novelraw Chapter 1131: Asad’s Life and the Plateau
Chapter 1131: Asad’s Life and the Plateau
Asad left the tavern and walked through the quiet streets of Blue Bubble Shelter...
At this time, his mind was replaying the conversations he had heard.
Just like what Shane expected, the Phoenix Phalanx Clan wasn’t just guarding a plateau’s plant, they were experimenting.
They certainly had the power to do so, considering how they had alchemists capable of working with Roan’s blood.
After all, Anna herself took a month to create a potion that uses the Dragon Blood.
Anyway, these survivors mentioned something about immunity, of elites surviving bites, but there was something else beneath the surface that concerned him.
’Harnessing the power of Zombies... what does that mean?’
He had seen necromancy firsthand, his own craft raising corpses to fight under his command.
But what Phoenix Phalanx was attempting sounded different. Not mindless zombies, not puppets bound to a master’s will. The rumors hinted at something more controlled... like survivors who remained themselves, yet carried the strength of the undead.
"Is it similar to Aegis Serum?" Asad muttered as he walked around the shelter.
’Or could they be trying to create living-dead hybrids? Survivors with altered physiques, bodies hardened by infection, but minds remained intact?’
The idea intrigued him. He couldn’t help but want to know more about their project.
Zombies were terrifying because they were persistent, unfeeling, and immune to pain.
If Phoenix Phalanx found a way to merge that resilience with human intelligence, they would create soldiers who could fight endlessly, never tiring, never fearing death.
Perhaps, even food supply would no longer matter to them.
"That would be amazing... and also terrifying." Asad muttered as he knew that such research could easily go wrong.
As a matter of fact, even this Zombie Outbreak was also something that had gone wrong after some people started researching the method of creating Super Soldiers.
Still, Asad’s curiosity was piqued...
He imagined warriors whose veins carried the virus but whose minds resisted its corruption.
Would they be stronger, faster, immune to fatigue? Or would they become something worse...
He muttered under his breath, "If they succeed, they’ll be unstoppable... No. At the very least, they’ll be a pain in the ass... With Shane’s army, it shouldn’t matter."
In any case, since he was already here, he might as well destroy whatever plan they had.
Furthermore, with his Necromancy, he could actually show them what it would really feel like facing intelligent Undead Creatures!
After all, even if he raised corpses that were disposable and bound to his will, he also had special undead creatures that could think on their own, like the Doom Knights, Skeleton King, Wraith Queen, Mummy Lord, and others...
"Alright... Let’s destroy that base after gathering enough information..." Asad muttered as he made up his mind
For now, he walked calmly back to the inn, like the hunters returning from their hunts.
***
The next day, Asad rose early as he was actually quite curious about this shelter... After changing his clothes, he blended in with the hunters and merchants who were already busy with trade.
Though his mission weighed heavily on his mind, he allowed himself a moment to explore the place...
The shelter carried a different atmosphere in the morning. It seemed calmer, brighter, and far less tense than the restless energy of the night before.
"Hmm... That fragrant smell is getting into my clothes." Asad muttered to himself.
He passed by a row of stalls where soap makers displayed their wares.
Bars of pale lavender, deep green mint, and golden citrus were stacked neatly, each wrapped in cloth and tied with string.
He had seen some of them in the System’s Marketplace, but those products were probably made by other survivors. Furthermore, they were more expensive than the ones he could find here...
"I guess I can buy some of them for Aya and the others." Asad muttered as the air was thick with scents that were refreshing, calming, and invigorating.
Asad paused at one stall...
"One Zombie Core for three bars," the merchant said proudly. "It’s not expensive, right? It’s worth it. Keeps the stench away, keeps the mind clear too!"
Asad considered the price.
Seeing the other Survivors around. He knew that it was quite steep for only 3 soap bars, but he wasn’t just a wandering hunter... He was a necromancer with resources.
