Academic gathering with Lich colleagues

"What principle?"

"Friendship first..." the dean waited for the rest of the text.

The reporter tilted his head, and there were two holes in the tablecloth draped over his head, which corresponded to the emptiness in his heart.

"Life...life is second?"

Chapter 373 Hellfire Showdown

"Friendship first, life second; if it's Fast & Furious 8, please commit suicide." Lyle held the Andrei promotional brochure for the Wandering Championship, reading the slogan at the top, then shifted his gaze to the gentleman. "Are you serious?"

After much deliberation, the Dean finally agreed to let Andrei participate in the annual Clan Championship of the Wandering City. The Dean personally went to the Secret Council to negotiate with the City Lord and finally finalized the competition schedule.

As Andrei's propaganda department, the literary society rushed to produce promotional brochures like the one Lyle was holding. Although it was based on a competition format similar to a sports meet, this brochure carried a strong Andrei style, and it wasn't just the deadly slogan. Lyle looked at the cover; the promotional illustration showed a smiling human running in the foreground, followed closely by Death, who was holding a scythe.

Battle Royale?

Lyle accepted the steaming hot black tea that Ariana handed him; her skills had indeed improved a lot, though it was a little too sweet.

Because of the Wandering Contest, all of Andre Academy's large-scale research was forced to stop. Lyle sat in the Cup of Extravagance, touching the light bats with Mr. Dragon, enjoying tea with Ariana, and chatting with the gentleman, feeling extremely comfortable.

Just thirty minutes ago, the gentleman walked in with a newly made promotional brochure.

"Are you serious about this slogan? Or are you joking?"

The gentleman, disguised in flesh and blood, answered earnestly, then smiled and gestured enthusiastically, "Of course we're serious! We carefully studied the human nature of arcane practitioners before creating such a humane manual!"

Ha ha.

"However, regarding suicide, that's our personal style, a populist creation combining human and lich cultures!"

"So, 'If you play Fast & Furious 8, please commit suicide' is true? A punishment?"

“No, no, no…” The gentleman waved his finger, looking regretful that the plague doctor had no sense of right and wrong. “That’s not a punishment, it’s a reward from our Andrei, a consolation prize for those poor compatriots who didn’t get a place.”

Does not getting good results mean you should die? Andre's competitiveness is a bit too strong.

The gentleman sat unceremoniously in his seat, legs crossed, and said, "Someone once said..."

"The world is unfair. We cannot choose our birth, but we can choose our death."

"Who said that?" To say something so philosophically profound.

“Mr. Raymond.” Ariana set down her empty teacup, resting her chin on her hand. Her pale cheeks were flushed a lovely pink from enjoying the hot drink as she looked at Lyle. “And he was radiating light, holding Mr. Darkness outside the Literature Club. His exact words were…”

The world is unfair; we can't choose our birth, but I am fair, and you can choose your death. Tell me, George's lackeys, the Literary Society, how do you want to die?

As she spoke, Ariana covered her lips, her shoulders trembling slightly, "Then the literary society became the hanging lamp group in Andrei's main hall for three days, the kind that sings hymns."

"Pfft." Under the gentleman's blunt gaze, Lyle choked back a sob. "Please continue with your suicide reward, gentleman."

“Alas, the past cannot be retrieved.” The gentleman regained his energy and introduced, “After being influenced by the camouflage of flesh and blood, the Andrei people have become increasingly curious about all kinds of life experiences.”

"This also includes human deaths."

"Our compatriots died in various ways, some inexplicably and without any clear reason. Over the long years, the memories have turned to dust. Through exchanges with our literary society and related organizations..."

"Andre now offers all kinds of funeral services! Want to die like a king, a tyrant, or a vicious criminal? Customize your funeral service and fulfill your wishes for a satisfying death!"

"The first 100 applicants will also receive a King-level Guillotine collectible! Participation in the tournament is free!"

"Such dedication, such approachability! What are you waiting for! Come and die with us!"

I refused to believe that a lich could participate properly in the sports meet; that would be a miracle. Lyle suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, a sense of malice creeping up his back.

"As required by the Dean, each club must have 'voluntary' participants."

Lyle felt a chill run down his spine. He looked at Ariana with horror. As an elder, the Dragon would definitely not participate in the competition, and the Gentleman's expression was clearly one of trying to lure him into a trap.

Meanwhile, his beloved Ariana looked at him with a cute, mischievous smile.

