Spellcasting Gods

At the same time, he himself finally completed a transformation, from an ordinary boy with no talent to a low-level mage who could learn and master magical power.

In fact, for Zhang Cheng, who had already become a Titan, even a projection of his consciousness, as long as the controlled body met the minimum requirements, touching the magic network and becoming a mage was as easy as eating and drinking.

After all, he never takes any detours; both knowledge and skills are firmly imprinted in his mind.

"No! No! No! Don't come any closer! Don't come any closer! I was wrong! I shouldn't have come to cause you trouble! Please, please let me go! I'm willing to hand over the territory! I'll give you all the money I've saved up over the years!"

Watching helplessly as the souls in his hand were devoured one by one, the Demon Eye—Angus—finally broke down, crying and screaming in despair.

Of course, this wasn't because he had become more timid, but because the way he died with his soul devoured was so terrifying that it would frighten most of the die-hards in the world.

Because in Faerûn, the most important thing for a person is not life, but the soul.

As long as the soul remains, even in death, one can go to the kingdom of the god one believes in and live a happy life.

Therefore, death is not terrible; what is truly terrible is the soul being imprisoned, devoured, tormented, or nailed to the wall of the faithless, slowly enduring the erosion of time.

"Heh, see? This guy actually wants me to let him go." Zhang Cheng's youthful face revealed undisguised mockery.

Although the body he currently controls is that of a thirteen-year-old underdeveloped boy, it gives people a feeling that is indescribable.

fear?

Suppressed?

crazy?

Even Jesse wasn't quite sure why he was willingly submitting to the other's feet, but he still managed a forced smile and replied, "I suggest you kill him as soon as possible! Once he's dead, we can control nearly a third of Beggar's Nest's territory. Especially the business of stealing burial goods and selling fresh corpses in the Great Cemetery, the profits are astonishing. Besides, I've also heard that he has a very beautiful mistress and a woman; you can bring them over and enjoy them at your leisure."

"Don't touch my daughter!"

I don't know if the effects of the mental shock have worn off, or if my love for my daughter has surpassed everything.

In short, Angus suddenly regained his mobility and drew his scimitar, intending to kill the demon that was right in front of him.

Yes!

In his eyes, Zhang Cheng was already synonymous with the infamous demon of the bottomless abyss.

But before the sharp scimitar could fall, Jesse darted forward and, with practiced ease, pierced the other man's wrist with the dagger, then pinned it to the wooden wall behind him.

boom!

With a muffled thud, a large amount of blood flowed out of the wound.

"Let me go! Let me go! Come at me! Don't touch my daughter!" Angus struggled frantically, his only intact eye bloodshot.

If it were someone else, perhaps they would have let him off the hook because of his sincere love for his daughter, or at the very least, they would have spared his mistress and daughter.

But who is Zhang Cheng?

A madman whose heart has completely embraced darkness!

He sneered, "Ha! Listen to this! A ruthless gang leader actually has a kind side! Willing to sacrifice everything for his beloved daughter! What a noble and great sentiment! But I have a small question! When you raped those innocent girls, gave them to your men for their wanton pleasure, and then sold them, did you ever think that they were children as innocent as your daughter? When you killed them, did you ever think that they also had wives and daughters? So stop saying these disgusting and nauseating things! Since you've chosen the dark path, you must be prepared to endure loneliness and solitude, and you must make your heart as cold and ruthless as the December winter. If you can't do that, then you are a loser and deserve to taste the pain."

"I curse you! Benny! One day, you'll suffer a worse fate than I have."

Angus wasn't stupid. He immediately realized that the other party had no intention of letting him go, nor would they let his mistress and daughter go. He roared at the top of his lungs.

In this world filled with magical power, any strong obsession can transform into a real curse, even affecting the elusive fate.

"A curse? Hahahaha! Sorry, I can't help but laugh. You can't even preserve your soul, yet you dare to hope to curse me? Fine, considering you're about to contribute a precious soul intertwined with good and evil, I'll mercifully grant you eternal death. Farewell, Angus, thank you for bringing me such a sumptuous feast..."

As the last word escaped his lips, Zhang Cheng finally extracted and devoured the soul of this man filled with hatred and resentment, a blood-red magical tattoo slowly extending from his left eye socket.

Seeing his former rival lying lifeless on the ground, Jesse's face showed an extremely complicated expression. He quickly and cautiously probed, "What do you plan to do next? Launch a counterattack and swallow Angus's territory?"