He decided not to haggle for such a meager price and handed over several cores and selected multiple kinds... According to the labels, they were lavender for calm, mint for a refreshing sense, citrus for energy.
He didn’t know if that was true, but he purchased them anyway.
As he stormed them into his inventory, he thought of his room back in Eclipse Domain.
The soaps would be a luxury, since small comforts mattered.
Moving on, he found another shop... pottery.
There wasn’t one in Eclipse Domain. Even if there were stalls selling some vases and jars, they were just end products brought by wandering merchants.
This place, however, was the factory itself.
Beside it, he found rows of clay jars, bowls, and vases lined the shelves, each painted with simple designs.
One caught his eye... It was a sturdy pot with a spiral motif, nothing extravagant, but elegant in its simplicity.
Well, his home in Eclipse Domain was bare and functional and lacking any decoration.
"I guess it’s about time... This is also quite far from the Shelter. The others won’t have similar designs or products like mine." Asad smiled at this thought.
Soon, he approached the stall.
"This one," he said, pointing to the one he liked.
The shopkeeper smiled and wrapped it carefully.
Next to the pottery, a small gallery displayed paintings. Most were crude depictions of hunts or landscapes, but one canvas stood out... It was a serene plateau under moonlight, painted with soft strokes that captured both beauty and silence.
"Is this the plateau I’ll be setting out to find?" Asad muttered and stared at it longer than he expected.
After a simple question from the vendor, it was indeed the plateau he was tasked to infiltrate... It certainly looked beautiful. However, if the Phoenix Phalanx had taken over the place, it might not be as beautiful as this anymore.
As the vendor kept rubbing his hands, Asad smiled and finally bought the painting and its frame, before storing it alongside the pottery.
"A house should feel alive, not just be walls and stone." Asad muttered as he wanted to justify his purchase. This was definitely not an impulsive buy!
For a necromancer, it was an odd sentiment.
They’d probably not expect a necromancer to have this kind of taste if they ever entered his room...
After all, his craft dealt with corpses, with death and decay. However, back on Earth, he truly valued the living world and appreciated art.
Just like that, he wandered the shelter...
He mixed it quite normally as he heard some Zombie Hunters boast of their kills, merchants haggle over prices, and children laugh as they chased each other through the streets.
In the afternoon, however, he knew that he finally had to leave this place...
"Time to go..." Asad muttered as he had already completed his break.
He also learned that the Phoenix Phalanx was experimenting with the undead, trying to merge human will with zombie traits...
Soon, he left the Blue Bubble Shelter and summoned his ride...
His Skeleton Scorpion!
This scorpion made of bones was huge and seemed like carrying a cage on its back, but it was actually Asad’s seat... or maybe cockpit.
"Let’s go to the plateau, Scorpy!"
After five hours of travel atop the rattling bones of his Skeleton Scorpion, Asad finally reached the plateau.
The sight before him was indeed beautiful. It was almost identical to the painting he had just purchased.
As it was already dark, it was only thanks to the moonlight that he saw its strange attraction...
However, it was broken by the fortress above. Apparently, its towers had belched black smoke into the sky! It was proof of a factory hidden inside.
"So this is it... Phoenix Phalanx’s little experiment."
The climb was steep, but Asad was not concerned.
His body was strong, and his necromancy offered him more options than brute force.
What worried him was exposure. The fortress was heavily guarded, and even a shadow on the wrong cliff could draw attention.
With that in mind, he pulled his dark mage robe tighter, activating its enchantment.
"It’s been a while since I had to hide my presence like this." Asad muttered.
His presence faded, his aura dimmed, and he became a lot harder to notice...
Still, he needed more than stealth. Raising his hand, he summoned the Wraith Queen.
She emerged from the shadows and, with a silent bow, she lifted him effortlessly.
Soon, Asad stood before the walled base.
"That’s easy..."
The fortress was now in front of him, its gates sealed and seemingly defended by barriers and Zombies! But what caught his attention was not just the defenses, it was the fields outside!
"W-what is going on here?"