Chapter 569, Used to Be a Pirate
Sheila Grey asked again, "Before you got the Necromancer profession, were you really planning to switch to a Coroner?"
"Maybe! I'm not sure."
"Who is the murderer? Is it that woman?"
"It wouldn't be fun if I told you in advance. The third issue will be out in two days. I'll have someone bring you the latest one then."
The sisters asked questions one after another, just like reporters.
None of it was about work—it was all about the newspaper and the serialized story.
Fortunately, Wu Heng had read detective novels and knew the content.
Otherwise, he might have slipped up.
He chatted with them for a while.
He drank three or four cups of floral tea.
Then, Wu Heng stood up and said, "I'm heading back. I'll talk to you again next time."
"Alright, I have things to do in the afternoon too." Sheila Grey smiled.
"I'll visit you both again in a couple of days."
Sheila Grey and Shiyali smiled and nodded.
Wu Heng put on his hood and then covered his face with a veil.
He walked out of the study.
...…
After leaving the guild.
Wu Heng took a carriage to Lighthouse Street.
Over time, the entire street had become even livelier. The population kept increasing, and vendors on both sides of the road were constantly shouting to attract customers.
Several newspaper stalls had people asking about the latest issues.
Newspapers were continuing to sell steadily.
Wu Heng got off the carriage in a crowded area and walked inside on foot.
He passed by two taverns along the way.
A sign at the entrance announced scheduled storytelling sessions featuring 'Detective Stories.'
It seemed to have become a regular event.
In truth, a large portion of the island's residents were illiterate. Having bards narrate the stories was the best way for them to understand them.
After strolling around for a while.
Wu Heng, accompanied by Skeletons, turned into a nearby beast-taming shop.
The shopkeeper was an elven man who was at the counter, carefully wiping the claws of a gray-headed hawk.
When he saw a customer enter.
He smiled and said, "Welcome, please come in."
"I'm here to look at tamed beasts." Wu Heng stepped inside.
The shopkeeper placed the gray-headed hawk back in its cage and followed behind, asking, "Do you already have a specific type of beast in mind, or would you like me to recommend one?"
"Go ahead and recommend," Wu Heng said while scanning the various tamed beasts in the shop.
Rangers usually had bird-type beasts.
The room was filled with cages and all kinds of birds.
It felt like walking into a zoo.
"What's the level of the beast's owner?" the shopkeeper asked.
"Not high, just recently changed professions."
"Then you'll need a gentle-tempered beast. Young beasts raised from infancy bond more closely with their owners," the shopkeeper explained before asking, "Is the focus on combat or reconnaissance?"
Wu Heng replied, "Reconnaissance!"
"I recommend either a homing pigeon or an owl. Homing pigeons are docile, have long flight times, and are good at finding water sources, minerals, or special targets. Owls, on the other hand, have night vision, are intelligent, skilled hunters, and can conduct reconnaissance without being hindered by darkness."
Another recommendation for an owl.
Among the Rangers Wu Heng knew, most had owls as their beasts.
"Then I'll take an owl. Pick a young one in good condition." Wu Heng smiled.
"Please wait a moment." The shopkeeper nodded and disappeared into the back room.
Soon, he returned carrying a birdcage. Inside was a small white-feathered owl, curled up cautiously.
"That'll be 72 silver coins."
Wu Heng paid immediately, took the owl, and left.
He didn't wander further, called for a carriage, and returned straight to the Island Lord's Manor.
...…
Upon returning home.
The maids came out to greet him.
Seeing the owl in the Skeleton's hand, Minnie curiously asked, "Master, is this a new tamed beast?"
"I bought it for someone else. Feed it something," Wu Heng instructed.
"Alright!" Minnie took the cage and brought it inside to feed the owl.
The little owl was quite obedient.
It quietly stayed in its cage while the three maids surrounded it, taking turns feeding it.
Wu Heng glanced at them and said, "Minnie, I'm heading upstairs. Call me if anything comes up."
"Yes, Master."
He went straight upstairs, opened the door, and entered his study.
Inside the study.
The desk was occupied by 'Glenda,' who was rushing to finish her manuscript.
Xiaoxiao, who had accompanied Wu Heng outside today, reappeared and went to the side to watch cartoons.
Wu Heng sat down at a side table and placed today's rewards beside him.
The first was [Hundred Arms Boots], an accessory of the Hundred Arms Robe.
They still looked fairly clean.
He took out some alcohol and disinfected the inside.
Then, he put them on.
They fit perfectly, and he could move without any restrictions.
As soon as his feet touched the ground, he clearly felt a faint energy spreading from his soles to his entire body.
It continuously restored his stamina.
With a thought, he instantly summoned six identical clones.
One clone asked, "Is the stamina recovery effect still active?"
"Yes. How about you?" another responded with a question.
"It's still working here. You all feel it too, right?"
"It's working!" the clones confirmed one after another.
"Let's end the clones for now. The longer they last, the worse the side effects will be."
"Alright!"
With that, the clones shimmered at high speed and merged back into Wu Heng.
He waited for the side effects to wear off.
