Murphy’s appearance in the Smuggler’s Woods quickly sparked “bizarre enthusiasm” among new and veteran players, as the presence of a main storyline NPC here indicated they had indeed triggered an incredible hidden plot.
On the other hand, Murphy’s entrance style also caught the veteran players’ attention.
This ti he didn’t fly in, but instead appeared before everyone riding an oddly decorated skeletal horse that looked like a fusion of bones and steel.
Its appearance was similar to skeleton cavalry mounts, but just from the looks and aesthetics, one could tell this was definitely a “high-end item”!
“Lord Murphy’s new mount looks so cool! Are the dog developers teasing us again? So can we get these skeleton warhorses through so weird channel from the Crimson Citadel later?”
Bulldozer Man whispered to Niuniu beside him while looking on with envy. The latter didn’t answer imdiately, but instead observed Lord Murphy’s “man and horse as one” posture before them.
Undeniably, the gloomy vampire style paired perfectly with ominous things like skeleton warhorses, emphasizing that “evil pretty boy aesthetic.”
“Probably so high-level reward?”
Ah Yuen, who enjoyed brainstorming, couldn’t help but ponder:
“Look, we’ve encountered skeleton cavalry here in Smuggler’s Woods and almost got run over by them, doesn’t this suggest the hidden plot being triggered is related to skeletons?
There’s precedent for this!
Just like how all the equipnt sold by the Blood Rat Gang in the sewers is related to ghouls, I bet we’ll get this special mount as a reward after completing this storyline?”
“Ah, why does it have to be a ground mount?”
Feel You Poor also really liked the skeleton warhorse’s glamorous style, and he couldn’t help but complain:
“Why not just make an invincible one with wings? A flying skeleton horse would be so much cooler! Then I could soar through the skies with my Stinky Treasure.”
“Hmm, good idea!”
Murphy, who was nearby, was struck by inspiration.
He imdiately decided to note down Little Rich Brother’s suggestion in his notebook, planning to have the corpse mage try adding wings to the skeleton warhorse later.
This thing was classified as an undead construct.
Its body was already dead, currently only moving through death spirit energy supporting its constructed form, so theoretically its appearance wasn’t constrained to any fixed form, therefore adding wings may sound absurd but was definitely feasible!
However, before Murphy could share with his little players the hidden plot of Smuggler’s Woods that he had already conceived, he received spirit communication from Tris.
“You’re saying that corpse mage is Adele’s elder relative?”
The vampire lord’s eye twitched upon hearing this news.
But thinking carefully about how the corpse mage said he died in Foul Swamp twenty-so years ago, the timing matched perfectly with when Adele fled to Transia, which led him to make more connections.
He imdiately realized he could extract more intelligence from that corpse mage through his connection to Adele, so Murphy didn’t linger any longer. After encouraging his little players and making them so promises, he handed over his command scepter and skeleton horse to Hog to handle as he saw fit, then spread his wings and flew back to the Crimson Citadel at high speed in the dusk.
Blood Claw Chieftain Lord Hog was also dumbfounded at this mont.
He had considered requesting Lord Murphy’s warriors to help resolve his current problems, but he hadn’t expected these folks to completely solve the Blood Claw Clan’s major trouble in less than half a day after entering Smuggler’s Woods.
At the gnoll outpost, Hog very clumsily used the extrely cold command scepter in his hands to control that elite skeleton army.
After using it for a few minutes, he very regretfully tucked the scepter close against his chest.
This thing was powerful!
It could control that elite skeleton army for his use, but unfortunately, this scepter only bound those two hundred so undead creatures.
This ant the other skeleton soldiers wandering the woods were still a major threat to the Blood Claw Clan, but having the most troubleso elite skeleton army co under his command undoubtedly multiplied the Blood Claw Clan’s strength several tis over in an instant, which also ant he had finally truly beco the “King of the Forest Clearing.”
With his current clan warriors, elite kobolds, plus this skeleton army under his command, he could even claim to be the second most powerful force in the Baroness of Shadow’s domain, second only to the “Unbreakable Wall” Fort Cria!
“Lord Hog, how should we handle this weird bone horse?”
The small Nash following beside Hog looked at the skeleton warhorse waiting quietly for orders nearby and said sowhat regretfully:
“This thing is pretty amazing, looks like the kind of impressive stuff only marshals should have, too bad it’s too big for us gnolls to ride comfortably.”
“Then let’s store it in the clan treasury.”
Hog narrowed his eyes and said very shrewdly yet decisively:
“We’ll make it a gift for the strongest among the warriors who are most friendly to us! Since there’s only one, naturally it can only be given to the most mighty champion!
Nash, go spread the word.
Tell this good news to the warriors we’ve hired, whoever kills the most skeleton soldiers in this bounty hunt will receive the Blood Claw tribe’s ultimate reward.
