Chapter 518, Who Are You?
Bishop?
A powerful Professional?
It sounded like the Destiny Sect was quite formal.
Wu Heng thought for a moment and asked, "What position does the leader who brought you here today hold in the church?"
"He's our Guardian," the corpse replied.
Guardian.
From the looks of it, the Destiny Sect's prestige wasn't as high as the Divine Punishment Sect's.
In the Divine Punishment Sect, Guardians were Level 18 Professionals.
Just one of them dared to challenge Yimiro, and two even stormed Gold-Silver Island.
But in the Destiny Sect, even a Level 15 Professional could become a Guardian.
They were a whole tier lower.
Wu Heng continued, "Did you know in advance that the person in the stone coffin was still alive?"
The corpse hesitated for two seconds before replying, "I don't know. I was just following orders."
Wu Heng then asked, "Where is your bishop?"
"I heard he's expanding the church in the Kingdom of Ekow."
After five questions, the corpse lay back down.
Sheila Grey, standing nearby, said, "It seems this Destiny Sect obtained this coffin through some means and was preparing to awaken the person inside."
"Yes, the fact that they value someone at Level 18 this much means they probably don't have any high-level Professionals in their ranks," Wu Heng added.
Sheila Grey gave him an exasperated look. "You make it sound like reaching Level 18 is easy."
Only someone like him would make such a comment about Level 18 Professionals.
Wu Heng didn't respond but instead cast [Speak with the Dead] on the next corpse to continue gathering information.
He began asking questions again.
After interrogating several corpses, they learned more about the stone coffin and the Destiny Sect.
The Destiny Sect was only established in recent years.
It had infiltrated the Kingdom of Ekow during a time of internal chaos and lax border control.
They aimed to recruit followers and increase their influence.
This time, under the guidance of their Guardian, they launched a nighttime raid on a coastal village, gathering all the people here.
They had prepared a ritual to awaken the person inside the coffin.
However, none of the corpses could provide details about who was inside.
They only knew it was a Level 18 powerhouse who would help them expand the church.
Wu Heng felt that these people weren't very intelligent.
The vampire they were trying to awaken was obviously hard to control.
Didn't they worry that he would kill them all and then leave?
...…
They had learned enough.
Wu Heng decided not to ask further questions.
He ordered the skeletons to drag the interrogated corpses aside for burial.
"This Destiny Sect is truly despicable," Sheila Grey said through gritted teeth.
Her personality was one that adhered strictly to justice.
Wu Heng remembered when he had first arrived on the island.
When he revealed that he was a necromancer, Sheila Grey had almost drawn her sword, looking like she would kill him even if it meant getting reprimanded.
Over time, Wu Heng had saved her a few times and hadn't done anything evil.
Their relationship had improved, and they now had a shared sense of responsibility for protecting Gold-Silver Island.
Wu Heng said, "When we get back, report this to the higher-ups. Have them investigate this sect in various regions and see if we can wipe them out before they grow stronger."
Sheila Grey nodded in agreement. "Human sacrifices, and involving so many people—that's enough to label them a cult."
"Their bishop might still be in the Kingdom of Ekow. Don't forget to report that too."
"Got it."
The two exchanged a few more words.
Wu Heng's gaze fell back on the vampire's remains.
The upper body consisted of just a head and shoulder bones, while the lower body included only the waist and legs.
The chest and abdomen were completely gone, scattered who knows where.
More than half of the body was missing.
It would be difficult to transform it into a skeleton.
He told the nearby skeleton, "Go see if you can find the missing body parts."
A Level 18 Professional, and one that could fly.
If the body could be pieced back together, it would make a rare skeleton servant.
The skeleton obeyed and quickly headed toward the area where the vampire had flown, searching carefully.
Sheila Grey, hearing his order, had a guess about his intentions.
She reminded him, "Have you heard of the Species Protection Act?"
"Don't tell me vampires are considered a protected species," Wu Heng replied, turning to her.
The Species Protection Act provided protection for certain rare and special species.
Their bodies couldn't be used for experiments or any form of enslavement.
But in Wu Heng's view,
these regulations were just surface-level restrictions. If a body had special uses, people would secretly conduct experiments on it.
As long as no one talked about it, such matters were difficult to investigate, and no one would bother checking.
He had learned about this from the Deputy Steward's assistant, Moya, after killing the spiderfolk.
