Necromancer, summoning 055? What the heck?

Chapter 328 The Promise of Aid and the News of the White Fang Priest

For Chen Mo, the support he is currently providing to the "White Deer Restoration Association" can only be considered an angel round investment. Whether it can be realized in the future, and to what extent, is still very far away and difficult to predict.

But it doesn't matter; this matter cannot be measured entirely from a profit-driven perspective.

Even if there is no future benefit, he is willing to provide as much help as possible to these warriors who persist in the heart of the orcish territory.

After the meeting, the lord made two arrangements.

First, he took a "White Deer Restoration Society" badge that was severely corroded and damaged in many places from Lao Mao, and arranged for someone to send it to the restoration factory to report the news to his own factory director, Li.

This hardworking and conscientious model worker doesn't want food, drink, a house, or a car. He has no wife or children. Chen Mo really doesn't know how to give him material rewards. He can only provide some emotional support in stages!
We must share this good news about the Bailu Plain in the north as soon as possible.

Secondly, Chen Mo arranged for Helan to lead a team to accompany Old Cat Daryl and Snake Aiden to the No. 5 supply warehouse in the Vast Ocean, and begin this round of adding items to the shopping cart.

Choose whatever you like, the lord will pay! Quality guaranteed, delivered to your door.

Daryl and Aiden were stunned.

The fact that members of the Restoration Society were able to slip away from the perilous White Deer Plain time and again, cross the orc blockade, and reach the Vast Sea shows that for experienced professionals, leaving that plain quietly is not too difficult.

Let's take advantage of the night and climb over Qishan Mountain.

However, what truly binds them are the ordinary people behind them, their relatives and clansmen.

These ordinary people, including the elderly, women, and children, had no chance of escaping across the chasm without alerting the orcs. If they were discovered by the orcs, they would either become slaves or corpses.

Therefore, the professionals could only desperately search for resources to support those who could neither leave nor escape, and who could only struggle to survive in the orc-controlled areas.

Resources outside the mountains are relatively easier to obtain. Whether they are mercenaries or laborers, it is not too difficult for the professionals of the "White Deer Restoration Society" to acquire supplies. However, the problem is that it is very difficult to send them back!
For example, if the base in the mountains is short of salt, it's not a problem to send professionals out to get some, strap it to their bodies, and work day and night to replenish the camp. But if they were to carry a bulk commodity like food, a single trip might not even be enough to feed themselves...

The more frequently these dangerous treks are performed, the higher the chances of being discovered by the orc patrols will be. The specks of crimson on the foothills of Flag Mountain are the blood shed by the Restoration Society's professionals.

But what if they don't leave the mountains and instead stay hidden inside the White Deer Plain?

It would be just as difficult to sustain! Lacking the ability to break through enemy lines and unable to attack the orcs' fortified strongholds, even if they successfully ambushed some small orc patrols, the supplies they could seize would be a drop in the ocean and simply not enough to support the organization's survival.

This is why the Restoration Society had to grit its teeth and accept the deal even though the dwarves were offering a price even higher than the Black Knight's armor. The Seven Luminaries Garland Merchant Guild was one of the very few forces that could deliver supplies to the vicinity of the Restoration Society's location.

Exclusive business, no choice!
According to Daryl, during the most difficult years, some of the previous leaders of the Restoration Society even starved to death.

This is unimaginable anywhere else on the Starry Continent.

Over the years, the Restoration Society has even tacitly accepted a rule: as long as professionals do not betray the location of the base, return their weapons and armor, and do not return, they are not considered traitors!
Living on that land was utterly hopeless!
When Darryl and Aiden saw the dazzling array of supplies in the Vast Ocean Territory warehouse, they expressed their gratitude, but their emotions remained within control—no matter how good the supplies were, the Restoration Society could only use so much of them.

But when Helan mentioned home delivery, several members of the Restoration Society completely lost their composure.

After repeated questioning, the old cat finally confirmed that what it was hearing was not a hallucination.

