, "Is the skeleton wyvern ready?"
Qi Hancai responded, "Ready."
This time, there were no skeletal hounds.
Taking a spear from a skeleton warrior nearby, Wu Heng instructed, "Go attract the zombies. Once they notice, run back."
A skeleton warrior stepped out of formation.
It walked toward the area where the zombies roamed ahead.
After covering some distance,
The wandering zombies turned their heads, roaring as they noticed the skeleton.
The skeleton turned and ran back.
The zombies erupted into chaos, forming a horde and giving chase.
The skeleton wyvern flew overhead, raining solid iron pellets into the horde like a torrential downpour.
Smoke rose, clearing the street instantly.
The spear formation advanced, finishing off the remaining zombies.
...…
[Level: 15 (32,785/195,000)]
Wu Heng observed his rapidly increasing experience points.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
Untapped areas were the best. He hadn't gained this much experience back in the city.
Moreover, fighting on roads was much more convenient than on train tracks.
Without worrying about damaging the tracks, the wyvern could bombard freely.
It even felt like grinding mobs in a game.
Except the charging zombie horde wasn't as relaxing as sitting in front of a computer.
Near noon, the battle ended.
The skeleton army entered standby mode.
"Clean the battlefield. Bring the evolved zombie corpses here," Wu Heng ordered.
The skeletons immediately got to work, cleaning up the battlefield.
Several evolved zombie corpses were dragged to Wu Heng.
He cast [Raise Skeleton], and more skeletons rose.
Searching the corpses yielded five Level 1 corpse cores, which he stored.
Then, he continued casting [Battlefield of the Dead] along the way.
A large number of skeletons rose, staggering into the ranks of the skeleton army.
Soon, the skeletons numbered nearly 30,000.
They densely packed the area.
...…
After clearing the surrounding zombies,
Wu Heng led the army back to the station.
Seeing the tens of thousands of skeletons, the survivors responsible for weapon production wore bitter expressions.
Forget working non-stop overnight; even with multiple machines operating, arming all these skeletons seemed impossible.
Qi Hancai approached. "The train will head back today to bring new supplies. Do you have any specific requests?"
Wu Heng thought for a moment and said, "Bring some high-level skeletons. The rest is up to you."
With the tracks clear, it was only a few hours' journey.
Not slower than traveling from the old factory district to the county bus station.
"Alright!" Qi Hancai nodded. "We've prepared a rest area upstairs. Check which room suits you."
Wu Heng followed her upstairs, glancing at the rooms.
He chose the innermost one. "This one. If I'm not around, relay messages through Big Head Skeleton. He'll help you mobilize the skeletons. Don't let anyone enter my room."
"Understood. When you're rested, I'll report the situation to you," Qi Hancai said.
Wu Heng nodded, assigning two skeletons to guard the door.
He entered the room.
After a brief look around,
He opened a portal and stepped inside.
...…
On Gold-Silver Island, the weather remained clear.
Wu Heng removed his down jacket and stored it in a cabinet.
The weather difference between the two worlds was becoming more pronounced.
He sent the acquired corpse cores to the alchemy lab and retrieved two bottles of Level 2 corpse core potions and five bottles of Level 1 corpse core potions from the finished products shelf.
Among the Level 2 potions was one [Enhanced Intelligence Potion].
He opened it and drank it down.
A sharp pain surged through his head but quickly faded.
[Intelligence +1.]
As expected.
The effect of Level 2 potions was diminishing.
"The effects are getting weaker."
He stored the remaining potions and left the room.
Heading downstairs,
Minnie was cleaning the first floor.
Seeing Wu Heng, she greeted him and said, "Master, the pirate lady sent another message. She wants to see you."
Philipa?
"Alright. Minnie, prepare some bathwater."
"Yes, Master," Minnie replied, immediately setting to work.
Wu Heng returned to the third floor.
Entering the radio room, he glanced at the logbook on the table.
The book recorded messages for him.
Picking up the microphone, he asked, "Philipa, are you looking for me?"
Philipa's voice soon came through. "Ah, our fleet is approaching Crab Claw Island. Are you coming?"
Previously, after Philipa provided intel, Wu Heng had killed two fugitives.
He'd promised to bring her some supplies but hadn't met her since she'd left the region.
It seemed she'd returned these past two days.
"When will you arrive?"
"By dusk. Are you bringing supplies?"
"I'll come then."
"Mm. Also, bring some seafood soup from the tavern near the guild's entrance. I love it."
"Got it."
"See you tonight."
After confirming their meeting time,
Wu Heng left the room to take a bath.
...…
Leaning against the edge of the tub,
He planned his next steps.
In the zombie world, he'd reached 'Anhuishi City.' Upgrades needed to continue, along with looting jewelry stores in the city.
On Gold-Silver Island, he needed to increase grain purchases to facilitate exchanges across several regions.
Lastly, research on Level 3 corpse cores had to be expanded.
"Three goals: reach Level 18, increase supply purchases, and advance corpse core research."
Saying this, Wu Heng stood up from the tub.
He dressed and stepped out.
After greeting Minnie, he left his residence.
Taking Keramu, he headed outside the city. In a secluded spot, he donned the [Conductor's Hat] and boarded the train.
The train vanished immediately.
...…
Over forty minutes later,
The train arrived at Crab Claw Island.
Looking toward the port, three ships flying the Iron Barrel Pirate Flag were visible.
They'd arrived quickly.
Scanning the area, Wu Heng headed toward the central location.
Outside a stone house, a green-feathered parrot perched on the roof, staring at him with wide eyes.
Wu Heng entered the house.
Inside, Philipa sat on an old wooden crate, arms crossed and legs shaking.
Upon seeing him, she first froze, then beamed with delight. "Da… Deputy Steward."
