Necromancer, summoning 055? What the heck?

Chapter 215 The Shack's Debt and Troublesome Hiring

The dead dwell at the bottom of the valley, while the living live on the hillside.

Even necromancers need some sunlight, after all, their bodies need to be warm and their clothes need to be dried.

Therefore, the term "sleep shack" is not accurate; people still hope to rest peacefully in the sunlight.

From above, it looks like a slum nestled on the sunny side of a valley, with haphazardly crammed houses that seem ready to be swallowed up by the gray mist that permeates the valley at any moment.

Upon closer inspection, the architecture here is even more "diverse" and very creative.

Roughly carved caves, crooked wooden sheds, tents made of patched-up cloth and framed with huge animal bones, and makeshift shelters pieced together from broken carriages and even ship cabins that were of unknown origin...

These various shacks are crammed together in a chaotic mess, forming the unique "residential area" of the Valley of Exile. In the center of the residential area, narrow passageways meander through, with the widest part only wide enough for two people to pass side by side.

"Gentlemen, watch your step," Little Finger nimbly jumped off the carriage, avoiding a puddle of muddy water. "The road here is impassable for carriages; we'll have to walk."

Chen Mo and the others got out of the carriage and walked. It must be said that one advantage of the skeleton carriage is that it doesn't need to be looked after; it can be left there all day without being moved.

The arrival of Chen Mo and his group almost immediately became the focus of attention.

Their attire and demeanor were completely out of place, making it hard for them not to attract attention. However, most of the residents of the "Eternal Rest Shack" only glanced at them curiously before turning their attention away and continuing with their own work.

Perhaps because they spend so much time with undead creatures and have been tainted by too much "negative energy," most of the mages here are pale-faced and slow-moving.

The face of a thirty-year-old, the body of a fifty-year-old, and the spirit of a seventy-year-old!

They might be processing miscellaneous herbs or minerals by the pale sunlight; or leaning against a slope, turning the pages of yellowed scrolls; or carefully filling the eye sockets of skulls with various colored powders...

Seeing the lord's curious gaze, Doyle quickly explained, "This is called bone cleansing. It involves using medicine to remove the residual undead aura from the skeleton, so that when a new soul fire is embedded, it will be smoother and there will be no strong rejection!"

Chen Mo raised an eyebrow. So, there's a rejection reaction to the soul fire implantation?

Doyle clicked his tongue in amazement: "This is an ancient technique. Later, as summoning techniques became more and more sophisticated, the benefits of bone cleansing became too low, and it was abandoned long ago. My teacher's teacher's generation only understood a little bit of it. I never thought... I could still see it here!"

Chen Mo asked a few more questions and roughly understood the logic behind this reuse.

This is equivalent to refilling a lighter with kerosene, which can be reused. The problem is that it's okay to use this technology on brand-name lighters that cost several hundred yuan, but the profit is too low if you use this technology on lighters that only retail for one yuan.

The fact that this technology can still be used in shacks can only be interpreted as this one dollar being a significant asset for them, especially since labor costs here are extremely low!

The monk lived like a beggar, which was truly... hard to describe!

Within the entire "Sleep Shack" area, only the children who hadn't grown up retained some vitality. They chased and played at the door, sometimes squatting on the ground, the toys that popped out of their hands were several small rolling finger bone balls.

Although the Silver Kingdom is located in the south and has a high average temperature, it is now winter, and the Valley of Exile is gloomy and eerie, so one can still feel the chill in the air.

However, these little guys were dressed in tattered clothes, and most of them were barefoot, their exposed calves turning blue from the cold, which made Chen Mo shiver.

"A necromancer... how did he end up like this?"

Little Finger is well-known here, and people greet him from time to time. Hearing Chen Mo's question, he quickly replied, "Sir, that's how it is. The Ring of Wizards is quite grand! But the mages here are cheap. If your mission requirements aren't too high, hiring someone here is the most cost-effective!"

Chen Mo could tell that Xiao Muzhi had a bit of a selfish motive; children would come over from time to time to greet Xiao Muzhi, which was the place where he grew up.

