Necromancer, summoning 055? What the heck?

Chapter 218 The Gravedigger Chen Mo's Market Siege
Lord Chen Mo's latest version of the cooperation plan, after being brought back to the council by Night Whisper, unsurprisingly caused a huge reaction.

Whether they were originally the active cooperators, the stubborn conservatives, or the neutral parties with no stance, they all felt a strong sense of sincerity from this proposal.

"Regarding the terms, Lord Chen Mo proposed that we respect the choices of all creditors and shack mages. They can choose from three different categories: one-year term, three-year term, and lifetime term. Anyone who is willing can sign a transfer contract from our land of exile to Lord Chen Mo's Silver Duchy in the Vast Sea Territory."

"The other party said that they could have an official from the Silver Duchy witness the event, and they would pay for it."

"Regarding the transfer fee, Lord Chen Mo proposed to double the amount based on the average annual debt repayment of the shack mage over the previous three years! The fee will be paid for each year of employment, and if it's a lifetime contract, the other lord is willing to pay until the mage is sixty years old!"

"Everyone, I think you all know that in the 'Eternal Rest Hut' below, there hasn't been a single monk who has lived to this age in the past few decades!"

Outside the bone dome of the council hall, mages from the "Witch's Ring" had crowded around. They were not qualified to enter the highest council and could only huddle outside the gate, trying to find out the latest news.

Compared to the bigwigs inside, they are the ones who care more about this deal.

Over the past few decades, a very stable creditor-debtor relationship has formed in the Exiles. A high-ranking mage in the "Wizard's Ring" will have a fixed debt collection relationship with several low-ranking mages in the "Eternal Sleep Hut".

There's a consideration here that everyone knows but no one will say aloud.

Only low-ranking mages who are in debt can be legally confined to the Land of Exile, becoming worker bees and ants, or rather, production tools.

In a way, these indebted individuals have become a kind of "granary".

New mages joining the "Witch's Ring" will be granted a guaranteed "feast" of three households by the higher-ups. This is both a symbol of status and a welfare benefit, allowing high-ranking mages to maintain a basic standard of living even when they are not on missions.

And these high-ranking mages who have acquired creditor's rights will spontaneously and actively begin to maintain this system of exploitation.

Chen Mo's proposal had the biggest impact on them, because accepting the cooperation would not only double their income, but also turn the uncertain annual returns into a one-time, tangible gold and silver currency.

The explanation of "night talk" elicited a low cheer from them.

Let alone sixty years old, some sickly guys are lucky to live past fifty. Isn't that like getting twenty years of double benefits for free?
Next, it's time to explain things to the tomb keeper.

The mission location is within the Silver Duchy, and the "Witch's Ring" is allowed to send people to supervise it. The personnel sent to supervise will also be paid additional labor fees.

Faced with such favorable conditions, the situation quickly became one-sided, and even the most die-hard conservatives fell silent.

If you really don't want to let your "debt slaves" go, just refuse the transfer; there's no need to spoil other people's fun at this time.

"What's there to hesitate about!"

"With the recovered funds, we can recruit new mages, raise more orphans, purchase more rare materials, try to summon more powerful creatures, and even activate the spirits of the dead in the 'Mirror Cemetery'."

As more and more high-ranking mages spoke up, the gravedigger was called out once again.

However, after reviewing the terms of cooperation, the archmage still coldly uttered two words: "Foolish!"

"The glitter of gold coins has blinded you; can't you see the absurdity of this?"

Why did he keep backing down? Why was he so reckless? Was it just to please that little girl beside him? Impossible!

"There must be a huge conspiracy hidden behind this!"

“He’s digging into our very foundations. He wants to create another Valley of Exile, to replace this place, and to become the new gathering place for necromancers.”

The gravedigger leaned forward, billowing his wide robes, and gave his final reply: "I reiterate, no! No outflow of people, in any form or on any scale, is permitted!"

"If he wants to make a transfer, go ahead, but the total number of shack mages cannot exceed five, and the number of undead creatures cannot exceed ten!"

"There is no room for negotiation on this matter!"

