Chapter 7

After they calmed down, they realized that their current location was less than ten miles from the northwest edge of the Whispering Forest.

The rest of the matters were very simple. If at such a distance, Yiluo could still get lost, then he could only cut open his veins and drain the blood that belonged to the 'Child of the Forest' as an apology.

However, they still had to consider the so-called "coat" issue of Dios. Even though the Snoton Empire was not yet part of the Holy Alliance of the Church of Light, and there were no explicit restrictions on necromancers, no one would like a skeleton clattering around the market to buy groceries, right?

On this point, Dios's requirements were not complicated. As long as the corpse was relatively fresh, he could make use of it. Of course, the more powerful the owner of the corpse was, the better. However, ordinary bodies were also fine. As he put it, "What's the big deal? I can always find a better one later."

Alegri and Yiluo exchanged glances for a moment, and finally, Alegri came up with a plan.

He called it the "Frankenstein" plan.

******

Magen Town was a small town near the edge of the Whispering Forest, primarily engaged in hunting and growing highland wheat, known for its excellent beer.

The atmosphere in the town on this day was starkly different from the clear weather. The well-liked hunter Pera had his neck broken by a rampaging black bear during a hunt, and today was his funeral, which gathered almost half of the town's residents.

In the cemetery, a young man with black hair was among the crowd. He looked sad, wearing a black armband, like a distant relative who had traveled a long distance to pay respects. He specifically chose to chat with middle-aged women, quickly finding out which graves in the cemetery were newly buried and which nearby villages had recently had deaths. After all, discussing such matters at a funeral required no deliberate guidance. As the evening funeral bell tolled, this dark young man also blended into the increasingly dense night.

The townspeople would never know what happened in the cemetery that night. Perhaps one day, they would discover that the graves were empty, but who could connect this with a young man they had only met once?

******

"To be honest, stealing corpses is a truly disgusting job," Yiluo leaned against a tree, looking at a nearby pit with boredom.

"I couldn't agree more," Alegri nodded. He was drawing a mysterious magic circle on the ground, using the powder of dead soul moss from deep within the cemetery, as per Dios's instructions.

Dios had been dragging the corpses he had stolen over the past few days into a distant, narrow-mouthed, wide-bellied pit for some time. This was an abandoned bear trap, now serving as a slaughterhouse.

As for his progress, neither of the two had any desire to check.

It was a full moon night. After Alegri finished drawing the magic circle and looked up, the half-elf was no longer beside him. He probably wasn't in danger and certainly wouldn't run away, so Alegri didn't bother with him, just sitting down to meditate and recover his magic power.

When he was done and started wondering where Yiluo had gone, the half-elf returned from deep within the forest. He was carrying things on his shoulders and back, and a large package, looking like a bandit who had just completed a raid.

"Where have you been?" Alegri asked, puzzled.

"I forgot something," Yiluo replied, placing the large package on the ground. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a large piece of intact leather.

"Mirage dragon skin? What's it for?" Alegri continued to ask, curious.

Yiluo rolled his eyes and huffed, "Although I don't know what you two are up to, but..." He looked Alegri up and down and sighed, "No money, no movement..."

Alegri was speechless.

"I'm definitely broke," Yiluo shrugged, "You, with the patched magic robe, aren't exactly rich either; as for Skeleton Guy—" His tone was full of helplessness, "Unless he keeps gold in his skull."

"You don't know the value of money until you manage a household," Alegri patted the half-elf's shoulder, with a look of heavy responsibility, "I've decided, from now on, you will manage our household."

Yiluo's face lit up as he took the broken money bag Alegri threw him. In the blink of an eye, the money bag disappeared into his hand.

"Hey, hey..." Alegri was shocked, "Are you a ranger or a thief? You're quite skilled."

"Just a part-time job," Yiluo smiled awkwardly, "More skills never hurt."

"I find you very unconventional," Alegri stared at him, "Don't people say elves are especially noble and proud? Look at you, so eager for money..."

"Poor children grow up fast," Yiluo said, with a look of reminiscence.

"Also, don't elves especially hate the undead? Look at you, strolling with a skeleton without a care... Do you even have elven blood?"

"They're just friends..." The half-elf's face darkened, trying to defend himself.

"Besides, you're especially afraid of death, remember when we first met..."

"You, a second-rate mage, never stop! Get lost..."

******

It was a full moon night.

On the open ground at the edge of the forest, the handsome half-elf looked angry, while the mage beside him wore a smile. Their relationship, as indicated by their interaction, did not seem to reflect the contractual bond between them.

Several dozen steps away, the abandoned bear trap suddenly showed signs of movement.

A faint dark red light seeped out from the narrow opening, gradually intensifying, as if it were a miniature volcano about to erupt.

"Magic circle!" A distant voice called out, muffled by the soil.

"Got it!" Alegri quickly jumped up, not even bothering to brush off the dirt on his clothes. The half-elf beside him watched his actions with tension.

Alegri stood in front of the magic circle he had drawn, following Dios's instructions, he had densely drawn countless magic circles inside and around the pit.

At that moment, standing beside the magic circle, Alegri chanted strange incantations in a low voice. Although he had no idea what the magic circle meant, he was just reciting the incantations from memory.

As he chanted, a gray-black mist gradually rose from above the magic circle, like the earth itself was burning.

Just as the red light from the pit was about to overflow, Alegri finished his incantation. He squatted down, placing his hands on the edge of the magic circle, and his limited magic power was instantly drained!

He grunted, feeling dizzy, and collapsed to the ground.

The black mist in the magic circle immediately became more intense, dividing into countless threads, spreading out like snakes. As they touched, the surrounding grass and trees visibly turned yellow.

The red light at the mouth of the pit, however, suddenly contracted inward. Not only that, but it seemed to absorb the surrounding light as well.

Yiluo then noticed that dark clouds had already covered the full moon in the sky, making the surroundings dark and silent.

However, another sound could not be suppressed.

From the pit, deep underground, it seemed that the heartbeat of a giant beast was gradually growing louder. From weak to strong, the loose soil on the ground began to tremble slightly.

"Is this a resurrection ritual in necromancy?" Alegri was placed to one side, Yiluo's pointed ears trembled slightly. His gray eyes showed a mix of understanding and surprise.

Looking around, in the boundless darkness, it seemed as if countless giant beasts were circling. The dark clouds obscured everything visible, but they could not stop a more powerful presence from observing. This silent solo performance seemed to have attracted formidable listeners, and not just one.

Yiluo suddenly stood up, appearing exceptionally tall and imposing in the night. His eyes flashed with a silver-gray light, like a special metal, cold and mysterious.

He brushed a strand of gray hair behind his ear, slowly drawing several unique long arrows from the broken quiver on his back. The arrows were intricately carved, and the light on their tips matched his eye color. The half-elf solemnly held the arrows between his fingers and lightly plucked the bowstring with his long pinky finger.

A sharp sound, like a sword being drawn from its sheath. It was also like the faintest and deepest whisper in a beautiful night song.

The night returned to silence.