Chapter 512, The Creation of an 18th-Level Hero
The Amber Pendant is a type of protective artifact.
Upon its first use, it creates a dependency on the first target it sees.
In future dangers, the Amber Pendant will continue to provide protection, but its side effects only apply to the first target.
This means the first time it saw Wu Heng, all subsequent effects remained locked onto him.
Otherwise, creating dependency with each use would make it unmanageable.
"Did they give you trouble?" Wu Heng asked.
Shanaila replied, "You could say I'm under house arrest. The elders are investigating this matter. It won't be long before they trace it to you. Are you scared?"
"Not scared. We fell in love freely—what's there to fear?"
"I'm married, you know," Shanaila gently reminded him.
"You didn't say that in bed," Wu Heng teased.
"You're awful!" Shanaila whispered before continuing, "Don't worry. It won't affect you."
"I'm really not worried. As long as you don't change your mind."
"I won't," Shanaila replied softly.
Wu Heng thought for a moment, then asked, "Where is your clan located? I'll find a way to get you out."
Shanaila responded seriously, "Don't come. Don't interfere with this matter. I'm confined to my estate. I have food and drink. If you come, it'll only make things worse."
Wu Heng considered her lifestyle. It didn't exactly sound like imprisonment.
Shanaila was accustomed to late nights and late mornings. Unless a fleet docked, she usually didn't leave home.
This didn't seem much different from her usual routine.
Wu Heng asked, "So, you're just going to stay locked up like this?"
"Once the investigation concludes, I'll be free," Shanaila explained softly.
"What investigation? Is your husband involved?" Wu Heng was curious.
Shanaila replied, "Of course not. He has his own women. We're in a marriage of convenience. We don't interfere with each other. The elders suspect I abused my position as guild president to harm the interests of the Starflower Guild and the Wood Elves. They're primarily investigating that."
"That shouldn't be a problem."
While Shanaila was on Gold-Silver Island, she didn't use her position to provide Wu Heng with any special favors.
The discounts he received were due to his large-scale purchases, making him the island's top client, which entitled him to those benefits.
There was nothing to fear from their investigation.
Based on Shanaila's tone, it seemed she was just waiting for the results.
"Alright, let's wait it out. But if they don't release you, I'll find a way to break in and rescue you."
Shanaila sounded exasperated. "What are you saying? This is my home. Breaking in sounds so crude."
"I'm just worried you'll be mistreated."
"Don't worry. Everything is still under control."
"Alright, that's good," Wu Heng said.
Shanaila continued, "If anything happens, I'll let you know. Don't worry about my safety."
"Alright. I'll wait for your return."
"Mm."
Ending the call, Wu Heng leaned against the desk, lost in thought.
Shanaila's return had unexpectedly led to this situation.
Even if the investigation proved she hadn't abused her authority for personal gain, her standing could still take a hit.
He decided to prepare in advance.
If needed, he would arrange for a ship to pick her up to prevent any complications.
...
Leaving the room, Wu Heng sat downstairs for a while.
Andviel soon returned from outside.
Dinner was served, and everyone gathered around the table.
Wu Heng looked at the two new maids and asked, "Robe, Annette, what are your professions?"
They couldn't just spend their days playing with Minnie.
They needed training and career advancement; otherwise, they'd struggle to protect themselves in danger.
"Master, I'm a Rogue, level 3," Robe said.
At less than 1.5 meters tall, Robe had to sit on a thick cushion to reach the table.
Annette, on the other hand, spoke softly, "Master, I don't have a profession yet. I've been saving up to buy a profession scroll."
Like Minnie, being this old without a profession was rare.
"What profession are you interested in?" Wu Heng asked her.
Minnie interjected, "She should be a Boxer. Boxers are great. Master's follower is an 18th-level Boxer; she can learn from him."
Robe cautiously added, "Annette, being a Rogue isn't bad either. When we were starving, I always found food."
Annette hesitated, glancing at both of them before looking at Wu Heng. She stammered, "I… I want to hear Master's suggestion."