Ah, I think I understand how to utilize their power now.
Also, since we’ve entrusted the woods’ safety to the warriors, our patrolling clan warriors no longer need to be on edge.
Go find the most capable hunters and warriors in the clan to form a small team. After I get the clan settled, I’ll lead them into Foul Swamp, we need to scout out a path for Lord Murphy.
That’s work we must complete!”
——
“You’re certain that fellow is your Uncle Bella who escorted you out of the swamp and died because of it?”
After returning to Blood Vulture Halls, Murphy summoned Adele to his office. E-Sister’s expression was quite peculiar at this mont.
Facing Murphy’s inquiry, she hesitated before answering:
“It really is him!
I would never forget Uncle Bella’s face and voice, but he’s also not entirely himself, death seems to have taken away sothing that belonged to him, making him feel unfamiliar to as well.
I spoke with him.
All I can tell you, my lord, is that I can’t fully trust him like before either.
As he said, he is now just a cursed dead man, a controlled corpse mage, he doesn’t even have free control over his own existence, so naturally he can’t express his emotions unreservedly.
However, there’s another piece of news you need to know.”
Adele paused, then said:
“Not only was Uncle Bella resurrected by gnoll shamans, my Aunt Bernice was similarly resurrected as a netherworld knight and is being controlled by gnoll shamans.
After hearing about our battles in Transia, Uncle Bella realized the power we possess, so he requested my help in rescuing his wife.
He told he could exchange so ‘dangerous’ information for this assistance.”
“So your Uncle Bella did indeed withhold information from in our previous conversation, quite a crafty fellow.”
Murphy snorted and asked:
“Can you describe the Uncle Bella from your mories for ?”
“Yes.”
Adele imdiately replied:
“Uncle Bella was a half-elf who, like my father, was once a gladiator of the jevah family.
Back then he was more skilled in spirit energy. When my mother planned our escape, Uncle Bella was one of the most steadfast supporters.
His yearning for freedom burned like an unquenchable fla. After we entered Tranquil Valley and settled there, Uncle Bella always served as the valley’s defense commander.
He and Aunt Bernice were partners.
They were a deadly combination in the arena, years of fighting made them perfectly in sync. They had a daughter born the sa year as .
I rember she was called ‘Lisa’ and was my best childhood playmate.
But as you said, Uncle Bella was also a cunning person, his early life determined that his way of thinking would inevitably start from what benefits himself most.”
“Can you give so advice?”
Murphy nodded and asked:
“If I need to reach so mutually beneficial agreent with your Uncle Bella, where should I start?”
“Freedom!”
Adele answered very confidently:
“I believe soone who was willing to pay any price to escape the arena with my mother couldn’t possibly have no resentnt towards his accidental resurrection and second life under gnoll control.
Even though he’s been resurrected from death, he absolutely couldn’t willingly serve the gnolls!
In fact, I think Uncle Bella has probably been secretly planning another escape in the na of ‘freedom’.
I feel we can completely cooperate with him on this, those gnoll shamans busy in Foul Swamp are common enemies to both of us!”
“Hmm, very reasonable. Bring him in.”
Murphy interlaced his fingers and said to Adele. E-Sister opened the door and walked out, returning several minutes later with corpse mage Bella.
His hands and feet were bound with brass restraining shackles that didn’t impede his movent.
But through these suppressing items crafted by Tris’s own hands, they could suppress the corpse mage’s spirit energy to an extrely weak limit, reducing his threat level to minimum.
Seeing Murphy again made corpse mage Bella curse angrily:
“I should have activated the netherfire immolation to burn you, you bastard, to death at the swamp’s edge earlier! You dog! How dare you turn the only daughter of ‘Freedom Hand’ Mona and ‘Shadow Hydra’ Chun into a vampire!
I curse you! Murphy!
I curse you to fall into the netherworld and never find release for all eternity!”
“Curses, ha, if such weak curses could really make a vampire fall into the netherworld, our kind would have gone extinct eight hundred years ago.”
Murphy very impolitely rapped on the desk and said:
“So please calm down, Mr. Bella.
If you’ve heard Adele’s story then you should know it was I who saved her, bringing her back from the tragedy of becoming a blood ghoul to the mortal realm under midnight.
I don’t seek your gratitude, but at least you shouldn’t speak such vile words!
Now, let’s get to business.
Tell us everything you concealed before, about those gnoll shamans controlling you, what exactly are they doing in the swamp?”
“Ah! If I had a choice…”
Bella sighed like a living person.
The corpse mage pulled his hood back up to cover his mummy-like form and said in a hoarse voice:
“They’re searching for sothing, sothing extrely important to the gnoll race – more precisely, a lost treasure.
It belonged to King Gnawbone who mysteriously disappeared at the end of the 4th Black Plague 110 years ago.
