Necromancer, summoning 055? What the heck?

Chapter 216 The Conflict at the Skeleton Dome, The Fate of the Exile
Deep within the Valley of Exile, the terrain gradually rises, shrouded in gray mist.

In stark contrast to the chaotic and crammed "Eternal Sleep Huts" in the valley, the "Witch's Ring" in the upper part of the valley presents a completely different atmosphere.

This is a huge castle, a castle built of stone and bones.

The main structure of the castle is formed by dozens of incredibly thick, arched giant bones that interlock and protect each other, creating a pale dome that covers half of the mountain. From the inside out, it is distributed in three incompletely closed rings.

The origin of these materials is a mystery. No necromancer today knows what kind of creature was summoned that left behind such a huge, lustrous white bone with a surface as smooth and warm as jade.

Only the bone spurs growing from the joints of certain bones, pointing like barricades towards the gray sky, seem to still be telling the story of the former glory of these underworld spirits.

Beneath the circular dome lies a complex of buildings where the mages lived and studied. These buildings are nested in layers along the mountainside, with winding corridors and cantilevered terraces. The exteriors of the buildings are covered with polished bone panels, treated dark wood, and variegated crystals of varying transparency.

Behind the largest transparent crystal door, a group of mages from the "Witch's Ring" were engaged in a heated debate inside a semi-circular building that overlooked the entire Exile.

They are the core decision-making body of the "Witch's Ring," the true leaders of the Valley of Exile.

The subject of the debate was naturally the unprecedented "Exiled Lands Necromancer Transfer Cooperation Plan" proposed by Chen Mo.

Seven bone pillars stand around the circular hall, each topped with a cluster of eerie blue fireflies that illuminate the space in a flickering light.

Sitting on the left side of the stone table was the youngest-looking necromancer in the entire room, who appeared to be only in his thirties. He stood out conspicuously among the group of elderly mages.

Following the conventions of the Valley of Exile, this person's codename is "Night Whisper".

【Night Whisper】Born in the "Eternal Sleep Shack", he rose through the ranks with his outstanding talent until he became one of the twelve highest administrators of the Exile. Among the higher-ups of the "Witch's Ring", he is an absolute representative of the grassroots faction.

At this moment, he was tapping the table lightly with the bone ornament on his finger, expressing his dissatisfaction with these stubborn old guys in a high-pitched voice.

"Have your brains been assimilated by those empty skeletons?"

"If you open your eyes even a little and do the math carefully, you should understand how generous this offer is. The other party has offered a deal that is almost on par with the Silver Duchy's massive procurement!"

[Night Whisper]'s voice grew louder and louder. Although as a necromancer, he couldn't get much louder, being able to out-argue others seemed to give him more confidence.

"That's right. The money that those low-level mages owe to you all seems like a huge sum, but numbers are just numbers. What you can actually get in your hands in the end is the real benefit."

"Don't you all know how much money you've received from the shacks every year over the years?"

He turned his attention to the grey-robed mage, Pale Hand, who sat at the head of the table.

"Take that old cripple from your Seventh District for example. The interest on his debt to you has ballooned to over a hundred gold coins by now, hasn't it?"

Pale Hand glanced at Night Whisper and reluctantly replied, "One hundred and twenty-seven gold coins!"

"Wow, what a huge sum!" [Night Whisper] spread his hands exaggeratedly, causing several conservative mages to frown deeply.

[Night Talk] Ignoring their constipated expressions, she continued, "So that's why you came up with such an absurd idea—to take someone away, you have to pay off the debt you owe first, and then pay a deposit and commission, right?"

The gray-robed mage snorted coldly: "Isn't that how it should be?"

"Do you remember how much money you lent out back then?" [Night Whisper] mercilessly exposed his secret: "Probably only a few dozen silver coins. The amount you've repaid over the years has multiplied many times over."

"As a result, the old cripple's debts kept piling up. Unless a fourth-level archmage appears in his family, he will never be able to pay you back in his entire life."

"Unfortunately, he doesn't even have children, so will you be able to get this money?"

Night Whisper's face was full of sarcasm: "Wake up, let me do the math for you!"

