Chapter 58: The function of skeletal warriors
“Souls of the fallen soldiers, heed the dark herald’s call and reveal your existence!” Han Shuo suddenly started chanting a magical incantation as he ran towards the passageway.
An ordinary, skeletal warrior appeared in the passageway after his incantation had finished. Upon seeing the skeletal warrior materialize, Han Shuo immediately concentrated his mental strength and gave a command — rob them.
This skeletal warrior wasn’t the one that Han Shuo had refined with magical yuan. Its speed and strength paled far in comparison to the little skeleton. Its bones even creaked and rubbed against each other when it moved.
The ink- black, little skeleton with seven bone spurs had caused too much of a disturbance in the Babylon Academy of Magic and Force. If anyone were to find out that he had been the one to summon the little skeleton, it was bound to cause a string of trouble for him. Therefore, Han Shuo didn’t dare let the little skeleton appear at this moment.
“Everyone hurry, otherwise all the items will be taken by someone else!” The ones who’d stayed behind included Irene from the light major. When she noticed that Han Shuo and the others had raced down, she immediately called out and followed.
On the necromancy major’s side, Fanny, Lisa, and the others first started when they saw Han Shuo summon a skeletal warrior and then quickly recollected their wits. They bore expressions of glee and also started summoning skeletal warriors.
More than ten skeletal warriors were abruptly summoned by Fanny, Lisa, and the others. Under the commands from their mental strength, the skeletal warriors all reached out their bony hands and began to pick up the giant bags from the ground.
The resources within the wolf rider’s bags had all been obtained through previous raids. Now that the orc wolf riders were all dead, these bags lacked a master and naturally became free game for whoever grabbed it first. On Han Shuo’s side, the skeletal warriors lacking in battle strength were finally of some use. Although their speed was slow, a bag still dangled from the hands of every skeletal warrior.
As their masters, Han Shuo, Fanny, Lisa, and the others naturally didn’t sit idly by. Everyone had a bag in their hands and Han Shuo had even grabbed four bags, looking like the cat who ate the canary.
Han Shuo and the others had salvaged eighty percent of the loot that the wolf riders had left behind in the passageway. The other strangers had managed to grab the other twenty percent. Weapons, armor, and medicines from the town of Drol were all highly valuable items. If taken to the Empire and sold there, they were sure to fetch high prices and rich rewards.
After commanding the skeletal warriors to line up in neat rows, Han Shuo looked at Fanny with a smile, “Master Fanny, with these items and our gains from the Dark Forest, I think the school authorities will look at our necromancy major with different eyes when we return to the Academy.”
Fanny’s mood was also exceedingly jubilant at this time and she had long since forgotten Han Shuo’s earlier insolence. A gleeful expression was displayed on her face as her eyes flicked a glance at Han Shuo, saying lightly, “Perhaps not. Many of these things are from the shops of the town of Drol. Although the owners of those shops are now either fleeing or dead, if the Empire were to find out about the origins of these goods, they would confiscate them for sure.”
Fanny’s worries were not without reason. Han Shuo thought for a bit and suddenly remembered the merchant, Fabian, whom he had met in the Dark Forest. When the two had parted ways, Fabian had left a card with Han Shuo so that Han Shuo could find him and do business. Fabian was a member of the Boozt Merchant Guild and should have an appropriate way to properly dispose of the items if they found him.
When his thoughts traveled to this point, Han Shuo smiled confidently at Fanny and said, “Master Fanny, you need not worry. As long as we make it back to the Empire in one piece, I have ways to dispose of these items, which shouldn’t leave any traces behind.”
Fanny looked askance at Han Shuo and shook her head afterwards, saying with emotion, “Bryan, I realize that I can see through you less and less. How many secrets have you hidden from us… how would you have the methods to dispose of these items?”
Chuckling lightly, Han Shuo said, “Let’s speak of these matters later. I think our first course of action should be how to leave this place and speedily return to the Empire.”
Just as Han Shuo and Fanny were talking, Beacher and the others, including Gene, Bach, and those from the necromancy major on the other side, had returned from the distance they’d travelled. Judging from the relieved expressions on their faces, Han Shuo knew that the orcs had most likely met their impending doom.
Indeed, when Beacher and the others had walked over, he immediately said proudly, “Everyone relax, none of those orcs made it out. We can finally be at ease for a moment.”
He was halfway through his words when he suddenly looked around in surprise, exclaiming, “Eh, what’s going on?”