The "gravekeeper's" resolute decision was like a biting cold wind, instantly shattering the fervor that had just ignited in the council hall.

[Night Talk] He opened his mouth, but in the end, he couldn't say anything. He felt a deep sense of powerlessness.

The logic of the "gravekeeper" is self-contained. From the perspective of the ruler of the exiled land, this fear of losing control seems to be entirely reasonable.

After the "gravekeeper's" words were uttered, some of the monks seemed thoughtful, some were filled with grief and indignation, some felt lost, and some were deeply regretful...

No one publicly expressed strong opposition, but throughout the room, only a handful of people, as usual, cheered the "gravekeeper's" decision as brilliant.

Although the "Gravekeeper" delivered his final verdict, the matter did not seem to end with just that one sentence. After this review, even more mages from the "Witcher's Ring" gathered privately.

In one mage tower and manor after another, the collaborators and neutrals met frequently, expressing their emotions vehemently while trying to find other ways to make money.

No one should block everyone's path to wealth.

The highest-level private gathering was still held at Night Whisper's private residence. Everyone recognized him as the leader of the cooperative faction and the council member with the closest relationship to that second-generation super nobleman. He had become a banner against autocracy and rigidity.

Although Night Whisper himself didn't think so, it didn't matter, everyone openly vented their complaints about the "gravekeeper" to him.

“I told you last time, he doesn’t care whether we live or die!”

"He's afraid that once we have money, we won't need to rely on him, our 'gravekeeper,' anymore!"

The most intense reaction came from [Rotten Sac], who spoke through gritted teeth, his fat face twitching repeatedly, making him look somewhat ferocious.

As a representative of the money-grubbing sect of mages in the valley, [Rotten Bag] was once one of the loyal dogs under the "Gravekeeper". However, when he discovered that the "Gravekeeper" was blocking his path to wealth, he was also the one who reacted the most fiercely. He can be described as a pure and greedy person who is consistent inside and out.

"That's right. All this talk about the future of the Exile is just a way to make us easier to control, and to ensure their family's eternal control over the 'Witch's Ring'!"

"If everything is like this, then what value does the council have?"

A middle-aged mage, who had been completely hidden in his hood, remained silent for a long time before suddenly making a startling suggestion: "Since the 'Witch's Ring' path is blocked... why don't we do it ourselves?"

These words struck like a bolt of lightning, illuminating the slightly distorted faces at the gathering.

"You mean...we've been in contact with that lord in private?" [Rotten Sac]'s voice trembled slightly, seemingly mixed with fear and excitement.

"That's right!"

“We can’t control the employees under the control of our territory, nor can we control the debtors under other people’s names, but don’t we have the right to control these shack mages under our own names?”

"If I transfer the shantytown that owes me money to another mage, does that also fall under the control of the 'Council'?"

"No! Of course not! Absolutely not!"

“【Night Whisper】Master, I have thirteen households. Could you help me make contact? I’m willing to sell… transfer, yes, transfer to that remarkable noble gentleman.”

[Rotten Sac] stood up excitedly, his voice distorted with excitement.

"By the way, in this situation, since it goes against the 'gravekeeper's' orders, could you perhaps discuss with them about paying a little more?"

"Just a little bit!"

The Land of Exile is, after all, an organization formed by mages through consensus. Its existence is based more on everyone's recognition and adherence to the rules.

It is not even like a country or territory, which has corresponding explicit laws. The land of exile has only a few rules engraved on stone tablets, and more tacit agreements passed down orally.

These places inherently have a great deal of ambiguity, not to mention that this time the "tomb keeper's" arbitrary decision was, strictly speaking, the one who overstepped his authority.

Greed and resentment eventually eroded any reverence for order, and a secret, clandestine deal to bypass the "Witch's Ring" began to brew quietly in this dark corner.

All these private actions, of course, did not escape the eyes of the "gravekeeper".

As the de facto ruler of the land of exile, his control over this valley far exceeded ordinary people's imagination. When news of certain individuals secretly conspiring and engaging in clandestine activities reached his ears through special channels, this leader, who had always tried to maintain his detachment and rationality, finally became truly enraged. "Vermin! A bunch of short-sighted, profit-driven vermin!"

