Chapter 82: Chapter 80: Capturing the Mermaid Princess
...
The voice seemed to possess a magical quality, dispelling the last vestiges of its confusion and darkness.
It felt its vision gradually brighten.
It saw.
It saw a young figure holding a skull-topped magic staff, completely shrouded in a wide black robe and hood.
This figure, this aura, seemed to be seared deep into its Soul Fire, filling it with a sense of familiarity and trust.
That was... Master.
The Master’s will was supreme.
’So, my name is [Bone Spear Hainuo].’
Its Soul Fire flickered with joy.
"Work hard for me," the familiar voice said again, a hint of a smile in its tone. "From now on, you’ll be one of my great generals. Stick with me, and you’ll live a life of luxury, with endless fun."
Hainuo could not fully comprehend what its master was saying, but it knew he was praising it and placing great hope in it.
A tremor of excitement made its Soul Fire burn even brighter.
"For now, I’m putting you in command of these Skeleton Spearmen and guards," the master’s voice grew even warmer and gentler. "In the future, I’ll keep an eye out and recruit more outstanding ranged units for you. Your mission is to help me build a powerful ranged corps that will make our enemies tremble in fear."
’Build... a ranged corps?’
Bone Spear Hainuo’s Soul Fire surged violently once more.
To fight for its master and lead a powerful ranged Undead corps.
This was its mission in this new life.
As for Lynch, watching Hainuo already falling into its role and beginning to inspect the squad of Skeleton Spearmen and elite goblin Skeletons behind it, he couldn’t help but nod in satisfaction.
An irrepressible smile played on his lips.
He’d finally had a stroke of godly luck at the most critical moment.
This was a Tier Two elite goblin warrior, and a rare spearman at that.
Although its power would drop drastically for a short time after being converted into an Undead Unit, it still possessed Tier One strength right now.
Moreover, as an elite Soul Fire unit starting at Tier One, its foundation was much stronger than that of an ordinary Tier One Soul Fire Skeleton. Lynch could fully invest in its development, and it would recover its Tier Two strength much faster than Bone Shadow and the others.
Lynch could already envision a future battlefield where a phalanx of Undead spearmen, under Hainuo’s command, unleashed covering volleys or picked off key enemy units.
By the time Lynch finished dealing with the goblin spearman, the din on the main battlefield had gradually subsided.
There were almost no living goblins left on the entire battlefield. They were either scattered corpses or had already become new members of the Undead Army.
As for the Tidal Fishmen...
The only survivors, a remnant of just over thirty Fishmen, had already fled in panic into the waves, spurred on by the unwilling shrieks of their old Shaman.
At that moment, Lynch turned his gaze toward the coast.
He saw the old Fishman Shaman, wielding a Coral Staff, treading water. The upper half of its body bobbed up and down with the waves.
Its intelligent, fish-like eyes met Lynch’s from afar, filled with a mixture of hatred, anger, and an undeniable trace of fear.
"Sigh... what a pity."
Lynch sighed softly in frustration.
As someone who cherished talent.
Lynch naturally coveted the old Fishman Priest, whose strength had also reached Tier Two.
Unfortunately, the old Fishman was clearly more cunning and experienced than Hainuo. When the battle started, it had remained cautiously in the shallows near the coast.
The moment it saw the tide of battle turn against it, it retreated into the sea without hesitation.
Although the Skeletons under Lynch’s command didn’t fear drowning, they couldn’t swim, putting them at a severe disadvantage fighting in the water.
Still, the gains from this battle were already substantial. There was no need to get into a life-or-death struggle with the slippery old Fishman. Besides, with the mermaid in his hands, he might have another chance to encounter the old creature again.
Turning his head, Lynch ignored the Fishman and, with a thought, issued a series of new commands to his Skeleton army.
Bone Valor led its cannon fodder troops and briskly began to clean up the battlefield.
They dragged all the corpses into a pile, making it easier to perform the Skeleton Resurrection Skill on them all at once later.
As for Lynch himself, he gently patted Red Rabbit’s shoulder blade and slowly headed toward the reef.