Apart from the corpses of the orc wolf riders and of the giant wolves in the passageway, all the bags had been split up by the remaining people. Particularly on Han Shuo and Fanny’s side, a row of skeletal warriors, each holding a giant bag, was especially conspicuous.
Fanny was a bit awkward, opened her mouth and didn’t know what to say. Finally, in her agitation, she couldn’t help but glare at Han Shuo and indicate that Han Shuo should respond.
Walking forward as if nothing had happened, there wasn’t a trace of awkwardness on Han Shuo’s face. He put down the two bags on his body and called out to the unfamiliar mercenaries, warriors, and mages who had just returned from afar. He smiled faintly, “These are all spoils of battle, brave fighters come over and take some. Everyone will go their own separate way soon, but we’ve just repelled the orcs together just now, so let these items be a momento of our battle.”
“Sure, alright!”
The ten or so adventurers, who had returned, all cheered simultaneously and ran over excitedly, adeptly picking through the resources in the bags.
Beacher and some of the other light major students had been about ready to join in their ranks when they saw Irene and the others also held stuffed bags in their hands. They started and began walking over to Irene.
“Little fellow, you’re a swell friend. If you ever require the services of our Battlewolves Mercenary Company in the future, don’t hesitate to speak up.”
“Heh heh, I’m very happy to become friends with you. If you need any medicines in the future, just come find me.”
These people all chatted and laughed in high spirits when they poked through the items as numerous cards with contact information made their way into Han Shuo’s hands.
“Master Fanny, why are we giving those items over to them? What’s wrong with Bryan?” A necromancy student, Athena, was watching Han Shuo’s open bags with a look of pain as she asked huffily.
“His methods are absolutely correct. If we swallow all these resources ourselves, these people won’t gain anything at all and will be sure to report this matter to the Empire. Perhaps they might even think of robbing us in their anger. We’d be in dire straits then.
Bryan has taken out only a small portion right now for them to choose what they will. Doing so also drags them down with us and shuts everyone’s mouth. They don’t have space rings and can’t summon skeletal warriors like us for manual labor, so they can’t take much at all. In the end, we still benefit the most and he’s also won the friendship of these adventurers. The Bryan of now is truly becoming stronger and stronger!” Fanny’s beautiful eyes had continually been focused on Han Shuo’s figure, who was talking and laughing with the adventurers as she explained to the perplexed Athena.
“He’s becoming more and more mysterious. I wonder where he’s learned all these random bits of knowledge, and his knowledge actually has some use!” Lisa looked at Han Shuo, remembering the secret way he’d taught her to round out her chest and whispered with a hint of emotion.
“Alright, since everyone’s taken their pick, let’s split up now. I won’t be shy if there are any ways in which I need your help in the future, haha!” Han Shuo was chattering happily with an air of familiarity on the other side. The four large bags on his body were basically empty.
These mercenaries and adventurers had all more or less benefited some and gained items they needed. As they looked at Han Shuo, they felt that he looked incredibly pleasing to the eye. Everyone left one by one after finally exchanging a round of pleasantries. Beacher and the others also left carrying their loot after coming by and thanking Fanny.
Gene finally spoke up in wistful regret when there was only Han Shuo and the others left in the area, “I would’ve stayed had I known earlier. If we hadn’t left, then the bags in the hands of the light majors would be ours for sure.”
Fanny had no comment for Gene’s regret and suddenly felt in that moment that even though he had quite a few years on him, his intelligence seemed to not even measure up to Han Shuo’s. An involuntary wave of contempt grew in her heart.
“Right, what should we do now?” Fanny’s eyes looked at Han Shuo and the question came naturally out of her mouth.
Raising his head to look at the vast Nirolan River, Han Shuo thought for a moment and said lowly, “There are a few towering trees in the canyon below. There are various sharp weapons in our bags and a few tensile bundles of rope. We’ll be able to swiftly construct wooden rafts if we fell a few trees. We’ll be able to travel the Nirolan River with the rafts and directly make it to Balthazar City.”
“I see, then why didn’t you tell the others just now?” Gene suddenly asked upon hearing Han Shuo’s words.
“What business is it of mine if they want to leave? Besides, when they leave, they’ll be able to draw the orcs’ attention away from us, decreasing our danger. Isn’t this good?” Han Shuo smiled faintly and explained matter of factly.
Fanny, Gene, and the others were all dumbfounded by his words and privately reflected that Han Shuo was indeed different now. When he had been conversing and laughing happily with others, he’d been inwardly plotting against them already.
Gene, Bach, and Bella suddenly all looked at each other, thinking of what they’d done to Han Shuo in the past. A chill simultaneously gripped their hearts.