This necromancer is going to seduce the beautiful girls who are already dead.

The Abyss cast its spell with incredible speed. This spell, called "Avoidance," could impede mortal perception, including magical fluctuations. Under the cover of this spell, the Abyss used transformation magic to create a hole in the wall of Anita's room, allowing Sophia to easily slip through.

The three rooms were next to each other, and Anita's room was right next to Hollik's room. There was a very thick wall between the two rooms, which was made of some magic-resistant material. However, under the magic of the Abyss, the wall still obediently opened a hole that Sophia could bend over and pass through.

“Oh, Spin, I love you…” Abyss jumped around on Anita’s bed, making a mess of the room, thus covering Sophia’s actions.

Upon entering Hollick's room, Sophia immediately exclaimed in surprise at what she had witnessed: "Abyss, this man is truly extraordinary! The walls of his room are covered with sketches of ancient languages ​​and magic circuits, layered several times over. He also has a large bookshelf, and his desk is filled with handwritten books! Are we struck gold now?"

“Great! Quickly take a look at everything on the wall and share your vision with me. I can memorize it all,” Abyss said confidently.

The Abyss inherited its memory from Agnes; both of them could memorize everything in front of them as if taking a photograph. With this ability, the Abyss was incredibly efficient at stealing others' research findings. It could simply look at everything, memorize it all, and then study it later without worrying about time constraints.

Sophia obediently began scanning a wall covered with ancient script and numerous magic circuits drawn by Hollik. These writings, done in different colored pens, were layered upon each other, yet orderly. Abyss quickly extracted useful information from them, memorizing each layer in his mind.

"Time's up, I'm going over now, you come back!" Abis had been timing Sophia as she went out, and after noting down the number of floors, he immediately called Sophia back.

Although Sophia was now disguised as Spin, she was still as agile as a cat. As soon as Abyss finished speaking, she quickly slipped back through the hole in the wall, her feet moving silently back to Abyss's side.

“Anita, you look so beautiful, let me kiss your lips!” she exclaimed.

“Oh, Spin! Spin! You are my sun! You are my air!” Abyss said, spouting cheesy sweet nothings, as he took Sophia’s place and ran to Hollick’s room.

Meanwhile, Hollick was dancing with glee outside the door, completely unaware that the person inside was shamelessly stealing the results of his research over the years.

Chapter 274 Capturing the Hearts of the Audience

Hollick listened to Anita and Spence's "passionate interaction" inside the room from outside the door, and enjoyed it for a while. His special hobby was fully satisfied today.

He didn't know why the two of them were being unusually affectionate today, with all sorts of cheesy love poems constantly pouring from their mouths. If anyone else heard that, they would definitely get goosebumps. However, he was like an addict who had taken a large dose of hallucinogenic drugs, and he didn't want to think about it anymore.

After enjoying himself outside for so long, Hollick also felt his strength starting to give out.

"Sigh... I'm really getting old. I can't even have my fun as I please anymore." Hollik sighed, helplessly lifting his mage robes to look at his severely atrophied legs. "That's enough for today. These two should be done soon. Both they and I should exercise some restraint. Hmph, one day I'll master the art of controlling their magic with fragments of their souls without harming them. Then I can openly make them perform that spectacle in front of me..."

Thinking this, Hollik let out a morbid laugh. This laugh shouldn't have been heard by the Abyss and Sophia, but his soundproof barrier was practically useless in front of the Abyss; his mutterings had been heard perfectly clearly. The Abyss, of course, knew he was about to return.

This is obviously not acceptable. Now it's Sophia's turn to search his room. If he goes back, Sophia will have to hide, and then she'll have to find another opportunity, which will be inconvenient. According to Spencer and Anita's confessions, Hollick spends most of his day in his room and rarely leaves except for necessary experiments.

"Oh! My Spence! Why is your face so pale all of a sudden! What's wrong with you!"

Abyss suddenly raised his voice and shouted loudly.