The deeper you go, the more detailed your questions become. Well, it's true that this place is full of necromancers, but the vast majority of them are unable to escape and struggle because they are impoverished due to injury.

This is an unavoidable fate in a world sustained by individual force.

Just like many middle-class or petit-bourgeois families on Earth, a serious illness without any security can plunge them into abject poverty or even heavy debt.

The low-level necromancers here appear to range from prospective apprentices to third-tier Sunfires, but in reality, most of them are riddled with injuries and illnesses, even worse than Chen Mo is now.

If they weren't forced into this desperate situation, who would willingly choose to live in this miserable "Hollow of the Dead"?

“Like my family, my mother took everything and ran away. My father was seriously injured and his medicine cost two silver coins every month. We still had to feed the family.”

"At first, Dad was still able to go out on missions, but later his health deteriorated and he couldn't even use the skeleton soldiers anymore."

"If it weren't for the bigwigs of the 'Witch's Ring' lending me money, my dad and I would probably be gone by now!"

Of course, this money wasn't borrowed for nothing; not only did it have to be repaid, but it also incurred high interest rates, essentially making it a loan sharking scheme.

The key issue is that for Little Thumb's family, no matter how high the interest rate, no one would lend them money outside. Only in the Land of Exile, where the sage necromancers who built a large negative energy array made a pact to help their fellow necromancers as much as possible, was Little Thumb's family able to survive.

How much money do you owe?

"I owe sixteen gold coins, and I definitely can't pay them back!"

Little Finger scratched his head a little embarrassedly: "My dad said that when he dies, his bones will be sent to the White Bone Square, and his flesh will be sold to the sewing workshop. That should be enough to pay off about half of the debt. When I die too, the family debt will be paid off."

"Never thought about getting married and having children?"

"Sir, you must be joking. With my family's circumstances, how could I possibly find a wife?"

"Girls from outside don't come to the shack. The girls in the shack get married to help their families pay off debts. Why would they marry into a family where the debt keeps piling up?"

The little finger secretly pointed to a mage who was holding a skeleton in his arms and carefully wiping his shinbone, and said in a low voice:

"For a poor necromancer like me here, having a long-lasting bone companion is considered a perfect life, and everyone should congratulate him!"

Little Finger remained calm throughout, clearly having already accepted this fate.

After turning several corners and climbing the crooked stone steps, we arrived at the management area of ​​the "Eternal Rest Shed".

As the creditor of all the necromancer families in the entire shed, the higher-level Witcher's Ring has stationed mages here to oversee the missions, ostensibly to protect the rights of these lower-ranking mages.

Chen Mo's understanding was that, like the mercenary guilds on the mainland, they controlled the income channels and turned these necromancers into their "labor dispatch" employees, thus ensuring their continued control over them.

The management area is situated on a relatively flat, hard earthen platform, with several well-organized two-story stone houses forming its core.

These seemingly "luxurious" stone houses are neatly arranged against the mountainside, with mortar used to "luxuriously" fill the gaps between the stones, thick rainproof felt covering the roofs, and even the doors are double metal doors. Compared to the dilapidated shacks below, this place is truly "luxurious"!
It just feels a bit lifeless, lacking the vibrancy of the shantytowns below.

A wooden sign hangs at the entrance of the stone house, bearing the words "Eternal Sleep Shed Employment Agency" in red, slightly illegible celestial script, moonlit script, and the local script of the Silver Principality. Next to it is an exquisitely drawn scale pattern that looks as if it were pieced together from delicate bones.

Little Finger knelt respectfully at the door and called out loudly, "Is the Grand Master here? A gentleman from outside has come to hire someone!"

Several minutes later, half of the door was pushed open, and a lazy figure swayed out. This guy was not tall, had a pale face, and heavy bags under his eyes. It was unclear whether he had been disturbed from his rest, as he did not look well.

However, upon seeing Chen Mo and his group's attire, her eyes cleared, and she glanced at Xiaomuzhi with suspicion.

"Please come in!"

The group went inside, leaving only one old bull outside. Although it couldn't squeeze in, Kane Stonehoof still cautiously poked its long horns against the door frame, peeking out its big head and staring intently at the activity inside.