“Ariana… I’m human, you know.”

“I like any kind of plague doctor,” Ariana said, sticking out her tongue and licking her lips. “It would be nice to be able to hold your ‘head’ all the time.”

Lyle saw it: he was in Ariana's arms, watching Nia run around with his mangled body.

"No!!!" The scream startled the light bat in Mr. Dragon's hand bone, and Mr. Dragon also woke up from his dazed state. He looked at Lyle holding the bird-beak mask and nodded.

"I see, the Plague Doctor doesn't want to lose (the loser will receive a funeral service), as expected of my student. Alas, it's a pity that you, Plague Doctor, have already been banned from the competition after just becoming a member of the Salvation Society, otherwise, I would really like to see you win glory."

"Suspension?"

“Because of the regulations,” the gentleman spread his hands, “there are regulations for the Dean and the Mystics.”

"First, due to their extraordinary power, members of the Andre Salvation Society cannot participate in regular competitions to prevent the outbreak of a lich calamity. Second, Andre members must wear flesh disguises throughout the event, supposedly to reduce the Order's aversion to evil creatures."

The first point is reasonable. After all, if someone like Mr. Raymond were to play, any competition would become a battle royale.

The second point seems to carry a hint of racial discrimination? Is it really acceptable?

"Were all the chaotic sides required to disguise themselves?"

"Theoretically speaking, yes, but on the chaotic side, can you really expect them to follow the rules? It has become an unspoken rule in the written regulations."

"So Andrei doesn't intend to..."

“No, Andre is a law-abiding citizen!” The gentleman straightened his chest and spoke in a language Lyle couldn’t understand. “We will do as he says, even if it’s just a pretense.”

"Because it's very interesting."

Lyle nodded; the lich really did prefer experiencing life.

"Then, should the side of order also make corresponding disguises to satisfy the aesthetics of the side of chaos?" That would be fair.

"No need, because the chaotic side doesn't really hate the bright side, because if they did, they would have started fighting on the spot."

Without the burden of mandatory participation, it meant he could relax and have some fun for a while. Lyle smiled as he flipped through the handbook and saw the competition schedule.

A few days ago, there were no competitions, but rather some projects for cultural exchange between various races. Many Andrei communities had exchanges with other ethnic groups, such as the Literature Club and the Music Life Club led by the Elf race, the Weight Loss Club and the Essential Oil Sumo Club of the Pure Maid Experience Hall, and so on.

Lyle stared wide-eyed at the mark on the fire demon article.

"A joint event organized by the Necromancer's Figurine Company and the Black Abyss Demon Clan..."

"A Hellfire exhibition match?!"

Chapter 374 The Claws of Velimro

"What is the Hellfire Invitational?" Lyle pondered, holding his forehead.

Am I not the president of the Necromancer Figure Club? Why did my own club hold an exhibition match with the demons without my knowledge?!

"Wait a minute, the name Hellfire... I think I've heard Shining and the others mention it before..." The Hellfire Race, isn't that the Spine Wheel Race that recently became popular among the Demon Race...?

In that case, it's understandable that Necromancer's Figurine Company and the Black Abyss Demon Clan would hold an exhibition match together. However, besides the Spine Wheel race vehicle, what other support could Necromancer's Figurine Company provide?

Confusion was like a plug in Lyle's head, and questions were weighing on his relaxed mind. Lyle was unaware of the situation, but as the company president, he did need to find the relevant people to find out more.

"Let's go, Nia!"

"Awooo." Nia shoved all the pastries on the table into her mouth, then slithered a few steps like a snake and darted behind Lyle. "Want to go to the cooking club? It seems really popular there lately. Let's go! Let's go!"

"Okay, okay, but let's go to the Necromancer Figure Shop first, and then we can browse around there."

"Hehe, umm." The tentacles, which were longer than Lyle's arm, finally stopped causing trouble. Nia lay on Lyle's shoulder, drooling and chuckling foolishly. It seemed she was having another sweet dream.

Perhaps it was the effect of the disguise of flesh and blood, or perhaps it was the influence of the Wandering Hegemony Tournament.

The once quiet Andrei corridor has become more humane. In addition to the literary club members who are busy handing out flyers, Andrei members dressed like normal people are also walking in the corridor. When they see Lyle, they will smile and greet him, and then turn their attention to the booklets in their hands.

