Free Web NovelChapter 107: Chapter 98: Going Up the Mountain to Watch the Battle
From behind his Undead, Li Ziyu surveyed the people before him. The Human at the very front had to be the Conscience Merchant. He didn’t look very old, probably in his twenties—like he hadn’t even graduated from college yet. He was not what Li Ziyu had imagined at all.
He had imagined the Conscience Merchant would be some greasy, middle-aged man in his thirties or forties, but instead, he was a young man with messy hair, dark circles under his eyes, and a thoroughly exhausted demeanor.
Behind the Conscience Merchant were several hundred Gophers, their faces etched with terror as they stared at the Undead.
"Undead City Lord! It’s me! Me, the Conscience Merchant! We’re on the same side! Don’t attack!" the Conscience Merchant shouted, holding his hands up, his voice nearly cracking from the strain.
Li Ziyu lifted his hand slightly, and the Skeleton Warriors immediately shuffled in unison to open a path. The Conscience Merchant glanced at the Undead, then at Li Ziyu on the other side of the passage. Gritting his teeth, he stepped forward and walked through, trembling.
’He was truly terrified. Just because I’ve communicated with the Undead City Lord a few times doesn’t mean the man bears me no ill will. If he gave the order right now, the surrounding Undead would absolutely hack me to death.’
Fortunately, this was just his imagination running wild. In reality, the Undead didn’t move an inch; they simply watched the Gophers silently, preventing them from advancing.
"*Whew*... Hello, Undead City Lord. I’m the Conscience Merchant who’s been in contact with you. My real name is Zhang Peng." Reaching Li Ziyu, the Conscience Merchant—Zhang Peng—extended a hand and introduced himself.
Li Ziyu stared at his face for a few seconds, then glanced at his outstretched hand. Raising an eyebrow, he shook it. "I’m Li Ziyu. Where’s the Headhunter Race? Did you manage to shake them off?"
He had been observing earlier. There didn’t seem to be any pursuers behind the Gophers’ Mobile Fortress, contrary to what Zhang Peng had claimed. He hadn’t seen a single sign of the Headhunter Race, and the Skeleton Longbowmen lying in ambush hadn’t sent any warnings either.
"Ah, they’re still way back there. I’m a Fast Runner, so I got here first. They’re sure to follow our tracks and be here soon," Zhang Peng said with a bitter smile.
His expression suddenly changed as he hastily asked, "By the way, your Undead... this can’t be all of them, can it? We’re talking about several hundred members of the Headhunter Race! Are these few Undead really enough to stop them?"
"Rest assured, it’ll be enough. For now, park your fortress here to draw in the Headhunter Race. Have your Gophers hide somewhere far off. You and I will go up the mountain to watch the battle," Li Ziyu told Zhang Peng with a mysterious smile.
"This... I have to leave my fortress here? That doesn’t seem like a good idea, does it?" Hearing that he had to leave his fortress behind, Zhang Peng’s face turned sour, and he didn’t know what to do.
’He desperately wanted to refuse but didn’t have the guts. What if I say no, and Li Ziyu just turns around and leaves? Then I’d be totally screwed!’
Seeing the look on Zhang Peng’s face, Li Ziyu guessed his thoughts and sighed. "Trust is the foundation of friendship. If you don’t trust me, you’re free to leave right now. I won’t stop you."
’So you’re saying if I don’t trust you, we can’t be friends? And then you’ll just wash your hands of this whole thing and walk away?’
’How the hell is that an option?’
’If you take off, I’m dead for sure!’
"No, no, no, please don’t say that! I’m incredibly grateful that you’re willing to help. The fortress stays here. I’ll follow you." The situation was out of his hands, leaving Zhang Peng no room for hesitation, and he quickly agreed.
Seeing that Zhang Peng knew what was good for him, Li Ziyu smiled and started walking up the mountain. Zhang Peng glanced back at his Gophers, then hurried to catch up. After they left, a few Undead stepped forward to guide the Gophers up the mountain as well.
’These Undead look terrifying, but there really don’t seem to be enough of them.’
As he walked up the mountain, Zhang Peng kept stealing glances at the Skeleton Warriors, his mind racing. ’Did Li Ziyu fight so fiercely in his last battle that he lost all his Undead? Is he just trying to keep up appearances with this small handful of troops?’
’He can’t have let one victory go to his head, thinking he’s invincible now. That would be a disaster. Maybe I should scout out an escape route now. If we lose, I’ll flee immediately. It might be my only chance to survive.’
In stark contrast to the apprehensive Zhang Peng, Li Ziyu was calm and composed. He paid the approaching Headhunter Race no mind at all. Or rather, in Li Ziyu’s eyes, they weren’t the Headhunter Race—they were a whole mob of Soul Energy Packs rushing to deliver themselves to him!
The two arrived on the mountain, where about a hundred Skeleton Undead and over a dozen High Level Skeleton Warriors were waiting. They were to serve as a temporary security detail for the pair. The Wraith Mountain Range was, after all, home to plenty of Wild Beasts and Magical Beasts, and these Undead were there to fend them off.
"We’ll watch the battle from here. Relax, it’ll be fine." Li Ziyu found a large rock and sat down. Seeing Zhang Peng’s agitated state, he offered some words of comfort.
Zhang Peng forced a smile but didn’t sit down as Li Ziyu had. Instead, he kept his eyes fixed on his Mobile Fortress parked down below. That fortress was the very foundation of his survival in this Otherworld.
Out on the Wasteland, more than five hundred members of the Headhunter Race followed the tracks left by the Gophers’ Mobile Fortress. Under the Moonlight, they spotted the huge, motionless thing in the distance.
"There it is!" A flash of excitement crossed the Headhunter Race leader’s eyes. He raised a hand, pointing forward to signal his tribesmen.
The other members of the Headhunter Race also spotted the Mobile Fortress. Following their leader, they slowed their pace and advanced cautiously, ever watchful of their surroundings to prevent an ambush.
"They’re here."
On the mountain, Li Ziyu, who had been resting with his eyes closed, received a telepathic message from his Undead. He snapped his eyes open and called out softly to Zhang Peng.
Already a bundle of nerves, Zhang Peng tensed up the moment he heard this. He frantically peered in the direction of his fortress but couldn’t see clearly. It was only after a few minutes that he could faintly make out some dark specks slowly approaching the Mobile Fortress.
