Lord of Rot

Leech divided his attention, directing Corpse Ghost Biqi to grab its weapon and head out. At the same time, his body as the Baron in Bonta Market stood up, pushed the door open, and walked outside.

The elf and the Snake Woman, who were in the middle of a lesson, watched Leech emerge and instinctively turned to look at him.

But Leech paid them no mind.

Once in the courtyard, Leech put his fingers to his lips and blew a sharp whistle.

”SCREEE—!”

An answering cry came from the sky.

The whoosh and flap of wings echoed back as the Horse-headed Eagle, Rocket, descended from the sky.

”Go to Date Palm Village,” Leech said to Rocket. ”You should understand.”

”COO! COO!” Rocket nodded.

Jonney walked out from a dark corner and mounted Rocket.

With Rocket’s speed, the journey from Bonta Market to Date Palm Village, which normally took a day, wouldn’t take long at all.

No matter who was behind the surprise attack, having Jonney and Rocket as reinforcements would keep losses to a minimum.

”Is everything alright?” Bai Lu heard the noise outside and came out to ask.

Having been around him for a while, they all knew there was a hierarchy of strength even among the taciturn Knights in Lobster Armor, who were often called ”tin cans.” The strongest was the stout Knight who stood behind Leech like an unmoving iron tower. His power far surpassed that of a Transcendent; they weren’t even on the same level. Whether it was Bai Lu, Lin Nuo, or Vendra, they had all discussed it and reached a consensus: if they ever had to face him, they could last ten or twenty moves at most.

They all knew deep down that even saying ten moves was giving themselves too much credit, but no one wanted to admit the disparity. ’We’re all Transcendents, so what makes you so much stronger?’ In any case, it wasn’t like they would ever actually fight him.

The fact that Leech would so urgently dispatch the Horse-headed Eagle and Jonney proved that this was no simple matter.

Leech turned, shaking his head at the elven girl. ”It’s nothing major.”

The dates and spices from the former Baron Jin Fu’s territory were certainly profitable, but losing those two places was hardly enough to cripple his finances. Given the scale of Leech’s now-stabilizing operations, the income from dates and spices was destined to be little more than a small bonus.

When he said it was nothing major, he meant that even if the territory of the two villages were taken, or even burned to the ground, he wouldn’t suffer a significant loss. ’The real investment hasn’t even started yet.’

”Mm...” Bai Lu glanced at Leech worriedly a few more times. Only after confirming that nothing truly serious was happening did she turn and go back inside.

Leech was the only lord willing to make her such grand promises, and she had to ensure he lived long enough to fulfill them. The future of the elves, a future she was meant to bring about, depended on it.

He returned to his room and sat down, closing his eyes. To any onlookers, it would seem he was just vexed by some sudden trouble. The maids, too, cleverly kept their distance, not daring to disturb their lord. This allowed him to focus his entire consciousness on Corpse Ghost Biqi.

In that brief time, Biqi had already charged to the outskirts of Date Palm Village, sword in hand. Upon receiving Leech’s command, the Corpse Ghost had actively joined the fray.

The low earthen walls could hold back wild beasts, but not an enemy determined to scale them.

As soon as it drew near, three swift attacks whistled in from three different directions.

Leech had Biqi roll quickly across the ground. As a flesh-and-blood enhanced, Snake-man type Transcendent, her body was far more flexible than Leech’s own and capable of incredibly exaggerated movements.

It was a close call, but she dodged the three furious attacks. A CRASH sounded on the ground where she had just been.

”ROAR—!” A low roar echoed from a distance. The attackers didn’t press forward, but instead surrounded the Corpse Ghost, circling it.

Leech finally got a clear look at the dozens of so-called ”Cavalry” and saw exactly what they were.

Their mounts were Wargs, as large as lions or tigers. Saliva dripped from between their fangs, pattering on the ground.

Their claws were sharper, their teeth pointier, and their muscles more developed. They seemed to be evolving beyond ordinary beasts into something more demonic. Leech wouldn’t have been surprised to hear this pack of Wargs hunted lions for sport.

’If my ’Warg Slayer’ teacher really did slay a beast like this,’ Leech thought, ’then calling his Swordsmanship merely ”above average” on the Lu Leiyi Continent was being far too humble. For a non-Transcendent to kill such a creature... they would be a true hero, no doubt about it!’