“Andrei is very interested in the tournament.” After all, it is a large-scale event involving multiple races, and of course, it is also related to the hunger for flesh and blood. The liches no longer coldly observe everything, but are full of curiosity about everything in the outside world, just like when they were born.

Of course, this did not curb their ability to cause trouble. The intensity of the executor patrols showed that the liches who were courting death had become even more numerous due to their vigorous curiosity and energy.

Lyle arrived at the Necromancer Figure Club's department. The lobby and offices were empty. Had there been a last-minute announcement about a new necromancy course, or were the club members all distracted by the promotional events outside? With these questions in mind, Lyle entered the Necromancer Figure Club's large laboratory.

"Holy crap, what is this?!"

What comes into view is a gigantic bone wheel ten meters high, with grotesque bone spikes attached to the deformed vertebrae. Two rows of split, dark-colored spikes pierce the skeleton support used for fixation. You should know that it is a teaching tool borrowed from Mr. Dragon, and it is enough material to make bone armor.

The enormous, peculiar spinal wheel exudes a powerful aura of intimidation. Its body radiates a certain oppressive force, resembling some kind of spiritual rune of deterrence. The connecting flesh is black, an unnatural, murky black. This unease arises from these black, tentacle-like tendrils of flesh, lurking within the crevices of the bones like hidden vipers with raised fangs.

But what truly surprised Lyle were the two sides of the enormous bone wheel.

While modifications to the Spinal Wheel are illegal under the Andrei Restriction Act, Lyle, as its creator, has participated in at least eight hundred, if not a thousand, of such projects. Especially the flanks, which are the Spinal Wheel's weak points, have been the subject of countless weapon modifications, including bone spikes, projectile tentacles, ice blades, and bomb launchers.

But this was still beyond Lyle's capabilities.

This modification was definitely not something that could be done by one person alone; it was carried out by subordinate members, or even an experimental project undertaken by the entire Necromancer Figure Company.

Those were two enormous, top-tier, highly modified skeletal hands, enveloping the sides of the spinal giant wheel like a clasped hand. Shining, Manipulation, Adaptability, and the rest of the crew were all busy adjusting the bone wheel, so focused that no one noticed Lyle's arrival.

It creatively utilizes an exoskeleton and inner muscle structure, with a spiderweb-like network of muscles running through the bone sutures. The seemingly smooth and seamless giant finger bone is actually pieced together from countless bone fragments. It aims to maximize deformability while preserving local rigidity to the greatest extent possible.

"Vilimro's Claw".

Vilimro is the name of a forbidden creation in necromancy lich lore, meaning "weird shapeshifter." Legend has it that it possesses the ability to shapeshift and fulfill all the dreams of necromancers, a creation that grants all desires.

This name was also agreed upon by Lyle and the others; it was the name of the Necromancer Gundam.

"You, behind my back, created the Death Titan's claw." Lyle, filled with shock, excitement, and a hint of reproach, roused Shining and the others from their immersion in debugging.

“Boss, I haven’t been hiding anything from you,” the manipulator pointed to the hand area, “Don’t you find it familiar? The structure here, the flesh and blood weaving here, the soul attachment here, it’s all your own technique.”

"The methods of constructing spirit possession that you selflessly showed us, we simply used flexibly."

Indeed, although the necromancer's personal traces are particularly obvious on the giant claw, like a hastily pieced-together monster, the flesh and bone weaving technique present in every area comes from the same source, perfectly bonding the scattered parts into a whole.

From Lyle Bühler, the most outstanding new generation of necromancers at Andre Academy.

Lyle was somewhat moved. "But that doesn't change the fact that you did this behind my back. You've sacrificed so much, yet there's no trace of my hard work in our shared 'dream'."

Am I, as the president of this company, really just an insignificant figurehead?

Shining touched the scales on its body. "No marks? Isn't that a lot?"

"I started working behind the scenes without informing you, boss, mainly because I wanted to give you a surprise."

“There’s another concern. If we don’t add our own traces, with the Plague Doctor’s knowledge, he won’t need us soon, will he?” Bian Tong pointed to the things on the hand bones. “The bones are the fragmentation and refinement ritual of the deformed bones you previously hypothesized, Plague Doctor; the flesh and blood are special flesh and blood materials from the Plague Doctor himself. The materials and the connection method are all your achievements. Are you going to even deprive us of the right to assemble them by hand?”