Hollick stopped in his tracks as he was about to leave, turning back in confusion, wondering what had happened inside.

He didn't plant spies in his two disciples' bedrooms. They were all necromancers, and most knew a thing or two about using undead creatures like insects as scouts; doing so would make them easy targets. Besides, these two disciples weren't exactly benevolent; a conflict would only benefit neither side, so Hollik didn't want to openly antagonize them. To find out what was happening inside, he could only eavesdrop from the outside.

"Anita... my heart suddenly feels so bad, is it because I was too tired just now..." Sophia understood Abyss's meaning, and from Holly...

He returned to K's room, cooperating with Abyss.

"Spin! No! Let me give you CPR!"

Hollick was surprised that his male apprentice would suddenly have a heart attack while he was being affectionate with his female apprentice. He was curious about what would happen to him, so he temporarily gave up the idea of ​​going back to his room to rest and continued to listen to the sounds inside.

Abis and Sophia sped up their pace. They performed in the room for over half an hour and spent nearly half an hour searching through Hollick's room. Now, they had read through all the notes and drafts on the walls of Hollick's room, leaving only the books on the bookshelf unread.

……

"Spin, are you alright?"

"Oh, my Anita, my skin feels like it's been soaking in ice water."

"Spin, let me rub your skin with some strong liquor!"

Hollick listened with a frown to Anita's efforts to save Spence. Spence seemed to have suddenly become sickly, experiencing heart pain one moment and headache the next; only his hair didn't hurt. Anita, meanwhile, used various methods to pull Spence back from the brink of death time and time again. The plot was full of twists and turns, almost like watching a play.

The more he listened, the more something seemed off. After thinking about it carefully, he realized that he had already been standing at the door for an extra ten minutes. Why were these two still making a fuss?

With doubts arising in his mind, he finally gritted his teeth, took two steps forward, and pushed open the door to Anita's room that was being held by her.

"What are you two doing?!"

A strong smell of liquor wafted from the room, and on a bed inside, two people simultaneously turned and looked in their direction.

"Master...Master!?" Anita, covered by a blanket except for half of her smooth shoulder, was straddling Spence, holding a bottle of strong liquor. She was utterly shocked when she saw Hollick push open the door. "This...we..."

“Master… I was just playing around on the bed with Anita… but I overdid it, and my body can’t take it anymore,” Spin said weakly to Hollik, who was straddling him by Anita. “You must have heard us coming in… I’m fine now, Master…”

Hollick looked at his two apprentices in bed, scrutinizing them suspiciously with his bulging eyes for a while, but found nothing suspicious about them.

"You two are disturbing me! I was working on something in my room! All I could hear were you two little bastards yelling! Be quiet!"

He shouted loudly, somewhat guiltily.

Abyss and Sophia, playing the roles of senior and junior disciples, were now almost laughing. Hollick said that he hadn't even convinced himself while he was researching, and his voice was trembling slightly. Of course, he was too embarrassed to admit that he had been eavesdropping outside the door for forty minutes.

"I'm sorry, Master!" Spin said apologetically, pressing his palms together. "Could you please close the door behind you when you leave?"

"You two little bastards!" Hollick huffed and turned to leave, slamming the door shut behind him.

Abyss and Sophia, who were inside the room, breathed a sigh of relief after confirming that Holick had indeed returned to his room.

Abyss got off Sophia and pulled back the blanket covering them. Both of them were actually dressed, but Abyss had covered most of her body with the blanket and pulled down the clothes on her shoulders, making it appear as if she wasn't wearing anything. As for Sophia, she had found a blind spot, rolled up her sleeves, and when she stretched out her hands, it looked as if she wasn't wearing any clothes at all.

On Sophia's stomach were two books, which were obviously taken from Hollick's room. The blanket that had been covering Abyss had perfectly concealed them.

