Chapter 672, Whisperer of Death
Wu Heng glanced at the old Mechanist, who was earnestly studying the blueprints.
He said, "These blueprints will stay with you. Make sure they don't leak out. If there's danger, burn them without hesitation—don't let anyone else get hold of them."
The Mechanist nodded seriously and stored everything in his spatial ring. "Understood, sir."
Wu Heng continued, "If this place is good enough, let the skeletons clean it up. This will be your workspace from now on. Let me know if you need anything. The rest of the skeleton Mechanists will also be under your command."
"It's quite good here. It's enough for now. If we need to develop large-scale machinery, we might need more space," the old Mechanist said.
"I'll make arrangements when the time comes," Wu Heng nodded.
Then, a large number of skeletons came in to clean the building, while Wu Heng and the old Mechanist walked into the courtyard.
He casually continued, "The blueprints I gave you are all for various machines and devices. Get familiar with them quickly. Especially one called the Power Plant. All energy for Gold-Silver Island's equipment comes from it. Study that one first."
Terms like "Power Plant" and "energy supply" were unfamiliar, but their meanings could be inferred.
The cooling devices in the manor and the streetlights at night must all draw energy from the Power Plant.
"Alright. Once everything's set up, I'll start studying the blueprints."
Wu Heng added, "Familiarize yourself first. Later I'll share plans to combine magical buildings with machinery to create a device that can sustain energy output—intended for ships or other vehicles."
The old Mechanist frowned in thought. "Understood."
The two chatted in the courtyard for a while as the interior was cleaned up.
Then, the skeleton Mechanists from the manor began moving equipment and instruments inside.
Wu Heng also summoned some skeletons to guard the place.
Since it was right next to the manor, there shouldn't be any security issues.
......
Back at the residence.
Minnie smiled and said, "Master, has that Mr. Costas been settled?"
"He's arranged in the neighboring building. From now on, if machines break down, go to him and have skeletons repair them," Wu Heng gestured in that direction.
"Then I'll have the skeletons tidy up the Mechanist's old room," Minnie said.
"Mm," Wu Heng nodded.
The maids directed the skeletons to go upstairs and clean.
Wu Heng sat in the courtyard, basking in the sun for a bit.
Soon, three specters flew back from outside.
"Uncle, the bicycle isn't really trending. No fights at the expo."
Beni said, "There's still some buzz. I saw quite a few people sketching over there."
Glenda added, "Trying to copy it isn't strange. Last time with the watches, it was even crazier. A whole group stared at it every day."
When Wu Heng arranged the Mechanist's workspace, he had the three specters scout the expo.
From the looks of it now, the bicycle was getting decent reception.
As for copying it—
Just sketching it out made it difficult. At the very least, they'd have to wait until it was publicly sold.
Also, parts like the tires—people in this world didn't have the tech to make them.
"It's fine. Ignore them," Wu Heng stood up. "You all come back. Let's head to the zombie world and help Glenda level up."
The three specters nodded and dove into their bodies.
Wu Heng returned to the residence, gave a few instructions to the cleaning maids, then headed into the study.
He opened a realm gate and entered the zombie world.
......
Zombie World.
Walking out of the dorm building, Wu Heng looked over the entire base.
It felt a little quieter today—not as lively as usual.
Taking the side path, he made his way to an open field outside the base.
With a wave of his hand, four coffins and a pile of corpses wrapped in straw mats appeared.
The coffins held corpses bought from the Snake Emblem Consortium. The straw-mat ones were vampire bodies killed at sea.
Some vampires were pulverized by the main and close-defense cannons and lost to the sea.
But many bodies remained and met the transformation requirements.
Unfortunately, the body of that Level 18 vampire was partially destroyed by close-defense fire—only the upper half remained.
According to the Protection Act, that corpse had to be returned to the Guild.
Otherwise, he could've had another Level 18 skeleton.
[Battlefield of the Dead] activated. All nearby corpses began shedding their flesh.
Skeletons rose up one after another.
Roughly counting, over 30 vampire skeletons were formed this time.
