Free Web NovelChapter 467: Flesh Render’s Last Stand
“What did you say? The second and third defense lines were set on fire? What were they set on fire with? Was it a large-scale war ritual summoned by the vampire spirit mages?”
In Plague Town, when Flesh Render the sorcerer, who had gone to bed early due to his advanced age, was shaken awake by his panic-stricken disciple, he received shocking news, the Transians had launched an attack on his defense lines without warning tonight, showing no honor in warfare.
And it was a devastating attack.
This could be seen from the panic plastered across his disciple’s ugly face, tonight’s battle was no small scale affair.
However, Flesh Render still couldn’t understand how the Transians suddenly possessed such battlefield destructive power. Previously, they could only nibble away at his outer outposts through repeated infantry charges at the cost of countless lives.
“They used strange weapons!”
The gnoll sorcerer who came to report described in his chaotic language:
“Those vampires carried bombs that could trigger large-scale fires on their bodies. They took full advantage of their ability to fly, taking off from the swamp’s outer trench defense line and crossing over our outer layer.
Almost all the outposts along the way were bombed and set ablaze.
It happened too fast; our corpse mages and knights had no time to react.
Moreover, the weapons they used weren’t spirit items. The defensive rituals we placed at the outposts had very poor effect against those things. Those damned flames wouldn’t extinguish quickly once ignited.
They would stick to our skeletons and zombies, burning until they lost their combat effectiveness.
They also had a vicious type of ‘cluster bomb’ that didn’t cause burning explosions, but like fireworks, any area covered by it would render a skeleton warrior ineffective if even a bit stuck to them.
Lord Flesh Render!
Those cunning vampires have clearly developed corresponding weapons targeting our skeleton army. Our losses are devastating!”
“So what do you want me to help you with?”
Flesh Render became instantly irritated after hearing this description.
The gnoll sorcerer asked viciously:
“The situation is already like this, can I summon meteors from the sky to kill them all? Damn it! Can we still contact the corpse mages and knights at the second and third defense lines?”
“Yes, but not many.”
The messenger shrank his head and said:
“Of the 45 corpse mages and netherworld knights we stationed at the second and third layers, only 7 can still communicate with us. The rest have either been captured alive or killed, their souls returning to their respective soul boxes.”
“So you’re saying the outer layer’s command system has been largely destroyed?”
Flesh Render felt another headache coming on.
The current situation was quite awkward.
Though there were still plenty of skeleton armies available in the outer regions, though their power hadn’t been destroyed much, they simply couldn’t be commanded anymore.
It was like a giant who had undergone a lobotomy, still possessing the power to sweep across the land but could only lie in its lair as a frustrated vegetable, allowing those damned insects around to run up and humiliate them.
Of course, Flesh Render could give precise orders to skeleton armies in certain areas through the Plague Sorcerer Tower. If necessary, with the tower’s assistance, he could even play “Lich King” for a while, using his will to replace the lower command nodes and regather the skeleton armies to launch a counterattack.
But he couldn’t do that now.
First, executing such an operation would require Flesh Render to become part of the ritual, and he couldn’t leave that control core before the war ended.
This would make Flesh Render a sitting target at this stage.
To be honest, he didn’t believe his ambitious apprentices would let this “good opportunity” pass. Perhaps he would be ambushed by these bastards the moment he entered the control ritual. No, not perhaps, his apprentices were truly capable of doing such things!
Secondly, theoretically speaking, all the forces in Plague Town had already been “sold” by Flesh Render to the “Explorer”, so whether the people here lived or died had nothing to do with him anymore.
This allowed Flesh Render to calmly view everything currently happening from a detached “third-party” perspective.
He quickly came to a horrifying conclusion.
Namely, tonight’s massive bombardment was only the first step in the Transians’ war to eliminate Plague Town. With the outer two defense lines paralyzed, those fearless Transian barbarians would definitely charge into the last defense line in one go, the wandering skeleton armies simply couldn’t deal with them.
Perhaps the swamp war would end faster than he had imagined? And from the current look of things, the hope for victory didn’t seem to be on the gnolls’ side.
Flesh Render narrowed his eyes.
He knew it was time to pack his things.
But he wasn’t planning to run away, rather to push everything he had carefully planned into the next stage.
He had already obtained King Gnawbone’s remains, but he wasn’t satisfied. After all, the sacred Land of Creation was right before his eyes and he had already been inside once. Who could be content to just let it go like this?
“You go then. The outer defense lines can’t be saved. Have the sorcerers in town enter the last defense line and hold firm! I will prepare a ‘surprise’ here for the Transians.”
Flesh Render made his decision and gave an order to the sorcerer before him.
His complete abandonment of the outer defense lines made his apprentice’s eyes bulge.
What the hell, giving up already?
Just throwing away the two layers of defense lines that took so long to build and those outposts guarding key positions?
Couldn’t we just send troops out to reclaim some outposts? Once the two armies engage, how could those cowardly living beings possibly be a match for fearless skeleton armies? Have you gone mad, old man?
“What are you looking at! Go execute the order!”
Flesh Render coldly glared at this fool still in a daze.