In his meditation room, the "gravekeeper" lost his composure for the first time. He smashed bottles and jars of magical materials all over the place, and several experimental subjects tied to pillars also suffered the same fate. Their flesh was cut open by bone blades, and they quickly lost their lives in brief but shrill screams.

Authority was openly challenged, and order was wantonly destroyed. All of this stemmed from that outsider named Chen Mo.

The "gravekeeper" firmly believed that his judgment was absolutely correct; this outsider was a gravedigger through and through.

“Good, very good…” The gravedigger looked at the messy meditation room and his fingers once again touched the strangely shaped bone ring.

I want to see if I, as the supreme "guardian of the tomb," can hold onto this land where I have held power for decades.

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.

Meanwhile, Lord Chen Mo, the key figure who triggered all this turmoil, was strolling through the "Echo Market" with great interest.

This is the largest and most concentrated trading place in the Valley of Exile. From the most basic food and living supplies to all kinds of spellcasting materials, from control of undead creatures for a few days to a few months, to all sorts of strange living and dead things, everything is available here for people to choose from.

The "Echo Market" is surrounded by a tall, circular wall with only one opening, which serves as both an entrance and an exit. It is said that outsiders had robbed and fled here more than once in the past, so the wall was built higher and higher, and the number of exits decreased, eventually turning it into the heavily guarded prison it is today.

The market ground was paved with rough stone slabs, which looked like they hadn't been maintained for a long time. Dark moss and fungi grew in the cracks, and occasionally you could see passersby grabbing some, kneading it, and stuffing it into their mouths.

The market layout is simple, with a relatively wide passageway in the middle as the boundary, and on one side are the "main shops", which are merchants with fixed storefronts.

Some of these shops were built with rough bricks and stones, while others were simply sheds made of thick coarse cloth or animal hides, and were relatively more orderly. They mainly sold bulk commodities such as grain, cloth, and low-level spellcasting materials.

On the other side are "scattered stalls," which are street vendors.

Most vendors simply lay a dirty cloth on the ground or sit on the ground and display their goods in front of them.

Besides various strange stones, wooden blocks, and metal pieces, the goods on the stall were mostly street vendor items that matched the style of a necromancer.

Bundles of white bones, marked with different body parts; organs and tissues soaking in an unknown liquid, and of course, complete human heads; mineral crystals shimmering with an eerie light; incomplete scrolls inscribed with complex runes; and even some vengeful spirits sealed within transparent crystals, constantly twisting and deforming...

It's clear that everyone brought out their most treasured possessions because of the arrival of distinguished guests.

Chen Mo and Liu Shuang strolled leisurely along this "commercial pedestrian street" under the guidance of Xiao Muzhi.

Not far behind, Kane Stonehoof was carrying a basket as long as a minotaur's torso on his back, and two large baskets in his hands, clearly using them as a means of transportation.

Liu Shuang followed closely beside Chen Mo, one hand still habitually holding onto the hem of Chen Mo's clothes, while the other hand would occasionally point to a strange object and let out a low gasp.

"Chen Mo, Chen Mo, look at that skull, isn't it blowing bubbles?"

Chen Mo looked in the direction she pointed and sure enough, he saw a white skull there, its jaw opening and closing, actually spitting out tiny, colorful bubbles.

It's a little eerie, but also a little cute.

Chen Mo glanced at the little finger, and the clever little guy immediately gave an explanation.

"Master, Madam, that's just a little trick to fool outsiders. The skull's head must have been stuffed with slime, fed with paint beforehand, and then the slime's mouthparts were glued to the back of the skull's upper jaw."

"The stall owner holds a string that's not easily visible, connected to the slime's flesh. When a customer comes to look, he secretly pulls the string, and the slime, feeling the pain, will spit out these pretty bubbles."

"This is just an eye-catching little gadget; you won't be able to play with it many times."

Liu Shuang pouted in disappointment, but after taking a few steps, she spotted a jingling little gadget.

"Chen Mo, Chen Mo, look at that!"