"Even if Old Limp completes all his missions each year, how many gold coins can he earn? After deducting his own medical expenses and basic living costs, how much can he give back to you each year? If I remember correctly, it's thirty to forty silver coins a year, at most!"

"Don't you understand? No matter how much debt they owe, there's a limit to how much they can repay. And he's over fifty years old. With all his injuries, he won't live for many more years!"

"So, in the end, all you'll get is a few gold coins at most."

"Maybe a cold front will come and the old man will be gone. How much money can you get from his body?"

"Now, do you still think that the fee they offered was low?"

In fact, when Chen Mo proposed this plan, he did a very careful calculation. Debt was of course not within his consideration, but the level, age, physical condition, and attendance frequency of each low-level necromancer were all entered into his personal computer. After a comprehensive evaluation of the "residual value", he offered an absolutely generous "transfer fee"!
As he explained to the "Witch's Ring," a debt that is destined to be uncollectible is simply a "bad debt" on paper. Finding a suitable price to clear out the "bad debt" could be considered a once-in-a-century opportunity for the Land of Exile.

After all, a lord with such strange needs and extraordinary generosity is almost impossible to find again.

A buzz of discussion arose in the arena. Many mages had been focused on the high total debt and hadn't paid much attention to the actual gap between the accounts receivable and the receivables.

Now, after such a meticulous analysis by [Night Whispers], many people have come to their senses and it seems that this is indeed the case.

Those with children can be kept and exploited slowly, while those without children can be cashed out, which seems like a very profitable deal.

However, there are still die-hards who refuse to give up.

“It’s not about the money!”

A sinister voice rang out from across the long table, belonging to an old mage with sunken eyes. This man, who looked like an incompletely decaying skeleton, had his mouth twitching involuntarily as he spoke, as if his facial muscles could no longer properly execute the brain's commands.

“I admit you’re right, this nobleman from afar offered a very high price. However, it is precisely because this price is abnormally high that I suspect he has ulterior motives!”

"Perhaps he intends to use these necromancers for some evil experiment, or as a blood sacrifice for some undead lord, or perhaps to find a path to some evil god's throne. Who knows? In any case, I..."

"Save your breath! Stop making excuses for yourself. Listening to you, I thought there was one of your illegitimate children among the sorcerers of the 'Eternal Sleep Hut'!"

[Night Whisper] interrupted the old mage with a mocking look and no manners: "When you sent them to the 'Stitching Workshop' to be skinned and dismembered, you didn't show them the slightest bit of mercy."

"As for what they want these necromancers for, as long as they've paid you, why should you care?"

A red light flashed in the old mage's skull-shaped eyes, but he ultimately kept his mouth shut.

The more the truth is debated, the clearer it becomes. [Night Talk]'s words resonated widely, and the originally heated debate quickly turned into a one-sided crushing defeat.

Chen Mo's offer was far too generous. For the Lord of the Vast Ocean, time was more important than money. With such a superior offer, Night Whispers went all out in the debate and dominated the field.

Seeing that the cooperative faction, led by Night Whisper, had gained a complete advantage, a certain conservative mage had no choice but to resort to his last resort.

"Please, gravedigger, decide!"

These words were like a silent spell, instantly silencing the entire deliberation hall.

A dozen minutes later, at the deepest part of the deliberation hall, the heavy metal door slid open silently, and a figure slowly stepped out from the shadows behind the door.

"Gravekeeper" is not a name, but a position or a title of respect.

This place is both the graveyard of the dead and the cemetery of the living.

In a cycle that repeats itself endlessly, the Valley of Exile exists in the human world as the dead. This unique and alternative way of existing often leads to various problems and choices.

According to the consensus of the necromancers, a "gravekeeper" leader is needed here to guide the path of development.

The three necromancers who collaborated with the undead to construct a large-scale dark energy guiding array for the Exile were of great merit. Therefore, the necromancers elected the one who made the greatest contribution among them as their leader. This was the first "Gravekeeper" of the Exile.

The earliest tomb keepers were elected through a system similar to electing emperors, and the elections were held every seven years.

However, time changes, people's hearts change, and so do systems.

