Chapter 106: Necromancer
“Stop hitting, you can’t beat someone to death like this!”
“Can you guys hurry up? There are dozens of us waiting here, every minute you waste is wasting dozens of minutes for all of us!”
“That’s about enough.”
As Ashe and his companions entered the Deathmatch Society, what reached their ears were not adrenaline-fueled screams, beastly roars, or malicious jeering. Rather, it was disgruntled complaining.
If not for the chips restricting the foul language of these death row inmates, Ashe was certain he would quickly learn the classic profanities of Blood Moon Kingdom’s various races.
They squeezed to the front, and the death row inmates who got bumped into behind them looked impatient. But when they saw it was ‘Demon’, ‘Beauty Beast’, ‘Gourmand’ and other infamous prison thugs, they quickly made way, some even showing deferential smiles.
Although there was no hierarchy among the death row inmates, and even the mightiest inmate could not harm the weakest, not even pluck a single hair or scratch their fresh manicure. As long as one did not voluntarily step into the deathmatch ring, there would be no bullying from others.
But reverence for the strong was ingrained in living beings, and this trait was in full display among these inmates with morals lower than an old man’s diaper. Even if Ashe and the others could not harm them one bit, they did not dare offend these vicious criminals.
Ashe secretly kicked the deferential ones out of his list of candidates – I’m the kindest and most innocent person in this prison, if even I scare them, how can they be used as bait! None of them qualified!
Getting to the front, Ashe saw two people fighting in the lowest-level deathmatch ring. One was a reptilian Snakelizard race with green scales all over, the other was a prison buddy whose name Ashe forgot but remembered his last name was Harvey.
After watching for a bit, Ashe understood why everyone was complaining – Harvey and the other guy were putting on a show fight.
The Snakelizard simply did not fight back, allowing Harvey to keep punching his face. Even as the leather-like scales on his skin cracked and small teeth got knocked out, he knelt motionless on the ground, calmly watching Harvey.
Only when Harvey’s fists were covered in viscous blood did the Snakelizard slowly say, “Feeling better, Archibald?”
“Not yet!”
Harvey suddenly knelt down, tore open his clothes to reveal a skeletal and scarred body, face contorted hideously. “Come on, Hableen!”
The Snakelizard shook his head, but still went to pick up a barbed whip placed at the side of the ring. One look and Ashe felt his hair stand on end – the whip was covered densely with small barbs, he could imagine how excruciating yet exhilarating it would feel to be licked by it. Add some salt water and the soul might ascend straight to heaven.
With the muffled cracking sounds, the complaining voices lessened significantly. Though some still mocked Harvey for being an idiot, more expressed their respect in silence – to earn the esteem of death row inmates, there were two methods. Be cruel to others, or be cruel to oneself.
Ashe suddenly asked, “What do you think?”
“Not bad,” Igor replied. “I’ll investigate his ‘story’ later, might find something we can use.”
“Archibald Harvey has a deathmatch record of 7 wins and 1 loss,” Langna said. “Due to his thin build, he is sometimes seen as easy prey, but opponents who fight him often mysteriously lose consciousness. He is not weak.”
“This is the kind of hot-blooded man we need, he gets my blood pumping just watching him!” Ronat exclaimed excitedly, clenching his fist. “Let’s go find him after the match!”
Igor shook his head, “No rush, we still have time, let’s see if there are other options. Even if we pick him, I should grasp his weaknesses first, it’ll make things easier.”
“Ew, you such a jerk!”
“What, do you have a problem with that?”
“Yes, you see the Snakelizard seems close with Harvey. If we can’t find a weakness for Harvey, maybe we can use the Snakelizard instead – after all he just got to prison recently, so he hasn’t forgotten the smell of freedom yet.”
Igor nodded approvingly, “Rarely do you make a decent suggestion, Ashe.”
“It’s nothing, I learned it all from you, Igor.”
Seeing the two exchange wicked grins like bosom buddies, Langna’s face remained impassive, but he was extremely surprised inside. He had observed Igor Bukin before, and knew this scammer was a cold-hearted, selfish, and hedonistic person. He always wore a polite smile, but deep down looked down on everyone, seeing people as tools to be used.
Of course Langna wasn’t saying Igor saw Ashe as a friend. If he dared say that, Igor and Ashe would probably think he was crazy.
But from Langna’s observations, Igor’s attitude towards Ashe was completely different from how he treated other inmates. It wasn’t the calculating fawning he did with others, nor the disgust he showed enemies. It was closer to…sincerity.
Yes, sincerity. Although it sounded too naive to describe the scammer this way, this was Langna’s conclusion from his observations.