Liu Shuang pointed to a stall with a string of wind chimes made of tiny finger bones. The wind chimes gently collided in the wind, making an ethereal tinkling sound, and one could almost hear faint chanting.

Normally, the sound of bones colliding shouldn't be this crisp, but since we're here, we can't follow the rules.

Chen Mo also became interested and led Liu Shuang closer to the stall. The stall owner was an old woman with a gaunt face and almost no teeth. She grinned and revealed a creepy "kind" smile.

"Young lady, you have excellent taste! This is a treasure made from the finger bone of a 'Quiet Maiden.' Hanging it by your bedside can calm your mind, soothe your soul, and dispel nightmares!"

Chen Mo's lips twitched. Hanging the girl's bones above her bed was truly hellish.

Little Finger once again demonstrated his expertise as a "local expert" and "counterfeit detector," exposing the deception without hesitation.

"Sir, this is just an ordinary bone wind chime, but a necromancer has cast a calming spell on it. You know, necromancers are skilled at dealing with souls and can indeed help people calm their minds and fall asleep."

"However, even if there's time, it can only last for a few months at most. Once the spell's effect wears off, someone will have to cast it again!"

These past few days, Little Finger has been serving this gentleman hand and foot, earning more money than he might have earned in a year before. Of course, he should do his best to protect his sugar daddy.

Chen Mo nodded. "You can negotiate the price, and if it's about right, we'll buy it!"

Well, while it might be enjoyable to find treasures and bargains in a place like this, it's safe to say that there are almost no magical treasures there. Besides, given your status, Lord, you can just buy what you want without wasting your time.

Walking, looking, and buying along the way, Chen Mo found that the quality of the goods at the street stalls today was very high, and he had already bought quite a few novelties. The minotaur's basket was soon full.

Just as Liu Shuang's eyes were drawn to a whip that was slithering around like a snake, Chen Mo's gaze was captivated by a relatively quiet stall in a corner of the market.

Books! Lots of books!

It wasn't just one or two books, but a stack of thick books, scrolls, and parchment that was more than a meter tall!

These past few days at the market, everyone has heard that this young master is indiscriminate in his acceptance of anything with written records—books, parchment, scrolls, stone tablets… As long as it's not a malicious attempt to rip him off, he'll buy it without hesitation, even if the price is two or three times higher.

Don't ask, I just love reading!

Now, this middle-aged man must have brought out all his best stock, displaying several large piles on his stall.

Most of these books were quite old, but they were clearly well-preserved. True to his cautious nature, Chen Mo didn't browse through them himself, but instead had his little finger check a few.

This appears to be a collection accumulated by a necromancer over a long period of time, with a very diverse range of items, including introductory textbooks, bard stories, personal diaries, and even reproductions of some official texts.

"Take them all! Take them all!"

Chen Mo was very happy. These things might not be of much use to him, but if he sent them home, those scholars would probably go crazy.

Worried that the books might be damaged during transport, Chen Mo quickly instructed Kane to open the basket, carefully lay the books flat and stack them one by one, and send them back first.

Old Niu galloped back, while Little Thumb squatted on the stall, continuing to read the names of the books to the lord one by one. Suddenly, Little Thumb couldn't help but whisper, "Master, Master, there's a book of true name spells here, so many, it records so many!"

For a necromancer, this is a contact list that may contain the numbers of county, township, provincial, municipal, or even high-ranking officials. Although the other party may have a whitelist setting to not answer calls from strangers, having it means there is an opportunity!

No wonder even the usually composed little finger lost its composure.

Chen Mo couldn't help but move closer.

Then, something unexpected happened!
A few faint whooshing sounds swept by, and dozens of thin, bluish-green metal needles shot out from the stone pillars behind the middle-aged man, heading straight for Chen Mo.

At the same time, several skeletons lying on the ground at two nearby stalls leaped up simultaneously, rushing straight at Chen Mo with agility far beyond what ordinary people could imagine, completely sealing off his space to dodge!

The white light emanating from the bones illuminated the young lord's somewhat bewildered face.

(End of this chapter)