The Great Worm Lich

During the era when Wizard Li was still known as the Shrimp B1 Island, a minority of the Hellfire natives who were in a honeymoon period with the Earthlings had shown promising signs of ostentatiousness and degeneration in the human gathering place.

Those chiefs in the tribe who had more resources would use rare plants, ores, or beasts to exchange for US dollars, or even use gold sand to pay for those flashy items that were without substances. In the end, they were also willing to use a considerable amount of money to spend a night of sexual bliss with the New York prostitutes who came to the foreign world to try to strike it rich.

It was not the first time for Zhang Lisheng to see the natives having such ridiculous appearance, but despite being similarly eroded by ostentatiousness, this tribal chief who came from the Nutao Sea give off a different kind of feeling from the natives in the Wizard Li Island. One was an aristocrat that oozed off extravagance and arrogance from his bone, while the other was farmers who began to enjoy materials after acquiring wealth within a night.

“Sir Zhang Lisheng,” Lifting up a glass of bright wine and finishing it with a gulp, Lumoluki’s turbid eyes shifted from Yaj reluctantly to the black-haired young man and naturally used a tone of superior, “I heard Miss Yaj said that the natives called you a ‘pundit’ in one of the islands in Hellfire Archipelago. Can you tell me how you got this title?”

Just from the question alone, one could tell that this aristocrat who traveled across the sea from the Nutao Sea seemed to have long disregarded himself as a barbaric Hellfire tribesman. His companions, or subordinates, did not seem to have found this odd.

“I’m a scholar who studies rare animals and plants. Because of a shipwreck, I was washed away to an island in the Hellfire Sea called the Scorpion Island and came across a Hellfire tribe called Wizard Li.” Zhang Lisheng put on a reminiscing expression and began to tell the story that he had cooked up earlier on, “Since the Wizard Li tribesmen took me in, I began to teach them some simple and practical knowledge to show my gratitude. I first unified the length and weight unit for the tribe and then teach them how to use pulleys, make canoes, and weave sails with spider silk, and gradually, they called me a ‘pundit.’”

“Unifying the length and weight unit, and then teach them to use pulleys and canoes? Wow, you really have come across a poor group of barbarians,” Lumoluki had a disdainful expression on his face as he turned his head to a native old man wearing four feathers on his head standing on his right side, “Sarumanqin, being able to get a title by just giving this small price? Is this credible?”

“Master Lumoluki, if you want to say effect, actually, just a mere ‘measuring unit’ alone is enough to make those poor Hellfire natives pay homage,” The old man smiled sinisterly and said respectfully, “This Sir Zhang Lisheng is a lucky man. Looks like he’s lucky enough to come across a tribal ruler who is yearning for civilization.”

“Isn’t the phrase’ yearning for civilization’ also means ‘ignorance’? I can’t believe that us Rovanians are actually born out of such barbaric race,” Lumoluki shifted his fat body and scorned. Turning his head around, he nodded at Zhang Lisheng, “Your words sound believable enough. You can continue your story.”

After confirming that the natives from the Nutao Sea had already acknowledged that he was not a Hellfire tribesman, the young man secretly counted his bafflement in his heart. Even so, while maintaining an unchanged expression, he continued, “I’ve been staying on the island to do some researches on biology when I’ve received the approval from the Wizard Li tribesmen. After that, I came across a caravan from the Sea Haines City then managed to get in touch with the Green Leaf Mainland. Recently, my research has reached a bottleneck, and I’ve inadvertently learned from the merchants that a noble person from the most powerful and civilized region of the Hellfire Archipelago, Nutao Sea, which is you, is inquiring about some information about the other islands on the Hellfire Sea. It’s because of this that I came to see you abruptly, with the wish of exchanging the information of Scorpion Island with an opportunity to visit the Nutao Sea.”

“You want to go to Nutao Sea? This is easy. I agree with it,” Lumoluki shook his head unconcerned while putting on an expression that seemed like he was giving alms. Pointing to Zhang Lisheng, he said, “Miss Yaj, leave a vacancy for him when the Golden Velvet Flower Trading’s caravan heads to the Nutao Sea next time.”

“Yes, Chief Lumoluki, but according to the contract, us mainlanders have too many restrictions in the Nutao Sea, and as a scholar who is researching biology, Sir Lisheng hopes to have greater freedom,” Yaj helped Zhang Lisheng to put in favor at this critical moment.

“A greater freedom?” Lumoluki was stunned before putting on a pondering expression. Darting his eyes at the old native beside him, he saw that the Sarumanqin was rooted in his thoughts too. Several seconds later, Lumoluki nodded gently and said, “Alright, I’ll give him freedom.”

“Thank you for your generosity, Chief Lumoluki,” Upon seeing that the matter was going exceptionally smooth, Zhang Lisheng expressed his gratitude promptly. After bowing towards the native chief, he began to tell the situation of the Scorpion Island that he fabricated.

