Chapter 37, second part, Rescuing a Princess

Chapter 37: 37, second part, Rescuing a Princess

Morcant, the Soul Devourer, spoke calmly:

"Allow me to consume the remaining souls within these corpses."

Yun Che nodded with a sigh.

"All right. Go ahead."

The fissure in Morcant, the Soul Devourer’s, chest opened completely, its enormous mouth revealing deep-set teeth.

An invisible spiritual force began spreading across the battlefield. Small luminous fragments began to leave the corpses.

The residual souls were drawn toward Morcant. Dozens of them entered his mouth, all disappearing into the spiritual fissure within the undead’s chest.

Morcant remained motionless as his completely black eyes began to emit tiny points of light.

Images began appearing within his mind—images of the battle that had taken place in that location.

Morcant remained motionless for several seconds.

"What did you discover?" Yun Che asked.

Morcant slowly tilted his head.

"Fragments of some memories, my master. The souls were too weakened to preserve complete memories. However, there is enough information."

"Tell me what you saw."

"The Lizardmen and Beastmen really were allied."

Morcant paused.

"And the main objective of the battle was not simply to destroy the Medusa Clan."

Yun Che narrowed his eyes.

"They wanted someone. They took a female Medusa with them, and apparently, she was someone important to the Medusas."

Morcant paused briefly before continuing.

"The important female member of the Medusa Clan was captured during the battle."

Valeria gently folded her hands in front of her body.

"Then the battle was nothing more than a capture operation."

Eryon, the Lich, nodded.

"That hypothesis explains their organized withdrawal. If their true objective had been to exterminate the Medusas, they would have remained at the location until they had ensured the deaths of all survivors."

Kael, the Revenant, looked at the tracks.

"But they left as soon as they obtained what they were looking for."

Nefrava, the Mummy, smiled slightly.

"A quite reasonable conclusion."

Yun Che looked at Eryon.

"Can you determine where they went?"

Eryon raised his staff.

"I can try, my master."

The Lich began carefully examining the battlefield, and Kael, the Revenant, also began inspecting the tracks.

For several minutes, neither of them spoke. Finally, Eryon pointed toward a region of the forest.

"That way."

Kael walked several steps in the same direction.

"There are tracks belonging to dozens of creatures. Some clearly belong to Lizardmen. Others belong to Beastmen."

Yun Che looked at the two of them.

"Then we will follow them."

Eryon bowed deeply.

"As you command, my master."

The six of them began following the tracks.

The forest gradually became quieter. Some time later, Eryon, the Lich, stopped. Yun Che looked at him.

"What happened? Did you find something?"

Eryon pointed toward several corpses partially hidden among the bushes.

"We found more dead."

Yun Che approached.

Morcant did not need to receive an order. He already understood what to do. This time, however, there were no residual souls.

Eryon examined the bodies.

"These individuals were left behind."

Yun Che asked:

"Are they from both groups?"

"Yes."

Eryon, the Lich, replied calmly.

"They probably belonged to the rear guard."

Yun Che looked at the corpses. He wanted to transform them into Corporeal Spirits through his necromancy, but unfortunately for him, there was no space left.

Currently, he could only maintain up to five undead, and that number was already filled. That was also precisely why the system had not shown him any notification stating that the corpses were suitable.

Then he had an epiphany.

He was not the only necromancer present.

He looked at his subordinate and formed a faint smile.

"Eryon, can you turn them into undead?"

Eryon, the Lich, nodded as he raised his staff. At the same time, dark energy spread across the ground.

The corpses began to tremble. The bones began separating from the flesh, and a few seconds later, five skeletons rose before them.

Yun Che observed them. They were simple undead, completely different from the Corporeal Spirits he could transform and also different from the undead with consciousness created by the system.

"They are ready to follow the master’s orders."

Eryon spoke.

Yun Che nodded.

"Use them as scouts."

"It shall be done."

The five skeletons advanced through the forest while the six remained behind. Some time later, one of the skeletons returned. ℴ

Eryon, the Lich, received the information through the necromantic connection. The dark-blue flames within his eye sockets intensified.

"Master."

Yun Che looked at him.

"Did they find something?"

"Yes."

Eryon pointed ahead.

"There is a camp up ahead."

Valeria, the Vampire, closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them again, her ruby-red eyes were glowing once more.

"I can also sense life force in the distance."

Yun Che began walking.

"Let’s approach carefully. We must not be noticed."

The six advanced silently, and some time later, they reached the top of a small elevation. Yun Che stopped.

Below them were dozens of rustic tents, with campfires illuminating the camp.

Lizardmen patrolled the surrounding area, while Beastmen were scattered among the tents. Some of them appeared to be training.

Several members of both races remained on guard. Yun Che observed everything in silence. Eryon analyzed every detail, while Kael, the Revenant, kept his eyes fixed on the guards.

Nefrava, the Mummy, observed the structures of the camp. Morcant, the Soul Devourer, searched for any hidden presence.

Morcant observed the camp from atop the elevation before looking at Yun Che and speaking:

"My master."

Yun Che turned around.

"What is it? Did you find something?"

Morcant pointed toward one of the largest tents.

"The captured Medusas should be being held in that tent."

Yun Che narrowed his eyes.

"How do you know?"

"I saw the same person in the fragments of the battle I observed earlier from the residual souls I devoured."

Morcant paused briefly.

"They are the people who were captured by the forces of the alliance between the two races."

Yun Che turned his gaze back toward the camp, a smile slowly appearing on his face.

"Now that we’ve found them, we can obtain more information about the secret realm, its resources, and its inhabitants."

Eryon rested both hands on his staff.

"Yes, my master."

Kael, the Revenant, slowly clenched his fists. Seeing the expression on his master’s face, he asked on behalf of the five:

"Master, give us your orders. What should we do?"

Nefrava, the Mummy, allowed some of her bandages to slide down her arms. Yun Che raised one hand.

"Do nothing for now. We must determine their numbers and their cultivation realms."

The five immediately became motionless. Yun Che continued observing the camp from a safe distance.

Below the hill, the Lizardmen and Beastmen continued moving about, unaware that they were being watched.

Yun Che looked at the Vampire.

"Can you approach them and determine their numbers and cultivation realms without being noticed?"

"Yes, master. As long as it is night and there is no one with perception abilities above normal, there is no way I can be seen."

"Very well, then go."

Upon hearing these words, the Vampire transformed into countless bats that disappeared into the darkness. Less than thirty minutes later, she returned, condensing back into a human figure.

After explaining the situation to Yun Che and his companions, she positioned herself beside the others and waited for further orders.

Yun Che, in turn, looked at Nefrava, the Mummy, and Valeria, the Vampire, and gave them his orders.

"Only the two of you will fight at the beginning. When necessary, you will receive timely assistance and support, but fight relying only on the two of you."

The undead did not understand the nature of their master’s orders, but none of them opposed or questioned them.

"As you wish, master," the two replied with the same words at the same time.

The Vampire disappeared into countless bats that spread through the air, while the Mummy transformed into countless grains of sand that were torn apart by the wind.

Finally, Yun Che would be able to see two of his Apocalypse Knights fighting and gain an understanding of the extent of their abilities.