Chapter 26: The Necromancer Player

As he rushed into the alley near Lion Pavilion, Wang Liang noticed that some wandering knights, city guards, and soldiers had already arrived. The night watchman who had led the way was gradually slowing down, yet he kept beating his gong urgently, alarming the nearby residents. Though these residents dared not step outside, they lit their lamps and stood guard at their doors with weapons in hand, wary of anyone trying to make trouble amid the chaos.

Wang Liang had started a bit later; by the time he reached the source of the gong’s clamor, the soldiers had already surrounded the rear entrance of Lion Pavilion. There, a male ghost with grass-green hair was charging back and forth. Draped in a tattered gray robe, he wielded two chain hammers fashioned from skulls, green flames flickering in their eye sockets. He swung the skull hammers relentlessly, keeping the soldiers at bay.

Behind him followed a female ghost. She appeared far more normal, her body infused with the scent of scorched herbs and flames, as if she had been burned alive amidst medicinal plants. Though she trailed the male ghost, she was no obedient follower; her face twisted in a fierce snarl, eyes bloodshot, brimming with heavy resentment. Yet it seemed she had been persuaded by the male ghost, for she did not act on her own.

The male ghost used his skull chain hammers to force back the soldiers, preparing to carve a bloody path out. Suddenly, several armored spectral soldiers descended from the sky. These were far stronger than the spectral soldiers Wang Liang had seen before, wielding weapons stained with blood. Oddly, while bloodied weapons elsewhere would either bear dried stains or have turned jade-green, the blood on these weapons was fresh, still dripping.

Upon bursting forth, the male ghost’s expression remained unchanged; he pointed at the spectral soldiers. “Attack!” Behind him, three right hand bones, white as jade, emerged. They appeared far sturdier than ordinary bones, and as they flew forward, they clutched at the faces of the spectral soldiers.

After launching this attack, black mist surged behind him, raising a black banner inscribed in white with four bold characters: “Ghosts Fear Not Death!”

Unfurling the banner, the male ghost shouted, “Out of my way! This has nothing to do with you.” His momentum stunned the soldiers and spectral warriors alike. Seizing the moment, he charged ahead, swinging the skull hammers to clear a path, intent on escaping with the female ghost.

At that instant, a thunderous roar echoed from Lion Pavilion. The sound was so powerful that Wang Liang, though standing at a distance, felt shaken. Looking up, he saw a gigantic lion's phantom above the pavilion, at least three stories tall, with golden mane and a fierce visage. Its sharp teeth resembled the pillars at Lion Pavilion’s entrance, and its enormous eyes mirrored the pair of red lanterns hanging in the hall.

Behind the lion trailed nine smaller lions of varying sizes and forms, leaping around the giant, some already charging toward the male ghost.

The male ghost snorted coldly, letting his skull hammers hang, and shouted at the blocking soldiers, “Get out of my way!” As he spoke, a carriage drawn by two skeletal horses burst from behind, driven by a coachman. The male ghost grabbed the female ghost, preparing to leap onto the carriage.

At that moment, Wang Liang happened to emerge nearby, casting a glance at the male ghost. Noticing this, the male ghost’s expression changed—a man who had faced patrolmen and the Lion Pavilion’s feng shui manifestation without fear now stared at Wang Liang and shouted, “This is my mission. Stand aside!”

Wang Liang was taken aback for a moment, but soon understood—the male ghost was a player. Yet for some reason, he had become a ghost. Though puzzled, Wang Liang stepped back; after all, they were both players—there was no need for unnecessary conflict.

Seeing Wang Liang retreat, the male ghost showed a hint of relief. He was unconcerned with the soldiers and spectral warriors; those were routine obstacles, but encountering a player from the opposing camp was truly troublesome.

Such matters were never simple. From level twenty onward, regardless of their chosen path, players had all reached their core formation and could wield various magical treasures. The black banner and the three white jade hand bones unleashed by the male ghost were examples of such treasures. These items might not be overwhelmingly powerful, but each served its purpose, and one could never predict when an inconspicuous artifact might turn the tide.

Once Wang Liang confirmed he was not from an opposing camp, the male ghost finally relaxed. He dragged the female ghost onto the carriage, surveyed the scene, and ultimately avoided Wang Liang’s direction, breaking through where the soldiers were more numerous.

Watching the male ghost flee from his side, Wang Liang felt a touch of confusion, but soon realized the ghost player wished to avoid entanglement with him. That was just as well.

He sheathed his Life-Cutter Blade and prepared to withdraw to the outer perimeter when suddenly, the sky brightened. Wang Liang saw flames erupting from Lion Pavilion, accompanied by cries and the strange scent of herbs. Recalling the female ghost trailing behind the male player, Wang Liang seemed to grasp something.

He looked toward the direction in which they had fled. The male ghost stood at the rear of the carriage, swinging his skull hammers and repelling all who approached. His attacks were measured; though the hammers knocked people down, none were killed. In a flash, the carriage carried them away into the nearby alleys.

With the male ghost gone, the soldiers could not pursue; only spectral night patrols continued the chase, while others turned their gaze toward Lion Pavilion, watching the ever-brightening blaze. At that moment, the lion-shaped feng shui manifestation atop Lion Pavilion let out a thunderous roar, striking the ground with its forepaw. The fiery apparition vanished, leaving only a faint herbal scent lingering in the air, proof that what they had witnessed was not entirely illusion.