The latter jolted and dared not stay any longer, pulling his hood before turning to limp away.
After that internally grumbling fellow left, Flesh Render lightly tapped his Soul Corruption Staff on the ground, and spirit energy surged to seal the windows here and activate the barrier preventing eavesdropping.
After doing all this, Flesh Render walked with stumbling steps to the core position of his area.
He activated the earthen yellow crystal floating before his eyes.
This thing was the core of this mage tower and the entire town’s spirit energy defense system, but it wasn’t made by the gnolls themselves.
This style and color of protective crystal was clearly made by Silver Dwarf earth priests – only they had sufficient technology to carve so many inconceivable patterns on gems, shaping them into a mage tower’s core without destroying the gem’s integrity.
In fact, this was a unique skill of the Silver Dwarves, over 70% of the mage towers on this continent were designed and built by Silver Dwarf Gaia priests. It’s likely that when this centuries-old mage tower at Flesh Render’s feet hadn’t yet been abandoned, there should have been a group of Silver Dwarves stationed here.
As the crystal emitted a light chime, Flesh Render contacted his apprentice, Lame Claw, who was still busy in the Construction Tower.
He asked:
“My most talented disciple, tell me, how much longer until our ‘King’ awakens?”
“I don’t know!”
Lame Claw gave a terrible answer.
But this didn’t mean the corpse constructor was just fooling around. Actually, Lame Claw truly didn’t know. He answered frantically:
“To provide our King with sufficient power source, I stuffed all the vampire hearts I had on hand into its body.
This method was very effective. Currently, the power from midnight is already flowing in our King’s withered shell, but even the operation of nearly 20 vampire hearts fused together cannot drive this heaven-sent golden body for long!
I cannot guarantee whether our King will possess its former combat power after awakening. I can only try my best to enhance its destructive power.
Flesh Render, I need some Ningkinanka venom to serve as the ‘blood’ flowing in our King’s withered body. The venom of those legendary creatures can not only provide our King with abundant power but also allow it to regain the abilities to manipulate toxin corrosion and toxic rain.
No matter who you want to use it against, with these abilities you can achieve your goal faster!
Get it for me!
If possible, find me some more powerful vampire hearts.
Ah, our time is too short! What perfect materials! If you could give me a bit more time, this would absolutely be my life’s most perfect masterpiece!”
“There’s no more time, what a pity.”
Hearing that Lame Claw was making good progress, Flesh Render immediately felt much more relaxed. He let out a long breath and said:
“I will send those fresh venoms over. You focus on restoring our King’s combat power in the final time we have. We need the gnolls’ greatest leader to fight one more time for his unworthy descendants.
Yes.
One last time.
By the way, you’ve been trying to awaken our King’s body, but what about its soul? Without King Gnawbone’s soul, this shell cannot achieve true greatness.”
“Can’t summon it back, Flesh Render.”
Now even the crazy Lame Claw’s words carried strong depression.
He said:
“I tried 13 methods, tried all the soul summoning ritual ceremonies in the ghost grimoire you gave me, but our King’s soul that fell into the netherworld had no response at all, as if it wasn’t in the netherworld at all. This is an extremely rare situation.
Flesh Render,
Do you think, do you think our King’s soul might still be wandering in the world of the living?”
Hearing Lame Claw’s question, Flesh Render’s heart suddenly skipped a beat.
A shocking guess immediately surfaced in his mind, if King Gnawbone finally perished in the Land of Creation, could there be a possibility that King Gnawbone’s soul is also still trapped in the same place?
Perhaps this is why that damned Explorer wouldn’t allow him to follow into the depths of the Land of Creation.
The bastards of Dusk want to trap the greatest soul of the gnoll tribe to force it to serve them.
Ah, damn it!
Flesh Render clenched his claws.
He felt he might have guessed a bit of the “truth”, however, he couldn’t possibly tell Lame Claw information about the Land of Creation.
This guy’s brain was already completely broken, who knows if he would spread this news everywhere?
Therefore, facing Lame Claw’s inquiry, Flesh Render pondered for a moment before saying:
“I don’t know either. After all, I’m just an ordinary gnoll sorcerer who doesn’t understand much about the mysteries of death. Perhaps only the priests from Moon Holy City could answer your question.
Well, missing a soul is missing a soul then. As long as the golden body can move, that’s enough.
You continue working, wait for my news.”
After speaking, Flesh Render immediately cut off the communication between the two mage towers. He paced back and forth in his “bedroom” with complex excitement.
In this instant, the Transian attack, the threat to Plague Town, the transfer of swamp control and other issues were all thrown to the back of his mind.
Ever since returning from the Land of Creation, Flesh Render had become increasingly unconcerned with these “worldly” matters. Like a young person who had tasted forbidden fruit, his entire heart was placed on those transcendent things that one couldn’t help but pursue.
After several minutes of contemplation, confirming that all plans had been considered, Flesh Render finally picked up the pearl bracelet used to contact the Explorer again.
He activated this thing and patiently waited for the other party’s response while starting to guess what that bastard was doing in the sacred Land of Creation right now?
Was he studying the abstruse knowledge left by the Creator?
