Chapter 647, Join or Die
Top floor room.
A sniper rifle extended from a window crack, aiming at the approaching skeleton horde.
The skeletons wore various styles of armor and carried weapons, surrounding and escorting the slow-moving convoy.
Sanfu Port's skeleton army had already become known over the radio.
They even broadcast propaganda at set times every day.
"They stopped moving," the sniper said.
The spotter with binoculars added, "Don't rush. First, we find the ability user controlling the skeletons. If we can take him out, it'll save us a lot of trouble."
"I know. Don't distract me."
The two began searching for their target among the crowd below.
Suddenly, one person among the skeletons turned and looked directly at them.
It was as if he could see through the scope, locking eyes with the sniper.
What the hell?
Did he spot me?
...
Convoy position.
Wu Heng had just stepped off the truck when a strong sense of danger surged within him.
His expression shifted, and he snapped his head toward the rooftop in the distance.
Enhanced perception made his eyesight several times that of an ordinary person. A quick glance was enough to catch the glint of a scope in the window.
His body instinctively moved to the side.
Crack~!
Almost simultaneously, a bullet struck the truck's reinforced steel panel, leaving a dent.
A sniper rifle!
To be that accurate from such a distance, it could only be a sniper rifle.
Wu Heng raised his hand and cast [Fog Spell].
Thick mist instantly blanketed the area, obscuring the surroundings.
He gave the order, "Skeletons, all attack. Kill everyone."
Whoosh~!
Instantly, the skeletons abandoned the convoy and charged out of the fog, rushing toward the walls.
Wu Heng spoke to his three ghost companions, "Xiaoxiao, take out the sniper. Glenda, take the wall—stop those autocannons from firing. Beni, stay by me. Warn me if danger approaches."
"Understood!"
"Be careful."
"Uncle, don't die, okay?"
"If you keep talking, I just might."
"Got it!" Xiaoxiao zipped off toward the rooftop, while Glenda headed straight for the wall.
Wu Heng opened the truck door and said, "Pull the convoy back. Get some distance."
Qi Hancai issued the order over the radio.
The convoy reversed, retreating behind a building at a crossroads.
...
Bang bang bang~!
Machine gunners on the wall opened fire.
Bullets rained like a net, rattling against the lead skeletons.
Their bone frames reduced bullet damage, but the armor still absorbed impacts. Hit skeletons collapsed, then staggered back to their feet.
They charged forward again.
The soldiers on the wall widened their eyes.
They couldn't believe what they were seeing—skeletons hit by gunfire getting back up.
These things wouldn't die?
What the hell?
"Shit, these skeletons aren't scared of bullets!"
"Use the autocannons! Machine guns are useless."
"Hurry, don't let them get through!"
As the skeletons closed in, panic spread among the defenders.
They turned toward the autocannon.
But the operator's face turned red, veins bulging on his neck.
"Help… help me!"
Crack~!
The next moment, his head twisted 180 degrees and he collapsed.
Everyone stared in shock.
No one could comprehend what had just happened.
"Help! My body… it's moving on its own!"
Another rifle-wielding soldier moved like a puppet, raising his weapon and opening fire on his own men.
Bang bang bang~!
Bullets tore into their own defenders. Screams and curses echoed throughout the base.
In an instant, the fortified base fell into chaos.
Skeletons trampled over each other, climbing like a swarm of ants, scaling the wall and leaping onto the defenders.
The soldiers had no way to fight back.
Skeletons surged from the front, and traitorous allies turned guns on their own from behind.
The invading skeletons threw open the main gates.
Even more skeletons poured into the base.
...
Rooftop room on the side.
The sniper and his partner scrambled to pack their gear and escape.
Things had gone far beyond what they expected.
Someone who could spot them before they fired—and dodge a bullet? That only happened on TV.
Yet it was happening right now.
Creak~!
Suddenly, the window beside them swung open.
"What are you doing?" the sniper frowned.
He looked up and saw his companion's stiff face as the man stepped onto the windowsill and jumped.
Thud—the body hit the ground below.
Blood spread from beneath him.
The sniper stared in disbelief.
A second later, his own body lurched forward.
He toppled from the window.
...
Wooo~!
A howling wind tore the sky.
A helicopter roared upward.
But just as it ascended, the pilot's neck twisted backward, and his headset cord wrapped around his throat.
