Chapter 434: I Was Wrong
The tongue stretched like rubber, being pulled long from the corpse's mouth.
Seeing this scene suddenly startled Wu Heng.
But he quickly reacted.
Someone was using a tamed beast to destroy the corpse.
Wu Heng swung his free arm, and the shattered wooden chair spun and smashed over.
The tamed beast immediately released the corpse's tongue and flew away to evade.
Seeing the skeleton servant charging with its sword, it turned and fled in panic through the open door.
Glenda and Xiaoxiao were about to give chase.
Wu Heng said, "Xiaoxiao, go see where it's flying and who's behind it. Glenda, stay here and keep watch around us."
The two phantoms nodded and disappeared, with Xiaoxiao pursuing the tamed beast.
Glenda flew vertically into the sky, monitoring the surroundings.
Killing a tamed beast wasn't particularly hard.
But it wasn't very meaningful.
Finding the beast's master was more valuable.
The phantom followed closely.
Wu Heng quickly approached to examine the corpses on the ground.
Among them, three had already had their tongues removed; one's tongue was pulled out of its mouth, while one remained intact.
Wu Heng took out several straw mats. "Wrap them up."
Keramu stepped forward and rolled each corpse up.
Wu Heng directly stored them in his spatial ring.
Outside the door, a large group of skeletons carried blood-soaked corpses from two directions.
The corpses were neatly placed at the entrance.
Over twenty bodies in total, covered with slash wounds.
Wu Heng pulled all the straw mats from his ring and wrapped two bodies in each, then stored them back in his spatial ring.
Once everything was processed.
He reopened the boundary door and sent all the skeletons back.
Carrying Milisen, he vanished into the night.
...…
Elsewhere.
A figure quickly approached a building on Lighthouse Street.
They knocked lightly on the door and walked straight in.
The light stone illuminated the entire room.
A handsome man with brown hair and green eyes looked at his subordinate with confusion. "So soon, there's news?"
Their plan had two contingencies.
Either the other party paid the ransom at sea, or they discovered the expansion zone.
Based on their estimate, the other party would take about two days to act.
Whether raising funds or investigating.
However, it seemed their estimation was too long—actions were taken the very night the abduction occurred.
The figure at the door paused and said solemnly, "Lord Greco, the operation failed. The other party killed everyone we sent and took the woman away."
Hearing this, the brown-haired man's heart tightened in panic.
Some things, without evidence, weren't a threat, but once evidence existed, no one could provoke the Guild's behemoth.
Damn it, how could a necromancer fail?
"Did Imiro personally get involved?" Greco asked skeptically.
"Just that necromancer. He summoned a lot of skeletons and wiped out our ambush." The subordinate's voice trembled.
"Impossible. The entire Lighthouse Street is under my control. How could he mobilize skeletons? You're lying."
"My lord, I saw it with my tamed beast's vision. How could I deceive you?" The subordinate raised his voice.
Greco frowned deeply, cold sweat beading on his forehead.
He glanced at the subordinate again. "Where's your tamed beast?"
"I sent it flying in the opposite direction to avoid leading anyone here."
Greco nodded, pulled a pouch of coins from his spatial ring, and tossed it onto the table. "Here are a hundred gold coins. Leave now; it's enough to last you a lifetime."
The subordinate's face lit up with joy but hesitated before stepping forward. "My lord, please toss it over. I'll leave as soon as I grab it."
Greco sneered. "When have I ever shortchanged you?"
With that, he grabbed the pouch and threw it high.
The subordinate's face brightened, his eyes fixed on the pouch as he reached out to catch it.
Bang~!
The sound of a powerful crossbow string snapping echoed as a bolt pierced through his chest.
Then, Greco moved like a ghost in the darkness, appearing at the man's side, and his longsword severed the subordinate's neck.
Greco swiftly wrapped the corpse in a blanket from the bed and stored it in his spatial ring.
He cursed under his breath, "Useless trash. Facing a necromancer, and this is the result? You all deserve to die."
Sitting back at the table, he pondered deeply.
Calculating various methods in his mind.
"I need to leave the island first and think of ways to negotiate with the Guild later."
"Yes, leave here before the Guild reacts."
...…
At the port.
The guards at the Guild's designated area looked suspiciously at Wu Heng and his servants.
Then, their brows furrowed slightly as their gaze swept over the figure slung over a servant's shoulder.
Though covered in black cloth, it was clear they carried a person—a long-haired woman.
"Deputy Steward, what is this?" a guard asked in confusion.
Snatching women—couldn't you do it somewhere less public?
Marching openly like this, even for a Deputy Steward, was hard to handle.
Wu Heng stated plainly, "Go notify the Guild. Tell them my investigation has results and ask for the Steward to come."
The Steward?
So it wasn't about snatching women.
"Yes, Deputy Steward." The leading guard issued orders, and several others hurriedly left with torches toward the Guild's center.
Wu Heng continued, "Inform the commercial port to register anyone attempting to board or leave a ship before dawn."
