Chapter Sixty-Four: An Impromptu Mission

The players around the campfire had no idea how long they’d been lingering there, endlessly betting and bartering with the materials in their hands—sometimes they barely remembered what they even possessed. So when Liu Zong picked up a battered horn-like object, the owner of the item had to think for quite a while before finally saying, “Three units of magic quicksilver.”

Liu Zong chuckled, casually set down a card representing three units of magic quicksilver, and took the item, retreating to the side with it.

Seeing Liu Zong’s pleased expression, the other players were momentarily stunned. One of them asked, “Hey, did you just let a good item go for too little?”

“Of course not. That thing was originally Level 3, but it’s already broken and has lost all its effects. Getting three units of magic quicksilver for it is actually a pretty good deal.”

“Looks like you really never walk away empty-handed.”

“Heh heh…”

Carrying the horn-like item, Liu Zong found a spot to pitch his tent. Only inside did he take a closer look at the horn in his hand. The reason he wanted this item was entirely due to its properties.

[Shattered Vrykul Horn (Inactive)]
[Quality: Lv3 (Purple)]
[Use: Necromancy Summoning]
[Description: Originally used to summon the Death Vrykul Warship from the Void Mists, but as the horn is now inactive, the summoned warship has lost all functionality. Moreover, there are no Vrykul undead aboard, so it cannot assist the summoner in battle.]

Liu Zong had already known about this item. He’d come across its existence while searching the forums for something suitable, and had already formed an idea of how to use it.

Originally, Liu Zong had hoped to find the horn he wanted somewhere in this secret realm. He hadn’t expected to encounter a shattered horn outright. Though it was now inactive and could only summon a Vrykul warship devoid of undead, for Liu Zong, it was perfect—exactly what he needed. Normally, acquiring such an item would have required tremendous effort; now, he’d secured it for just three units of magical quicksilver—a genuine bargain.

For the next day and more, Liu Zong wandered aimlessly around the small safe zone, which was less than three acres in size. Occasionally, he’d check if the other players had anything worthwhile, but the rare items they possessed were either too expensive or unsuitable for his use, so he bought nothing.

During this time, Liu Zong gained a new understanding of the previous player’s frustration—spending over a day here and not a single soul appeared at the teleportation point. With no way to hand in his quest, he couldn’t leave the safe zone to search for materials on his own.

Fortunately, Liu Chun arrived at the teleportation point late the following morning, clearly having been through a series of fierce battles. After Liu Chun entered, Liu Zong helped him to the side, explaining the rules of the secret realm’s safe zone and inquiring about his next steps.

Liu Chun was familiar with the situation. He explained that this had always been the rule—there must be at least one person guarding the secret realm’s safe zone. If everyone left and the zone was attacked, it would be disastrous; after all, finding a safe haven in the secret realm was no easy feat.

After explaining, Liu Chun clapped Liu Zong on the shoulder. “Now that I’m here, you’re free to go. I’ll hold down the fort and wait for the next arrival. You can go explore nearby and see if you find the materials you need.”

Liu Zong nodded and, taking up his weapon, departed.

Passing beyond the undead guards that ringed the safe zone, Liu Zong felt countless gazes fall upon him—a thoroughly unpleasant sensation, the oppressive scrutiny of creatures far above his own level. In the past, he would have fled back to safety, but he’d grown a great deal through his experiences. Now, he could cautiously probe forward, though he remained extremely wary. He reminded himself: one step further, and if anything goes wrong, he’d just retreat and play in the safe zone’s mud. Even the soil here was saturated with necromantic energy—bringing some back was no loss.

Fortunately, though those eyes watched him, none attacked, allowing him to advance a few more steps.

Soon, Liu Zong saw a narrow path of piled stones stretching ahead, its sides lined with grim white bones.

Before the path, he spotted a signpost bearing some writing. Approaching, he realized it was a quest board, labeled [Temporary Soul Collector].

This was a repeatable grunt’s job: upon accepting it, a floating lantern would appear at his shoulder, marking him as a temporary official Soul Collector recognized by the realm’s undead. The role had one task—search the corpse heaps for unclaimed souls and deliver them to a designated location for processing.

Unlike official Soul Collectors, these temporary ones received no task rewards. For every five souls delivered, they earned only fifteen reputation points with the secret realm. Upon reaching a thousand points, they could receive new missions and purchase equipment from Hela’s Guard, the realm’s organization.

Until then, the only benefit was immunity from attacks by wandering undead. If special undead appeared, a signal could summon Hela’s Guard to handle it. Any materials found on the corpses belonged solely to the player; only the souls had to be turned in.

Understanding the quest, Liu Zong accepted it, took a lantern from beneath the board, kindled it with his own energy, and let it float near his shoulder.

As the lantern’s flame flickered to life, the world brightened; everything turned a shade of gray and white, and the corpses on the ground occasionally glimmered with a faint green light.

Liu Zong realized these green glows marked corpses that still housed souls. He approached one, reached towards its head, and pulled—a human-shaped specter emerged from the body. The specter struggled at first, but a beam of light from the lantern pinned it into submission, causing it to obediently follow Liu Zong wherever he went.