Academic gathering with Lich colleagues

Lyle rushed over and slapped the head off the man who was rubbing his jawbone against the huge leg bone.

"Who? Boss Plague Doctor, I knew you wouldn't miss out on these good things."

He opened his arms in welcome, nodded, and continued stuffing bones into his storage bag without slowing down. He then crashed to the ground floor, his head falling off.

"Good stuff?" Lyle reached out and touched the skeletons in front of them. "Abnormal bones..." This was probably the reward the ancient humans gave to the liches. They invited the liches to build living structures here, using the skeletons of their prey as payment. The giant beasts of Sahazane were crystallizations of life force, and their deaths were equally precious. The precious materials from the Bone Forest, which had been cultivated and aberrated multiple times by the liches, were everywhere in this place, and even of better quality. Natural ones were much better than artificial ones.

Shining finally crawled back, his flesh-and-blood camouflage eyes shining, and he excitedly danced around.

"Boss, with so many materials, we're sure to be able to complete our Necromancer Figure Club's ultimate goal, the Necromancer Gundam, smoothly. Maybe we can even add some additional organs, a thousand hands and a hundred heads, and ten tails."

"It can also enable the mass production of Necro Gundam, and make consecration studies the number one discipline in Andrei in no time. When that happens, we'll wipe out Andrei first."

The three liches, like thieves sneaking into a treasure vault, conjured up mundane futures. Their voices were so loud that they attracted the attention of the giantess beside them. She was an ancient human woman with shoulder-length brown hair and a tiger-skin skirt. A magnified version of a naive young girl, her nose smeared with soot, her face freckled, and her round face slightly chubby. She held a dagger in her hand, diligently scraping scraps of flesh from leather. Her movements were clumsy, clearly indicating she hadn't been there long, just like Lyle.

Young people don't have much experience or lessons learned. This young woman was full of curiosity about the little people around her. She glanced down at the busy women around her, and dimples appeared on her round face.

Shiny's shoulder was poked. He turned around, and a smooth shinbone jabbed into his face, the force almost too much, knocking him to the ground. The girl holding the bone panicked. She moved her "cane," the protrusion at the tip of the bone gripping the back of Shiny's head, trying to pull him up, but afraid of hurting the tiny, porcelain doll-like figure. Lyle looked into those bright eyes and realized Shiny was being treated like a toy or a pet.

Shining accepted the older girl's help, stood up with his bones under his arm, and pretended to touch his forehead to express his gratitude.

"Thank you, kid, and your bones too."

“You’re the brat.” The girl, pouting, pushed him down again, pressing the shinbone she was holding onto him. She turned to look at the remaining three, an extra bone in her hand, her eyes gleaming. She paused, then stretched out her arm, swinging the bone in her hand like she was teasing a puppy.

"Do you want more?" The voice was still a little childish, but loud enough.

He glanced at Lyle, reached out and hugged the other side of the bone, hopped lightly on his feet, and then curtsied, his head almost touching the ground. "Thank you, lovely lady."

The tactful response elicited laughter from the older girl, a blush rising on her freckled cheeks like sesame seeds frying in a hot pan. Her gaze shifted to the angry doll beside the smiley face doll.

He crossed his arms and looked up at the huge thing.

"I'm not interested in your childish games, girl, and don't expect to impress me with these ordinary things."

The slightly sarcastic tone of the manipulator did not anger the girl. Her smile faded, and she fell into thought. Then, as if she had thought of something, she got up and left, her hair whipping up a salty breeze.

When she returned, her face radiated a smile no less beautiful than the sun's rays. But the three liches stared intently at her chest, at the perfectly formed, enormous tyrannical skull, far more perfect than these broken bones. Lyle could even see the spirits residing within the skull, as could the liches.

He lunged forward, clinging to the girl's thighs like a tree, screaming like a fledgling, "Mine, mine, mine..."

The other two were not to be outdone; the three liches surrounded her, screaming, and her laughter became even louder.

That's right, that's the kind of thing Andrei is. As long as there's profit to be made, they'll act crazy and silly towards any creature, pretending to be a cute pet sticking out its tongue, even if the person they're fawning over is only their great-grandson by age.

Only Lyle was left. The eldest girl cast an expectant look at Lyle, but she didn't see any movement from Lyle. It was probably her sister or mother who grabbed her hand and dragged her aside, along with that Tyrannosaurus Rex skull.

"Do not!!!"