After exchanging an incredulous look with the snake beside him, the old cat Daryl asked hesitantly, "How much stuff can we send over?"

Helan smiled slightly and gestured "please" towards the warehouse.

"How much stuff do you need from this warehouse? We'll deliver it all!"

"This...this, how do I deliver it? Where can I deliver it to?"

"Don't ask how I'm going to deliver it; it's not appropriate to ask anyway! It's a secret!"

"As for where to send it, that depends on your needs. Let me put it this way: the entire White Deer Plain—wherever you want us to send it, we can send it there!"

As a politician, Helan has always been quite conservative in his speech. Even when he makes a promise, he adds supplementary phrases such as "maybe," "will try his best," "barring any unforeseen circumstances," or "depending on the situation."

But this time, Helan spoke with absolute certainty, and I felt incredibly relieved!
Of course, Daryl the Old Cat was a man who knew when to advance and when to retreat. Faced with Helan's promise, he took several steps back.

Of the supplies in the warehouse, he chose a slightly larger amount of food, mainly to prepare for the coming winter, and a limited amount of armor to increase the survival rate of the core warriors.

Daryl was very restrained in his remarks on quantity, while repeatedly adding further explanations verbally.

"Lord Helan, this quantity... is enough, really!"

“It doesn’t matter if the delivery takes a little longer, we can wait. The harsh winter in Bailu Plain is still about two months away. As long as a batch of food and winter supplies can be delivered before then, our Restoration Society will save many, many more lives… This is truly an immense favor!”

Old Cat bent low, and at the same time, he handed over some local specialties he had brought from the plains to the reception staff of Han Hai Territory.

He didn't take it out when he first arrived, not because he was stingy, but because he was a little worried.

In his interactions with various human nations, Old Cat has come to a very clear understanding: a lord is a lord, and a bureaucrat is a bureaucrat.

Previously, members of the Revival Society had been running around seeking help, and some lords had expressed their support for the "White Deer Revival Society" and bestowed some "favors" upon them!
However, the lord's good intentions are often severely distorted when they are carried out by his layers of officials. If those who actually do the work are not "fed" and their various overt or covert "private needs" are not met, then how much of this aid from the lord will actually end up in the hands of the Restoration Society is a matter of uncertainty.

They can only bring out a very limited amount of things from the orc blockade. If they send them out at the beginning, what if some Han Hai bureaucrat has some small "personal needs"?

These are all matters of human relationships and social customs in the starry world; the wandering snake doesn't understand them, but the old cat knows them inside and out!

As it turns out, Old Cat's worries were somewhat unnecessary. Han Hai, at least on the surface, is significantly different from other places.

From beginning to end, he didn't give away a single one of the bags, local specialties, or small gifts he had prepared. Several times, he tried to "show his appreciation" to the people accompanying him from Hanhai, but they all changed their expressions and waved their hands repeatedly—"Don't get me into trouble!"

Now that the harvest has been brought to fruition, Old Cat Daryl handed over all the things he had painstakingly carried to the Great Treasury of the Vast Ocean Territory.

A carefully bundled and dried plant exudes a faint herbal fragrance. This is a magical material used in conjunction with spells, following the spell system passed down from the ancient White Deer Kingdom.
Several meticulously crafted animal pelts, with pure colors and smooth fur, are the result of top hunters and excellent tanners.
There are also some oddly colored and uniquely shaped trinkets, full of rustic charm.

Compared to the gifts from Han Hai, this really feels like a poor relative sending some local specialties from the countryside; aside from the sentiment, it has practically no value.

After careful inspection, these items were placed on Chen Mo's desk later that evening. Unfortunately, for Chen Mo, who had been searching the world for new and strange materials, there was nothing here that caught his eye.

However, at the bottom of the package, a few items caught the lord's attention.

Those were several large, slightly curved orc fangs with natural patterns.

Orc tusks are not uncommon, but these few have very obvious, brutal chopping and smashing marks at the base. The cracks are jagged, clearly indicating that they did not fall off naturally, but were smashed off the orc's jawbone with tremendous force!
It has a rough texture and feels slightly cool to the touch.