The chopper spun out of control.
With a boom, it crashed.
Everyone aboard died.
...
The battle didn't last long.
Wu Heng heard Glenda's voice, "The base is secured. I checked every room and corner—no survivors. It's safe."
Wu Heng nodded slightly and turned to Qi Hancai.
"The fight's over. Let the convoy in."
Qi Hancai radioed the command. The convoy rolled forward, rounding the corner into the camp.
Skeletons and remains littered the path.
Despite their bullet resistance, some skeletons had fallen.
But not many. Only five or six seemed truly destroyed.
The convoy passed through the gates and entered the base.
Skeleton warriors had already begun cleaning the battlefield. Nearly forty bodies were laid in the central plaza.
Wu Heng stepped down from the truck.
The surviving base members followed him out.
Qi Hancai ordered a perimeter check and called the two Korean navy guides over.
Seeing the corpses, both men stiffened.
They hadn't expected this.
The base was wiped out—every single person.
"Let's go. To the port," Wu Heng said.
The two led Wu Heng along the coast.
"Chief, this is where the warships dock. Both escorts and military vessels stop here for repairs and resupply," one explained.
Wu Heng looked over, eyebrows lifting slightly.
In the distance stood a familiar escort ship, plus three standard ships and over ten military speedboats.
"Only one escort ship?" Wu Heng asked.
"Unless someone sailed off during the fight, that's all there is," the man replied.
Wu Heng instructed Big Head Skeleton, "Deploy skeletons. Secure the port."
Whoosh~!
A hundred skeletons charged in, locking down the area.
After inspecting the port—
Wu Heng returned to the center of the base.
Qi Hancai approached excitedly. "Come quick, look at this."
"What did you find?" Wu Heng asked with a smile.
Qi Hancai led him to a warehouse.
The doors opened to reveal a helicopter.
"Chief, Deputy Chief—this is a Lynx shipborne helicopter. It's used on escort ships and still works," one Korean navy man explained.
Wu Heng nodded. "You two know how to fly it?"
"We can do the checks. Actual piloting is usually handled by naval aviators."
Wu Heng didn't press. "Let's go see what else is here."
The group entered the storage area.
Inside were missiles, shells, three seven-barrel Gatling guns, and specialized ship equipment.
The two navy men explained each item in turn.
Once they finished the inspection—
Wu Heng stored all regular firearms and ammunition in his space ring.
Then they returned to the plaza with the bodies.
The Korean guides looked at the corpses and felt a deep unease.
"Chief, if we're not needed, we'll go help over there," one muttered.
"Don't go yet. Identify any technicians among the bodies," Wu Heng said.
They glanced around, confused, but started pointing people out.
Out of 40+ corpses, they identified 7.
Three were mostly intact.
They specialized in electronics and shipborne systems.
"Alright, you can go now," Wu Heng dismissed them.
The two nodded and hurried away.
...
"What do you plan to do?" Qi Hancai asked.
Wu Heng looked at the corpses. "Let's see if they're willing to join us."
"Join us? As skeletons?" Qi Hancai asked curiously.
"You'll see in a moment."
During the battle, because the enemy had powerful modern weapons, Wu Heng feared they'd bring out something massive that could blow him up.
So he'd ordered the skeletons to kill everyone—leave no survivors.
Now that it was safe, he could consider the matter of skilled technicians.
Those seven-barrel ship-mounted cannons weren't manually operated—they were integrated systems.
Specialists were needed to install them.
Unfortunately, the aircraft pilot's corpse was mangled.
His body was twisted, and half of his skull had collapsed.
In that state, not even [Resurrection Spell] could bring him back.
Only three corpses were intact enough—with clear blade wounds.
Wu Heng walked to the first body and cast [Resurrection Spell]. Necromantic energy slowly entered the corpse.
Cough~!
The body jolted, coughed dryly, and spat out a mouthful of blood.
Qi Hancai flinched, instinctively stepping back.
The guy had been dead for a while.
And now he was alive again?
A real King of Hell!
Master of life and death.
Wu Heng followed with [Life Sustain Spell] to stabilize the revived man.
The technician, now gravely wounded, looked at them in terror, blood still dripping from his mouth.
Wu Heng said, "We're from Sanfu Port Base. You get one chance—join us and work for us, or die again."
