Chapter 207: Who Pays More

Chapter 207: Who Pays More

The formation of the Rotting Corpses was scattered, and their attire was varied.

Among them were Warhammer Party members clad in black battle armor, Iron Guard Knights in silver armor, and gang members in mismatched equipment.

It was as if they had fought, and then he had started converting bodies from the rear.

That's how this army had come together.

Both sides suspected the other had reinforcements, leading to a temporary standoff with no one making a move.

"Captain, that's Rentam City's Lord over there. I saw him when I was a kid!" Duke pointed to the distant city walls and said.

Wu Heng looked up and saw a man in armor, surrounded by many people, looking over from the wall at the Rotting Corpses.

This was Wu Heng's first time seeing the Lord of Rentam City.

Other than being tall and sturdy, there didn't seem to be anything particularly special about him.

"I thought he'd run by now," Wu Heng said.

"I thought so too," Duke echoed, then asked, "Captain, is the fight over? They've both backed off."

"When we arrived, neither side was sure of our identity," Wu Heng explained.

If he had attacked upon arrival.

By coordinating with the Iron Guard Knights for a pincer attack, they could have dealt a severe blow to the Warhammer Party.

But he didn't do that.

Before reaching the battlefield, Wu Heng had Glenda scout from above.

The main force of the Warhammer Party, especially Skull-Crusher, who was listed on the bounty, hadn't joined the battle.

If the Rotting Corpses launched an attack, they would draw the attention of the Warhammer Party's main force.

Since he was only there to help, drawing the boss's hatred toward himself clearly wasn't a wise move.

If the Iron Guard Knights held back in fear, he would end up becoming the Warhammer Party's main target, possibly falling into a completely passive position.

So, when they arrived, Wu Heng didn't take immediate action.

Instead, he decided to observe the situation before making his next move.

Unexpectedly, both sides had pulled back from the battlefield, leading to the current standoff.

"So what do we do now?" Duke asked again.

"We wait. They're not in a hurry, so why should we be?" Wu Heng replied.

"Oh, alright!"

After about 10 minutes of stalemate.

A group from the Iron Guard Knights quickly walked out, one of them somewhat overweight and wearing bulging leather armor, looking like a city official.

They quickly reached the edge of the Rotting Corpses and shouted, "Honorable lord inside, a representative from Rentam City's City Hall wishes to speak with you."

Before Wu Heng could respond, a man's voice from the other side called out, "The Warhammer Party comes with sincerity and wishes to meet with you."

The two voices echoed toward the rear of the group.

Duke and the others looked to Wu Heng.

Wu Heng thought for a moment, "You all go hide. Don't let them know who we are. Wen Mansa, stay."

"Alright!" The others nodded and left immediately.

...…

In an empty room.

The doors and windows were all open, allowing bright sunlight to pour in.

Wu Heng was draped in a cloak that concealed his equipment, and he wore a gas mask on his face.

He was completely wrapped up, looking rather mysterious.

For most people, such an outfit might seem odd.

But for a mysterious and eerie necromancer, this appearance suited the role.

Wu Heng sat at the head of the room, with several skeleton servants standing behind him.

Below him sat representatives from the Iron Guard Knights and the Warhammer Party.

The Iron Guard representative was a middle-aged man, somewhat overweight, sitting upright with a serious expression but eyes filled with anxiety.

The Warhammer Party representative was a robed warlock holding a wooden staff. His eyes swept over Blood Axe and Fang behind Wu Heng, and his pupils shrank in surprise.

The two core members who hadn't shown up as planned were now here.

And they had been turned into enslaved undead creatures.

Who would have thought such a terrifying necromancer lived in a small border city like this?

"How should we address you, sir?" the official from Rentam City asked respectfully.

"Names aren't important. State your purpose," Wu Heng's muffled voice sounded from behind the mask.

The official glanced at the Warhammer Party representative before saying, "City Lord Elno promises that if your forces help repel the Warhammer Party, he will pay you five thousand gold coins as a reward."