Without a doubt, this is the spoils of the "White Deer Restoration Society".

Seeing the lord carefully examining the animal teeth under the lamplight, Helan knew the lord was interested and immediately stepped forward to explain:

"They told me that because the environment was too dangerous, and they could encounter enemies at any time, even if they won the ambush, they dared not cut off the heads, as that would be too conspicuous, and the rotting heads would emit a smell that would give away their whereabouts."

"So they chose tusks. These things are small, easy to hide and carry, won't rot, and won't easily attract wild animals. If they really can't take them with them, they can find a hidden tree hole or rock crevice to bury them, and they won't be damaged even after many years."

"This is both a spoil of war and... a special kind of 'proof of rank'."

"Rank certificate?" Chen Mo looked up, somewhat bewildered. "Yes." Helan nodded, his tone slightly grave: "The professionals of White Deer have a rather fatal problem: they don't have the opportunity to undergo professional trials in ruins or nests."

Chen Mo was slightly taken aback, but then immediately understood.

There's an old saying in the Starry Continent: "The first difficulty is hard to overcome, the second difficulty is hard to turn around." This second turn is a hurdle, and whether or not one can overcome it can be said to be a watershed moment for professionals.

To complete the first job advancement, and every subsequent advancement, one must complete specific trials in ancient ruins or monster lairs imbued with psionic energy.

The White Deer Plain has long since fallen. No matter how talented the professionals of the "White Deer Restoration Society" are, there is no place on that plain that can provide them with a place to train.

"So, the highest they can reach is the third tier?"

"Yes!"

Helan nodded and added, "Except for a very few exceptionally talented individuals, the vast majority of them, no matter how hard they cultivate in their lives, will not be able to pass the trial and enter the first stage."

"Therefore, they used the number of orcs they killed, which was associated with these fangs, as proof of their rank."

"Old Cat Daryl is a two-fanged warrior, meaning he's killed more than twenty orcs! Snake is a one-fanged warrior, having killed more than ten..."

Chen Mo remained silent for a moment, then slowly raised one of the fangs and brought it up to the bright light coming in from the window, carefully examining every scratch and dent on it.

Sunlight filtered through the slightly translucent dentures, revealing the messy battle marks on them.

"it's beautiful!"

"I love so much!"

"They deserve my utmost respect for their ability to persevere in that environment!"

Chen Mo solemnly handed the fangs to the guard beside him: "Keep them safe and put them in the center of the display shelf in my study."

Next, Helan seized the opportunity to report to the lord some information he had obtained from Old Cat and Snake.

Since the two sides had cooperated to this extent, Old Cat and his team naturally shared everything they knew, providing a very detailed report on the controlled areas, troop strength, combat characteristics, internal conflicts, and so on of the "Upper Beast Clan" in the west and north.

Information about the "Restoration Society" itself, apart from the specific location of its core secret base which was not disclosed for security reasons, has been fully revealed, including its organizational structure, personnel composition, general scope of activities, and the difficulties it faces.

"Your Excellency, I have a special message that I think is quite important, and you might find it interesting."

"One of their rebel factions took in a fugitive priest from the Misty Moon Divine Court, who was said to be of very high rank, at least at the level of a parish priest of the Divine Court."

Chen Mo's eyes lit up: "Quick, tell me!"

"I was worried that the message might get mixed up as it was relayed, so I've already sent Daryl over. He's waiting in the reception room, and I'll have him report to you personally."

"it is good!"

A minute later, Daryl the old cat, who was struggling with the snacks in the reception room, wiped the food crumbs from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand and spoke.

“My lord, that old priest is very old. According to the elders in our guild, he had already fled to the White Deer Plain when my grandfather was alive.”

“I heard from my elders that he was someone who had the potential to become the Archbishop of the Mist Moon Inner Court, but for some reason he failed and couldn’t even stay in Mist Moon, so he had to go to the White Deer Plain.”

