Chapter 65 - 63: Undead and Socketing

Chapter 65: Chapter 63: Undead and Socketing

’So they were just ordinary companions after all.’

’This woman really is incredibly loyal.’

’Too bad that’s just an exception in this world.’

Just like those people who screwed Bai Ya over before. In their eyes, companions were nothing more than disposable tools.

Other people might have slightly higher standards, but definitely not to Mirana’s level.

Willing to take such a huge risk and give up so many benefits just for a chance to help a companion walk again.

’No matter how you look at it, it’s a terrible deal. I have no idea what she was thinking.’

’Whatever. I’m the one who made out like a bandit, anyway.’

Watching Mirana’s departing figure, Lu Wei shook his head and looked away. He planned to sort out the group of young slaves first, then hurry to get the Star Core inlaid into his One-handed Sword.

But unexpectedly, the moment he turned around, he locked eyes with his "tool," Bai Ya.

She was hiding behind the wooden shed, peeking furtively in his direction. Her behavior was just like that of a stupid, oversized goblin—

—always hiding its head in a bush, thinking it can’t be seen, completely unaware that its butt is still sticking out.

And they always do things sneakily that don’t need to be done sneakily at all.

’What are you looking at?’

’Think I was just flirting with Mirana? Are you jealous?’

’Don’t be stupid!’

’She’s my boss now!’

’Which makes her your boss’s boss!’

After shooting Bai Ya a few more glances, Lu Wei pursed his lips, pushed open the courtyard gate, and walked straight toward Furen.

Bai Ya, meanwhile, finally realized what was happening and, with a WHOOSH, fled to the backyard, her face beet red.

"How’s it going?"

Ignoring her, Lu Wei went over to Furen. "Have you finished tallying everything?"

"All done!"

Furen had been waiting. Without even having time to ask what he and Mirana had just talked about, he immediately shouted into the house:

"Zovir, get over here!"

"We’re coming, Mr. Furen!"

Zovir and the others, who had been cleaning the house, immediately ran out and lined up in front of Lu Wei. Their cheeks were flushed, though it was unclear if it was from nervousness or something else.

"Zovir, let’s start with you."

Furen now looked a bit like a foreman, ordering seriously, "Make sure you give all the details!"

"Okay... Mr. Lu Wei, my name is Zovir. I’m 13 years old, and I’m good at raising livestock."

Zovir nodded quickly, then looked at Lu Wei and quietly introduced himself.

But perhaps a slave really didn’t have much to introduce, so he finished in a single sentence.

Then, he quietly nudged the little girl next to him.

She quickly followed his lead, continuing in a soft voice:

"Mr. Lu Wei, my name is Anna. I’m 12, and I know a little sewing..."

"S-Sir, my name is Timi..."

"..."

Starting with Zovir, all six children introduced themselves in less than two minutes.

The oldest was Zovir, and the youngest was only nine years old.

’In my past life, they’d only be in the fucking fourth grade.’

The Skills the six of them had were also highly overlapping. To put it bluntly, it was all just their previous "job descriptions."

This made things a bit difficult for Lu Wei.

After all, he wasn’t planning on opening a farm or growing cotton.

"Do any of you know how to build a house?"

Suddenly, he asked a question that seemed impossible for this group of young slaves to answer.

However, to his surprise, after a moment, Zovir actually raised his hand timidly.

"Mr. Lu Wei, when I was working on the farm, I helped other slaves build a cowshed a few times. Does... does that count?"

"So you know how to build a cowshed?"

"I do. You have to dig a pit first, and then..."

Zovir answered truthfully. Although his wording wasn’t very professional, it sounded like he knew what he was talking about.

After listening, Lu Wei basically had a plan for the six young slaves.

"Alright, you can go back to cleaning."

Waving his hand to dismiss the six of them, he turned to Furen.

"The day after tomorrow, we’re going into the forest. Bring Zovir and Anna with us."

"Okay... What about the others?"

Furen was a little nervous, seemingly afraid that he would "fire" the remaining four children.

Fortunately, Lu Wei didn’t do that.

"Send the other four to be apprentices at the shops in town."

"Let’s see... one at the blacksmith, one at the general store, one at the bakery, and one at the tailor’s. Perfect!"