According to legend, King Gnawbone fled into Foul Swamp after his defeat.
He tried to return to Moss Valley in the Dark Mountains with his most valiant royal guards to plot a coback, but King Gnawbone never erged after entering the swamp.
That gnoll king who nearly overturned the continent must have died sowhere in the swamp.
But the problem is there’s always been a legend circulating in the Gnawbone Clan.
It’s said King Gnawbone possessed sothing that could grant gnolls unique power, allowing a lucky individual to instantly beco king of all gnolls!
King Gnawbone gathered such a massive army during the 4th Black Plague precisely because of that treasure. As you know, given gnolls’ temperant, they could never naturally form a dark tide of that scale.
Therefore, I personally think this legend has so credibility.”
“Have they found it?”
When hearing about King Gnawbone’s lost treasure, Murphy didn’t feel surprised.
It was quite normal for such a pivotal historical figure to still trigger unnecessary events even after dying for over a hundred years.
As for the treasure…
Perhaps it exists, but Murphy wasn’t particularly concerned.
After all, it was a gnoll racial treasure, others couldn’t use it even if they had it.
But even if he couldn’t use it himself, he couldn’t let enemies get it either. The aning of victory isn’t just obtaining sothing for oneself, making others leave empty-handed is also quite useful strategy.
Facing Murphy’s question, corpse mage Bella let out a strange laugh and drawled:
“I told you, I’ve been resurrected for over 3 years, my consciousness has been pulled back from the confused netherworld to the material world for 3 years too, which ans they’ve been active in the swamp for a very long ti.
Though Foul Swamp is vast, it’s not so big before an army of tireless undead. Those gnoll shamans have practically turned over every corner of the swamp and found nothing.
They can’t find that thing!
They aren’t the destined ones!
Just before I received orders to leave the swamp for Smuggler’s Woods to establish an observation outpost, those plague shamans were planning to concentrate their forces to enter the swamp’s forbidden zone.
They strongly suspect the treasure they seek is hidden in that dangerous place.
If you ask , I think that’s a suicidal act born of desperation.”
“Forbidden zone?”
Murphy narrowed his eyes and asked:
“What’s there?”
“One or several legendary beasts.”
Bella shook his head and said:
“That’s what killed and Bernice. Adele should still rember what happened then.”
“Ningkinanka, ‘giant serpent’ in elvish.”
Lady Adele explained solemnly:
“A legendary creature lurking in Foul Swamp, like a hybrid of giant snake and lizard. I only rember that enormous being emitting light as it vanished in the swamp before launching terrifying attacks like earthquakes.
That’s not a life form mortals can fight against, Master Murphy, please don’t develop any interest in things that only exist in legends.
The gnolls daring to actively provoke that giant beast shows they’re desperate enough to be insane.”
“But this is an opportunity!”
Corpse mage Bella continued:
“The gnoll shamans plan to challenge the swamp monster to find King Gnawbone’s lost treasure, they’ll definitely commit all their forces to it.
This ans they’ll relax their surveillance of other parts of the swamp.
Just one elite team!
I can lead you to infiltrate those camps the gnolls have established in the swamp, we can steal back our phylacteries.
I promise you, Lord Murphy, as long as we can retrieve the phylacteries, as long as you can grant us freedom after death, all 45 corpse mages and netherworld knights including myself and Bernice will pledge our loyalty to you!”
“Master, I am willing to accomplish this for you!”
Adele also earnestly requested:
“I also hope Uncle Bella and Aunt Bernice can break free from this enslaved humiliation, I owe them this.”
“No, child, you don’t owe us anything.”
The corpse mage shook his head and said:
“The kindness Mona showed us is sothing we can never repay in our lifeti. Neither I nor Bernice ever regretted dying to protect you, and you needn’t feel any guilt over it.”
“However, I currently don’t have that many elites at hand.”
Murphy stood up and shook his head, saying:
“At least vampires can’t be used, the Blood Vulture Clan only has this many people left. However, Adele, your faction and warrior selection seem to have made no progress.
I know with your personality you’re not very willing to invest energy in such things, but now you have sufficient reason to perfect the forces under your command.
I’ve already given Hog orders.
He needs to scout out a safe path through Foul Swamp for . The Blood Rat Gang is also a force you can mobilize. As you said, since you’re willing to share my burdens, then begin taking action from now.
He said to his descendant:
“You’ll oversee this matter – you’ll plan it, you’ll recruit, you’ll execute it. I won’t participate or ddle, I’ll remain at Crimson Citadel awaiting a good result.”
“Yes.”
Adele nodded, then Murphy’s gaze turned to corpse mage Bella and he said:
“On another note, since we’re now ‘family’, Lord Bella, there are so things I can ask more openly about the Dusk.
Tell everything you know!”
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