Chapter 414: The Players' Undead Followers (Final)
Watching the players at the front of the line struggling with their fees, Singo couldn't help but chuckle to himself.
"Luckily, I came prepared."
He patted his bulging money pouch, which contained over a thousand gold coins. As a dragon-blood viscount with military industry dividends, he could easily afford it.
A few players left the line dejected due to their lack of funds, significantly moving Singo up the queue.
The player at the front, [Undead Knight], reluctantly paid the fee, carrying his corpse sack as he hurried into the [Undead Research Institute].
Magusi collected the gold coins and nodded politely to the players waiting outside. "Please be patient and wait your turn."
"Don't worry, Director Orest is quite efficient."
It wasn't long before [Undead Knight] emerged, grinning with a [Undead Follower Rental Contract] in hand. Humming a tune, he summoned a beautiful long-haired ghost woman, much to the crowd's envy.
"Damn, that was fast!"
"That undead follower is pretty attractive."
"Bro, what's this about?"
"I'm jealous—why didn't I think of summoning a wife?"
"Enough, you're an animal too!"
"This is supposed to be a battle companion!"
Next, the well-known necromancer player [Rainy Citadel] paid the fee and eagerly entered the institute.
Within minutes, the next transformation was complete.
"Heh heh..."
"Let me show you something impressive."
Rainy Citadel adjusted his silver-framed glasses and tipped his hat as he walked out.
Behind him were three imposing, uniquely designed undead skeletons—the ancestors of the three great Northern families, the "Triumvirate."
One wielded a sharp sword, another held a raised spear, and the last carried a massive warhammer.
These three ancestors, carefully selected from their coffins, had been renowned warriors and paladins in life. Even in death, they had a challenge rating of 6, making them mini-bosses.
Combined with necromancer buffs, the Triumvirate's combat power skyrocketed.
The players watching were visibly envious.
"When's my turn?"
"So cool."
"I want my own undead followers too!"
"I've decided—I'm switching to a summoner build today!"
Singo watched Rainy Citadel leave, his expression serious. "That lineup is overpowered in this version. He's a rival to watch out for."
More players entered in succession.
"Ugh..."
"Who still hasn't gotten in?"
Soon, Langli Baitiao strutted past, holding a rental contract and accompanied by a line of Bosk ancestors turned into undead skeletons.
"You're wasting your three daily summons on showing off?"
Singo shook his head, laughing.
Finally, it was his turn.
Without hesitation, Singo handed five gold coins to Magusi and, under the researcher's friendly smile, dragged the rotting, fly-infested half-giant corpse into the institute.
"So this is the Undead Research Institute?"
"It's different from what I imagined."
He had expected piles of bones and spiderweb-covered corridors but instead found a clean, well-organized facility.
Rows of neatly arranged electric lights, spotless corridors, and clear directional signs adorned the walls.
Even the trail of blood left by the corpse was automatically cleaned by magic along the walls.
At the end of the corridor was a heavy iron door bearing a skull emblem, finally giving off a hint of death.
"Let's see what this 'Eternal Soul Elegist' is all about."
Singo thought as he placed his hand on the skull, and the heavy door slowly opened.
"Director Orest, I'm here to transform an undead."
"Come in."
The voice was deep and raspy.
But Singo detected a distinct tone of exhaustion—like an overworked employee speaking.
Was he hearing things?
This was supposed to be a legendary lich!
The master of undead! A cunning and immortal being with endless knowledge!
Singo looked up, and the name displayed above the lich's head was unmistakable.
[Soul Elegist - Orest]
Faction: Ember Empire
Unit: Undead Research Institute
Challenge Rating: ???
The lich sat at a plain desk, draped in tattered robes, with dim soul fire flickering in his eye sockets. The only intimidating thing was the bone staff resting on the nearby shelf.
In his bony hand, he held a bone pen, scribbling continuously on documents.
Singo struggled to describe the atmosphere.
