Mysterious Influence

Chapter 70: Mysterious Influence

Green asked Zhao Hai, "Can they speak? I heard them say several words, but you just asked if they could speak. Isn't that strange? Can't they hear us?"

Zhao Hai turned to look at Green and said, "Grandpa Green, we did have a conversation, didn't you hear?"

Green and the others shook their heads, confirming that they couldn't hear the conversation between Zhao Hai and the members of the undead Mercenary Group. Zhao Hai was puzzled, but Merine explained, "Alright, don't worry about it. These are Undead Creatures, and as Advanced level Undead Creatures, they can establish a direct mental link with you. To you, it feels like they're speaking in your ear, but they're not making any sound."

Upon hearing Merine's explanation, Zhao Hai and the others understood. Zhao Hai nodded and turned to the undead Dark Magicians, saying, "Since you're now calling me 'my lord,' don't use your previous names. I'll give you new names. Who among you is the eldest?"

One of the skeletons spoke up, "Master, I am."

Zhao Hai nodded and said, "Alright, from now on, your name is Drunk. The second eldest will be called Zhao Chui, the third eldest Zhao Shan, the fourth eldest Zhao Feng, the fifth eldest Zhao Chong, the sixth eldest Zhao Lu, the seventh eldest Zhao Qi, and the eighth eldest Zhao Lianba."

The eight members of the undead Mercenary Group replied in unison, accepting their new names. Although their intelligence wasn't significantly affected, they understood that Zhao Hai's words took precedence, and they had no objections.

After confirming their compliance, Zhao Hai asked his previous question, "Who told you that Laura has the Undead Method Ball?"

Drunk quickly replied, "Master, we heard the information from a peripheral member of the Markey Family. We didn't believe it at first, but it seemed so real that we wanted to enhance our strength. That's why we took action."

Zhao Hai nodded, suspecting that it was just a ploy within the Markey Family's internal struggles. He wasn't too concerned about it. He then asked about the possessions they had acquired over the years, and Drunk explained that they rarely kept anything for themselves, giving everything to their previous master.

Surprised by this revelation, Zhao Hai asked, "Previous master? Did you recognize someone else as your master before? When?"

Drunk quickly clarified, "Master, you misunderstood. We didn't recognize anyone else as our master. We were adopted by our previous master when we were children. He taught us magic and sent us out to form the undead Mercenary Group to help him accumulate wealth."

Zhao Hai's expression turned melancholic upon hearing this. He asked, "Who was your previous master?"

Drunk shook his head and replied, "We don't know. We rarely saw him. There was a servant who took care of us, and even when we did see our master, he always wore a Black Magic robe that concealed his identity."

Zhao Hai felt even more disheartened. He realized that the influence behind Drunk and the others wasn't as simple as he had initially thought. Training Drunk and the others since childhood to become 7th level Magicians required substantial resources and manpower. What worried him even more was the fact that they had grown up together under the guidance of their master. This suggested that their master might have trained others like them somewhere else, leading to a much larger scheme.

Green and the others noticed Zhao Hai's change in complexion and grew concerned. Green asked, "Young Master, what's wrong? Why do you look so pale?"

Zhao Hai looked at Green and the others, recounting the conversation with Drunk and his speculations. Green and the others wore heavy expressions as they realized the complexity of the situation.

After some time, Green said, "Young Master, we shouldn't worry too much. Nobody would suspect that undead Mercenary Group is connected to us. Black Wasteland has been forgotten by the Continent, and once we return there, we can have Drunk and the others hide in Carrion Swamp. No one will be able to find them, so we shouldn't encounter any trouble."

Zhao Hai nodded, hoping that things would turn out as Green suggested. They were currently too weak, and if the powerful influence behind Drunk discovered their association and decided to eliminate them, it would be a disaster. Zhao Hai chose not to divulge this information to anyone. He then turned to Green and said, "Grandpa Green, when we go to Casa City, we need to prepare in advance. We should find a place to store the radishes. Can we have the Markey Family handle it?"

Green nodded and replied, "Yes, Young Master, don't worry. There are many manors near Casa City. We can buy a small one to store the radishes. The Markey Family can take care of it."

Zhao Hai agreed, "That's good. Although we have reached a preliminary agreement with them, we now have a Golden Token. We should be able to negotiate a higher price."

Green smiled and said, "Indeed, this Golden Token will greatly help us. When we present it to them, I wonder how Miss Laura's expression will be. She thinks highly of you as a powerful Dark Magician. Now, imagine her reaction when she discovers that you've changed professions to become a vegetable seller. HaHaHa! I'm sure it will be quite amusing."

Zhao Hai and the others laughed at Green's words. Zhao Hai was determined to continue farming. Despite their current strength, with two 8th level Experts, six 6th level Experts, and a multitude of Undead Creatures, their enemies were still formidable.

The established Nobles of the Aksu Empire were a constant threat, especially if they learned about Zhao Hai's true strength. Additionally, there was the unknown influence behind Drunk and the others, which posed a significant risk. Zhao Hai understood that they needed to remain low-key for now.

However, Zhao Hai didn't mind using Laura and the Golden Token. The token was given to him, and he intended to use it. Presently, he was known as a Dark Magician named Zhao Hai on the continent. However, if anyone were to investigate further, they would only find information about the Black Mountain stopper. Buda Family was overlooked due to their reputation for drinking the Water of Nothingness. Moreover, the presence of Alien and the Undead Creatures provided an excellent cover for his identity. Nobody would suspect that the person who drank the Water of Nothingness could also summon Undead Creatures. Even if someone were to investigate, they would focus their attention on Zhao Hai's visible identity and overlook Buda Family.

With this arrangement, Zhao Hai had two distinct identities. As long as people searched for him, they would be looking at his public identity, while Buda Family remained hidden and could take advantage of opportunities for development.

After the recent battle, Zhao Hai understood that strength was paramount. If he didn't have the power he currently possessed, would Laura treat him with such respect? Would she have given him the Golden Token? Would he have been able to subdue Drunk and the others? Without strength, no matter how much wealth he accumulated, it would eventually be taken away.