The interior of the stone house appeared more spacious than the exterior, divided into two rooms by a rough wooden counter. The outer room contained only a few empty wooden tables and stools, while the inner room had a heavy table piled high with books, scrolls, and magical materials that emitted faint energy fluctuations.

"My name is Basil, and it's my turn to be on duty today."

"You gentlemen are from out of town, aren't you? You look like necromancers too. Why don't you hire undead creatures instead of coming here to recruit necromancers?"

"Excuse me for being frank, but in the sheds down here, there shouldn't be any summoners of a higher level than the two of you..." Basil's voice was a little dry, with a slight pause.

Chen Mo withdrew his gaze from looking around: "It's like this, we need to hire undead creatures and necromancers. It doesn't matter if their skill level is low. I want to hire more people. It's not for any complicated tasks. Anyone with the skill level of an apprentice can be used!"

"Oh? Okay, okay!"

Once it was confirmed that this person was genuinely there to hire someone, and not some clueless outsider who had been lured there by the little ones, Basil immediately became much more enthusiastic.

According to the unwritten rules of the Exile, guides who bring people to hire necromancers receive a small commission, so some guests who could have simply hired undead creatures are still tricked into coming to the 'Eternal Sleep Shack'.

Yeah, it's because those undead don't know how to give kickbacks.

This might help the struggling necromancers increase their income, but there are also problems. If the employer is fooled once and finds out the truth, they might cause trouble. Basil has been here for so long and has encountered plenty of such troubles.

Now that the other party says they also hire undead creatures, they must know the market rate and are undoubtedly a genuine client!

Basil brought out a stack of yellowed books from the inner room, dipped her brush in the ink, and wrote:
“Great! We don’t have much else here, but we have plenty of mages! Experienced, reasonably priced, obedient, and easy to use! What kind of mages are you looking to recruit? How many? What rank? Where will they go? Is it a long-term job or a short-term mission? How dangerous is it? How will the payment be settled? In cash or in kind? We’ll need to estimate the value of the innards…”

A barrage of questions came at him like a machine gun; he was clearly a seasoned professional.

"The more people, the better! Long-term employment, at least one year, and if we can sign long-term contracts, I'm willing to accept three or five years!"

"Of course, you need to explain the condition of these monks to me clearly. They can't be sickly and weak, or they can't be dead as soon as they step out. I won't accept that!"

"As for the ranks, there's no upper limit, starting from apprentice! I don't even know the price for each rank yet, you'll have to calculate it for me."

"The location is a bit far. Beyond the Xiyue Federation, further north, in the desert area, the mission is almost entirely safe..."

Luo Le, who had been beaming with excitement as Chen Mo spoke, suddenly looked dejected.

"So far? Sir, low-level mages in our Exile cannot undertake missions this far. The journey involves traversing mountains and rivers; what about safety along the way…?"

Doyle tapped the table lightly, interrupting Basil: "We are fully responsible for your safety on the road. I know you have a security deposit, and we will pay it. Any problems that arise on the road will be on our end!"

"No..." Basil became a little anxious and stood up to explain something, but was then pressed down onto the table by a force as solid as a physical pressure.

The monk with eye bags was filled with terror, from his eyes to his eye bags.

Although she has been playing the role of a decorative figurehead and accessory until now, how could Liushuang, a fifth-tier greatswordsman, possibly make the mage on the other side make any ambiguous moves at such close range?

If Basil hadn't genuinely shown no intention of attacking, his head would probably be rolling on the ground by now.

Chen Mo smiled, patted Liu Shuang's shoulder, and whispered in the little girl's ear, "Don't worry, it's okay. I'm protected. You can hug me without any problem. Who can hurt me?"

Liu Shuang lowered her head again, only the tips of her ears, which were visible on the side of her head, looked like red-hot branding irons.

With the oppressive force lifted, Basil, having recovered, quickly took a step back, looking at the people in front of him with seven parts fear and three parts suspicion.

Even the most ignorant person knows what it means to be able to project pressure outwards.

This is still that mage's attendant... well, such a beautiful and exquisite female attendant might have some other uses.