He hadn't expected vampires to be included under the act.
Sheila Grey confirmed that they were.
Wu Heng raised an eyebrow. "I'll be discreet."
"Discreet? So many people saw it happen. And the vampire clearly knew Lilith. Don't create trouble for yourself," Sheila Grey said softly.
The vampire had mentioned Lilith before he died,
which meant the situation wasn't simple.
As they spoke, the skeleton returned with the missing body parts.
It had found the severed arms, damaged wings, and some scattered internal organs.
The pile was bloody and messy.
Even with these pieces, they weren't enough for transformation.
Plus, Sheila Grey had a point—if the vampire was a high-ranking figure, enslaving him could bring trouble.
Wu Heng also had prior dealings with Lilith, and their relationship was relatively good.
It wasn't something he could ruin lightly.
"You're right," Wu Heng admitted. He pulled out an organ jar. "Put the organs in here."
The skeleton selected the organs and placed them in the jar, dripping with blood.
Sheila Grey's eyes widened.
He wasn't going to let this go without taking something useful.
But she said nothing, just watched silently.
With the body so damaged, missing organs would be easy to explain.
Wu Heng stored the organ jar in his spatial ring.
Then, he ordered, "Bring out the stone coffin."
The skeletons entered the stone house and carried out the coffin.
They stuffed the vampire's body parts into the coffin.
Sheila Grey stored the coffin in her spatial ring.
The next step was to wrap up loose ends.
Sheila Grey arranged for the rescued villagers to board the ship, while Wu Heng cast [Battlefield of the Dead] to transform the remaining corpses on the ground.
Although the Level 18 corpse couldn't be transformed, there was still a Level 15 one.
It wasn't ideal, but it wasn't a wasted trip.
Once everything was in order and everyone was on board,
Philipa shouted the command to set sail.
...…
Night fell, and they were inside the ship's cabin.
Sheila Grey put down her utensils and said, "Island Lord, it'll take some time for the Kingdom of Ekow to process the notification. You'll need to arrange temporary accommodations for these people before sending them back."
Even though they were citizens of the Kingdom of Ekow,
they couldn't be sent back directly without prior negotiations and confirmation.
Especially since the matter involved a Level 18 vampire and a cult.
The guild might even send investigators, and these villagers were key witnesses.
While they stayed on the island, their lodging and meals would be the island's responsibility.
"We can use the newly expanded area for temporary housing, and we can provide food and water for now. But the Kingdom of Ekow better reimburse us," Wu Heng emphasized.
Rescuing them was one thing, but covering the expenses for over a hundred people was costly.
Sheila Grey, in a calm tone, continued, "I'll report the Destiny Sect and the Level 18 vampire to headquarters. Should we also inform Lilith?"
Normally, there wouldn't be a need to contact Lilith separately.
But since a vampire was involved, it made things more complicated.
Wu Heng thought for a moment and said, "I've already stored the ghost in the Soul Jar. Let's question it tomorrow and decide how to write the letter then."
"Alright, let's do that," Sheila Grey agreed.
The conversation concluded.
They casually chatted about less important matters.
The only real problem during this mission had been the vampire in the coffin.
Luckily, it hadn't caused any major danger or deaths.
Wu Heng continued, "How's the air conditioning?"
"Works great. Shiyali likes it too, though she wanted to take it apart to study the runes. I didn't let her."
"Do you like it?"
Sheila Grey smiled. "I do."
"Good. Once we rebuild the island, things will be even better."
"You're quite confident."
...…
A day and night later,
the ship slowly docked at Gold-Silver Island's port.
Sheila Grey led the group back to the Adventurer's Guild to perform autopsies on the coffin's remains and verify the identities of the villagers.
As the Island Lord, Wu Heng didn't need to worry about these tasks.
He only had to wait for the results.
Philipa arranged for the ship to be repaired, while Wu Heng hired a carriage and returned to the Island Lord's manor.
As he entered the manor gates,
Minnie hurried over, her face full of joy. "Master, you're back!"
Behind her, Robe and Annette followed and bowed slightly. "Master."
"Everything okay at home?" Wu Heng asked.
"Yes, everything's fine," Minnie replied with a smile.
"Good," Wu Heng said, patting her head.
She smiled brightly and leaned in affectionately.
Minnie asked, "Shall I prepare dinner?"
"We'll eat when Andviel returns."
"Okay!" Minnie nodded.