“Of course! But there’s no need to attack, just receive.” As he spoke, Zhang Cheng placed his hand on his left eye and slowly pulled out a pulsating crystal from it.

next second!

The soulless zombies on the ground were instantly infused with a trace of energy, and one by one they rose from the ground.

Although their eyes were vacant and they didn't look like living people at all, their movements were not affected at all, and every move they made was so coordinated.

Zhang Cheng shoved the crystal directly into Tiftin's hand: "Here! Take this! These guys are now under your control! Remember, eliminate all those who resist before dawn. From tomorrow onwards, I will be the supreme ruler of the Beggar's Nest."

"Understood! I won't let you down!" Feeling the powerful magical energy emanating from the crystal, Jesse subconsciously licked his lips, his eyes revealing intense fascination.

As a half-demon with blood from a lower plane, she couldn't resist the temptation of the mixture of soul and magical power, and soon disappeared into the vast night with these cannon fodder.

Those hedonistic gang leaders had no idea that tonight they were about to face an incredibly brutal, bloody night.

No one is immune!

No one can escape!

When the sun rises again, the Beggar's Nest will usher in a new chapter, an era that ends chaos and ushers in order...

Chapter 0909 Deceiving the Heavens

"Hey! Buddy! Have you heard? There was a commotion in Beggars' Nest. Almost all the gang leaders were wiped out, and even the city guard was alerted."

"What?! Really? Who did it?"

"It's said to be a thirteen-year-old boy named Benny!"

"By the God of Justice! A thirteen-year-old boy has become the ruler of the Beggar's Nest? Am I hearing things?"

"Shh! You'd better watch your tone! You know, he killed hundreds of people in one night, he's as ruthless as a monster."

“That’s right! And since Benny took power, his gangs have started producing some potions that we’ve never heard of before, and many nobles and merchants are flocking to them.”

……

Inside Moonstone Mask, the most luxurious inn in Neverwinter, many guests were discussing the events of that crazy night not long ago.

Neither Lord Nasir, the nominal ruler of the city, nor the Nine Guards of Neverwinter, who were loyal to him, had anticipated such a situation.

So much so that when they wanted to talk to this underground king of the beggar's den, they had no idea where to find him.

No one knew that after establishing a truly effective control system, Zhang Cheng quietly moved out of the beggar's den, changed his identity, bought a house in the port area, and used a more discreet method to ensure that no one could easily find him.

Undoubtedly, he exploited people's habitual thinking.

After all, almost all gang leaders used to make their hideout in Beggars' Nest, using the large number of poor people and the intricate sewers to hide there. So most people would mistakenly focus their attention on Beggars' Nest instead of other districts.

Standing on the second-floor balcony of the new house, Jesse looked down at the busy sailors and coolies, and asked without turning his head, "Is this your plan? To slip away unnoticed and disappear from everyone's sight?"

“That’s right! I’m not one of those stupid idiots who likes to show off in front of the weak and gain respect by venting violence. A real gang should be like a shadow lurking in the dark; everyone knows it exists, but no one can find it. If anyone dares to betray, this shadow will silently strike and execute the informant. We should exploit fear—people’s fear of the unknown—not bloody and cruel violence,” Zhang Cheng replied casually, sitting on the sofa.

“That makes a lot of sense. Where did you learn all this?” Jesse walked lightly back into the house, picked up a bottle of fine rum from the cabinet, and poured herself a glass.

"Books, as carriers of knowledge, can provide answers to almost any question if you are smart and patient enough." With that, Zhang Cheng tossed aside the parchment scroll he had just finished reading.

Clearly, what's written on this piece of paper isn't anything else, but rather the recent profits of the Beggar's Nest guild.

Thanks to the formula he provided, the profit from selling potions reached 10,000 gold coins in just two weeks. If it weren't for the limited raw materials, they could have continued to expand the scale.

"Reading?" Jesse rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Give me a break! I get sleepy as soon as I look at too many words, and I fall asleep within minutes. By the way, there's a mage named Mandan who's been asking around about your whereabouts lately."

“Mandarin?” Zhang Cheng frowned subconsciously.

“Yes! It’s said that he lives in the Black Lake District and has a rather luxurious estate. He’s the kind of bastard who’s rolling in money but never gives anything to the poor.” Jesse blurted out the information he had gathered without hesitation.