“We’ve got the last two books too. They’re covered in dust, so he probably doesn’t use them often. Now, all of this guy’s written knowledge is in our hands. We can just sneak them back tomorrow. I’ve already asked the City of Eternal Night to make copies of all these books.” Abyss smiled and extended his hand to Sophia. “Want a high five?”

Sofia chuckled sheepishly and gave Abyss a high five.

"Oh right, Abyss... that..."

"Hmm? What's wrong?"

"Next time we perform, may I ride on your back? We dark elves aren't really used to this position..."

"……what?"

Chapter 275 The Chief Mage's Strength

As expected, Hollik did not notice that two books were missing from his collection. With the help of the scholars of the City of Eternal Night and the skeleton golems under the command of the Abyss, all of Hollik's books were copied in one night.

Some of these books contain magical theories that can be obtained on the continent. Hollick would probably consult these books when studying magic. These are not the main focus, because the Abyss has already mastered all these basic magical theories and doesn't need to consult them all the time.

Some of the books in the collection are not found on the continent and likely circulate only among members of the Council of the Dead. These include theories, research, and miscellaneous notes on necromancy. While most of the knowledge contained here is not particularly significant to the Abyss, expanding one's knowledge is always beneficial.

Then came Hollick's research focus—necromancy of the Soul Reaper school. Among the many books in the Abyss, he found a book titled "Basic Theory and Practice of the Soul Reaper School—From Beginner to Expert," signed by Haynes Dreitling, the chief mage among the Three Venerables.

The book records a series of theories compiled by Haynes based on common necromancy, incorporating his own understanding. It turns out that the founder of this school was one of the Three Venerables. Although the book's contents are not particularly comprehensive, and many theories only explain how to use them without explaining why, the Abyss could still discern the strength of this chief mage of the Council of the Dead.

"This person's research on magic is perhaps unmatched on the entire continent." This was Abyss's assessment of the chief mage. "Even Agnes and I cannot compare to him. We rely on magical talent and sensitivity to the workings of magic, while the chief mage's depth of research and erudition far surpass ours. The experience and wisdom he has gained over a thousand years are simply too rich; I am quite envious."

Hollick's research on various schools of soul-stealing magic has now all entered the Abyss's mind, which is the biggest gain from his acting with Sophia in the room.

Another city in Helheim is under construction. With the new building materials developed by Rebecca's team and the participation of many mages, the city is being built very quickly. In just one night, the walls of the new city were already up. Considering the various needs of the living, sufficient farmland and various production facilities are also planned to be built in the city so that those who will be sent here by the Abyss in the future will have jobs and live here equally.

This was a challenge for the spirits of Helheim, who needed to slowly guide these people of slave birth to live as equally as they had, rather than rapidly dividing them into different classes upon regaining their freedom. To develop appropriate systems and policies, some of the spirit philosophers and politicians in the City of Night also began their busy work.

As for Abis and Sophia, after having dinner and resting for a night, they prepared to go to the exchange with Holick the next day.

"Get out of here, you two brats!" Hollick shouted, slamming his bone wand on the floor by the doorway. "Get out of your rooms right now! Now!"

Abis and Sophia came out of their respective rooms, and Hollik simply tossed them two large bags.

"Hold your bags tight, I'm going to buy a lot of medicinal herbs today! Understand?" Hollick said fiercely.

This is Anita and Spin's usual routine. Hollick, as a necromancer who specializes in the Soul Reaper school, doesn't have any undead to do manual labor. Therefore, when they go to the exchange to buy things, Anita and Spin are usually responsible for carrying the items.

Hollick looked at Sophia and felt that his "apprentice" seemed a little different from usual.

"Why aren't you looking so glum like Anita? Are you really that eager to go to the stock exchange today?"

Of course, Sophia couldn't say that she was really looking forward to spying on the Council of the Dead's exchange. She replied, "Master, I've just developed a potion that can make me last longer, and I want to go to the exchange to get some ingredients. I can't wait to use it!"