「Meanwhile.」
His beloved generals led the vast Skeleton army, surrounding Lynch like stars clustering around the moon.
The dense aura of death coalesced around him, already giving Lynch the majestic bearing of a Lord of the Undead.
Fifty meters from the central reef, Lynch stopped. He then raised an arm and beckoned casually toward the reef.
The gesture was casual, yet it carried an undeniable, domineering authority.
On the reef.
The Naga Captain, Serena, felt her breath catch. Her throat went dry, and she swallowed involuntarily.
She could only turn her head to look at Princess Hai Ge, as if awaiting her command.
The situation couldn’t be any clearer now.
The Undead Corps that had emerged at the end, sweeping aside the goblins and Fishmen with lightning speed, was the sole victor on this battlefield.
The Undead had won everything.
And that, naturally, included them.
And... the noble Princess Hai Ge.
Moreover, given the cruel, cold-blooded nature their opponent had displayed, Serena had no doubt that if they dared to defy his command, the terrifying Undead Army would swarm the reef like a tide in the very next second and utterly submerge them. At that point, the situation would only be worse.
"Sister Serena," a soft voice rang out, as pleasant and melodious as a sea breeze rustling a wind chime, or a Deep Sea Pearl rolling across a jade plate.
It was Princess Hai Ge.
This was the first time she had spoken since the attack began.
Her voice was just as the legends described, possessing an ethereal, clear quality. Even now, though she was incredibly weak and tense, its heavenly timbre could not be concealed.
"Carry me down. Let’s go meet that... Lord of the Undead," Princess Hai Ge’s voice was soft and calm.
"But... Your Highness!" Serena said, her voice laced with anxiety.
"Sister Serena," Princess Hai Ge interrupted her.
She lifted her beautiful face. Her long, curly green hair was stuck messily to her cheeks, but her eyes, like the purest of blue gemstones, were perfectly calm.
"Do we have a better choice right now?"
She gently shook her head, her gaze sweeping over the dense Sea of Skulls below, and over the figure sitting atop the Hellhound skeleton who seemed to control everything.
"Fortunately, that Lord of the Undead looks... at least physically, he appears to be human." Princess Hai Ge let out a small sigh of relief. "That means there’s still room for communication. Take me to him. I suspect... he won’t be very patient."
Serena opened her mouth, but in the end, she only sighed.
"Yes, Your Highness."
She first tossed her twin blades down from the reef, a gesture of surrender.
Then, she carefully lifted Princess Hai Ge into her arms. With a light push of her serpentine tail against the reef, she leaped nimbly down from the several-meter-high rock, landing on the soft sand below.
Carrying Princess Hai Ge and swaying her long, serpentine tail, she slowly advanced in Lynch’s direction under the cold, empty "gaze" of countless Skeletons.
The Skeleton army silently parted to either side, opening a narrow path.
Seeing this, the other five Naga guards followed their captain’s example, discarding their weapons and leaping down from the reef.
However, as soon as they landed, they were surrounded and stopped by Skeletons.
The five Naga guards froze, not daring to move.
Serena, still carrying Princess Hai Ge, was stopped about ten meters from Lynch by Bone Jade and Black Corpse.
She immediately halted, gently set Princess Hai Ge down, and gave a slight bow.
Princess Hai Ge, for her part, endured the pain in her tail and did her best to remain composed, maintaining a dignified posture as much as possible.
She bowed slightly, performing a rite of the Sea Race used to address those of high status, and spoke in a melodious voice.
"Hai Ge Xiyin, second daughter of the Tide Chanting Clan of the Deep Sea Royal Court, pays her respects to the honored Lord of the Undead. Thank you for your timely arrival and for rescuing us from our crisis."
"Rescue? Avert a crisis?"
Lynch looked down on her from his high perch, his gaze sweeping over her brazenly.
"No. You, and these Naga guards of yours, are nothing more than my spoils of war."
"Now, I must think carefully... what should I do with my spoils of war?"
"Kekeke..."
That gaze, which seemed to see right through her, combined with that malevolent-sounding laughter, sent a shiver down Hai Ge Xiyin’s spine, making even her pale golden fishtail go limp.
...