Riding each mottled-furred Warg was a figure in rags. They were ugly, humanoid monsters, clutching a rusty iron spear in one hand and a torch in the other. Their finger bones were thick, their bodies powerfully built, and their cracked, black skin resembled tree bark. They joined their Wargs in roaring at the Corpse Ghost.

’They know how to tame mounts, use torches and weapons, and even employ encirclement tactics.’ Aside from their inhuman appearance, Leech suspected he was facing three men—and highly elite cavalry at that.

The ”Knights” were in no hurry to attack. They were searching for the Corpse Ghost’s weakness, waiting to land a fatal blow.

The Wargs lowered their heads, their eyes locked firmly on the Corpse Ghost.

One step... then another...

Leech also noticed that the other Warg Riders were already on a rampage inside the village. The fierce villagers of Date Palm Village were fighting back bravely—men and women, young and old, all resisted with all their might.

But it was like a pack of weak hyenas facing a pack of demonic wolves. The outcome was destined to be a slaughter.

’I have to seize the initiative and attack first!’

Leech unleashed a burst of power and took the initiative. He controlled the Corpse Ghost, making it charge toward the Warg Knight directly in front with its Longsword in one hand. The blade reflected the torchlight, making it look like a red-hot poker.

VMMM—!

”GRR!” With a low snarl, the Warg leaped nimbly backward.

’Annoying!’ He had to abandon the chase to deal with the coming attack.

’Its size and weight are about the same as a warhorse, but a warhorse can’t leap backward like that.’ Leech thought that if these wolves were freed from the burden on their backs, the pack alone would probably be even more agile and powerful.

As expected, the other two Warg Riders immediately seized the opening, attacking from the left and right.

Leech had the Corpse Ghost’s body twist in a contorted evasion, moving with the grace of wild grass that bends in a gale but never breaks.

The long spears clutched by the Warg Riders found no purchase, stabbing into empty air.

Seeing the Warg Knight’s back turned to him, Leech refused to give up the rare opening. No matter the type of cavalry, they were always at their most vulnerable right after a charge. He simply continued the twisting motion, contorting the Corpse Ghost’s waist even further.

The Corpse Ghost moved like a coiling serpent. Its hand shot out with the Longsword, striking like a viper’s fangs!

An onlooker would have seen the Corpse Ghost literally twist itself around twice.

Seizing the opportunity, the Longsword accurately ’bit’ into the Warg’s underbelly.

The power of a Transcendent combined with the sharp blade sliced the Warg’s stomach open in an instant. With a wet GUSH, its entrails and blood spilled onto the ground. The monster riding it was thrown off, wailing incessantly. The Warg collapsed, wheezing heavily on the ground, on the verge of death.

The Corpse Ghost used the momentum to plant a hand on the ground. With a series of SNAP! SNAP! sounds, its waist spun its lower body around twice, untwisting its contorted frame.

The remaining Warg Knights seized the opening to attack again, but with their small hunting party now down one member, the pressure of their encirclement was drastically reduced.

Leech precisely seized his chances and slaughtered the remaining two Wargs.

The Warg Riders who had been thrown to the ground got back up. They were about the height of a normal person, but their hunched backs made them appear shorter.

Once on their feet, they fearlessly launched a counterattack against Leech. But without the aid of their agile Wargs, their combat prowess was no better than that of ordinary foot soldiers. Leech easily lopped off their heads.

Three headless corpses toppled over simultaneously.

’Without the Wargs, the pressure drops drastically.’ Leech was beginning to understand why the Warg Rider unit existed. A monster with only average fighting ability, when paired with a Warg, could unleash power on par with regular heavy cavalry. They were disciplined, understood tactics, and were incredibly difficult to deal with.

In that short time, the screams from the village had already begun to fade.

Leech turned his head and saw a Warg Rider casually hoist up the corpse of a gruesomely killed Soldier. It opened its mouth, bit down on the corpse’s forehead, and cradled the head in its hands.

SLURP.

As if it were sipping coconut juice, it expertly slurped down the brain.

’It’s them! The same things that devoured Kunq Green Oasis and that slaver caravan!’