"A corpse?"
The steward picked up a dark cane next to the table and spoke as he walked, "The wanted criminal you killed has caused quite a bit of trouble in several towns. He came to Black Stone Town and died at your hands."
The appointment letter from headquarters will take some time, but we can give you some benefits in advance, such as a legal skeleton."
Wu Heng's heart stirred upon hearing this.
"Can I now have an undead summon?"
"Not now, but we can allow you to summon it first. After all, in this weather, it is not easy to store bodies. To take it out, you'll have to wait for the official appointment."
They were asking him to summon it first, and only after the official appointment would come down could he take possession of the skeleton.
It appeared that the Professionals Guild wielded significant influence everywhere.
They seemed confident that his application would be approved, and that he would eventually own a skeleton.
"Mmm." Wu Heng nodded, then continued. "Last night, one of his accomplices got away."
"The guards of Black Stone Town will search the crowded areas, but you should also be careful."
"Okay."
The two walked out together, descending a staircase to enter an underground space.
Inside the chilly room, a few iron beds were placed, with one of them being occupied by the corpse of the criminal he killed.
They must have reconfirmed its identity; its clothes had been stripped off, and it lay there, naked.
"Do the transformation!" the steward, propping himself on a cane, stood at the door.
Without further ado, Wu Heng stepped forward to cast his Bone Manipulation Skill.
[The abilities of your summons exceed yours; instability factor increasing...]
A system prompt appeared, and his spiritual power began to rapidly drain.
Simultaneously, the corpse's flesh started to peel off, revealing the white bones beneath.
The transformation finished quickly, and a broad skeleton slowly sat up.
A pair of hollow eye sockets flickered with a ghostly blue Soul Fire.
[Skeleton Thief (Level 7)].
A level 7 skeleton, and its name had changed. It was no longer a general Skeleton Warrior but a Skeleton Thief.
This should be related to its previous profession.
The presence of Soul Fire also indicated a basic soul, just like the transformed Teddy.
The skeleton got off the iron bed, its empty eye sockets scanned the two in the room, and then it moved next to Wu Heng.
"Indeed, you are extremely talented. You can't take this skeleton away now, in case it causes unnecessary trouble," the steward advised from the side.
"I understand." Wu Heng immediately directed the Skeleton Thief. "Stay here and follow Mr. Yazde's orders."
The blue Soul Fire in its eye sockets flickered, the skeleton slightly nodded its head, retreated to a corner, and stood still like a statue.
"Let's go; it's not good to stay here for long because of the low temperature," the steward suggested with a smile.
Wu Heng nodded and left the cellar.
"Alright, we'll leave things here for today. Once the appointment letter arrives, I will notify you. Those guards at the hall have left, and I will make arrangements to explain the situation to the municipal hall," the steward paused before continuing.
"Thank you," Wu Heng expressed his gratitude.
Returning to the hall, the guards had indeed left.
All of this felt somewhat surreal.
Killing a wanted criminal led to a cascade of events.
But it seemed that the Professionals Guild was helpful to him.
If things could really go as the steward had said, it could indeed change his current circumstances.
As for whether becoming a professional was good or bad, it was difficult to say, he would take things one step at a time.
By the time he returned to the crowded area, it was already afternoon.
After enjoying a proper meal at a tavern, he headed towards his dwelling.
...
After returning to his dwelling, he took out the Skill Book he had exchanged.
[Acid Splash]
(Description: Releases an acid ball, inflicting strong acid damage on the target.)
Although it deviated slightly from his expectations of a mage skill, it was not a big problem.
Throwing sulfuric acid seemed to inflict significant damage, and it carried a certain level of humiliation.
He began to read the book.
The book wasn't thick but it was full of content, densely packed with words, and some explanatory diagrams.
In fact, upon studying them, the principles of spells were not as complicated as they seemed.
A spell can be understood as an independent effect transformation. The caster can reshape the energy around them and manifest it in a specific way.
Once this step is complete, the corresponding spell can be released.
However, the difficulty lies in the fact that all these processes are completed in an instant. Real battlefield situations won't allow one the luxury to chant for a good three to five minutes to prepare.
Wu Heng read attentively from beginning to end. When he turned to the last page...
An alert appeared.
[Skill Unlocked: Acid Splash]
As soon as the alert appeared, Wu Heng breathed a sigh of relief.
It was like reading a profession book: reading it from cover to cover would unlock the corresponding abilities.
If he had to learn and analyze it on his own, it would require too much time and effort to learn each skill.
[Name: Wu Heng]
[Profession: Necromancer]
[Level: 3 (94/2700)]
[Attributes: Strength 9, Agility 11, Constitution 13, Intelligence 16, Perception 10, Charm 13.]
[Skills: Bone Manipulation Skill, Acid Splash.]
After checking his attribute panel, Acid Splash had indeed been added to his list of skills.
In addition, his level had reached level 3, and his attributes had improved significantly as well.
He closed the book and went straight to the Zombie World.
...
Zombie World.
The squad of skeletons stood straight on the roof, like terracotta warriors lined up in formation.
They all had bare bones. If they all wore armor and helmets and carried formal weapons, they would look just like terracotta warriors.
At least in this state of standing straight, they looked exactly the same.
The skeleton dog ran over from the back of the skeleton team, sat down and looked up at him, its tail wagging against the ground.
Wu Heng petted its skull, then walked to the edge of the roof and looked down.
Probably because of the survivors yesterday, the zombies in the community were attracted by the bus and went chasing after it.
Only five or six zombies were left wandering aimlessly downstairs.
Looking at the zombies, he planned to test the effect of his skill.
He activated 'Acid Splash' and launched it at one of them.
A spherical acid ball flew down from the roof and landed next to the zombie's feet with a sound.
Although it didn't hit directly, he could still see a corrosive effect where the acid covered.
However, the effect only lasted for a few brief seconds before disappearing.
Roar~!
The zombie was startled by the sudden attack. It bent its back and roared around.
But it couldn't spot Wu Heng and the skeleton dog peeking from the rooftop.
"The effect is just ordinary," Wu Heng muttered.
But he no longer intended to keep testing his skill.
He put on the armor of the wanted criminal and put the slightly inferior one on the sword-wielding skeleton.
"Follow me." He waved his hand, and the skeletons behind him immediately moved and followed him into the stairwell.
...
Squeak~!
The tightly closed door to the stairwell opened, making a teeth-grinding sound.
The wandering zombies immediately turned to look at the stairwell. As they roared, they rushed towards it.
Just as they had entered the stairwell, countless kitchen knives came down.
They were hacked to the ground instantly.