Glenda looked over and asked, "What are you doing?"
Xiaoxiao also turned to look.
"Testing out a newly acquired relic," Wu Heng replied.
"What kind of relic?"
"A pair of boots, part of the Hundred Arms Robe set. Wearing them restores stamina," Wu Heng answered.
"Sounds pretty good."
"It is." Wu Heng glanced at the two Wraiths. "Come back inside for a moment—I want to test if I can enter the Zombie World."
The two Wraiths nodded and immediately dove into his body.
Wu Heng opened the Dimensional Gate and stepped inside.
Confirming that the side effects did not prevent him from passing through, he returned shortly after.
He released the Wraiths, allowing them to go about their own business.
...…
Wu Heng took off the boots and left them by the door, then returned to sit on the wooden chair.
He was quite satisfied with this relic.
And he was glad he had taken Lilith's mission—not only had he obtained three level-18 Vampire Skeletons and three Wraiths, but he also got an accessory for the set.
It was an absolute profit.
"I wonder if there are any more Vampire Exiles," he muttered softly.
From a distance, Glenda glanced at him before returning her focus to her book.
Wu Heng picked up the skill book [Soul Awakening] and began to study it.
Unlike regular skill books.
This was a ritual-based spell.
In addition to casting the spell itself, a ritual was required.
A sacrificial Wraith was an essential component of the ritual.
As he read through the skill book, Wu Heng gained a deeper understanding of the spell.
The effect of the skill was to awaken the soul of a corpse, but it wasn't without limitations.
First, the soul had to willingly wake up—if the spirit refused, the ritual would fail.
Second, the maximum time limit was 120 days. If the corpse was older than that, the spell wouldn't work.
He couldn't think of an immediate use for it.
But having more skills was always a good thing.
He flipped to the last page of the book.
A notification appeared.
[Skill Unlocked: Soul Awakening.]
No difficulty at all.
He placed the skill book back on the shelf.
After sitting in the study for a while, a voice from outside called him to dinner.
Wu Heng went downstairs to eat with the maids.
...…
The next day, Zombie World.
Inside the conference room.
Qi Hancai and Gao Rong both glanced at the birdcage beside them.
A hint of confusion flashed in their eyes.
Where did this owl come from?
"Qi Hancai, give me an update on the situation," Wu Heng said.
Qi Hancai withdrew her gaze and reported first, "This morning, the train departed and is heading straight into 'High River City' to clear out Zombies. Bai Qing took 20 survivors along to handle logistics. There were no issues during departure, and we're keeping communication open through the radio."
Wu Heng asked, "What about Li Yanhong's team?"
"Yanhong's team also set off from Xinfu City. Their route is longer, so they won't reach Iron City until the day after tomorrow."
Wu Heng nodded. "Have them report back frequently and make sure logistics are well prepared."
"Understood!" Qi Hancai nodded.
"Gao Rong, your update?"
Gao Rong said, "All equipment at the clothing factory has been tested—everything is in working order. The Skeletons you assigned can operate the machinery without any issues."
"How's the progress on firearm-related machinery development?" Wu Heng continued asking.
"Progress is moving fast, but we're still some time away from a finished product."
"Speed it up."
"Got it," Gao Rong nodded.
Wu Heng thought for a moment and said, "Qi Hancai, notify 'Zhao Yanqiu' from Xinfu City and have her transferred here."
Qi Hancai nodded.
"Alright, that's it for now. Get back to work," Wu Heng said.
Gao Rong stood up, took his documents, and left.
Now, only Wu Heng and Qi Hancai remained in the conference room.
Wu Heng picked up the birdcage and handed it to Qi Hancai. "I picked a tamed beast for you—try establishing communication with it."
A tamed beast? Communication?
A look of confusion and disbelief flashed in Qi Hancai's eyes.
...…
Blackstone Town, a nearby village.
The kingdom had been unstable recently, and villages and towns had little interaction with each other.
It was as if they had all shut themselves off.
Inside a simple room, Benny—dressed as an ordinary village woman—was reading a newly delivered message.
When she saw how long it had been delayed, she smiled. "Sealed as the Island Lord by the guild? Impressive."
After reading it once, she quickly destroyed the paper.
A look of anticipation appeared in her eyes. "As long as I can uncover useful information about the cult, I can join the guild. Then I'll head to Gold-Silver Island—he'll definitely be surprised."
With that thought in mind.
A companion's voice called from outside.
"Benny, lunch break is over. Hurry to the chapel, or the elders will be angry again."
"Coming!" Benny took a deep breath, got up, and walked out.
She joined the others heading toward the central building.
Putting on a black robe, she pushed open the door and sat in a circle, preparing for the afternoon prayer.
Just then, an elder walked in with a new figure.
Clearing his throat, he introduced, "This is a follower from the Emerald Sea. He has now been appointed as an elder—Elder Babuchi, please introduce yourself."
The figure glanced around at the people present.
In a deep voice, he said, "My name is 'Babuchi.' I used to be a pirate in the Emerald Sea, then later followed Grand Knight 'Solvi.'"