"My beloved!! Don't take her away!!!"

The three liches knelt on the ground, their voices hoarse and strained.

The ancient humans packed up their tools and moved aside, clearing the way.

Lyle saw the towering giant approaching him, and the thin black dragon priest beside him.

Lyle kicked Shiny twice. "Get up, or get out of here."

"The person in charge has arrived."

Chapter 669 The Plan is Complete

"Thank you for bringing us the Black Dragon and prosperity, High Priest."

He knelt on one knee, his head bowed to the level of his knee. Lyle could see the stone-carved muscles bulging on his back, the small mounds of his shoulder blades pushing out from the side of his dark gray wolfskin cloak, tautning the belt buckle. He stood up, a small clump of gray rising from beneath his moving feet. Lyle felt a soreness in his neck as he looked up at the face covered in white patterns.

Okangas, the ancient chieftain of the human race. He had a high nose, thin lips, and deep brown eyes set in a square face. Those eyes were clear and bright, devoid of any intimidating or contemptuous emotions. A scar ran from his left eyebrow and corner of his eye to his cheek, adding a touch of ferocity and menace to this tall man.

The chieftain didn't give Lyle time to agonize over returning the gift. He quickly made way, gesturing for Lyle and the rest of the Necromancer's Figurine Club to enter the main tent, a large tent with many large skulls hanging in front of its hexagonal door. Beside it, a shaman wearing a feathered headdress and carrying a bone staff set up a brazier, sprinkling gleaming ash into it, and then gesticulating wildly, emitting what sounded like a song.

"This is a welcoming ceremony. May the spirits of the fallen take over your bodies and bless you to become strong." The black dragon priest Omhead naturally walked to Lyle's side and chatted with him behind the chieftain.

"That doesn't sound like good news." Lyle looked at the drifting smoke and dust with a sense of unease. Those shamans had such muscular bodies; could the smoke and dust really have some effect?

"This is a shoddy ritual concocted by Alcaron to fool the tribe," the black dragon priest whispered to Lyle in dragon language, his solemn gaze fixed straight ahead, feigning utmost respect for the ceremony. "There's no magic here; the shamans are actually knowledgeable herbalists."

A cold snort rang out, and Alcaron's golden eyes gleamed with defiance. His massive body slithered like a snake along the rock wall, ascending into a higher cave amidst the songs of his tribe—his dragon lair, its entrance hidden in the darkness. Scales scratched the rock as the black dragon retreated into the cave, only his glowing eyes remaining to observe everything in the shadows.

Lyle saw that after the Black Dragon Priest looked away, the star on the left flickered rapidly like a faulty light bulb.

Lyle muttered to himself, "Can a reptile's eyelids be that good?"

“What?” Omhead looked up.

"nothing."

Lyle followed Okangas into the chieftain's tent. Several bone armchairs, judging by their craftsmanship (made by Shining and his crew), were inside. Processed furs and bone ornaments hung in the tent, and a faint, fishy smell wasn't unpleasant under the heat of the brazier. Okangas sat in the largest armchair and quickly relinquished control.

“Elder Omhead,” the patriarch greeted, then turned his gaze to his collection, seemingly no longer paying attention to the conversation.

The Black Dragon Priest coughed twice, and a stiff smile appeared on his habitually stern face.

"Welcome, Lyle. What is the purpose of your visit?"

Omhead seemed to have noticed something. Lyle put aside Al's conspiracy, pointed at Shining and the others, and said with a smile, "I am assisting the Green Dragons in dealing with inter-clan relations in the Dream Forest. Some research projects require Shining and the others' assistance. Lord Omhead, if the Ancient Humans do not mind, I would like to take my group members back with me."

“Of course, our cooperation with the Necromancer Figurine Company has been quite pleasant... Shining and the others have completed most of the contract, and the rest are not important.” The Black Dragon Priest paused for a moment. “Lyle, how is Irassorn doing? Is there anything we can do to help in Dreamwood? It is our responsibility for the Dragon Families to help each other.”

“I have an idea, Omhead.” Lyle saw the black dragon priest’s fingers, which were holding his staff, move upward slightly. “I am constructing a dream, and I want to build another world within it, a world that will encompass all of us. If possible, I would like to include the emerging ancient humans as part of it, so that your image and culture can spread among the dream elves.”

"That sounds incredibly tempting. Ancient humans have been isolated from the world for far too long. We need to re-establish contact. So, what will the Black Dragon Clan offer in return?"