She almost bit her tongue mid-sentence.
Wu Heng looked at her and asked directly, "How long will the fleet stay?"
"We'll stay on the island overnight and leave tomorrow morning," Philipa replied.
Wu Heng nodded, took a beige cloak out of his space ring, and handed it to her. "Put this on and follow me."
Philipa looked puzzled but obediently put on the cloak, covering her head and body.
"Follow me," Wu Heng said.
The two walked out, and the green-feathered parrot flew down.
Wu Heng glanced at the parrot. "This parrot can't follow us. It's too conspicuous. Send it back to the ship."
"Stupid bird, go back. Don't tell anyone about this. If I find out you've been talking, I'll stew you," Philipa warned.
The parrot flew back to the rooftop, shrieking, "Stupid bird captain, pervert."
"I'll kill you," Philipa raised her hand as if to strike, then added, "I'll bring you something tasty when I get back, so you'll eat your fill."
"Praise the captain," the parrot squawked.
Philipa turned back. "It's fine. He just babbles but won't spill secrets."
Wu Heng said nothing more, donned the conductor's hat, and a ghostly train appeared before them.
After boarding and registering two passengers, Keramu joined them.
Philipa, wide-eyed, cautiously followed onto the train.
With a clatter, the doors shut.
The train vanished into the void.
...…
They arrived at Gold-Silver Island.
Philipa disembarked, her eyes wide with wonder as she stood frozen.
After a few seconds, she asked, "Where is this?"
"Gold-Silver Island. I'm taking you to see your mother," Wu Heng replied, changing his appearance as he walked toward the city.
Philipa hurried to catch up, exclaiming, "Are you crazy? I'm still a pirate. If I get caught, won't my cover be blown?"
"Then talk less. Also, tuck your dreadlocks into the hood," Wu Heng advised.
Philipa pouted, tightened her hood, and followed closely.
They entered the city and headed to Lighthouse Street.
Passing through the port,
loud, passionate voices came from the crowd nearby.
Wu Heng glanced toward the source of the commotion.
A tall, brown-haired young man stood atop a wooden crate, speaking with fervor.
"They are greedy plunderers, destroying countless families and threatening our maritime rights!"
"We stand here for justice, to protect our homeland and our people! We cannot let these pirates roam free! We must show them we are invincible!"
"With unwavering faith and fearless courage, we will unite and move forward, eradicating these villains and hanging their corpses at the port."
Applause erupted from the crowd.
Many women gathered, gazing at the man with admiration, akin to modern-day celebrity fans.
"What's going on?" Wu Heng asked, pulling a nearby man aside with a wink.
The man shivered, stepped back, and said, "It's the newly formed United Guard. That's their new leader."
A new leader?
Since the island's owner returned, the atmosphere on the island had grown tense.
They hadn't actively pursued pirates yet, but there had been plenty of actions.
"Oh, thanks," Wu Heng said, turning to leave.
Philipa glanced at the numerous guards and instinctively clung to his arm.
She followed closely.
The young speaker's gaze swept over them as they departed.
His brow furrowed slightly.
...…
Nautilus Tavern.
At this hour, the tavern was bustling.
Almost every table was occupied, and even the entrance had a queue of waiting patrons.
Among non-brothel establishments, the Nautilus Tavern was considered the best.
Milisen stood at the counter, chatting with customers.
Her gaze briefly flicked to the door, then upstairs.
Wu Heng led 'Philipa' directly upstairs to the innermost room.
Closing the door behind them,
Philipa removed her hood, exclaiming, "You built her a tavern? Seriously? You treat her better than me."
Wu Heng removed his veil too. "The money I gave you could build over ten taverns like this."
"That's different. I'm risking my life out there," Philipa argued.
"Fine, I'll close the tavern tomorrow and use the money to buy you a ship."
"What? Heh, just kidding," Philipa quickly backtracked with a grin.
Over the radio, she often asked about Milisen after delivering intel.
Though outwardly tough, she clearly cared, often masking it with jokes or crude pirate banter.
The two chatted in the room for a while.
The door opened, and Milisen entered with a tray of food and drinks.
Upon seeing Philipa, she paused, then beamed with joy. "Philipa!"
She placed the tray aside and quickly embraced her daughter.
Philipa's head was buried against her chest. She tilted her head to breathe and said, "Milisen, are you trying to smother me?"
Milisen released her, looking her up and down. "You've tanned, but you look much better now. You're becoming a proper young lady."
Philipa used to resemble a malnourished tomboy.
Now, not only did she appear healthier, but she also seemed to be developing traits similar to Milisen's.
However, her skin had darkened from prolonged exposure at sea.
"What do you mean? I've always been a girl," Philipa retorted, pushing her away. She tilted her head toward Wu Heng. "He brought me to see you."
Milisen quickly knelt, bowing deeply. "Thank you, Deputy Steward, for taking care of Philipa."
"Get up. I told you not to do this. Just talk normally," Wu Heng said.
Milisen slowly stood up. "Thank you, sir."
"You two catch up. Philipa doesn't need to leave tonight," Wu Heng said before stepping out.
...…
At the port,
the young man finished his speech and stepped down from the crate.
Smiling, he waved at the crowd before boarding a carriage guarded by his escort.
Halfway through the journey,
a thief-like figure entered the carriage from the roadside, whispering, "Sir, he went to the Nautilus Tavern."
"The tavern?"
"Yes, and he entered the tavern owner's room. They seemed familiar," the thief said.
The young man asked, "Is the owner male or female?"
"Female. Quite attractive," the thief replied.
"A lover?"
"Check the city records. Find out who owns that tavern," the young man ordered after some thought.
"Understood."
The young man added, "By the way, there was a red-haired woman in the crowd during my speech. She caught my eye. Look into her family as well."
"Yes, sir."