This Lich Requests More Remuneration

Chapter 42: Chapter 42 The Gathering of the Undead Chapter 42: Chapter 42 The Gathering of the Undead Gloomyland, that is an area hidden deep beneath the earth, even larger than the collective size of the Nine Great Kingdoms. In this place, shrouded in perpetual darkness, the only source of illumination comes from the unique glowing moss and crystals found beneath the earth.

Yet, within this harsh environment, many rare subterranean races dwell.

Races such as Drow Elves, Subterranean Dwarves, Grey Dwarves, and Fungus Folk, all adapt quite well to these special conditions.

However, when it comes to adaptability, none can match the Undead.

Since the Undead do not need to breathe, require no food, and are immune to most poisons, they can thrive in the most inhospitable regions of the underworld where other subterranean races cannot survive.

In a certain region of Gloomyland, there is a vast lake made entirely of mercury.

The lake’s surface reflects the light of eerie minerals, shining as brilliantly as the stars above.

But such a beautiful sight harbors terrible dangers, as the pervasive mercury vapors are toxic to nearly all life forms. Only the Undead can live beside this lake, establishing enormous castles and mining those precious minerals.

Within a magnificent castle, the noble Undead Queen carefully perused her ledger. Her skin was pale and unblemished, while her lips and eyes were the color of deep crimson. She was Withered Rose, the wealthy matron of the Elegy Poetry Society.

By race, Withered Rose too, was a Lich. Back when she was alive, she was relentlessly pursued by the Laine Empire until she fled to the mercury lake in Gloomyland, and in the end, was forced to leap into its depths.

Master Morgan retrieved her corpse and soul from the mercury lake, aiding her transformation into a Lich. Mercury had infiltrated every inch of Withered Rose’s muscles and bones, so her flesh did not decay and looked no different from that of the living, and such a body was far sturdier than ordinary skeletal frames.

Thereafter, Withered Rose kept studying Necromancy under Master Morgan, and with him, she returned to the surface to establish her own Mage’s Tower in the Desert Kingdom.

Later, Master Morgan was slain by the Paladins of the Laine Empire, and Withered Rose had no choice but to return to Gloomyland, back to the mercury lake.

Then Withered Rose spent many years, finally founding her own kingdom of the Undead in this place.

It was difficult at the start, a solitary Lich, striving to claim territory among those subterranean races. Withered Rose almost had her Soul Fire extinguished several times, but she held on with the immortality of a Lich and the geographical advantages of the mercury lake.

What followed was endless warfare, Drow Elves, Grey Dwarves, Fungus Folk… Countless deaths enabled Withered Rose to establish a vast Undead Army, eventually decimating nearby races to the brink of extinction.

The Drow Elves were the first to beg for mercy, signing an almost enslaving contract with Withered Rose to become her vassals. The Grey Dwarves followed suit, but their hesitation led them no further than slavery.

The Fungus Folk, after suffering heavy casualties, chose to flee far away, completely abandoning their territory.

Withered Rose conquered a massive kingdom, whose domain was nearly a quarter the size of the Laine Empire.

The reason Withered Rose dared to propose a collaboration worth billions of Gold Coins to Amberser was precisely because of the rich mineral resources within her lands. Millions of Undead tirelessly mined the ores, amassing untold wealth for Withered Rose. With her tremendous volume of mineral trade, controlling the prices of the Nine Great Kingdoms’ minerals was not difficult for her, as long as she was willing to pay the price.

To mere mortals, this might seem like an unimaginable financial loss, but for Withered Rose, money was but a tool to fulfill her wishes. Her wish was to destroy the Laine Empire, and she would spare no expense to achieve this goal.

After carefully calculating the ore market, Withered Rose swept her pen across the ledger and handed it to the Drow Elf maid.

With a calm expression, Withered Rose said, “Lower the export price of ore next month and expand the shipment volume. Follow the figures exactly as I’ve calculated.”

The dark-skinned Elf maid respectfully answered, “As you command, Your Majesty.”

Withered Rose waved her hand, dismissing the maid, and then muttered to herself, “The number of ores flooding the market should be enough to impact the prices in the Nine Great Kingdoms, causing them to plummet swiftly. Given the economic state of Alchemy City, it’s almost certain that those small mines will go bankrupt.”

“At that time, I’ll transfer three million Gold Coins to him. That should be enough for him to acquire a small mine. It’s a pity really, if he were willing to come to my kingdom and work for me, none of this trouble would be necessary.”

Withered Rose was very satisfied with Amberser’s plans and admired the intelligence of her junior. However, when she issued an invitation, hoping Amberser would relocate to Gloomyland, Amberser declined decisively.

And the reason Amberser gave was very straightforward — the money wasn’t enough.

Several billion Gold Coins could buy his long-term cooperation and make him put other work aside to prioritize working with Withered Rose, but to make Amberser submit completely, that amount of Gold Coins was far from sufficient.

A freeman who could only farm and couldn’t earn a single silver coin in a year would still require a hundred-fold price to be bought as a slave.

An immortal Lich who could earn billions of Gold Coins, the price of buying him out was going to be much more than a mere hundred-fold. The sum Amberser named was not even something Withered Rose could produce; perhaps she’d have to offer the entire wealth of the Laine Empire to make Amberser willingly submit.

But Withered Rose had not given up, for Undead lived forever and anything could happen in time. Bone Dragons could marry Headless Knights, and Vampires could form unions with humans; with enough patience, there would always be opportunities to make Amberser willingly work for her or perhaps marry into her kingdom.

Speaking of Bone Dragons and Headless Knights, Withered Rose took out the Necromancy Codex and flipped to the group chat to send a message.

[Withered Rose: Pale Bones Sister, has your family member been behaving lately?]
She had intended to ask Miss Bone Dragon how to subdue a powerful and proud Legendary Undead.

However, Miss Bone Dragon’s response surprised Withered Rose.

[Pale Bones Sister: That heartless bastard has run away from home! I will catch him and lash him hard with my tail!]
[Withered Rose: Ah? Run away from home? The Dragon Tomb is far from the mainland; where could he run off to?]
[Pale Bones Sister: I don’t know, but I do know he escaped through a Teleportation Circle. I bet it has something to do with Diga Ultraman. I’m going to Alchemy City to find that heartless wretch!]
Withered Rose thought for a moment and suddenly had a bold idea, then sent a message back.

[Withered Rose: I’ll accompany you. Besides, I also want to meet Brother Diga in person.]