Perhaps even Igor himself didn’t realize, he had unknowingly lowered his guard around Ashe, no longer hiding behind the mask he wore for self-protection. He didn’t conceal his disgust or approval, but treated Ashe as an equal, interacting and arguing normally – Igor’s emotional fluctuations in the past year and a half were not as much as the past few days.
Was this because of Ashe’s personal charm?
No, Langna didn’t think so.
It wasn’t that Ashe lacked charm, but that Igor could not be so easily influenced – any Sorcerer specializing in the Mind sphere would have firmer beliefs and willpower than other casters, let alone Igor who was skilled at manipulating hearts. How could he possibly have such a sudden change of heart, as if ‘love at first sight’?
In the world of Sorcerers, there were no coincidences.
Only ‘Miracles’.
Although Ronaldo was a factor, ever since knowing Ashe initiated the prison break, Langna strongly sensed this escape plan would surely succeed.
Unlike Igor and Ronaldo, Langna used to be a member of the Church, a servant of the gods. He had bathed in the glory of the divine, and deeply understood the vastness of the gods’ authority.
The will of the gods would come to pass.
To the Blood Moon Sovereign, the flawless and heavily guarded Shattered Lake Prison was but a fragile bubble that could be popped effortlessly, almost transparent.
It was the same for the Four Pillars.
Suddenly, the lights in the Deathmatch Hall turned fully bright. The barriers around the stage lowered, the stage doors opened, and crow doctors came to carry the Snakelizard away. But when they tried to take Harvey, he refused – he didn’t want treatment.
As the injured and blood-stained Harvey came out, the death row inmates automatically gave way. Since they still needed Igor to find Harvey’s weaknesses before recruiting him, Ashe’s group did not immediately approach Harvey either.
But Harvey took the initiative to come to them.
“I was just looking for you, Ashe,” Harvey said. “I want to discuss something with you.”
“I’m broke.”
“There’s too many people here, let’s go—” Harvey reached to pull Ashe away.
Igor grabbed Harvey’s wrist, smiling, “It sounds quite interesting, may I listen in?”
Harvey glanced over Igor, Langna, and Ronaldo, then slowly nodded, “Of course.”
The five big villains quickly left the Deathmatch Hall, and went to the men’s restroom – they had no choice, it was the nearest private place. Besides, the restrooms were cleaned regularly and smelled nice, the running water could mask their voices, it was truly the ideal breeding ground for conspiracies and schemes.
“I heard you guys are planning a prison break recently?” Harvey used a wet towel to wipe the blood off himself, looking at Ashe’s reflection in the mirror.
“That’s right,” Igor did not intend to hide it. He had visited all the big names in prison over the past few days, the news could not be kept secret.
But because he did not reveal Ashe’s Miracle Touch, and Igor had previously seduced newbies by posing as the president of the Prison Break Research Society, people either thought Igor was joking around or plotting something shady again. Plus the death row inmates were already mostly domesticated by the prison, so no one was willing to join. This forced Ashe to find ways to drag Ronaldo and Langna down with him.
“I want to join you guys.” Harvey stuck his head under the faucet, wetting his curly hair. He lifted his dripping head, and Ashe was surprised to see him look rather delicate without the curls, not as vulgar and twisted.
“I want to break out.”
Ashe was overjoyed, but before he could speak, Igor took the lead, “If you want to join, you’ll have to contribute something to show us your value. We aren’t lacking people right now, if you can’t play a useful role, we have no need to include you.”
“But even without contribution—”
“Shut up!” Igor glared fiercely at Ashe, who shrank away aggrievedly.
It should have been Igor’s side begging Harvey to join, but now that Harvey took the initiative to join, how could Igor let this chance slip by? He took the opportunity to make demands of Harvey. Having conducted so many negotiations and deals, Igor understood people’s cheap trait of ‘the harder to obtain, the more precious’. If he directly let Harvey join, it would only make Harvey doubt their professionalism, perhaps even giving Harvey a ‘I’m important’ misunderstanding. That would make Harvey harder to manage.
It was best to raise the barrier high now, fully exploit Harvey for his resources before ‘reluctantly allowing’ him to join. This would not only make Harvey grateful, but also let Harvey know his place, so that even if they ordered him to be bait in the future, he would not resist much.
“A very reasonable request,” Harvey nodded at his reflection in the mirror. “I’m confident my abilities will satisfy you – I can operate the prison processors.”
“Hmm, sounds pretty goo— What?”
Igor was startled, “Processors? You can operate the prison chips? How is that possible!”
“Why wouldn’t it be possible?” Harvey turned to look at the other four, wet hair hanging over his face but unable to cover the sharp glint in his eyes. “Among the death row inmates, if anyone could operate the processors, it would definitely only be me.”
“Because I am a Necromancer.”
“And the chip processors is just a corpse.”
This content is taken from fr(e)ewebn(o)vel.𝓬𝓸𝓶