1:00 PM.
Field led his slave guards into the grey mist. Within its oppressive haze, it was nearly impossible to gauge the passage of time, as the world was perpetually shrouded in dim light. Only at night did the mist transform into impenetrable darkness.
At the front of the group, Ashina rode her draconic wolf, clearing the path. As a Chosen One, her enhanced vision allowed her to perceive the world more clearly than anyone else.
Behind her was Field and his newly-formed slave militia. They advanced slowly through the thorn-filled forest, its terrain littered with writhing tendrils of flesh and corrupted plant life.
"According to the map, we're close to Rum Village. It used to supply the nearby city with abundant vegetables," Field remarked.
"Now, all I see is corruption," Ashina replied, shading her eyes with her hand as she squinted into the distance. "Hmm, be careful—seven undead are moving toward us from the right front. I believe they're the former villagers of Rum."
"Let the newcomers handle them," Field said.
Ashina's relaxed demeanor reassured him. These undead must be minor threats—perfect for giving the rookies a taste of combat.
Hearing this, a few of the new recruits audibly gulped. Their instincts screamed at them to run, but with their lord standing right behind them, none of them dared make a move.
The thought of smooth, delicious eggs had practically elevated the soldiers' spirits. For many of these slaves, living their entire lives in hardship, they had never even tasted an egg before.
At lunch, when the eggs were served, many didn't even bother chewing—they simply swallowed them whole in their eagerness. A few even choked, but despite this, every one of them felt pure joy.
To experience that joy again, even at the risk of death, the slaves were willing to endure.
"Roar~"
Out of the grey mist emerged a woman resembling a mummified corpse from ancient Loulan. Her shriveled, grotesque chest sagged to her abdomen, and her entire body was coated in a revolting layer of slime.
The more experienced slave guards quickly raised their pikes, stabbing from all directions to pin the undead woman in place.
"Here, aim for her head to burst it, or stab her chest cavity a few more times," Lynx said generously, sharing his experience. "Keep your hands steady and minimize your body's movements—don't flail around."
Grabbing one of the trembling new recruits, Lynx dragged him toward the undead. The poor man's legs had gone weak, and he was barely able to stand.
The recruit raised his pike several times but couldn't bring himself to thrust. He was so terrified by the creature's shrieks that he wet his pants.
"This is… a demon," another recruit stammered, his teeth chattering.
Field had seen countless zombie movies in his previous life, but the slaves had not. To them, the undead were not merely rotting corpses but vessels for demons. One wrong move, they believed, and the demon's curse would consume them.
"Do it! Don't act like a cowardly quail," Field barked, his voice sharp. He couldn't allow fear to spread among his soldiers—terror was contagious. If left unchecked, more people would start seeing the undead as demons instead of killable creatures. "Even if they are demons, I'm here, and so is the Chosen One. What are you afraid of? We'll kill the demons all the same!"
Thunk!
Spurred on by Field's scolding, the soldier finally thrust his pike forward. Although his eyes were tightly shut, and he nearly missed his mark entirely—almost stumbling into the undead's embrace—he managed to take his first step.
After the strike, the new recruit's legs gave out, and he collapsed onto the ground.
"See? It's not hard, and there's no curse," Field said, gesturing at the corpse as he snapped his fingers with a lighthearted tone. "As long as you keep your distance, they're even easier to deal with than dumb deer."
More undead began to close in, but with the first recruit's demonstration, the rest of the new soldiers found their courage and joined the fight.
After easily dispatching the wave of creatures, Field led his team further into the mist, eventually reaching the outskirts of Rum Village.
"What's with these undead?" Field muttered, glancing at the minimap. The skull icons marking the undead were trembling and jerking erratically. Confused, he scratched his head.
Are they… dancing? his expression a mix of puzzlement and amusement.
"Um… my lord, I can handle clearing the undead in Rum Village by myself. It's too dangerous ahead, so please let me go alone," Ashina said, her gaze darting nervously while an unusual blush crept across her pale face.
Her odd behaviour immediately piqued Field's curiosity. What exactly did she see?
"Let's all go and take a look," Field said, rubbing his chin.
"Uh… well… fine," Ashina stammered reluctantly.
When Field finally saw the scene before him, he instantly regretted his stubbornness.
A large cluster of grotesque, deformed undead were in the village's fields, mimicking procreation! The chaotic, surreal scene was utterly incomprehensible.
Despite the fact that most of them were missing… well, their "parts," they seemed to be instinctively attempting the act.
Field was struck speechless. He covered his face, thinking, Did I actually transmigrate into an adult game world?
It also explained why that earlier female corpse had no clothes on.
The soldiers, meanwhile, burst into laughter, hooting and hollering. The oppressive atmosphere they had felt earlier evaporated completely in the absurdity of the moment.
Boom!
Ashina couldn't take it anymore. With a sharp command, she directed the draconic wolf to unleash a fiery purification, reducing the corrupted abominations to ash in seconds.
The air twisted violently as Ashina's draconic wolf unleashed its scorching blue flames, consuming most of the grotesque figures in an instant. The sound of bones cracking and snapping echoed through the space until nothing but ash remained.
However, several vaguely human-shaped undead let out shrill screams as they charged from the rear.
Ironhammer reacted immediately. His massive frame leaned back slightly, like a bow being drawn. As soon as one of the undead got close, he delivered a powerful shield bash that sent it sprawling to the ground. Without hesitation, he stomped down hard, crushing its fragile chest cavity. The undead stopped moving instantly.
Not to be outdone, the other guards sprang into action. After all, these staggering undead were essentially walking silver coins.
With pikes stabbing furiously, the unarmoured undead stood no chance, leaving behind only a growing pile of corpses.
"Let's push into the village together. Stay within the range of the fog-clearing lamp," Field ordered. Watching the action made his hands itch to join in, but he was carrying the all-important lamp. Otherwise, he'd be cutting down the undead himself for the fun of it.
Thunk, thunk, thunk! One by one, the undead fell, their bodies splashing into pools of dark blood.
As the guards steadily advanced, Field noticed a new rhythm to their movements. The sound of their synchronized footsteps became a natural drumbeat, a cadence that made it easier for everyone to feel the strength of the collective. The hesitant new recruits, inspired by the momentum of the group, soon joined in the slaughter with growing confidence.
Before long, most of the undead in Rum Village were wiped out, leaving piles of rotting corpses that filled the air with a nauseating stench.
Field walked to the center of the village, where a broken-down well lay in ruins. He placed the fog-clearing lamp there and had just given the order to rest when, within five minutes, his minimap lit up with a flood of red skull icons.
A wave of new enemies was approaching.
"Be careful! There are more monsters—no, far too many!" Field shouted without hesitation. He was about to give the order to retreat, but the approaching enemies were incredibly fast, even quicker than a horse's trot.
"My lord, run! I saw—" The lookout guard rushed over in a panic, barely getting a few words out before Field interrupted him.
"Stop! If we leave Rum Village now, we'll run straight into them," Field said sharply. "Our priority is to find a defensible position and hold them off."
He quickly scanned the surroundings for any structures or terrain that could provide cover. Staying in the open field was suicide against a horde that moved so fast.