But this one is only a second-tier cultivator, which means—

A powerful and influential background!

Having quickly sorted out his thoughts, Basil spoke in an exceptionally sincere tone, word by word: "Sir mage, it's not that I'm trying to make things difficult for you. When necromancers in the Exile go on mercenary missions, low-level mages never cross the borders of the Silver Duchy."

"I dare not grant your request; I can only ask the high-ranking mages above to determine it!"

"Please wait here for a moment, I'll go report right away!"

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Basil left quickly, and the Archmage arrived just as quickly.

In the Land of Exile, the archmages of the Ring of Wizards, perhaps having picked up this bad habit from the King of the Underworld, all conceal their true names, using code names instead. The one before them calls himself "Bone Spear."

The archmage was tall and thin, wearing a dark gray robe embroidered with intricate runes in silver thread. His face was mostly covered by a hood, revealing only a thin chin and thin lips.

What was most striking were his hands, visible beneath his robe sleeves. Several bone rings adorned his pale, slender fingers, and his nails bore a dull grayish-white hue. The sharp-eyed Liu Shuang even noticed the deep, raised lines on his nails; she had heard the lord say that this man had some health issues.

However, the "Bone Spear" mage was of sound mind, and communication between the higher-ups was generally smooth. The "Bone Spear" mage explained to Chen Mo his employment arrangement and why the Valley of Exile found his demands unacceptable.

First, the motives are questionable.

When hiring someone, distance itself is a cost. Hiring a mage apprentice thousands of kilometers away could cost as much as hiring a high-level mage nearby, which easily raises questions about the rationality of the matter.

Furthermore, because Chen Mo proposed hiring a large number of people over long distances, and for extended periods of time, the Valley of Exile had to consider the possibility that these people might not be able to return.

Then it's not a matter of a deposit, because most of the necromancers in the "Eternal Sleep Hut" are still in debt.

The local monk's loan sharking was slightly more ethical than the dwarf's, but the result was the same: neither could repay the loan.

Hiring a mage for a mission, for example, with a hiring fee of eight silver coins and a deposit of eighty silver coins, is considered a reasonable market price that everyone can accept, because it is assumed that the mage will return, and accidents are only very rare events.

However, if this mage is also burdened with a debt of eight gold coins, which is eight hundred silver coins, then the accounts become troublesome.

Asking the employer to pay 800 silver coins is unacceptable. The employer thinks that since the mage is crippled like this, he is not worth that price even if he is exploited to death.

But if you only pay a deposit, the creditor won't accept it either. If this person is useful, I can use him for another ten or eight years, and even if he dies, I can still dismantle his bones and sell his flesh and blood. Although I still can't recover the debt, I should be able to get more than the deposit.

These differences are very difficult to bridge.

The "Bone Spear" mage even laid his cards on the table, saying, "Even if the person is still alive when your hiring period is over, the cost of sending them back will be higher than the deposit you paid. How can I believe you will send them back?"

"That doesn't make sense, does it?"

After hearing what the other party said, which was quite reasonable, Chen Mo couldn't help but fall into deep thought.

Ultimately, it's because low-level necromancers and undead creatures shouldn't have made Chen Mo travel across mountains and seas to hire people. If this fundamental logic isn't established, many subsequent deductions cannot be made.

Chen Mo couldn't possibly tell the other party that a skeleton equipped with firearms was no match for an entry-level warrior.

After thinking for a long time, Chen Mo still tried to make one last effort.

"How about this, could you send me a list of hiring prices and a detailed breakdown of the security deposit? I'll calculate it and see how much I can offer at most, then we can discuss it further, okay?"

Despite his bewilderment, the "Bone Spear" mage agreed to Chen Mo's request.

Soon, after a night of deliberation, Chen Mo, full of confidence, proposed a plan to the "Witch's Ring" for personnel transfers, while simultaneously helping the Valley of Exile to "clean up bad debts."

No matter how you calculate it, it's all beneficial to the Valley of Exile.

Then, half a day later, news came from the "Witch's Ring": they rejected Chen Mo's proposal and forbade necromancers and undead creatures from going on missions outside the Silver Kingdom.

(End of this chapter)