They chatted for a while downstairs, and Wu Heng checked on Robe and Annette's training.
As night fell,
Andviel returned from outside, and Philipa joined them after finishing the ship's arrangements.
They all gathered at the table, where Philipa recounted the battle on Antler Island.
Everyone listened attentively.
After dinner,
Wu Heng headed straight upstairs.
He released the two ghosts to move freely and returned to his room.
Resting in the cabin aboard the ship was possible,
but the severe rocking often sent people flying into the air.
It wasn't as stable as resting on solid ground.
After a quick wash, he went to bed.
His thoughts involuntarily drifted to the vampire he had encountered today.
The face appeared to be that of a middle-aged man.
But why were there no gender characteristics?
When emerging from the stone coffin, the body was naked, showing no gender traits.
Were all vampires like this?
No, wait—how do they even use the restroom without anything there?
Lilith had a nice-sounding name.
Could she be like this too?
As these thoughts lingered, he gradually fell asleep.
...…
The next morning.
The Adventurer's Guild basement.
Wu Heng mixed gold dust with blood, forming a closed magic circle on the ground.
Dark energy emanated from the circle, making the basement even colder and more bone-chilling.
He then retrieved the Soul Jar containing the vampire ghost and placed it within the circle.
A blue ghost drifted out of the jar, taking on a semi-transparent form.
The ghost quickly scanned its surroundings.
It attempted to fly away, trying to escape.
However, the magic circle acted like a barrier, trapping it within.
No matter how it collided with the barrier, it couldn't escape the circle's confines.
Realizing it couldn't get away, the ghost turned and glared viciously. "So you really are from the guild. You damned people."
"Ask your questions," Wu Heng said to Sheila Grey.
Sheila Grey shook her head. "You do it."
"What do you want from me?" the ghost roared.
Wu Heng looked at it and asked, "What's your name?"
"Tch!" The ghost scoffed.
Wu Heng activated his necromantic power, summoning energy whips within the magic circle that lashed the ghost.
The ghost's form flickered between dispersing and reforming.
It wailed in pain.
"I'll tell you! I'll tell you!" the ghost screamed. "My name is Melanice Bardley."
"Why were you sealed in the stone coffin?"
"It's a vampire's hibernation. You should—"
Wu Heng activated the magic again, and the whips cracked through the air.
One lash after another struck the ghost's form.
"I was exiled!" the ghost shouted.
The whips kept striking.
The ghost's form continuously flickered and reassembled amidst its wails.
"It's true! I'm telling the truth! Lilith sealed me in the stone coffin and exiled me, never letting me out."
The whips stopped, and the ghost slowly reformed.
Wu Heng continued, "Why were you exiled?"
"I…," the ghost glanced cautiously around before explaining, "When I was younger, I made some mistakes because I craved blood. I killed some people. But those were minor things, and I've already been punished for them."
Wu Heng and Sheila Grey exchanged glances.
The "some people" he mentioned were definitely more than a few, and some of them probably had significant status.
Even the Pirate King was pardoned upon reaching Level 18.
Pirates weren't exactly saints, so this ghost's crimes had to be severe.
He had reached Level 18 much earlier, yet his killings led to his exile in a stone coffin.
He must have caused a major incident.
"Anything else you want to ask?" Wu Heng asked Sheila Grey.
Sheila Grey shook her head. "No."
The ghost immediately spoke, "Wait! You're a necromancer, right? You need ghosts. I can work for you. I know many secrets that could help you."
Wu Heng remained silent.
He activated the Soul Jar, causing it to generate suction.
"Think about it! I have knowledge humans don't have. Don't lock me away. You need me—"
The ghost's form stretched thin before being sucked back into the Soul Jar.
Wu Heng picked up the Soul Jar and put it back into his spatial ring.
...…
"He's a criminal. Killing him shouldn't be an issue," Sheila Grey said.
The questioning was meant to confirm the ghost's identity.
The Destiny Sect itself wasn't a major threat—it was just a cult manipulating common people.
But the Level 18 vampire had connections that needed clarification.
Before reporting, they had to confirm his identity and why he was sealed.
"Yes, when we report it, make sure to say we acted in self-defense."
"Understood," Sheila Grey nodded.
As they walked out, Sheila Grey asked, "Do you think it's appropriate for me to write this letter to Lilith?"