"Knowledge, skills, your strength and techniques..."

Omhead waved his hand. "We don't have those things, Lyle. Ancient humans only had bodies awakened in dragon blood. Our power cannot be replicated, unfortunately."

Here comes the important part: Lyle quietly took a breath and chuckled.

“That would be a bit troublesome…” Lyle pretended to consider for a minute before throwing out the bait, “If it would be so, Lord Ormhead, please allow me to introduce some fighters skilled in combat techniques to your people. Trust me, they have enough experience to tailor a set of martial arts to suit the savage power of the ancient humans. If you are worried about Sahazane being exposed to outsiders, I can act as an intermediary to teach these techniques.”

The black dragon priest sat calmly in his armchair, making no further moves. Chieftain Okangas leaned forward, his gaze fixed on Lyle. He was quite curious about the ways to make the tribe stronger, but remained silent.

“This is the story you and Alcalon have come up with.” Omhead placed his cane in front of him, his hands clasped at the top. A sly smile played on his serious face. “If I agree, in a few days, will you find some reason to say that the middleman has been replaced by the Black Dragon, and that the martial arts of your teacher, the Dragonfather Dragon, will become the trump card of my ancient race? It’s quite tempting, Lyle.”

“But no!” Omhead replied firmly. “My competition with Moroko’i, Alcaron, and the other dragons continues, and the Dragonfather’s blessing would affect the fairness of the competition. Lyle, if you really want to find a martial arts instructor for the ancient humans, he must personally go to Sahazane and teach him his skills under my supervision.”

The black dragon priest's tone softened slightly. "I understand your and Al's intentions, Lyle, but children, some things are more precious than life itself. Please forgive this old man's stubbornness, but I must do this. I am still the black dragon priest, and the ancient humans must abide by my rules!"

Lyle lowered his head, looking at the black dragon priest Omhead with a complicated expression. He led Shining and the others out of the tent, and before leaving, he sighed towards the black dragon priest.

Lord Omheid, you think too highly of us. Compared to you, whose body flows with glory, Alcalon is utterly wicked.

Lyle's face was contorted from trying to suppress his laughter, looking exactly like the disappointment of someone who had been humiliated.

"Then, Lord Omhead, once I find a suitable martial arts instructor, please do your best to urge the ancient humans on, so as not to let our efforts go to waste."

“As long as my request is met, I will, Lyle. This is a warrior’s promise.”

Finally, Lyle led Shining and the others away from the mountain where the ancient humans had settled. Before the light of the Gate of Bones engulfed them, Lyle raised his arm and stretched out his waist.

The raised thumb overlapped with the shadow of the dragon's wing.

Chapter 670 Intimidation Practice

"Opportunity only favors the prepared. Therefore... in this lesson, we'll learn how to scare people, how to create fear." Mr. Astonishment's face was grim, his ghostly body glowing with a pale green phosphorescence as he cast his gaze upon the students. He suddenly vanished, then abruptly grabbed the spirit of a lucky student, twisting the student like a pretzel. Bone fragments spilled out from beneath the student, now compressed to the size of a palm, and the student screamed in terror.

"No! My memories are fading! Where did I bury my little treasure chest?! Who did I owe?! With bones above me! I'm going to become an idiot! No! I don't want to start necromancy all over again!"

Fear is contagious. While his companions were screaming and howling, the students were terrified by the professor's sudden outburst. They imagined their souls being squeezed into idiocy, and their spirits frantically danced around the Soul Tower like headless flies.

Lyle crouched in place, a writhing shadow clinging to his soul, his eyes cold, as he pulled Nia, who had joined the commotion, down from the ceiling. The ominous signs' sensitivity to spirits easily exposed Mr. Astonishment's lie; those bone fragments weren't extracted memory crystals, but merely deceptive hallucinations. But Lyle truly hadn't expected that psychological suggestion and mental shock could terrify the lich students so much—they were liches, after all.

"Alright, stop now. You should all realize what's happening. I was threatening you. Don't make a mess of this place... Teaching assistant, throw those idiots out. They're not fit for the next lesson..."

Three hours after returning to Andre Academy, Lyle realized his research on nightmares had hit a roadblock. To inscribe the professions of other races into the Emerald Dream, Lyle first needed to enable them to immerse themselves in the Emerald Dream—something only Dreamwalkers could do. But Lyle's plan required a large number of individuals capable of deep dream penetration, meaning he needed a device similar to an Immersion Stone that could trap any race in a dream. Having learned seventy to eighty percent of the abilities from Nightmare Susanna due to his kinship with the evil god, Lyle was confident he could create such a device, just as he had created the Flesh Disguise.

