Chapter 49: Corpse Preservation !
Only the receipt is recognized, not the person.
It does match the situation in the black market.
There are those here who come to sell illicit goods and those who come to buy certain forbidden items. Everyone is masked, so nobody knows who is who.
Recognizing receipts, not people, makes sense in this situation.
But it also raises a dilemma: you can’t confirm whether the person who comes back to pick up the goods next time is the same one who stored them in the first place.
Given the status of the consortium involved, this shouldn’t pose a major issue.
“The Snake Badge Consortium has branches throughout the major kingdoms, wielding significant influence,” Slyther mentioned as he glimpsed towards the second floor, adding, “You could think of them as the underground equivalent of a professional association.”
If a professional association is a platform beneath the sun’s rays, then the Snake Badge Consortium is an organization thriving in darkness.
The services they offer are highly praised by certain special professions and elites, but their methods and actions have also led many places to reject their existence.
“Let’s go, we’ll have a look around before we have to return to the city gate,” Slyther didn’t intend to lead the two upstairs, but instead began browsing the stalls.
Wu Heng followed from behind, casually checking out the stalls as well.
Continuing past several stalls…
They stopped in front of one particular stall.
[Decay Ray]
(Description: Performs a ranged attack on targets within range, afflicting them with a ‘weakening’ effect.)
[Corpse Preservation]
(Description: Casts necromancy to slow the decaying of corpses or remains. After the spell is cast, the affected unit cannot be transformed into undead creatures.)
There were actually two Necromancer skill books.
“How much for this book?” Wu Heng inquired, referring to the Decay Ray.
“35 silver coins.”
“What about this one?”
“55 silver coins.”
Both skill books were pricey, with the Corpse Preservation even more expensive than the Decay Ray.
Wu Heng didn’t immediately decide to buy, but continued to casually look around the stall.
[Organ Jar]
(Description: A container suitable for preserving organs.)
Darn, something for preserving organs.
Who the heck would buy this stuff?
[Infected Burial Shroud (Special Item)]
[Effect: Shrouds the body, obscuring the physical form. Living creatures that use it will become infected with corpse plague sores.]
(Description: Burial shroud discarded by an immortal predecessor after his resurrection.)
Another special item. Its effect is to make the wearer invisible.
The downside is that it cannot be used by living creatures.
It’s somewhat of a mixed blessing, so to speak.
Upon examining the rest of the items — a short sword full of rust, broken shards of pottery —
nothing for sale seemed to be intended for the living.
It all looked like stuff just unearthed.
“How much for this rag?” asked Wu Heng, referring to the Burial Shroud.
“This is a special item. The effect is to make the user invisible. Ignorant people shouldn’t randomly rename it. 1500 silver coins,” the shopkeeper replied.
Wu Heng gave him a bemused look but said nothing.
The price was exorbitant, and the shopkeeper only mentioned the invisibility effect but completely neglected to mention the side effect it has on living creatures who use it.
He didn’t say anything, but didn’t intend to buy it either.
“I’ll take these two skill books.”
Wu Heng brought out his coin bag and counted out the necessary silver coins.
Carrying a large amount of the metal coin currency of this world can be inconvenient.
Too much of it is quite heavy.
The shopkeeper extended his cadaverous hand and took it, nodded after confirming the correct amount and said, “Take them yourself!”
Wu Heng picked up the two skill books and stowed them away immediately.
As they continued on their way, Slyther mentioned, “Special items differ from magical items. Next time you see one, make sure you ask about any potential costs of using it.”
“Right, got it.”
They resumed their leisurely stroll.
Slyther bought Yuli a necklace magic item as a gift from their visit to Black Stone Town.
The effect is to heal wounds, similar to the bracelet from the items brought by ‘Autruck’ the day before.
Clearly delighted with her gift, the little girl boasted about it to Wu Heng, which was a nice change from her usual attitude of him being in her debt.
They got back on the carriage and returned to Black Stone Town.
The carriage of Slyther had been parked at the entrance all along. Upon seeing them return, the coachman respectfully opened the door to let them in.
It is what it is.
Money demands respect in all worlds.
Upon returning to their lodging,
Wu Heng opened the boundary door and went to the Zombie World.
He glanced out the window, and a large number of zombies had already gathered downstairs.
He didn’t see the giant mutated zombie, so he could not confirm whether it was within the complex.
Communicating with the sea of consciousness, the tiny phantom Xiao Xiao materialized in front of him.
He glanced around.
“Xiao Xiao, look around to see if that giant monster and the grey giant cat are still here.”
“Oh, okay!” Xiao Xiao nodded, her body passed through the wall and disappeared.
Wu Heng then reopened the drawer of the study and began to dig in.
Finally, he found the note he received from the wanted criminal amidst the pages of his frequently used notebook.
On the side of the voucher, a grim snake head was drawn.
“It’s exactly the same.”
The snake head on the voucher was identical to the one he saw on the black market.
Which meant, those wanted criminals didn’t come to take revenge for their comrades but more to get this voucher.
They had something stored in the Snake Badge Consortium.
Only those carrying this voucher can retrieve what’s inside.
These gains just keep coming one after the other.
In the midst of his thoughts, the tiny phantom Xiao Xiao flew back through the wall.
Her face looked somewhat ugly as she said, “That monster is in that building, and the grey kitty is dead. It’s terrifying.”
Wu Heng followed her gaze.
Xiao Xiao was pointing at the building diagonally opposite.
Nothing could be discerned from outside, but since Xiao Xiao said so, then the mutant zombie must be inside.
This mutated zombie was a tough fighter, and considering the vast number of zombies outside, it was hard to tell who would win if a fight broke out.
Even if he could win, it would likely come at a high cost.
“Isn’t this going to delay my leveling up!”
But there was nothing he could do about it now. He could only hope that with the grey cat dead, the zombie would leave with its horde.
He took Xiao Xiao back inside him and returned to Black Stone Town.
The next morning at dawn,
Wu Heng had just finished breakfast nearby.
There was an association worker standing at the door.
On seeing him return, the worker smiled and said, “Mr. Wu Heng, Captain Autruck has invited you over.”
“Oh, okay.”
He arrived at the association’s team lounge.
In the room, Autruck was the only one present.
Seeing Wu Heng enter, he continued, “Regarding the matter of the Church of Divine Punishment’s level 12 corpse, we have a conclusion.”
Wu Heng’s expression turned serious “What is it?”
Autruck looked up at his expression and said directly: “The town hall of Black Stone Town has refused your request to convert the level 12 corpse on the grounds of the incident involving the Necromancer in Mining Village. At the same time, the attendant also believes that it is not time to have a second undead attendant.”
Huh?
Wu Heng’s eyebrows furrowed deeply.
So, not only did the town hall disagree with his conversion of the level 12 corpse, even the association disagreed.
“The attendant disagreed too?”
Attendant Yazde’s attitude towards him was always good, and he was also the one who had personally recruited him.
Their relationship should be better.
But even the Attendant rejected this application. Is the level 12 skeleton so terrifying?
Or is there something else going on?
“What will happen to that corpse?”
“Tonight, it will be cremated by a professional team and the guards of Black
Stone Town..”