The quantity was pretty good.
Funny how Sheila Grey kept claiming vampire numbers were low. Wu Heng had killed hundreds by now.
At this rate of dying, they didn't seem all that scarce.
"Follow me."
Wu Heng ordered and began walking toward the base.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh~!
The vampire skeletons took to the skies, circling overhead.
Back at the base—
Wu Heng pointed to the army camp. "Go there and await orders. Don't fly around. You four—wait in a room on the first floor. I'll take you out tonight."
The vampire skeletons went to the camp, while four life-profession skeletons entered a room on the first floor.
They entered standby mode.
......
Once all the skeletons were gone—
Wu Heng picked up the walkie-talkie and pressed the call button, "Qi Hancai, I'm outside the dorm. Come over."
A brief silence followed on the other end.
Then Zhao Yanqiu's voice came through. "Chief, Deputy Chief Qi isn't at the base—she went out."
She went out?
"Where to?" Wu Heng asked.
Zhao Yanqiu said, "Heard there were issues outside. Deputy Chief Qi took a team out this morning to handle it."
Issues?
"Come here, then."
"Alright!"
Soon, Zhao Yanqiu came running from one of the office buildings.
Probably thanks to her profession scroll—she looked better and had a certain aura about her.
She looked even prettier than before.
Seeing Wu Heng, she seemed a bit flustered, but still saluted. "Chief."
"Where did Qi Hancai go exactly?" Wu Heng asked directly.
Zhao Yanqiu thought for a moment. "Before leaving, she told me a group of survivors had occupied an area we cleared and were blocking our convoys. She went to negotiate."
"You mean someone built a base on our land?"
"Yes. And they set up checkpoints. Our logistics got blocked," Zhao Yanqiu emphasized.
Wu Heng was speechless. This kind of thing could happen?
The convoys were manned by survivors.
If it had been skeletons, anyone who tried to stop them would've been annihilated before news could even spread.
He stood and thought.
Today's plan was to clear zombies and level up Glenda.
Might as well go check things out.
"Get a truck ready. I'll go see for myself," Wu Heng said.
Zhao Yanqiu nodded. "Okay, I'll get right on it."
Soon, a modified van pulled up.
Wu Heng called over the skeleton army from the military zone.
Then got into the passenger seat.
"Chief," the driver greeted.
"Let's go. Head to Qi Hancai's location."
The vehicle started up, carrying a horde of skeletons, and left the base.
......
Stone Beam Bridge.
In the center of the bridge cluttered with wrecked cars, Qi Hancai and a middle-aged man sat on chairs.
A few subordinates stood behind each side.
The middle-aged man in camo glanced at Qi Hancai and said, "People from big bases really are different—your complexion looks great."
On Qi Hancai's side, Xin He whispered translations.
Qi Hancai replied directly, "Tell him to cut the crap. This area was cleared by us. They need to move out before someone gets hurt."
Xin He translated fluently in Korean.
The man's gaze sharpened but then he smiled. "This is our country. Why should it be your territory just because you cleared it? I don't see any sign you've occupied it."
"Hundreds of survivors live in our base. It wasn't your country that saved them, or you—it was us," Qi Hancai sneered. "Out of compassion, I'll give you one night. If you're still here by morning, you're staying for good."
She stood up and left.
Xin He quickly translated, shot a mocking glance at the others, and followed.
The man's smile faded. He frowned, watching them leave, and shouted, "Give us two truckloads of food, or your convoy won't pass."
Qi Hancai and the rest said nothing, just kept walking.
The middle-aged man cursed and went back.
......
At dusk, inside a building.
Around a dim round table, several people sat.
"They have skeletons. If a fight breaks out, we won't last."
"They're probably the ones who took over Busan Port. Heard they have firearms too. We only tolerated them 'cause they're survivors too."
The greedy middle-aged man snuffed his cigarette.
"If we leave without food, we'll starve. Two truckloads is our bottom line. I'm just trying to keep everyone alive."
No one argued. It was true.
