After tidying up their gear, the group set out once again, following those staggering corpses deeper into the forest.
They did not light torches, but fortunately, as a mage, Anne cast a night vision spell on them, allowing everyone to see as clearly as in daylight even in the pitch-black night. This naturally delighted the mercenaries, and their view of Anne instantly changed. At the beginning, they hadn't understood why they needed to bring along a spoiled and frail young lady. But now…
Well, having a mage really was convenient.
"What the hell is this cursed thing?"
Following behind the corpses and watching those charred husks stumbling across the snowy fields, Cliff couldn't help but complain aloud. Honestly, just seeing corpses walking at night was creepy enough—but trailing after them on purpose felt like something out of a nightmare.
"What do you think, Anne?"
Duanmu Huai still led at the front, scanning the surroundings while asking Anne, who was curled up in his arms. She frowned, thought for a moment, then shook her head.
"I'm not too sure. This kind of magic is strictly forbidden to study in Manaria. But controlling corpses like this… it feels more like necromancy…"
"Can it be dealt with?"
"Normally, fire magic is more than enough."
"That's true."
Duanmu Huai nodded and said no more. After all, he had his warhammer imbued with Sigmar's holy power. Facing a necromancer wasn't much of a problem.
Like this, the group followed the dead for nearly half the night until Duanmu Huai finally stopped.
"They're just up ahead."
He lowered his voice, speaking to the others behind him. Hearing this, they were all taken aback.
"You saw something?"
"Of course."
Through the targeting system in his helmet, Duanmu Huai could clearly see the distant scene. In the magnified view before him, a massive, broken-down carriage stood on the mountain path. Stuffed inside it were countless corpses, waving their arms in despair, letting out cries and wails like the sounds of mourning. On the carriage sat a figure completely wrapped in a tattered robe, one hand clutching a withered staff, the other shaking a small black bell.
Meanwhile, corpses from all directions were shambling toward the carriage, gathering around it.
Duanmu Huai described what he saw to the others, and they were all shocked.
"That many corpses? What is it trying to do?"
"No ordinary necromancer could ever gather so many!"
Kevin frowned. As he said, while necromancers in this world did indeed have the power to summon spirits, skeletons, and zombies, their strength was usually limited. In other words—both numbers and time constrained them.
But for a necromancer like this, seemingly unrestricted in gathering the dead—maybe even the living—that was nearly impossible.
"Whether possible or not, this is the situation."
Duanmu Huai never bothered with theoretical debates. It was like in movies where scientists always said, "That's impossible"—if it's impossible, then explain it. Otherwise, nothing is impossible.
Especially in a world where gods truly existed, if someone told him birds swam in water, he'd believe it. To him, the real question wasn't whether it was possible, but whether he should go and smash it.
"Should we attack?"
"That won't be easy."
Kevin shook his head. According to Duanmu Huai, the carriage was already filled with countless corpses, and around it stood skeletal guards, mounted death knights on skeletal steeds, and floating liches chanting blasphemous whispers as they herded corpses onto the carriage. Charging straight in with just their group would be suicide.
"I… I've heard of this…"
At that moment, one of the mercenaries turned pale.
"I've heard… the tale of these night-roaming corpses. They say an old necromancer wanders across the Empire, collecting the dead wherever he goes. With each ringing of his bell, the corpses slumbering in their graves rise to follow him. And if anyone dares stop him… they become part of his collection. No one knows why the old necromancer does this. Some say he made a pact with a powerful being…"
"So basically, a professional grave-robber."
Duanmu Huai rolled his eyes.
"Don't worry. Since I said we'll fight, I naturally have the confidence."
"If you're certain…"
Kevin fell silent for a moment, then nodded.
"Very well. Then let's try. But please—capture the necromancer alive. There are questions I want to ask him."
Since the employer had spoken, the others could only obey, even if unwilling. Soon, they reached the forest close to the carriage. From there, they could clearly see dozens of skeleton soldiers holding spears on either side, behind them mounted death knights, and liches floating about, muttering dark words as they drove the corpses forward.
Duanmu Huai watched silently until the last corpse climbed onto the carriage. Then he nodded at Anne.
"Do it."
"Understood!"
Anne, who had long grown impatient, leapt up at once. She raised her hand high, and above the carriage, a massive magic circle appeared. From within it emerged a blazing fireball, burning like the sun, casting light over everything.
Seeing this, the liches beside the carriage were horrified. They hurriedly raised their staffs, trying to dispel the terrifying spell. But at that moment, Anne swung her hand downward. The fireball fell from the sky, crashing straight into the middle of the convoy.
"Boom!!!"
The explosion engulfed the carriage, annihilating most of the skeletal soldiers and death knights. Flames consumed everything, the fire roaring skyward.
"…"
The mercenaries were dumbstruck, staring at Anne in shock. They had never imagined the little girl possessed such overwhelming power. But before they could even marvel, Duanmu Huai had already stood up, warhammer in hand, and charged from the trees.
"Charge!!"
At his roar, the others tightened their grips on their weapons and followed.
Meanwhile, the undead guarding the carriage also noticed the attack and rushed to retaliate.
"——!!"
Just as Duanmu Huai burst from the forest, a death knight on a skeletal steed charged him head-on. But Duanmu Huai didn't even bother to block—he lowered his shoulder and rammed forward. In an instant, both horse and rider were smashed into fragments. Cleaning up the remains could be left to the others.
He had only one target!
After breaking through the knight, Duanmu Huai charged on, like a runaway truck plowing through the skeleton guard line, diving straight into the flames. The massive carriage stuffed with corpses was now a giant bonfire, flames leaping skyward. But the heat did not slow him. He stormed into the blaze, and soon he saw, within the fire, a broken skeleton struggling to move, reaching out toward a black bell that lay just ahead.
That thing!!
The moment he saw the black bell, Duanmu Huai's eyes flashed cold. He strode forward, grabbed the bell, and at once a system notification appeared before him.
\[Acquired Relic: "Spirit-Summoning Bell"]
Phew… done!
Seeing the system prompt, Duanmu Huai finally exhaled in relief. This was one of the reasons he had insisted on striking immediately. Having discovered a relic, naturally, he had to claim it.
But it wasn't over yet.
Stowing the bell, Duanmu Huai seized the necromancer's struggling skeleton, yanking him out of the flames. Pathetic—the old necromancer had only shielded half the blast. His lower body was completely obliterated, leaving only his upper torso, which Duanmu Huai now dragged out.
By then, Kevin and the mercenaries had finished clearing the rest of the undead. Without their master's control, the skeletons and knights were hardly a threat.
"This one's the culprit."
Duanmu Huai hefted the half-ruined necromancer.
"So, what now? Should I finish him?"
"Wait a moment."
Kevin stepped forward, smiling slightly as he looked at the necromancer.
"Allow me to have a little chat with him."
"Of course."
Duanmu Huai ripped off the skeleton arms still dangling from the necromancer and tossed him aside. Kevin approached, murmured a few words to the necromancer, and received a short reply. The necromancer then burst into mad laughter—cut off abruptly.
Kevin rose, pulling his bloodstained sword from the necromancer's skull. With a grave expression, he turned back to the others.
"Everyone… it seems our work is far from finished."
(End of Chapter)