Or was he excavating some ancient artifacts powerful enough to change the world?
Ah, what a lucky son of a bitch!
But it doesn’t matter. Soon, he would replace the Explorer in having the qualification to have an audience with the Creator’s miracles, this is what they gnolls deserve!
After such aimless contemplation, the communication was only connected several minutes later.
The Explorer on the other side wasn’t angry about being disturbed. On the contrary, he responded enthusiastically:
“Ah, Lord Flesh Render, what’s happened outside again? To be honest, I don’t care much about outside anymore. You don’t know, I just learned to use the precise miracles of the Land of Creation and prepared myself an unimaginably sumptuous dinner with that miraculous thing.
My poor taste buds can barely describe those colorful flavors.
I even very presumptuously used what was likely the private bathroom left for Lord Creator back then.
I can only tell you, our Creator really knew how to enjoy life.”
“Huh?”
Flesh Render was completely dumbfounded right now.
Using the Creator’s power to make dinner?
Using someone else’s bathroom?
F**k!
Do you know what the hell you’re doing?
In the holiest place closest to true divinity in a world, instead of pursuing that precious knowledge, you waste time on these meaningless things?
You bastard truly have ways to seek death!
I shall represent the great Creator and kill you, you unworthy descendant!
An unnamed fire ignited in Flesh Render’s aged body. He believed if he had obtained the qualification to have an audience with the Land of Creation, he would never be so loose and unrestrained.
Driven by this thought, even the little guilt remaining in Flesh Render’s heart disappeared.
He said in his usual slow voice:
“You guessed right, Explorer. Something happened outside. The Transians used strange weapons to attack us. Two of the three defense lines were paralyzed in one night. They may reach near Plague Town tomorrow.
I have an agreement with Lord Source, and I have an agreement with you. I will give all the forces under my command for you to use, but if you don’t come back to take charge soon, I’m afraid you won’t be able to receive any decent forces later.
You see, I’ve already obtained King Gnawbone’s remains after all, I can leave anytime.”
“They came? So fast?”
The Explorer’s continuous chewing of something also carried a hint of solemnity. He crunched on something crispy like snacks and asked:
“Then, please tell me, is Governor Murphy among them?”
“How would I know?”
Flesh Render snorted and said:
“But my disciples monitored treant activity in the swamp, and many vampires walking freely in the darkness, so I guess that lord will probably come, this is after all his concentrated elite force executing the strike.
For such a big event, he should be present.”
“Very good, I’ll prepare to return right away.”
The Explorer answered decisively:
“Anyway, the decryption program has been activated and won’t get a result for a while. Even if I stay here I can only enjoy this decadent good life. Perhaps it’s time to exercise a bit.
Have your people hold on, I’ll be there soon.
Plague Town is destined to be Governor Murphy’s burial ground, and his death will please my alluring but mercurial superior, even all of Dusk will rejoice at my little victory.
This backwater rat lord has already caused us a lot of trouble. Heaven knows why his vampire senses can always so accurately catch our traces.
Ha, maybe it’s natural antagonism, but it doesn’t matter.
Lord Murphy will undoubtedly become the most regrettable lord of this era. He should have had a legendary life, but unfortunately, he provoked people he shouldn’t have.”
“When will you return? Give me a specific time so I can arrange my withdrawal.”
Flesh Render didn’t hide his purpose at all, speaking in the blunt and crude tone gnolls should have:
“This place will soon become ruins in your great battle with the vampires, and I don’t plan to be buried with you all.”
“Two days, three at most.”
The Explorer returned to his previous relaxed and unrestrained demeanor. He crunched on his food and said to Flesh Render:
“I’ll notify you before I arrive. By the way, want me to bring you some of the Creator’s snacks? This thing is truly ‘food of the gods’ in a symbolic sense.
This thing called ‘chips’ is really great, I strongly recommend you try it.
The Creator filled His ‘bottomless’ snack jar with this stuff.
All kinds of flavors.
You see, the Creator likes this snack, I like it too, so doesn’t this mean there’s no difference between me and the Creator?”
“Presumptuous! Arrogant! Madman!”
When hearing the Explorer comparing himself to the Creator, the disgust in Flesh Render’s heart rose even more.
Did this bastard really know what he was saying?
Actually daring to slander the god who created the world, being so disrespectful and even speaking with a blasphemous tone-
Wait!
Flesh Render suddenly blinked his eyes.
He seemed to have inadvertently figured out a very important question, Dusk wholeheartedly wanted to see the world destroyed, so, these guys’ true enemies were the powers left by the Creator.
The Explorer seeking the Land of Creation wasn’t for knowledge at all, he was just trying to destroy it!
Ha!
So that’s how it is.
Ah, great Creator, please grant me, this aged gnoll, power, please bless my actions, please watch how I will severely punish this destructive heretic who violates Your majesty in Your greatest name.
Yes!
Even evil versus evil has to be ranked!
And this time, Flesh Render will stand on an incomparable moral high ground to execute righteous punishment on the most deserving bastard!
Hmm, the view from this moral high ground is quite nice indeed. No wonder so many people like to stand here and point fingers at the whole world.