The zombies had been cleared here. With the scavenged supplies, they could live well.
If they got driven out, food would be a problem.
Someone sighed. "We shouldn't have stopped their convoy. If we'd just stayed quiet, they might not have noticed us."
"How could we know it was them?"
As they chatted, hurried footsteps approached.
Then the door was kicked open. Someone burst in. "Their reinforcements are here! Are they going to kill us?!"
The room sprang to life. Everyone stood up.
"Reinforcements? How many?"
"Too many to count. There are flying ones too!" The messenger wiped sweat. "We're screwed."
"Too many to count? What do you mean?"
"Go see for yourself. We're dead. Seriously dead."
Everyone rushed outside to look toward the bridge.
The road ahead was packed with skeletons stretching into the horizon. Flying skeletons filled the sky.
Everyone stared in horror.
Shit. We're really doomed.
......
On Qi Hancai's side—
Wu Heng stepped down from the truck as Qi Hancai brought people to greet him.
"How did the talk go?"
Qi Hancai shook her head. "Didn't go well. I gave them till morning. If they don't leave, the skeletons will wipe them out."
"How so?"
"They won't admit we claimed the area. And they want two truckloads of food, or they won't let our convoy through," Qi Hancai said coldly.
Wu Heng was stunned, then chuckled. "Haven't seen that kind of person in a while."
The others smiled as well.
Survivors who shamelessly demand things or try to rob you—been a while since they saw that.
Who'd have thought such people still existed in territory swept by a skeleton army?
"Wait until morning?" Qi Hancai asked.
"No need," Wu Heng shook his head, then said to Big Head Skeleton behind him, "March the army forward. If anyone attacks, annihilate them."
Clatter~!
The skeleton army surged into motion like boiling water.
They charged toward the other side of the bridge. The vampire skeletons in the sky flew overhead and hovered above the enemy's building.
Soon, the army surrounded the building several layers deep.
No sound of resistance or battle was heard.
......
Wu Heng led Qi Hancai and the others over.
The door on the other side opened.
The camo-clad middle-aged man saw them approach and his pupils shrank.
He quickly ran forward and dropped to his knees. "Deputy Chief Qi, we're willing to leave. Please don't hold it against us."
The rest of the group followed suit and knelt.
Begging loudly for mercy.
Qi Hancai looked at Wu Heng.
Wu Heng said directly, "Take them all back. Split them up and assign work. Kill anyone who resists."
Qi Hancai waved and ordered, "Bind them all and we'll assign them once back."
Her people quickly moved in, tying everyone up securely.
They were all escorted out.
Their supplies were tallied and taken.
Once everyone was cleared out—
Qi Hancai asked, "Any other plans for tonight?"
Wu Heng said, "Tonight I'll lead skeletons to clear zombies. Find a place that hasn't been swept yet."
"Clearing at night?"
"Yeah. Get the vehicles ready."
Qi Hancai didn't ask further and immediately gave out orders.
Some would follow Wu Heng to clear zombies; others would escort the captured people back.
......
Another world—Gold-Silver Island.
A dark, damp alley carried a faint scent of blood.
Patrol guards sealed off both ends. A crowd still gathered outside, watching the scene.
The guards made way.
Sheila Grey led a squad inside.
Her eyes scanned the corpse on the ground. She asked someone nearby, "Any findings?"
A dwarf Deputy Steward stepped up and said in a low voice, "Male, over 30. One sword to the heart, one to the throat. Identity not yet confirmed."
Sheila Grey raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
If it were just this kind of case, investigation would suffice—no need for her to show up.
The dwarf glanced around, shielding the scene from outside, and said, "We found this insignia in his mouth. He must've hidden it before dying to keep it from the killer."
Sheila Grey's gaze fell on the insignia in his palm. Her eyes narrowed.
The Whisperer insignia of the Guild.
This corpse belonged to a Whisperer—or someone's spy.
"Anything else on the body?"
"Nothing left. Just this insignia."
Sheila Grey frowned.
The victim must have had intel for the Guild—killed en route.