Chapter 227 - 138: Final Mercy (Part 2)
Low Level Skeleton Undead are easy to create; all you need are bones. They lack combat strength, but you can make up for it with numbers. High Tier Soldier Types are different, though. Even creating large groups of High Level Skeleton Warriors requires a vast amount of Soul Energy.
But Soul Energy typically comes from killing living creatures. In other words, to produce more High Tier Warriors, you need more Soul Energy. To get more Soul Energy, you have to provoke wars and slaughter. And that slaughter will stir up resentment, eventually making you an enemy of the whole world.
’Damn, this racial limitation is hidden pretty deep. If someone hadn’t pointed it out, I might never have realized it. It all seems normal on the surface, but it’s actually a huge trap. I mean, what good can possibly come from being the enemy of the entire world?’
’I have to admit, this piece of information from Benjamin is actually useful. It’s a real wake-up call. I need to be careful.’
This reminded him of his recent indifference toward life. After spending so much time with the Undead, he had grown numb to death. He had even started to feel a certain aversion to living beings, which was not a good sign.
’I may be an Undead City Lord, but I’m still human. If the whole world were really filled with nothing but Undead, that would be far too miserable, wouldn’t it?’
After Benjamin finished speaking, he stared at Li Ziyu. Seeing the expressions shifting on Li Ziyu’s face, he knew instantly that the information had been useful. He waited until Li Ziyu let out a long breath, his expression returning to normal, before he cautiously asked, "Is that information acceptable? May I leave?"
Li Ziyu shook his head. "Not enough. This piece of information isn’t enough to buy your freedom. I need more."
Benjamin fell silent, his mind racing to find any other useful information that could satisfy the Undead City Lord and secure his release.
After a moment of thought, his eyes suddenly lit up. "I have another piece of information! It’s important, and it’s about you!"
"Oh? About me? Do tell." Li Ziyu raised an eyebrow, his interest piqued once more. He hadn’t expected to hear any news concerning him.
"I can tell you, but you have to promise you’ll let me go." Benjamin watched Li Ziyu warily. He had already given up one piece of information; what if he gave another and Li Ziyu still said it wasn’t enough? He had to negotiate the terms first.
"Fine," Li Ziyu said magnanimously, a confident smile gracing his lips. "If it really does concern me, I’ll let you go."
Benjamin’s second piece of information was indeed related to Li Ziyu. Not only was it related, but it was also incredibly important—it was news about the Cancerous Tumor Alliance Army!
Li Ziyu had been putting down roots ever since arriving in the Wraith Mountain Range. And while Zhang Peng was working hard to expand their intelligence network, he simply hadn’t had enough time, limiting the speed at which he could gather information.
Benjamin, on the other hand, had made his living by Plundering. He was constantly on the move, conquering new territories and rarely staying in one place, which gave him much broader channels for information. He had heard this particular news about the Cancerous Tumor Alliance Army from a Tribe he had once plundered.
The Lizardman, goblin, and Headhunter Race had formed a coalition and announced to the Wasteland that they were declaring war on the Undead. The news spread among the various Tribes, and with such juicy gossip, it was only natural for people to pay attention. That was how Benjamin learned a few things. Rumor had it the three factions would be dispatching hundreds of thousands of Warriors, a force of immense scale.
They were already gathering their forces and would soon march to launch a crusade against the Undead.
"Do you know where the army is assembling?" Li Ziyu asked, narrowing his eyes and sitting up straight.
’This information is incredibly useful. Damn it, it’s a good thing I found out. We’re talking hundreds of thousands of Warriors, and here I was, taking it easy. If they’d launched a surprise attack, I would’ve died a miserable death.’
He glanced at Zhang Peng. ’This intelligence network isn’t up to par,’ he thought.
Zhang Peng noticed Li Ziyu’s gaze and couldn’t help but give a bitter, inward smile. It really wasn’t his fault. It was the same old problem: the intelligence network was too new, the surrounding Tribes didn’t fully trust him yet, and though he was willing, his resources were limited.
The affairs of the Cancerous Tumor Alliance Army had nothing to do with Benjamin, so he didn’t know much. He certainly wouldn’t know something as secret as the location of the Alliance Army’s assembly point.
After confirming that Benjamin knew nothing more about the Alliance Army, Li Ziyu didn’t make things difficult. He waved a hand, signaling that he was free to go.
Benjamin was stunned for a moment, then overjoyed. He scrambled to his feet and scurried outside, any thought of Percy long forgotten.
’A companion?’
’What companion?’
’Do I even have a companion? Don’t joke around like that!’
’When it’s a matter of life and death, you have to look out for number one.’
Stumbling out of the main building’s entrance, he glanced back. The Undead merely watched him in silence, not moving a muscle. Only then did Benjamin finally let out a sigh of relief and run toward the edge of the platform.
"Boss, are you just letting him go like that?" Zhang Peng asked doubtfully, watching Benjamin’s retreating figure.
He didn’t see Li Ziyu as some soft-hearted person who would simply release a potential enemy. Unleashing a tiger back into the mountains—that wasn’t something Li Ziyu would do.
The corners of Li Ziyu’s mouth curled into a smile, but he said nothing.
’It’s true I said I’d let Benjamin go, and I’m a man of my word. I’m doing just that. But letting you leave and whether you can actually survive the departure... those are two different things.’
Benjamin ran along the platform, past countless Undead. They didn’t attack him, merely watching him with their chilling Soul Fire. He saw Minotaurs, who followed him with curious gazes but didn’t approach.
The Undead City Lord was a man of his word; he hadn’t stopped him from leaving.