"Absolutely perfect!"

With a slight smile, Lu Wei’s mental abacus clattered away.

Although apprentices don’t get paid, they also don’t have to pay tuition, and he wouldn’t be responsible for their room and board.

So he could just dump these four little slaves—no, I mean, find the best possible home for them!

In the future, once the four of them completed their apprenticeships, he could even reap the benefits!

’So devious!’

Lu Wei gloated over his plan, thinking his "labor dispatch" move was simply brilliant.

Furen didn’t have any objections, but he was a little worried.

"But will the shops agree? They’re still so young, and they’re slaves..."

"Don’t worry about that."

Lu Wei looked up at the sky. "Someone will help us take care of it."

Furen was taken aback. "Who?"

"A well-respected Undead."

"Huh? An Undead? Don’t all Undead live in the Desecrated Lands? Why would one be here??"

"You wouldn’t understand even if I told you."

Lu Wei ignored Furen’s shocked expression, giving a perfunctory reply before muttering casually:

"Right, come with me. We have to run an errand."

"But the Undead’s..."

"There is no Un... ahem, so, do you want to meet him?"

"Eh? Really? Can I?"

"Of course. For five Silver Coins, I’ll take you today!"

...

...

About ten minutes later, Lu Wei, Furen, and a persistent Bai Ya who insisted on tagging along, left the small wooden cabin.

Meanwhile, Zovir and the others were still busy cleaning.

Tomorrow, Lu Wei would take four of them to visit the various shops in town and use the "Power of the Undead" to get them accepted as apprentices.

But before that, the most important thing was getting the gemstone inlaid.

"This should be the place."

Following the location Old Fenris had given them, the three of them searched for a long time in a small alley in the north of town before finally stopping in front of a battered wooden door.

The air was thick with the smell of alcohol, proof that they were probably in the right place.

"KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK~"

"KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK~"

After knocking several times, the dilapidated wooden door finally creaked open a crack.

Through the crack, they could only see half of a scruffy, bearded man’s face, along with a pair of irritated eyes with heavy bags under them.

’This degenerate, it has to be him.’

"Excuse me, are you Kas?"

Lu Wei put on a smile, just about to state his purpose.

But the next second, the man interrupted impatiently, "What do you need forged!"

"Uh... I don’t need a Weapon forged."

Lu Wei reacted quickly. "I’d like to have a gemstone inlaid."

"One Gold Coin!"

"Okay, here you go."

"Hand it over!"

"Huh? What?"

"What do you think?! The Equipment and the gemstone, of course! What else would it be!"

"Oh, oh, right. This gemstone..."

After all, it was a Rare Gemstone worth 22 gold coins. Even though this Kas was a recognized forging genius, Lu Wei felt genuinely uneasy seeing him in this state and was about to add a few words of caution.

But the moment he started to speak, the One-handed Sword and Star Core in his hand, along with the gold coin, vanished with a WHOOSH.

Immediately after, the wooden door slammed shut with a BANG, and only a single phrase echoed in his ears—

"Just wait!"

"..."

’Well, damn. Is this the kind of service you get from a genius??’

’It fits the stereotype way too perfectly.’

’If I didn’t know better, I’d think this was some kind of hipster artisan coffee shop...’

Staring at the closed wooden door, the corner of Lu Wei’s mouth twitched. At this point, all he could do was pray that this Kas fellow was at least somewhat reliable.

Meanwhile, the scruffy man took the Sword and gemstone into a small, dark room.

The forge, anvil, bellows, and other equipment were all filthy, but they were all there.

With a CLANG, he casually tossed the One-handed Sword onto a table. He then picked up a chisel, preparing to cut the gemstone down to a size suitable for the inlay socket.

But just as the chisel was about to fall, his movement suddenly froze.

"A Gravity Gemstone..."

Lifting the Star Core to his eyes for a closer look, a flash of surprise crossed the man’s cloudy eyes.

A moment later, he turned to look at the One-handed Sword on the table and couldn’t help but frown.

"It’s Mola Crystal Steel, but it’s a Re-cast Sword."

"This piece of junk doesn’t deserve this gemstone."

"..."

"Whatever. The kid’s getting a bargain."