Zhang Cheng listened patiently to what was said, and a slight smile immediately appeared on his lips: "Interesting! Pass on a message for me, saying that I will be waiting for him at the Siddy Tavern in the dock area at 10 pm tomorrow night. Also, don't forget to maintain order. Whoever dares to break the rules I set, cut off their head and hang it at the highest point of the Beggar's Nest."

“Don’t worry, those poor bastards are scared out of their wits by you, they wouldn’t dare do anything out of line. But I don’t understand, why are you targeting the Temple of the God of Justice? You know those priests and paladins are not easy to deal with.” Jesse downed the rest of his drink in one gulp, then let out a burp and asked.

“To completely control the Beggars' Nest, we must first extinguish the hopes of the poor and make everyone realize that no one, not even a god, can help them. Unfortunately, the existence of that temple is like the last light in the darkness, so we must destroy it. Alright, go about your business. Unless it's something important, it's best not to come looking for me in the dock area.” Zhang Cheng waved his hand, indicating that Tieflin could leave.

"understand!"

Without saying a word, Jesse put on his hood, gently pushed aside the bookshelf on the wall, and crawled into a pre-dug passage, entering the intricate sewer system.

A short while later, she emerged from the corner of a house in the Black Lake District and ran straight toward Mandarin Manor.

……

Two and a half hours later, an unsigned note was finally delivered to the monk through the guards and the steward.

"The guard said it was delivered by someone completely shrouded in a cloak, and judging from their build, they should be a woman," the old butler explained politely.

“I know who she is, and I know who she works for.” Mandane narrowed his eyes, casually releasing a ball of flame that burned the note to ashes.

The old butler seemed to sense something and cautiously asked, "Sir, that child named Benny, could he really be yours...?"

"Shut up! This is none of your business!"

Before the butler could finish speaking, Manda immediately shouted at him, his face showing a mixture of anger and shame.

“As you wish!” The old butler quickly bowed. “However, I must remind you that so far, you do not have a son to inherit the family business, so an illegitimate child is actually a good choice. At least young master Benny has already proven his talent, hasn’t he?”

“I told you! Shut up! My affairs are none of your business! As for Benny, I want to meet him in person before making a decision. You have to understand, his mother is just a lowly commoner, and she ran off with another man behind my back. I'm not even sure if that child is mine.” Mandane was noticeably irritable today, kicking over a vase in the corner before heading straight for her bedroom.

Seeing this, the old butler couldn't help but sigh softly. He squatted down and picked up the scattered pieces on the ground while muttering to himself, "Great God of Nobility, please bless young master Benny. Please don't let him wander outside. Otherwise, the family may perish because there is no heir."

Chapter 0910 Mandaen

A day passed in the blink of an eye, and the Siddy's Tavern in the dock area once again welcomed countless sailors raising their glasses in celebration, as well as some seemingly very cautious fellows.

As the headquarters of the largest smuggling alliance in Neverwinter, this place is not just a place for pleasure, but also a secret trading location.

People who want to escape high taxes and buy cheap goods gather here, and auctions are even held every now and then, using a currency called smuggler's coins to bid on rare magical weapons, equipment and potions.

It could be said that Siddy's Tavern is like a parasite sucking blood from the economic artery of Neverwinter; the more it sucks, the less tax revenue the city generates.

However, none of this has anything to do with Mandane.

The only reason he came today was to see someone, a boy who was giving him a headache.

The loyal orc guard Gromin followed closely behind, using his extremely fierce eyes to scare away the scum who wanted to take advantage of the situation.

The two walked around the tavern twice, one after the other, and finally spotted a rather short figure in an inconspicuous corner.

Because of the dim lighting, Mandane couldn't see the other person's face clearly, but he still took the initiative to come closer and asked in a somewhat uncertain tone, "Are you Benny?"

“That’s right! It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir.” Zhang Cheng took off his hood, revealing a youthful face.

"What's wrong with your eyes?" Mandane frowned instinctively.

"You're asking about this?" Zhang Cheng gently tapped the eye patch on his left eye and replied with a smile, "I had a little accident and lost an eye."

"Why don't you go to the temple and have a priest heal it for you? With the wealth you have now, surely you can afford this little bit of money?" As he spoke, Mandan sat down across the table, scrutinizing him from head to toe.