As the land of exile gradually split into two classes, each with completely different identities and statuses, the system of general election became a system of smaller elections. The vast number of low- to mid-level necromancers in the "Eternal Sleep Hut" lost both the right to elect and the qualification to be elected.

That's easy to understand, right?

In a world where social hierarchy is determined by individual martial prowess or magical rank, a "gravekeeper," once they gain power, can mobilize more resources to aid their cultivation, acquire higher-level incantations, and, of course, have deeper contact with the high-ranking undead creatures of the Exile. Given equal talent, the greater the power, the faster the skill level rises. A exceptionally talented "gravekeeper" will inevitably become the most powerful force in the entire Exile, thus making such a gravekeeper almost the only choice for a leader.

That's easy to understand, right?

Later, as resources became more concentrated, the power of the "grave keeper" grew. A powerful grave keeper took a crucial step by nominating a successor, and the system of recommending grave keepers was transformed into a system of selection.

Selected by the previous leader.

Having come this far, it's only natural to take another step forward, since no one has stipulated that they can't select their own children.

At that crucial historical juncture, a descendant of one of the first tomb keepers stepped forward and declared loudly: "How can the great land established by my ancestors be allowed to be ruined by ignorant low-ranking mages!"

Thus, the tomb keeper finally completed the transformation into a hereditary system.

Overall, the gravedigger family did a good job. The previous generation of gravediggers had enough resources to have many children to choose from, and the ability to become a formal necromancer became a prerequisite, excluding those who were not smart enough or lacked perseverance.

Each generation of tomb keepers has been fairly competent.

The contemporary tomb keeper was extremely tall, yet his movements carried an unusual lightness. His floor-length robes barely swayed as he walked, as if his feet were not actually touching the ground. It is said that this was a style he learned from the lich lineage.

He now rarely participates in the "Wizard's Ring" meetings, devoting most of his time to research on "immortality."

Unfortunately, it turns out that without the unique environment of the underworld, no matter how much magical transformation is performed, the awakened undead creatures can only exist for a period of time. At a certain point after their bodies rot, their soul fire, which has lost its support, will also dissipate.

Generations of necromancers have explored various avenues, but have never been able to find the possibility of being reborn as an eternal undead creature.

After briefly listening to the reasons for the argument, the Floating Tomb Keeper was clearly very displeased that these guys had once again disturbed his research.

"Didn't I already tell you? Don't get entangled with those guys of unknown origin. The necromancers and undead creatures of the Exile are not allowed to leave the Silver Duchy. What are you still arguing about?"

[Night Whisper] Bracing himself up, he stood up again and said, "Respected leader of the gravediggers, I think it would be very irrational to refuse such a rare opportunity. This transfer system is actually equivalent to helping us get rid of most of our burdens and also giving those mages in the 'Eternal Sleep Hut' a way to survive."

"The opposing lord has promised to provide them with treatment, and has already..."

"No need to say it!"

The "grave keeper," who had originally only intended to give a word of advice before leaving, looked at his junior, whom he admired quite a bit, with a hint of disappointment and shook his head helplessly.

He sat down in the empty chair and slowly lowered the hood from his head.

Judging from his appearance alone, he was a rather handsome middle-aged monk with a high nose bridge, thin lips that were not very red, and soft and gentle facial features that made people feel a sense of closeness.

The monks all rose to their feet, some bowing, others nodding, expressing their sincere reverence. Judging from their respectful attitude, this "tomb keeper" must have been more than just someone with an outstanding appearance.

The "gravekeeper" slowly raised his eyelids, and the light from his narrow eyes swept over the people around the table, making the originally noisy hall unusually quiet.

"Night Wizard, you've done a very shrewd job."

"But managing such a large territory is not just about accounting; in addition to profits, we also need to consider the future!"

He leaned forward slightly, his gaze sweeping over every mage present: "Do you know whether the number of necromancers in the Exile has increased or decreased over the past few decades?"

"How many children are born in the valley each year, how many of them can become necromancers? And how many of them can eventually ascend to the 'Witch's Ring'?"

"What has been the status of the undead creatures that have been documented all these years?"