Wu Heng smiled. "Choose what you like."
The Lop-Eared Rabbit girl hesitated for a moment before saying, "I'd like to be a Warrior. They say Warriors have strong bodies and don't get sick easily."
"Why a Warrior? They're everywhere," Minnie commented.
Andviel also advised, "Don't worry about the profession scroll. Master will get it for you."
"I still want to be a Warrior," Annette said softly. "Is that okay?"
"Of course. Tomorrow, Minnie will take you to the Guild for a profession scroll. You can also explore the city," Wu Heng said with a smile.
"Thank you, Master," Annette replied.
Minnie and Robe flanked her, whispering attempts to change her mind to another profession.
After dinner, they all did some light training together.
Wu Heng bathed and rested with Minnie and Andviel.
The other two retreated to their rooms early.
...
The next morning.
Wu Heng boarded the Ghost Train and headed straight for "Lopez City."
Wearing the [Concealment Cloak], he entered the Snake Emblem Consortium's VIP room.
After a brief wait,
the door opened, and an elf in a blue dress with lace trim on the collar and hem, "Letily," entered with a smile.
"Good morning, sir."
"Good morning." Wu Heng presented his badge. "Check for me—has my last order been completed?"
Letily, already prepared, clapped her hands lightly, signaling staff to bring in coffins one by one.
"Seven corpses in total: two Alchemists specializing in Potions and Explosives, two Engineers focused on Mechanical Modifications, one Blacksmith, one Chef, and one Gardener," Letily introduced each.
It seemed some time had passed since his last visit.
The number of corpses was higher than before.
"What levels are they?"
"As per your request, all are level 15 Professionals."
Wu Heng raised an eyebrow, scrutinizing her.
Level 15 special professions were rare.
Whether in kingdoms or prestigious guilds, such individuals were heavily protected.
Assassinations or natural deaths made sense, but delivering seven at once raised suspicions that they might be killing people just to fulfill his order.
Even though he needed these corpses,
he didn't want to create chaos or leave behind trouble for himself.
Letily noticed his gaze and smiled. "You haven't visited for some time. We coordinated with consortiums in various locations to procure these bodies. Rest assured, it won't cause any issues for you."
"Alright," Wu Heng nodded before asking, "What about the item to conceal identity and appearance? Any progress?"
"Not yet. If such an item is found, we'll prioritize delivering it to you," Letily replied.
It seemed such items were indeed rare.
"Let's settle the payment," Wu Heng said, collecting the corpses.
Letily arranged the payment and asked, "Would you like to continue purchasing corpses?"
"Yes, and I have a new request."
"Please wait a moment." Letily personally filled out a continuation order for corpse procurement.
Then she asked, "What's the new request?"
Wu Heng handed her a blueprint. "Construct a Flame Furnace magical structure based on these specifications and dimensions."
Letily examined it briefly. "No problem."
"How long will it take to complete?"
Letily replied, "If expedited, we can deliver it in five days, though the price will increase by 5%."
"That's fine. Speed it up."
"I'll collect it in five days."
Letily nodded with a smile and finalized the second order.
Wu Heng also paid the balance for the skeletons, completing the transaction.
Once everything was settled,
Wu Heng walked outside, with Letily and her team escorting him to the door.
Their departure sparked numerous discussions, with people speculating about his identity.
Leaving the area, Wu Heng summoned the Ghost Train to return to Gold-Silver Island.
...
Back on Gold-Silver Island.
Wu Heng headed straight to the Adventurer's Guild.
Entering the Guild Hall, he greeted staff along the way and made his way to the Steward's office.
He knocked lightly on the door and entered after receiving a response.
Sheila Grey was polishing her weapon, while her assistant, "Shiyali," sat nearby organizing files.
Seeing Wu Heng enter, Sheila raised an eyebrow, "What have you been up to? Haven't seen you around lately."
"I left the island briefly to purchase supplies," Wu Heng said, sitting down.
Assistant Shiyali served him tea.
Sheila returned to her chair, saying, "I've submitted the application for the second port. Whether it gets approved depends on how you draft your request."