"Sending both the official report and a letter to Lilith at the same time wouldn't be ideal," Wu Heng replied after some thought. "Let's do this: you handle the guild report, and I'll write a personal letter to Lilith about the vampire situation."
"That sounds good," Sheila Grey agreed with a smile.
The two exited the basement together.
Sheila Grey returned to her study to draft the report, while Wu Heng took a carriage back to his estate.
...…
Back at his residence,
Wu Heng went upstairs to his study.
Sitting down, he thought for a moment before picking up a pen and paper to write.
「To Lilith Ann Beshemit,
Near Gold-Silver Island, there is a place called Antler Island.
On the island, we found a group of mysterious black-cloaked individuals with over a hundred villagers, along with magic arrays and a strange stone coffin.
Our guild's ship approached, and a battle ensued.
During the battle, the blood of the dead was absorbed by the stone coffin, and a man with wings and a withered figure emerged from within, attacking us.
We narrowly won and killed the enemy.
Upon investigation,
the black-cloaked group identified themselves as the 'Destiny Sect.' They had attacked a coastal village in the Kingdom of Ekow, killed villagers, and abducted over a hundred people to perform a ritual to awaken the coffin's inhabitant.
The man in the coffin identified himself as Melanice Bardley, a member of the vampire clan. He was extremely arrogant and repeatedly threatened to kill everyone.
Over a hundred lives were nearly sacrificed in the ritual.
We witnessed him break free from the coffin and shout that he would kill all living beings.
I'm concerned this incident could damage the reputation of the vampire clan and the years of goodwill you've built.
This letter is to report the incident.
—Flagbearer of Gold-Silver Island: Wu Heng」
With the final stroke, Wu Heng reread the letter.
Writing to Lilith required careful wording.
After double-checking the content,
he sealed the letter in an envelope and headed downstairs.
In the courtyard, three maids were riding bicycles. Robe, being shorter, seemed to struggle a bit.
The addition of two new maids hadn't significantly changed the estate.
But Minnie was much happier.
When Wu Heng and Andviel were away, she had someone to keep her company.
She no longer spent her time staring absentmindedly at the garden.
"Master!" Minnie jumped and waved with a big smile.
"Minnie, take this letter to Sheila Grey at the guild so she can mail it," Wu Heng instructed.
"Got it." Minnie ran over and took the letter.
She left with a skeleton servant.
The other two maids carefully parked their bicycles and went inside to clean.
Wu Heng checked the time.
He put on the [Conductor's Hat], boarded the train, and vanished from the courtyard.
...…
In Lopez City, at the Snake Emblem Consortium's VIP room,
Wu Heng sat for a while.
The person in charge, Redily, entered with a smile. Her delicate face was adorned with luxurious earrings, and she wore a purple silk dress that accentuated her graceful figure.
"Good afternoon, sir," Redily greeted him with her usual opening line.
"Good afternoon. Is the Flame Furnace I ordered ready?" Wu Heng asked directly.
Redily smiled confidently. "It's ready, in the warehouse outside. I'll show you."
"Lead the way," Wu Heng said, standing up to follow her.
They walked through a corridor to a warehouse in the backyard.
The doors opened, revealing a stone furnace divided into three sections.
The surface of the furnace was covered in dense, intricate runes.
"The design and specifications were made exactly to your requirements," Redily explained with a smile.
Wu Heng inspected it and nodded with satisfaction. "It's perfect."
Redily's smile widened. "I'm glad you're satisfied. As agreed, there's an extra 5% charge for expedited delivery."
"That's fine."
Wu Heng stored the furnace in his spatial pouch.
They returned to the VIP room to settle the final payment.
Redily's face beamed with joy.
She felt lucky to have met such a wealthy client, as her performance would surpass that of other branches in the region.
"If you need any more magical constructions, feel free to come back. I can guarantee efficiency," she said.
"I probably will. I'll contact you if I need more," Wu Heng replied.
If this test run succeeded,
the new cities of Fushi and Anhui would adopt similar methods.
Replacing the furnace at the power plants would be much easier than building new ones from scratch.
"I'll make sure everything is done right," Redily said.
"Good. I'll be back when the time comes."
After settling the payment, Wu Heng left the building.
...…
The next morning,
Wu Heng entered the Zombie World.
He picked up the walkie-talkie and said, "Qi Hancai, tell Wang Haibing to get ready. We're heading to the power plant."
"Roger that!"