The necromancer from the "Echoing Market" stepped forward shakily and answered the leader's questions one by one.

"Reporting to the 'Gravekeeper'! Reporting to the judges of the Wizard's Ring."

"According to records, thirty years ago, there were 1,273 registered monks in the 'Eternal Resting Shelter'. Now, there are only 891 left. That's a decrease of 30%."

"Thirty years ago, there were about fifteen to twenty newborns each year. In the last three years, the average has been only six per year. After preliminary testing, none of them have shown any clear talent for becoming a mage."

"As for undead creatures..."

The necromancer from "Echo Market" lowered his voice further: "The total number of low-level skeletons in 'Bone Manor' has decreased by nearly 30% in the past thirty years. The high-level undead in 'Nine-Story Underworld Tower' have neither been lost nor gained."

“We’re barely surviving by relying on the ‘Stitching Workshop’ and recycling soulfire, but overall, the undead creatures are always consuming more than they’re replenishing.”

The tomb keeper, seated in the superior position, placed his hands folded in front of him, his fingers gently fiddling with a bone ring on his right thumb. The tiny holes in the ring seemed to breathe, emitting a rhythmic, intermittent glow.

"These past thirty years have been thirty years of me being a gravedigger. So, is it because of my stupidity, or my lack of effort, that I've ended up in this situation?"

The crowd gasped in surprise and quickly offered words of comfort.

“Revered Keeper of the Tomb, you must not say that! Your wisdom shines upon the skies of the Land of Exile!”

"Without you, we would have long since become lost children in the mists of the underworld!"

Even Nightwhisper, an opponent, had to admit: "My lord, you are the great leader of the Ring of Wizards."

The "grave keeper" slowly stopped what he was doing.

"Then, can anyone tell me why our land of exile is decaying day by day?"

After waiting for a while and receiving no answer, the "gravekeeper" could only let out a faint sigh and continue speaking.

"Throughout the Starry Continent, the lineage of necromancers is fading away. Fewer and fewer people are willing to walk this path. The turmoil of war, discrimination from certain countries and territories, the scarcity of summoning resources, and the loss of true name spells have led to a gradual decline in the number of necromancers."

“We originally took in down-on-their-luck, wounded, and desperate necromancers here. The large groups have dwindled, and even fewer are able to struggle to reach our Land of Exile. Over the years, I’ve sent many people out to recruit them, and you’ve seen the results!”

"There are fewer mages coming from outside, but what about those within our valley?"

He stood up, his robes billowing even without wind: "How many times have I told you to leave a way out for those mages below? What have you done?"

“Staring at the few copper coins in their pockets, calculating the ever-increasing interest, squeezing the last bit of their labor, wishing they could extract every last drop of oil from every bone.”

"The old have been exploited to death by you, and the young have been exploited to old age. Many of them are burdened by heavy debt and do not even have the opportunity to find a spouse, or even if they do, they are unwilling to have children."

"The few who have children are less talented with each generation; most are just ordinary people."

"This is a pond that is slowly drying up. You are desperately catching the last few small fish in it, but one day, the fish will no longer be able to reproduce!"

"If things continue like this, will the 'Valley of Exile' still exist in fifty years, a hundred years? What will sustain the 'Circle of the Witches'? Will it rely on the astronomical debts on your ledgers that can never be redeemed? Or will it rely on the dwindling number and aging of the necromancers?"

The council chamber was completely silent, with only the tomb keeper's voice echoing slowly.

In fact, the leaders of the Valley of Exile were aware of this problem many, many years ago.

Given the relatively weak state of the summoner class, how many necromancers happen to be severely injured, desperate, and yet manage to trek across mountains and rivers to reach the Land of Exile alive?

We still have to rely on our own reproduction and raising.

However, human greed will always be a towering mountain standing in the way of national, territorial, and organizational development.

Who would be willing to give up the ever-flowing wealth on the books?

To give a simple example, don't the country's administrators know that if they took some of the wealth that the upper class couldn't use or even save and distributed to the lower class, the whole society would be more vibrant?

They certainly knew that, but they were unwilling to do so.

Or rather, they can't do it!

(End of this chapter)