Chapter 15: Murder and Seizure of the City

"Just now, I have already become your enemy," Li Bin said coldly, instructing his men to slay all of Cardis's skeletal archers. Then he turned back and asked, "Where is this fellow’s resurrection point set? Don’t tell me you don’t know—I’m guessing this is what you all fear." As he spoke, Li Bin pulled a stack of documents from Cardis’s arms and tossed them to the ground.

The commanders of the undead troops, upon seeing the documents, immediately pounced and snatched up these contracts of servitude in a matter of moments. Then, a skeleton radiating a pale white light stepped forward and said, "I know where that fellow’s resurrection point is set, but I want to know your intentions."

"I originally just wanted to pass through safely, but now it seems that’s no longer possible. So, I intend to force my way through with military strength," Li Bin replied calmly, as if announcing something trivial.

"And may I ask, where do you intend to go?" the skeleton player asked cautiously.

"Nethermoon Valley," Li Bin replied, recalling the location of the teleportation array marked on the map.

"I understand. But that’s not a place you can go to right now," the skeleton player said evenly.

"Why do you say so?" Li Bin was puzzled.

"Because that is the final line of defense for Ghostrock City. The lord of Ghostrock, Shan De, has gathered a large force there."

Seeing the confident expression on the skeleton player’s face, Li Bin asked, "So, how do you expect me to help you?"

"Smart. I want you to help me seize the city by force," the skeleton player replied calmly.

Li Bin said nothing, but gestured for San Nei to bring over a map of the area. With San Nei’s guidance, he took a look at the current situation in Ghostrock City.

The entire Ghostrock region contained five undead cities: apart from the level-six Ghostrock City, the other four were merely level two or three villages.

Just as the skeleton player had said, Nethermoon Valley lay on the only road between Ghostrock City and the Infernal Sea, and it was also the shortest route to Ghostrock City. Faced with such circumstances, not only would the lord of Ghostrock station his strongest forces there—even Li Bin himself would do the same.

At this thought, Li Bin glanced again at the skeleton player and saw ambition flickering in his eye sockets.

With a slight smile, Li Bin pushed the map before the skeleton player. "Which city do you plan to attack first? After taking a few, will the lord recall his troops? And what’s your plan for that?"

The skeleton player glanced at Li Bin and replied, "I plan to attack Winter City first, which is the domain of Cardis here. Once we capture it, the lord of Ghostrock won’t even know. Next, we’ll divide our forces and attack Jialuo City and Mingjian City. Whether we take them or not, the lord of Ghostrock will surely recall his army to protect his main city. At that time, you can proceed safely to Nethermoon Valley."

Li Bin chuckled to himself—what a clever plan. After capturing the cities, he’d be cast aside, all under the guise of consideration; in truth, they wanted Li Bin’s help without offering him any benefit. How could he be expected to help in earnest under such terms?

The skeleton player, seeing through Li Bin’s thoughts, hurriedly added, "If you agree to help me, after it’s done, I’ll form an alliance with you. You’ll be free to recruit troops and resupply within my territory—"

"I also want a City Heart," Li Bin interrupted.

The skeleton player paused, then immediately responded, "The City Heart of the second city we take will be yours."

Li Bin smiled slightly, extended his right hand, and said, "Li Bin."

The skeleton player returned the smile and shook his hand. "Lu Yi Wang."

By mutual agreement, Li Bin and Lu Yi Wang partitioned the territory of Ghostrock City for their newly formed Undead Free Army. According to their deal, after fulfilling Lu Yi Wang’s strategic plan, Li Bin would take one City Heart and depart, while Lu Yi Wang would claim a city, and the rest would be divided among the undead players who had been forcibly conscripted by Cardis.

Inspired by the promise of power, the undead players—already harboring little affection for Ghostrock City—readily accepted Lu Yi Wang’s terms. They gathered their troops, escorted Cardis, and followed Li Bin and Lu Yi Wang toward Winter City.

At the gates of Winter City, Cardis’s subordinates had received no word from their master. They merely saw their lord approaching with a great host of undead troops and assumed he was returning with freshly recruited forces. Thus, they carelessly opened the gates and let the undead army inside.

But when these undead bypassed the barracks and made straight for the city hall, the guards realized something was wrong.

The skeleton slaves unique to Winter City rushed to block the undead’s path with their feeble bodies. But these pitiful slaves, utterly lacking in combat prowess, were no match for the undead army. Before Li Bin even entered the city, the conquest was complete.

Watching all this from afar, Li Bin was struck by a sense of irony. Back in Bloodlust City, he had found it troublesome that troops had to be stationed outside, and that players and heroes entering with troops had to pay an entrance tax. Now it seemed such regulations were the best defense against a sudden assault.

Upon learning that Lu Yi Wang had taken Winter City, Li Bin quickly released a ghost crow, instructing the heroes stationed at Ghostbutterfly City to enforce the policy that foreign heroes and players must station their troops outside and pay taxes to bring them in.

No sooner had he finished, than Lu Yi Wang sent someone to invite him into the city. In the city hall, Lu Yi Wang triumphantly hung his crystal skull battle standard on the office wall.

As soon as he saw Li Bin, Lu Yi Wang declared, "Mr. Li, the next two sieges are up to you."

"Two?" Li Bin frowned. "I recall only agreeing to help you take one more city."

"But you see, now that Winter City needs me to handle affairs, I can’t leave it unattended," Lu Yi Wang replied offhandedly.

But Li Bin could see through him at once—Lu Yi Wang simply wanted to send Li Bin and the other undead players to their deaths, so he alone could reap all the rewards.

"Fine then. But I suggest we split into two teams and attack both cities at the same time," Li Bin replied disdainfully, though in the end, he agreed.