Free Web NovelChapter 146: Chapter 96: Lynch! You Refuse the Path to Heaven
Aside from the two appointment letters, he hadn’t managed to get a single soldier, a single grain of rice, or even a single copper plate for mobilization funds from his senior. freewёbnoνel.com
’A commander in name only, a chief without a single soldier, starting from absolute scratch.’
Still, it wasn’t a complete loss.
At the very least, he had a legitimate, and sizable, piece of territory.
He had the official status of a battalion commander, recognized by the Empire’s military, along with an authorized headcount for five hundred soldiers.
After all, in the Empire, privately recruiting and maintaining armed forces would get you branded a bandit or a rebel.
But with this authorization, he could legitimately form his own unit and build his own foundation. In theory, he could even request logistical support from his superiors.
"Oh well, it’s better than nothing," Lynch consoled himself, beckoning for Sea Song and Aus to follow. "Let’s head to Lakefront Town and see what we’re dealing with."
With his mindset adjusted, Lynch set out once more.
This time, he didn’t dismiss his entire Undead Corps.
Since he was on his way to take over a town, facing unknown local powers and potential trouble, a proper show of force was necessary.
He kept nearly a hundred fully armed Skeleton Soldiers as his escort. Zombie Blood Fang and Bone Shadow flanked him—one in plain sight, one in the shadows—while his mount, Red Rabbit, was especially conspicuous.
In the Empire, Necromancers weren’t mainstream Mages and had long been stigmatized by the Holy Light Church. But at the end of the day, before the Undead Major was abolished, it was a legal Extraordinary Profession.
Besides, Lynch was now an Imperial Knight with a formal commission from the North Wind Legion. It was perfectly reasonable for him to walk down the street with a full retinue of Skeleton Soldiers. fгeewebnovёl.com
The group traveled like this for another two days.
As they drew nearer to the Mirror Lake region, the air grew noticeably more humid, and the vegetation along the desolate road became progressively thicker.
When a wooden sign bearing the name "Lakefront Town" appeared on the roadside, Lynch’s spirits lifted.
’Finally.’
However, as he stepped into the bounds of Lakefront Town, full of a budding sense of anticipation, the sight before him instantly extinguished that warmth and chilled him to the core.
The town was larger than he had imagined, its main buildings spread out along the shore of Mirror Lake.
Many of the structures were built of a mix of brick and stone, and he could even spot several rather grand-looking manors, as if they were testaments to the town’s former prosperity.
Now, however, the town was a desolate ruin.
On the weed-choked main street, shop doors hung askew and signs were shattered. Through gaping doors and windows, he could see scattered debris and broken pottery—all signs of the owners’ hasty departure.
As far as the eye could see, there wasn’t a single moving soul. The entire town of Lakefront was as silent as a graveyard.
’No, even a graveyard would be livelier than this. At least a graveyard might have a few wild Undead roaming around.’
Suddenly,
a gust of wind swept by, swirling a few dead leaves and adding to the bleak atmosphere.
The corner of Lynch’s mouth twitched violently.
’How is he supposed to start from scratch in a desolate, run-down hellhole like this?’
Just then, however,
his expression shifted. His Spiritual Power detected what seemed to be the presence of living people in a nearby house.
’Hmm?’
He focused his senses and realized there were quite a few—more than a dozen, in fact.
"Heh heh... Playing hide-and-seek with me?" Lynch decided to call out directly. "Listen up in there! Get out here, now! Don’t make me get rough."
As he spoke, he gave a mental command.
Bone Valor immediately led its squad of cannon-fodder Skeletons toward the house, their bones clattering. CLATTER, CLATTER. Their rusted swords glinted coldly in the dim sunlight.
A commotion immediately erupted from within the house.
A moment later, the door creaked open.
An old man with graying hair and a grief-stricken face was the first to emerge.
He was dressed respectably enough, but his long robe had been washed so many times it had faded to white.
Flanked by a group of militiamen, he approached Lynch, trembling.
These so-called "militiamen" were a motley crew. The youngest was a teenager with a baby face, while the oldest was likely in his fifties, his back already starting to hunch.
Their "weapons" were just as varied: fish harpoons, wood axes, homemade wooden spears—you name it. Someone was even clutching a pitchfork.
Moreover, every one of them was sallow and gaunt. Aside from an instinctual fear of the Undead Corps, their eyes held nothing but numbness.
The old man in the lead stopped more than twenty meters away from Lynch. Bowing with a trembling body, he stammered in terror, "M-My esteemed Lord Mage... I am the mayor of Lakefront Town, Old John."
"W-we truly have no food left... There aren’t many able-bodied men in town either... I beg you, my lord, please be merciful. S-spare us..."
Lynch’s brow furrowed at his words. He didn’t immediately present his letter of appointment. Instead, he asked coldly, "What’s this? From the sound of it, people often come here to steal your food and abduct your people?"
Old John swallowed hard.
Facing a Necromancer with an army, he didn’t dare lie. He could only grit his teeth and tell the truth. "I won’t hide it from you, my lord... life here... it’s truly become impossible."
"The Gnolls from the Mist Forest come down to raid us every few days. In the mountains to the north, the Blue Scarf rebels are running rampant, stealing from us and forcibly conscripting our men. But the most... the most despicable ones are..."
He hesitated, stealing a glance at Lynch’s expression before continuing, "It’s the so-called Imperial army. One day, a unit comes to collect a ’bandit suppression donation.’ The next day, another unit comes to grab a few ’conscripts.’ They have all sorts of excuses, but our food and our people are truly taken away! They’re... they’re even worse than the Gnolls and the Blue Scarves..."
