As he approached gradually, I kept my hands firmly in my pockets, making no movement, not even turning my head.
Through my mental perception, I had already sensed that Li Mingda's soul fire was dimmed to an alarming degree, scarcely better than the most rudimentary skeleton warrior. Such a feeble undead could be effortlessly dealt with; adopting any combat stance would be a mere waste of effort.
I have returned!" Li Mingda's voice was indistinct, yet I discerned his meaning through the waves of my spirit; this fugitive prisoner audaciously sought to rejoin our ranks.
No problem, as long as you abide by the rules, I care not whether our company consists of humans or specters." Upon hearing my response, conveyed through spiritual waves, Li Mingda tightened his grip on his steed and slowly followed behind me.
Gu Lengzhai, unable to comprehend our exchange, was taken aback when Li Mingda shouted a few words at me before falling silent, clearly astonished. He whispered, "What does he wish to accompany us for?" I shrugged and replied, "He desires to return to the group, and I have acquiesced.
Perhaps soon, we shall all find ourselves in a similar state; accepting him is tantamount to accepting ourselves."
Gu Lengzhai fell silent, his inner turmoil evident as he grappled with fear and resistance to my words. Sighing, I patted his shoulder, choosing not to elaborate further.
Logically, these individuals had long since passed; their current forms were merely gifts from a powerful entity, and none could predict how they might evolve in the future. Acceptance would require time, and I understood his hesitance. What surprised me most was that, while I had initially thought Wang Zhong to be the most capable among them, it was Li Mingda—the one I had deemed a lost cause—who first transformed into a warrior.
An aura of combat emanated from him, a small sphere of energy slowly rotating within his chest, imbued with the somber essence of death. I activated a capability from the Guiding Contract, and Li Mingda's information materialized before me.
Li Mingda, type: Disaster Knight Steed, undeveloped demon steed weapon, unranked. I casually removed a horn bow from my back along with a flask of collected black-feathered arrows, tossing them to Li Mingda.
He accepted these items without uttering a word, cradling them silently as if unable to determine where to place them. Having become an undead, Li Mingda's intelligence appeared to be on a downward trajectory, and I found myself powerless to enlighten him, opting instead to act as though I hadn't noticed.
Gu Lengzhai, roused from his shock, followed closely behind me. Although he made an effort to maintain distance from Li Mingda, he couldn't help but scrutinize the man transformed into an undead, clearly struggling to accept such a brutal reality.
Wang Lin, what should we do?
Should we reveal the truth to everyone?" "What truth do you speak of?" Gu Lengzhai hesitated before stating, "The truth that we will all end up like him!" He pointed at Li Mingda but quickly withdrew his finger, evidently not wanting this new incarnation of an old comrade to take note.
Not everyone will necessarily become that peculiar form. I am currently pondering a few matters; once I have clarity, I will share how to avoid such a fate!
Gu Lengzhai was taken aback, asking, "Wang Lin, have you uncovered some secret about this world?
Is it concerning us?
I nodded and casually brushed a strand of hair from my forehead. Lost in deep thought, a fleeting image of the past or future crossed my mind, though it was too swift for me to discern. Yet, I had a premonition that I was on the verge of uncovering a significant secret, one intricately connected to my power's enhancement, unrelated to "us."
Not long after, I spotted Chen Xiu, exhausted and seated, not far from her was the slender college student, Sun Yan, crouching nearby. They were the weakest among us, and upon seeing Li Mingda with his ghostly eyes following closely behind me, their faces turned pale with fear.
There is no need to fear him. He poses no danger now. If you are too fatigued, you may utilize his demon steed for the journey.
As soon as I uttered those words, Chen Xiu and Sun Yan struggled to rise, adopting a running posture that was several times slower than walking, instinctively preparing to flee. I had little interest in explaining myself to them, and Gu Lengzhai, lost in thought, did not attempt to restrain the two women, accustomed as he was to being the good Samaritan.
Human acceptance is remarkably resilient; when Sun Yan and Chen Xiu had exhausted their last ounce of strength, to the point where even lifting a finger became a struggle, they accepted the reality of Li Mingda's companionship without further explanation.
They also accepted his goodwill, sharing his demon steed for the journey.
In truth, they preferred that I and Gu Lengzhai carry them, but when I firmly stated, "You will either be abandoned by the roadside or refrain from being so picky," they had no choice but to resign themselves to the situation, despite the demon steed's somewhat terrifying appearance.
Dismounting, Li Mingda continued to hold the bow and arrows I had casually given him, trudging along with a demeanor that surpassed that of the other team members—honest and obedient. I couldn't help but think, "Transforming these team members into undead might not be such a bad idea, considering they have long since passed."
After scouting several dozen miles ahead, Wang Zhong finally returned, observing our disheveled state with curiosity. Upon seeing me and Li Mingda, he finally inquired, "What is the situation with him?" "I do not know!" I replied succinctly.
Wang Zhong glanced at Li Mingda a couple of times but did not press further, merely stating, "Not far ahead lies a village;
it seems there are people there. I caught a glimpse from afar and believe we can rest there!
I nodded in agreement. I understood Wang Zhong's intention;
he sought my company to explore the village, and he was also curious about Li Mingda, but now was not the time for such explanations, and I had no interest in discussing it.
Suddenly, Li Mingda grunted and, in a muffled tone, declared, "I can also participate in the battle!" Wang Zhong, intrigued by Li Mingda's ability to speak, noticed the bow in his hands and asked, "Can you use a bow?"
This time, Li Mingda seemed to react strongly, as the energy within him surged into the bow he held, causing the otherwise ordinary short bow to undergo a remarkable transformation, adorned with an exceedingly simple symbol.