The technician's pupils shrank. After hesitating a moment, he nodded with difficulty.
"Welcome aboard. You don't have to die again." Wu Heng poured a healing potion into his mouth.
The injuries visibly improved. He could now survive without the sustain spell.
Wu Heng moved on to the second corpse, revived him the same way, then asked, "Same offer—join us, or die."
The second man glared at him, glanced around at the corpses.
He turned his head away in silence.
"Your choice." Wu Heng canceled the spell.
Blood gushed out, and the man died again.
Wu Heng approached the third. A woman, streaks of white in her hair, looking close to fifty.
To survive this long at her age was impressive.
He cast [Resurrection Spell] and [Life Sustain Spell] again.
"Join us… or die."
The woman frowned. "You people…"
"Just answer," Wu Heng cut her off.
"I… I'll join," she sighed.
Wu Heng gave her a potion. Her wounds rapidly improved.
"We have medics, right? Bring them over to treat these two," he told Qi Hancai.
Qi Hancai nodded, radioed for help, and two old base members—one man, one woman—came running.
"Take them to the infirmary. Watch them. Alert me if anything goes wrong," Qi Hancai ordered.
"Yes, Sister Qi." The two fetched stretchers and carried the injured to the medical room.
Wu Heng then used [Battlefield of the Dead] on the remaining corpses.
They joined the skeleton ranks.
...
Inside a spacious conference room—
Qi Hancai said, "This place is way better equipped than Sanfu Port."
Garages, medical rooms, meeting rooms, dorms…
Each room had a dedicated purpose. Some were cluttered or abandoned, but still useful.
Overall, this place was far superior.
"It's a military base. Of course it's better," Wu Heng said, handing her a bottle of mineral water.
Qi Hancai took it, sipped, and asked, "We keeping this place?"
"For now. Later we'll figure out how to manage both ports," Wu Heng said.
The two ports had similar functions and were close by.
With a small population, maintaining both was inefficient.
They'd discuss options later.
"Alright," Qi Hancai nodded.
Wu Heng continued, "Keep a close watch on those two. Don't let them leave until we're sure."
"I'll assign people to tail them."
"You handle the rest."
Qi Hancai smiled. "Wanna pick rooms?"
They left the meeting room and headed to the dormitory.
Wu Heng chose one room. Qi Hancai picked the one next door.
It was a temporary base of operations.
With Qi Hancai in charge, Wu Heng returned to his room, opened the gate, and went back to Gold-Silver Island.
...
Island Lord's Residence.
Wu Heng waited downstairs until dinner was served.
They gathered at the table, eating and chatting about recent events on the island.
Sales of pens and watches had slowed since the initial boom, but lines still formed daily.
Meanwhile, their factories had started mass production.
The sales limit for guilds would eventually be lifted, boosting numbers again.
"Master, do you remember the bard Sabban?" Andviel asked.
"The one who adapted the detective stories? What about him?" Wu Heng replied.
Wu Heng remembered the name.
The man's name had reminded him of an old internet meme from the apocalypse era.
That's how he'd remembered it.
Andviel said, "His troupe is ready to perform at the 'Gemflower Opera House' and invited you to watch."
"Public show?"
"No, just for you. They want your feedback before going public," she explained.
Considerate.
"Alright. Tomorrow morning. Everyone come. You too, Viel—clear your schedule."
Minnie and Annette's eyes lit up. They looked thrilled.
Andviel nodded. "Yes, Master."
After dinner—
They chatted in the living room. Wu Heng was about to head upstairs to assemble the railgun.
When someone knocked at the courtyard gate.
...
Minnie opened it. Returning with her was Sheila Grey, clad in battle armor, sword at her waist.
Her timing surprised Wu Heng.
"Have you eaten?" Wu Heng asked.
"Yes," Sheila Grey casually took a seat across from him.
She removed her helmet and sword, setting them aside.
Minnie brought tea and snacks, then left for the training room—leaving them alone.
"You need something?" Wu Heng looked at the refined elven beauty.
Sheila Grey sipped her tea. "Remember that merchant rep you killed? He was a Secret Cult member."
Glenda's ex-husband.
"I remember. Did the guild settle that?" Wu Heng asked.
Sheila Grey replied, "The guild's distancing itself. But I'm here about the Cat-and-Mouse Society."
Cat-and-Mouse Society?
"You've got news?"