The first experimental subject was naturally the lich, since there was no responsibility involved. Research into the spiritual and dream realms was profound yet dangerous. As a dead soul, the lich possessed the highest resistance to any alterations to its soul, and Andrei also had the Soul Tower, which could mitigate some of the damage.

However, liches don't sleep, which stumped Lyle, but not for long. "Liches can eat, so why would it be so hard to make them dream?" With this confidence, Lyle began consulting experts in the field.

Naslan's eldest daughter, Helena.

They danced a dance in the upper floors of Naslan Castle, as the sun rose through the windowpanes, Lyle held Ariana's body, gazing into her pupils at another soul.

"Sleep and coma are both protective mechanisms that life uses to protect its brain. It's difficult for the undead to achieve a similar effect because their souls are solidified by death and are not subject to external stimuli or interference. If you want a lich to achieve true sleep, it's very difficult."

Ariana leaned back and fell into Lyle's arms.

"But mimicking entering a dream isn't impossible, especially a nightmare, which is even simpler for you and me. As long as the lich's spirit receives a certain level of impact, its soul will detach from its bones and leave its body. At that moment..."

“I’m capturing their fleeing souls and stuffing them into my dreams. Their bodies can’t move, but their souls are experiencing new things—that’s what dreaming is,” Lyle replied quickly, helping Ariana up. “I need to learn how to scare liches out of their wits…that’s much harder than threatening them.”

"Andrei's séance teachings have always included intimidation-related content. Negative emotions that cause panic are the main food for vengeful spirits. Go listen to his astonishing open lectures, Lyle, you will gain something from them."

A hazy, ethereal mist perpetually lingered within the Tower of Souls, having no effect whatsoever on obscuring the sinister, translucent face before him. Mr. Astonishment's eyes bulged like goldfish, expressionless, making him all the more frightening.

"Mr. Plague Doctor, as long as there is a soul, one can be feared. Fear is the most primal and powerful force, and even liches are affected by it. The key to creating fear is to understand your target and treat it accordingly. Humans have their fears, and liches have theirs. If you still have any questions, you can find someone in the academy to practice with."

"Is it inappropriate to scare people in Andrei? Doesn't Andrei have any relevant laws?"

Mr. Horror's head spun around Lyle's neck like the hands of a clock, moving haltingly with each movement, his gaze fixed on Lyle's face like nails.

"Yes, but does it matter...? All Andrei people know that the law is just a challenge that makes things more difficult."

Lyle accepted.

Andrei's confusion deepened.

A few days later, Law held his head and looked at the official documents falling like snowflakes onto his desk.

Regarding the soul séance class assignment for the junior student in the Department of Epidemiology (this has been confirmed with Professor Surprise)

The president of the Necromancer Figurine Company, Mr. Plague Doctor, has been carrying out terrorist attacks throughout Andrei in recent days, affecting multiple clubs and dozens of Andrei members. The main victims are close acquaintances and lone individuals. The victims' bodies have been dismembered and transformed from flesh into various bone ornaments, including but not limited to skeletal vases, fused monsters, and amorphous creatures. According to the victims' consistent accounts, Mr. Plague Doctor often attacks in an instant, leaving the victims no time to react before their flesh-covered disguises are twisted or torn into dozens of pieces. Even more depraved, the perpetrator doesn't leave afterward. Instead, he holds the victim's skull, forcing them to witness the horrific state of their body and asking, "Are you afraid?" Victims who answer negatively are abandoned. Some victims, fearing his power, give an affirmative answer, resulting in their bodies undergoing further torture and near collapse.

According to the Executive Committee's assessment, the junior student in the Department of Epidemiology probably confused the difference between intimidation and terrorist attack. However, when I approached him to remind him, he showed extremely strong resistance to the Executive Committee. Only then did I realize that the junior student's ability to resist arrest and escape was actually superior to that of the three members of the Literature Club.

Andrei's criminal star is rising.

Latest announcement: The Plague Doctor has realized that transferring the victimized liches to the Church of Holy Light will create the strongest sense of terror, and has received strong support from the outlaw Mr. Lei X. Please observe a moment of silence for the victims.