"Not many people know about this. Apart from the people in Moon's camp, only a few of our other leaders know. We don't even know his name. In private, we all call him by his nickname, White Fang!"

Old cat Daryl scratched his messy hair. "I don't know why it's called that. I've never seen it in person. Maybe it's because its teeth are really white..."

"In the early days, in order to find this old man, Mistmoon sent several groups of Temple Knights down to the plains and fought the orcs several times!"

“Originally, the people of the Divine Court had nothing to do with us, and we even had some enmity with them. Back then, the Divine Court didn’t care about the life or death of the White Deer Kingdom, and we still remember that!”

"But that old man could heal and saved a camp leader at the time. Our Restoration Society wouldn't do such a despicable thing as betraying our benefactor, so we hid the old man."

When he said this, Daryl the Old Cat emphasized his words, which was also a way of expressing his determination.

Chen Mo smiled slightly, gesturing for him to continue.

"My lord, you can probably imagine how rare it is to find healers in our place."

"If there were one like this, the camp would have lost many lives, so we've been keeping him. A few years ago, when the one-eyed rhinoceros was blinded, his chest was also pierced by a spear thrown by an orc wolf rider. If it weren't for old man White Fang protecting him, he definitely wouldn't have survived!"

"Everyone still respects him!"

Old Cat's words were somewhat disorganized, as if he was speaking off the cuff, and he often had to stop to recall them before adding a sentence or two.

The information was too fragmented, but that didn't matter. Chen Mo identified the few core pieces of information that were most valuable to him.

A high priest of the crown rank, who is at least a regional cardinal and may even have access to the core of power in the Mist Moon Divine Court;

He fled after losing an internal struggle, which led to a manhunt by the Divine Court, which was willing to risk conflict with the orcs.

They have been secretly protected by the Restoration Society in Bailu Plain for more than three generations and are still alive today;

that's enough!
Chen Mo had always had an urgent need for information about the Divine Court system.

On a larger scale, what exactly are gods? Where do they live, and from what perspective do they observe the world?
The thought of an even more perverted "voyeur" watching him from who-knows-where, even from his own airship, made Chen Mo feel a tingling sensation all over his body, making him extremely uncomfortable.

On a smaller scale, what exactly are the conditions for obtaining divine grace? What is the triggering mechanism for divine punishment?
Holding a super weapon that not only fails to scare others but also puts you in a difficult position, is incredibly frustrating.

The last time the Heavenly Fire burned the city of Golden Hook Pass, Chen Mo had to first arrange for someone to consult the Divine Court to confirm that it would not trigger divine punishment before finally activating it. This inexplicable feeling of being controlled by others made the lord and chairman very, very unhappy.

Finally, there are some questions that no one on the Starry Continent dares to discuss: Does the god know about the world on the other side of his bloodline altar? Could it have some inappropriate thoughts?

Is it possible for a god, who is said to be omnipotent, to safely send me home? Or to protect a few living people in my hometown?
There are too many questions that require a comprehensive understanding of the divine system, but it is clear that the charlatans in the Divine Court provide almost no valuable information other than mystifying the system and spouting ambiguous nonsense.

Even Farrell, who was closest to Han Hai, was full of rambling nonsense. Gods are omnipotent! But when it came to specifics, it was always the same: this is inconvenient, that is inappropriate, and other things aren't worth it…

It's clear that Farrell doesn't dare to say many things, and there are many things he truly doesn't know!

Now, on the territory of the "White Deer Restoration Association," such a channel has unexpectedly emerged.

According to Lao Mao, the old man already held a high position of power during Lao Mao's grandfather's generation. He was at least seventy or eighty years old, with no upper limit, which meant he was practically ready to die at any moment.

We need to hurry!
Chen Mo gave Helan a look, and Helan understood immediately. After seeing the old cat off, Helan turned around and summoned the Elven Elder of the Frost Guard, Lilan Qingge.

"There's something I need you to do. I need you to arrange for a capable and loyal person to make a trip to the White Deer Plain!"

(End of this chapter)