A Core Ship From The Start

“The forest is haunted by the undead.”

Kevin’s hand gripped his longsword, resting on the chair. His wine cup sat beside him, eyes squinted as if he were an elderly man poised for an afternoon nap by the fireplace. Despite two drunkards brawling nearby to prove who’s the superior drinker, nothing seemed to disturb his tranquillity.

“The harvest was excellent this year, but I haven’t received the expected tribute from the nearby villages. So, I went to investigate and encountered an injured, pallid hunter in the forest. He told me that beastmen had attacked his village. But these beastmen weren’t ordinary. They appeared to be undead creatures bound by some necromantic spell. His village was decimated, and he was the only survivor. I tried to help him, but he succumbed to his injuries.”

As he said this, Kevin exhaled.

“Later, I found his village. It was devoid of people with only charred ruins left. Not even a single corpse remained. There was blood, and there were limbs, but no bodies. It’s as though the corpses sprouted legs and scampered off.”

Sitting at the table, Duanmu Huai listened to Kevin’s recount attentively, without uttering a word. Ann, on the other hand, displayed fear, after all, this sounded like a ghost story.

“I went over to investigate the other villages in my domain and discovered most of them were deserted. They vanished without a trace. Feeling suspicious, I decided to go back to where I found the hunter, only to discover he too was missing…”

“————!”

Upon hearing this, Ann trembled, instinctively grabbing onto Duanmu Huai’s cloak. Ogis, who was beside her, mimicked her actions and reached out for another part of the cloak.

“Luckily, I found footprints in the snow. Following them, I found the hunter — who was already dead but still moving. It seemed as though he was obeying a bizarre voice. That’s when I saw…”

Upon reaching this point, Kevin’s voice gradually lowered, imitating a person telling ghost stories when they’re broaching the climax.

“An undead army led by a malevolent necromancer, silently passing through the forest. Among them were both humans and beastmen. By now, they all transformed into bloodthirsty, undead creatures. They roamed the mountains and marched through the forest. It’s unknown where this army of the undead plans to go, but I think…. we might have the opportunity to find out.”

“So are you suggesting that we join you to investigate this undead army?”

After hearing Kevin’s account, Duanmu Huai glanced at him and asked quietly. Kevin gave a slight smile and nodded.

“I’ve reported the matter to the lord. However, it’s winter now, making it unfavorable to dispatch a large force. We also need to guard against the potential assault of the chaos minions from the north, so the lord can’t be of much help. That’s why I’m here, hoping to find some formidable warriors to join me in tracking and annihilating this undead army wreaking havoc in my land. Consider this a down payment.”

While speaking, Kevin reached out for a small pouch from his pocket and placed it on the table. Although he didn’t open the pouch, Duanmu Huai could still see the glint of gold coins reflecting the flame from the pouch’s opening.

“But, I do have one question. You don’t exactly resemble a nobleman.”

“Our family tradition is martial arts,” Kevin replied, his expression unchanging.

“Besides, in a place like the Northern Territory, convenience takes precedence.”

“Fair enough.”

Duanmu Huai reached out and accepted the pouch. In fact, he was almost certain that this Kevin guy was most likely the missing emperor.

Why? The reason was quite simple — this fellow was the first person who didn’t blanch upon seeing his face.

From Duanmu Huai’s experience, anyone who could face him without flinching during their first meeting was a big shot. Like Ann and Greiya, these princesses, and their father were the same. Of course, this could also indirectly indicate that the higher one’s status, the stronger their mentality.

If Kevin were just a minor local nobleman as he claimed, he would probably have gasped in fear upon seeing Duanmu Huai’s face. Didn’t anyone in the tavern dare to look him in the eye directly? Yet, this guy dared to strike up a conversation?

Of course, if something didn’t add up, it was that Kevin didn’t have a missing hand. But that doesn’t prove anything. If the emperor really faked his death, he could’ve easily found a hand on the battlefield and put his own gauntlet on it. It wasn’t a difficult task and could divert the attention of his pursuers.

After all, if other people were primarily searching for a man missing an arm, they would naturally overlook anyone with two hands.

Duanmu Huai didn’t expect to encounter this so quickly… Anyway, he didn’t care whether this guy was the emperor or not, as long as the mission was triggered, right?

Just like the elf scout said, if this was the emperor, it would mean that Sigma was still protecting the kingdom.

If it wasn’t the emperor, well, it would mean that Sigma was blind.

It surely wasn’t his fault. If anything, they should lash out at Sigma’s Temple.

Duanmu Huai swiftly narrowed down these thoughts, then reached out to pocket the pouch of the gold coins.

“But it’s surprising that you’d seek my help. I figured you’d categorize me as an Evil God Cultist.’

“Ha ha ha, Mr. Duanmu, you sure know how to joke.”

Upon hearing Duanmu Huai’s words, the man chuckled.

“Perhaps you do look a bit fierce, but looking at the two pretty ladies beside you, it’s clear you’re not a follower of the Brutal God. After all, those lunatics don’t appreciate anything besides blood, death, and muscles. As for a follower of the God of Lust… you don’t seem to fit their aesthetic standard. As for the God of Plague and the God of Trickery, I suppose I don’t need to elaborate.”

“Alright then, I’ll accept your explanation.”

Duanmu Huai shrugged.

“So, when do we set off?”

“If all’s well, we’ll gather at the city gates tomorrow morning. I’ll introduce our other companions then. After all, this won’t be an easy task. I need to find more hands.”

“All right then.”

Duanmu Huai stood up and extended his hand towards Kevin.

“Looking forward to our collaboration.”