"When I get back, I'll write up a request for expansion funding to have the Guild allocate funds for it."
Sheila hadn't mentioned this earlier, and Wu Heng had almost forgotten about it.
The last time he spoke with Sheila, he had discussed building a dedicated port.
The plan was to separate the Guild's and Gold-Silver Island's ships from commercial and civilian ports.
Wu Heng felt this arrangement would benefit both the Guild and himself, so there was no reason for him to shoulder the cost alone.
Sheila's actions seemed to confirm her agreement.
"Alright," Sheila nodded.
Wu Heng continued, "I also wanted to discuss the matter of the Flying Fish Pirate Captain with you."
Sheila replied bluntly, "He's a Tier-3 wanted criminal with charges of robbing caravans and murder. There's no way we can release him."
Releasing him today could lead to future complications.
They would all end up in trouble.
So, even if he had to die on the island, releasing him wasn't an option.
Wu Heng thought for a moment. Releasing him seemed inappropriate; everyone must face the consequences of their actions.
However, the man had indeed saved "Philipa."
Simply killing him would likely weigh heavily on Philipa's conscience.
"Is it possible to give him a chance to redeem himself? After all, he saved Philipa and the Guild's Whisperer. That counts as special merit," Wu Heng suggested after some thought.
Sheila furrowed her brow, "And how exactly do you plan to let him redeem himself?"
"I'm not sure. You're the Steward. Think about how he can atone for his mistakes."
Sheila fell silent for a moment before responding, "Let's keep him imprisoned for now. I'll report this to headquarters. If they're willing to give him a chance and revoke his wanted status, we can discuss further. Otherwise, we'll have to execute him."
"Fair enough," Wu Heng nodded.
This seemed like the best solution.
Whether the man could redeem himself depended on his luck.
If the Guild didn't revoke his wanted status, releasing him would only create more problems for everyone.
With this matter settled.
Sheila brushed her hair back, "By the way, where did you get that cooling device for your residence?"
"I'll have someone install one for you in a couple of days," Wu Heng said generously.
"I'll pay you for it."
"No need. The entire island belongs to me. Arranging a device for a good friend doesn't cost me anything," Wu Heng said casually.
Cooling devices were plentiful in the Zombie World, so this wasn't a big deal.
However, he would also need to set up solar panels for it.
Sheila chuckled, "Then thank you, Island Master."
"You're welcome. Do you need one for your assistant's place too?"
"Yes."
The two continued chatting.
Meanwhile, not far away, Assistant Shiyali leaned on her desk, watching the lively conversation between them, a smile on her face.
...
Back at the Island Master's Manor.
By the time Wu Heng returned, the sky had already darkened.
Another day had passed.
In the training room, the round-faced, floppy-eared rabbit girl, wielding a longsword, trained under the guidance of a skeleton warrior.
Her enthusiastic shouts of "Hah!" and "Hoo!" echoed loudly but lacked real vigor.
It was reminiscent of the early, clumsy days of Minnie's training.
"Master!" The group greeted him one after another.
"Did she complete her class change?"
Minnie sighed, "I couldn't change her mind; she insisted on being a Warrior."
"I think Warriors are great," Annette said shyly, bowing slightly. "Thank you, Master."
Wu Heng nodded, "Yes, Warriors are great. It's a clear career path. Train hard. In the future, we'll count on you to protect everyone."
"Yes, Master," Annette replied, her cheeks tinged with red.
Wu Heng returned to his study while the maids continued their training and chatting.
The Island Master's Manor was livelier than ever.
...
The next day, in the Zombie World.
On Wuyang Commercial Street.
The skeleton army formed a tightly packed phalanx of spears.
They marched forward step by step, crushing the mangled remains of corpses underfoot.
Zombies lunging forward were impaled by spears, struggling as they were slowly pushed back.
Eventually, they were skewered like pincushions and collapsed to the ground.
Ding~!
[Level increased to 18. Constitution +2, Intelligence +2, Charisma +1.]
[Trait Unlocked: Hero Creation.]