"Hmph, young people always have so many trivial matters." Hollik scrutinized Sophia for a while, then suddenly asked suspiciously, "By the way, where are your two test subjects? I went to the lab this morning, and they were nowhere to be found."

“They were both burned to ashes by Spin at high temperatures,” Abis said, pointing to Sophia beside him. “The ashes are still in his room. Master, would you like some bread to spread on them?”

"You little brat!" Hollik was angered by Abyss's attitude again. He turned his head, propped himself up on his staff, and walked forward. "Let's go! Let's go shopping!"

……

Because the Shadowfall is a sizable area entirely under the control of the Council of the Dead, they have no shortage of land. The various facilities of the Council and the residences of its members are quite scattered, and the journey from their residences to the Exchange is not short. Fortunately, all three of them possess magic and can fly. As long as they avoid the higher-level shadow demons, they can quickly and safely reach their destination.

Flying over the desolate and misty wilderness of the Shadowfall, Hollick landed first beside a seemingly unremarkable hill. Abyss and Sophia followed suit, showing no signs of it being their first time traversing this route.

There wasn't a single building on this small hill, but in a place hidden by bushes, there was a fairly large opening. This was the entrance to the exchange.

Hollick and his group weren't the only ones entering the exchange; other necromancers were also appearing here from time to time. Some were about to go in, while others had already led their apprentices and several shackled slaves out of the cave entrance.

"Why are there so many people today? Damn it." Hollick complained as he walked forward. "Don't cause any trouble when we go in, you two little brats."

The exchange is staffed by members of the Undead Council, who, due to their security responsibilities, have higher authority than ordinary councilors. Any outsiders who dare cause trouble here will face severe punishment; even a mid-level councilor like Hollick couldn't protect them.

"Oh," Abyss and Sophia replied listlessly, prompting Hollick to curse again.

Abyss and Sophia followed Hollik to the cave entrance and were about to go inside when a tall, thin necromancer, accompanied by several apprentices, also entered the cave. As they passed Abyss, he felt a sharp pinch on his buttocks.

Chapter 276 The Rogue Necromancer

Abyss looked up and saw the necromancer who had just walked past him turning his head to look at him with a lewd grin.

Getting his butt scratched is no big deal; if it were Abyss himself, he might just laugh it off. However, he's playing the violent Anita right now, so this can't just be left like that.

"What do you mean?" Abyss narrowed his eyes, looking at the still-smiling necromancer with hostility.

The necromancer's five apprentices immediately surrounded him, all pale, emaciated, and with deathly pale faces—typical features of a necromancer. These five apprentices were all very tall; Abyss's 1.7-meter height paled in comparison, instantly diminishing his imposing presence.

"What do you mean?" The necromancer who had just touched the Abyss spoke up, "You have such a hot body, aren't you just a piece of rotten flesh that people play with? What's wrong with me touching you? Can't you, young man, stop making such a fuss?"

Hollik was about to enter the cave when he suddenly noticed his apprentice being harassed. His short temper flared, and he turned around, ready to argue with the troublemaker, when he looked up and saw the lecherous face of the tall, thin necromancer. Upon seeing that face, his previously menacing expression softened somewhat.

"Oh, isn't this Hollik? You look so weak after just a few days?" The tall, thin necromancer laughed when Hollik turned around. "Look at your complexion, it's pale with a yellowish tinge. What's wrong? Has your health deteriorated again? Why don't you listen to me and stop using magic to prolong your life? No matter how much you prolong it, you can't live forever like the Three Venerables."

“Macon, fortunes change, you’ve only beaten me once, don’t get too cocky.” Hollick coldly stared at the necromancer opposite him. However, because he was a halfling, only half the height of a human, his fierce gaze had no intimidating power at all, and instead made the others laugh.

The necromancer named Mekansm gave Abyss's thigh another smug pinch: "I have proven that your Soul Stealing style is inferior to my Plague style. No matter how hard you try, it's useless. I will soon prove that the Plague style is the most powerful style among necromancers."