This lich was practically a corporate drone with no aura of menace, exuding only an air of perfunctory effort.
Orest set down his pen and impatiently urged, "Do you want the transformation or not? Hurry up!"
"Yes, of course."
Singo quickly dismissed his thoughts, stepped forward, and opened the store interface.
[Lich's Rental Shop]
Base Prices:
Skeleton: 5 gold coins, 350 XP
Mummy: 5 gold coins, 350 XP
Wraith: 20 gold coins, 950 XP
Ghoul: 100 gold coins, 1550 XP
Spiritbound: 100 gold coins, 1550 XP
Undead Skeleton: 100 gold coins, 1550 XP
Death Knight: 12,500 gold coins, 75,000 XP
Lich: ??? Unknown conditions
[Please present the item for transformation.]
The advanced options like Death Knight and Lich were clearly not for current players.
He skipped those options and, given the intact corpse he had brought, selected the optimal choice: the ghoul transformation.
"Director Orest, I want to transform this into a ghoul."
Singo unwrapped the corpse bag, revealing the bloated, rotting half-giant body.
The lich glanced at it and said indifferently, "Half-giant Professional. Extra charge."
A new trade window popped up.
[The Eternal Soul Elegist - Orest has proposed a new transaction.]
Half-Giant Ghoul Leader: 800 gold coins, 5500 XP
[Accept the transaction? Yes/No]
"This..."
Even Singo winced at the cost.
The price was nearly his entire savings for the past few months. He hesitated but knew the power boost was worth it.
"Hurry up."
Under the pressure, Singo gritted his teeth, confirmed the transaction, and handed over the bulging money pouch.
"Please proceed, Director Orest."
"Alright."
The lich picked up his bone staff and pointed it at the bloated corpse, expertly casting the spell.
Low growls echoed as gray necrotic mist enveloped the body, and its eyes flickered with dark light as it slowly stood up.
The nearly three-meter-tall ghoul exuded a foul stench, its decayed flesh still hinting at its former strength.
Half-Giant Ghoul Leader
Challenge Rating: 7 (3100 XP)
Orest pulled out a blank scroll, scribbled on it, and tossed it to Singo.
"Done."
"For the Ember Empire."
The lich spoke the signature phrase, though it sounded eerie coming from him.
"For the Ember Empire."
Singo pounded his chest in response.
"A lich loyal to the Empire—what a strange sight."
But his attention quickly returned to his newly transformed ghoul, and his face lit up with joy.
"It really is a boss-level follower!"
Singo left with the scroll, while the half-giant ghoul remained under the institute's control.
After all, players were only renting the undead—the true ownership belonged to the Empire, or rather, the emperor himself.
"How much longer will this go on?"
Orest sighed as the doors slowly closed.
Transforming undead was exhausting work.
But each time he transformed one for the "Starfallers," he absorbed pure soul energy that sustained his phylactery.
Perhaps, this was how he could achieve true immortality.
"Tch."
"Thank my master for this, I suppose."
The exhausted lich muttered as footsteps echoed outside—the next player had arrived.
Outside, hundreds of players were still lined up.
Unknown to Orest, Cassius had implemented a 90% experience tax on the lich's gains.
Soon, news of the [Undead Research Institute] spread across the forums, and the powerful boss-level followers left countless players envious.
Thus began the "Corpse Scramble," or as it came to be known—the "Great Excavation Movement."
Tens of thousands of players roamed the Empire, digging up graves, searching ruins, and even unearthing fallen enemies, much to the astonishment of the locals.
A high-ranking warrior's skeleton could fetch hundreds of gold coins on the black market, and some desperate individuals even dug up their own ancestors to sell to players.
Meanwhile, businesses in coffin-making, corpse preservation, and other niche industries boomed, giving rise to several new enterprises.
Rumors spread across the Empire: "Starfallers love ancient bones" and "the older the skeleton, the better."