"Yes, Deputy Steward," the guards answered and left.
Wu Heng boarded his cargo ship.
Entering a cabin.
Keramu tossed Milisen onto a bed.
"Milisen, how are you doing?" Wu Heng pinched her face, asking again.
Milisen remained unresponsive.
Like a corpse, her body showed no reaction.
Only her eyes occasionally focused briefly, a slight improvement from when she was first found.
"Don't tell me she's brain-dead!"
In this world, potions served many purposes.
Beyond their positive effects, numerous other functional potions existed.
A potion that rendered someone brain-dead yet alive wouldn't be surprising.
Wu Heng pulled out a bottle of high-efficiency antidote and poured it down Milisen's throat.
Seeing no improvement.
He pondered briefly.
He lifted Milisen completely, placing her upper body on the window sill while her hips faced outward.
Milisen's plump figure showcased an exaggerated waist-to-hip ratio.
Like a ripe, round peach.
It drew attention.
Wu Heng glanced briefly.
From his spatial ring, he took out the [Clear Mind Ring Staff].
This artifact, acquired by trading potions, had the power to restore clarity of mind.
Last time, in the pirate village, he used this staff to restore a berserk Whisperer to sanity.
It was uncertain if it would work on Milisen, but it was worth a try.
If unsuccessful, he'd bring her back to consult the Alchemist Skeleton and prepare more antidote potions.
Deciding, he controlled his strength.
He swung.
Smack~!
A crisp sound echoed.
Milisen's body trembled, her upper body shifting slightly.
Wu Heng observed and swung twice more.
Smack-smack~!
The sharp sound reverberated in the cabin.
On the last strike, Milisen let out a pained moan.
A wave of heat evaporated from her body, dispersing into the air.
She remained in position but turned her head. Her eyes, though slightly dazed, no longer held emptiness.
Seeing the figure holding the mahogany staff, a faint smile appeared on her pale face. "Master, you've come to save me."
It worked.
This artifact could even cure.
"How are you feeling?"
"My butt hurts," Milisen whispered.
"Any mental issues?"
"My head still feels a bit foggy," Milisen replied.
Wu Heng continued, "Don't move. Lift your clothes slightly."
Milisen hesitated, then carefully raised the fabric covering her hips.
Her waist tightened, accentuating her curves.
Wu Heng struck again. The flesh rippled, and Milisen bit her lip, letting out a muffled groan.
"Better now?"
"Master, I was wrong," Milisen said pitifully.
Seeing no further issues, Wu Heng put away the staff. "Alright, get up. The kidnappers are dead. Tell me what you know."
Milisen carefully stood.
Her backside burned with pain, preventing her from sitting, while her body felt weak.
She cautiously perched on the edge and recounted everything she knew.
Her account matched the bartender's information closely.
The only difference was that these people had visited the day before.
They must have scouted the area in advance.
Once certain there were no issues, they acted.
Taking her away.
"Master, did I trouble you again? Will the tavern still operate?" Milisen asked dejectedly.
She had just begun living a stable life.
Things were improving.
But now, it seemed she might return to her old life.
Wu Heng thought for a moment. "Not sure yet. Let's see."
"Okay," Milisen lowered her head.
After exchanging a few words, Wu Heng sensed Xiaoxiao's return.
He told Milisen, "Stay here. I'll take you back later."
"Yes, Master."
...…
Leaving the cabin, he entered another room.
Wu Heng asked, "How did it go?"
Xiaoxiao appeared. "The tamed beast is dead."
"Dead?"
"I didn't touch it. It just died mid-flight and crashed," Xiaoxiao explained.
Wu Heng frowned, pondering.
Tamed beasts had life; if not killed externally, the most likely explanation was the master's death.
When the master died, the beast's soul dissipated.
"It seems the beast's master isn't the mastermind."
"Oh, I see," Xiaoxiao twirled mid-air. "Uncle, why don't you just talk to the dead? Why go through all this trouble?"
"I already notified the Guild. When the Steward and investigators arrive, we'll conduct necromantic interrogation," Wu Heng explained.
This might involve people on the island.
If he questioned the dead before the Steward and investigators arrived and implicated certain individuals.
The accused might deny it, making it hard to prove anything.
Following proper procedure was the best course.
"Oh, the Guild is such a hassle."
...…
The horizon brightened.
Footsteps echoed outside the cabin.
Xiaoxiao vanished.
Steward Imiro, Deputy Steward Sheila Grey, two squad captains, and two investigators descended the wooden ladder.
They glanced at the skeletons waiting in the cabin's darkness.
Their eyes returned to Wu Heng.
Imiro spoke calmly, "What's the situation?"
Wu Heng stood and replied, "The hostage has been rescued. The kidnappers didn't take her to sea but brought her to an area behind Lighthouse Street under expansion."
"And the bodies?"
"I brought them," Wu Heng said, pulling out two corpses. "There are five in total. Three had their tongues removed by a controlled tamed beast while I was rescuing the hostage."
Imiro nodded. "Interrogate the dead. Investigators, record everything."