Through his mouth, the Wizard Li became a powerful Hellfire tribe with a population of only one million tribesmen that ruled half of the small island by the surrounding tribal alliances. Later, by relying on the technology of canoe and sails making that were taught by the young man, it gradually expanded its fishing port, and because of this, the tribe slowly had sufficient food to train their ‘war partners.’ It was only recently that they managed to gain a favorable direction in the battle situation.

Since his lie had been carefully scrutinized beforehand, Zhang Lisheng told the story very vividly. In the end, he added, “Wizard Li has used plenty of ores and woods to trade for a lot of slaves with the mainland caravan twice. The reason is that they wanted the slaves to learn how to fish and collect berries so that they can provide more food for the tribe.”

When the Wizard Li’s god was fabricating the information of its ruling territory, Lumoluki did not interrupt the detailed description, but it was clear that he was not very interested in most of the story.

From time to time, he would use his finger that had bent nails at least one foot long to dexterously pinch up the red berries in the silver plate in front of him into his mouth, before chewing on them till the sweet juice dripped. Then, he would stretch his hands again and straightened his ten fingers that were as sharp as a knife to slice the entire roasted beef thigh into thin slices. Together with the bones, he chowed down on the meat till his mouth was covered with grease. After waiting for Zhang Lisheng to finish his words, he suddenly asked the question that he was most concerned with, “Then, does this mean that the tribe doesn’t occupy the island entirely?”

This unexpected question made the young man’s heart grip tightly without warning. His first thought was that the expansion of the Wizard Li had already attracted the attention of the dominant tribe in the Nutao Sea, and he was afraid that the situation had already reached a stage where both sides had malicious thoughts against each other.

However, Zhang Lisheng soon realized that he had worried too much. Perhaps the powerful tribe in the Nutao Sea had indeed learned from some unknown way that there was a Hellfire tribe rising rapidly in another region of the archipelago. However, judging from Lumoluki’s reaction, they did not seem to have a sense of life-and-death crisis despite being on alert.

Although he thought of many things, it only flashed past his mind in a second. With a sincere shocked expression, Zhang Lisheng replied, “Sir Lumoluki, why did you have such a weird idea? Although I don’t know how big the Scorpion Island is, I’ve once sat on the hawk-headed dragon and flew an entire day in the air but still couldn’t fly out of the Wizard Li tribe’s hunting ground. It’s just impossible for such a huge island to be unified by just a single Hellfire tribe. In my opinion, based on the social structure of the Hellfire tribesmen, the degree in which the Wizard Li expanded has already reached the maximum limit. In fact, I once told the spiritual monster guarding the Wizard Li tribe that continuing to expand is not a good idea, but nobody cares about my opinion.”

“Spiritual monster? Humph! If it’s just as what the legends said, then these ugly fellows will all become greedy after obtaining wisdom. Of course, they would not care about your opinions…” Lumoluki muttered under his breath and turned his head to look at the native old man beside him, “Sarumanqin, do you still have anything to ask?”

“You’ve already asked all the key questions, Sir Lumoluki. There’s nothing else that I can ask,” Even though the young man gave all of the information on his own initiative, Sarumanqin still answered respectfully.

“In that case, you may retreat now,” Lumoluki smiled proudly and picked a string of polished round gemstones from his wrist to throw it to Zhang Lisheng, “Take my token item to the Nutao Sea and show the chief warriors there. You’ll be able to get the freedom you want.”

“Thank you for your generosity, Chief Lumoluki,” The young man took the bracelet and put it in his pocket cherishingly. Just when he turned around trying to leave the scene, he saw Yaj retracted her fan once again with a ‘snap’ before she bowed and said, “Did you know that the fleet in the last caravan has suffered from a great loss? I still need to mobilize the cargo ships from the ports of other city-states. My time is very packed, so I’ll have to take my leave first too, Chief Lumoluki.”

“You can’t stay a little longer, Miss Yaj? I really want to…” The arrogant, indigenous aristocrat looked at the woman’s fiery gaze and would not let her go so quickly.

“I’m afraid I can’t,” Yaj smiled charmingly as she interrupted Lumoluki’s words, “According to plan, the fleet will have to start sailing in a week. The armors specially requested by His Highness Adalu are included in the goods to be shipped this time. If it’s delayed, I’m afraid that…”

The woman did not finish her words, but the instant the name ‘Adalu’ was mentioned, it was already enough to elicit a change of expression on Lumoluki’s face. As though he was unwilling to continue the conversation, he gnashed his teeth till it cracked loudly and waved his hand to let Yaj and the black-haired young man to leave.

Two years ago, Zhang Lisheng had personally witnessed the powerfulness of the Truth’s overlord from the Shrimp World No. 1 that could cut through the barrier of the ‘worlds’ in Boston. He had personally witnessed the cautiousness of the god from the foreign world who was willing to be offended by a mortal like him and abandon its most beloved beast instead of taking a step into the place uncovered by its faith.

Keeping such caution in mind, the young man finally succeeded in concealing his identity and obtained the opportunity to set foot in the Nutao Sea.

Although the situation of the Nutao Sea might be even more bizarre than Zhang Lisheng expected, the instant he stepped out of the hall, he still could not hide the irrepressible color of joy on his face.