He emphasized the words "five thousand gold coins."

Five thousand gold coins.

Rentam City must have some deep pockets.

When he asked the 'Secret Cult' for just 80 gold coins, they hesitated.

Yet here the City Lord casually offered five thousand.

It was almost ridiculous.

Seeing Wu Heng not respond immediately, both men began to grow nervous.

The Warhammer Party warlock quickly spoke up, "Sir, while Rentam City may seem like a lot, it's just a small border town, a transit point for trade between two races. Five thousand gold coins sounds like a lot, but it's just two or three years' worth of taxes. He's throwing numbers at you without any real sincerity."

Before the official could rebut, the warlock continued, "If you side with the Warhammer Party, you can pick any part of the outer city as your territory. Whether it's taxes or conducting magic experiments, it will all be under your control. In a few years, you'll make back what he's offering, and it'll keep generating income."

Wu Heng raised an eyebrow, somewhat impressed by the warlock's negotiation skills.

This warlock didn't seem like a typical bandit; at least he had a deep understanding of the city's affairs.

Judging by the terms offered.

The Warhammer Party's deal was clearly more tempting.

But there were differences between the two offers.

Rentam City's promise felt like they were cutting into their own flesh.

They were trying to offer as little as possible.

The Warhammer Party, on the other hand, had no such concerns; after all, it wasn't theirs yet, so they could make generous promises.

Hearing the Warhammer Party's offer, the official couldn't sit still.

He hurriedly said, "The Warhammer Party are nothing but bandits and outlaws. Their promises mean nothing; they can't guarantee they'll keep their word."

"Elno was a gang leader himself back in the day. He just happened to take the inner city earlier than us. Do you really think his word is any better?" the warlock countered.

"The City Lord is nothing like you murderers and arsonists!"

"We all walked the same dark roads, no need to pretend to be noble."

"You…!"

Wu Heng watched the two argue, lightly tapping the armrest of his chair before saying, "I want half the city's control. Whoever agrees, I'll help."

This…

Both of them froze, stunned. Half of the city's control?

He was asking to split the city in two or establish two city lords.

His demand was far too bold.

"Sir, this…"

The official was about to speak, but Wu Heng raised his hand to stop him and said, "If you can't make that decision, go back and discuss it with your leaders or the City Lord. Either give me half the city, or watch it vanish entirely. You may leave."

Wu Heng directly dismissed them, and although both men wanted to say more, they exchanged glances and held back.

After a slight bow, they turned and left.

Once they were far from the Rotting Corpses.

Wen Mansa walked out from the side and asked softly, "Will they agree?"

Wen Mansa was surprised that Wu Heng had asked for half the city.

Her master had always been low-key, but this time his appetite seemed enormous.

It was like trying to steal food from two tigers.

It felt incredibly risky.

Wu Heng casually took off his mask, "They don't have a choice."

"So which side are you going to help?" Wen Mansa asked.

"Which side do you think I should help?" Wu Heng countered.

"I'll follow your lead."

"Just say what you think."

Wen Mansa frowned in thought and said softly, "It's probably better to help the current City Lord. Although his rule is poor, the city is still somewhat stable. If the Warhammer Party takes over, it'll quickly become a bandit haven. After all, every one of them is on a wanted list. There's no chance for a stable life under their rule."

The current City Lord didn't seem to care much about governance.

As long as taxes were collected, he didn't interfere much.

Gang fights frequently broke out in the outer city, and it was full of wanted criminals, making it a chaotic place.

But at least there were basic rules, and the city had an association, which prevented things from getting too out of hand.

If the Warhammer Party took control, the association would surely be eliminated.

Who knows what kind of place it would become then?

"Alright, I've got it," Wu Heng said.

Wen Mansa smiled, "I was just giving my opinion. Of course, it's your decision, master."

Wu Heng lightly patted her on the rear to show he understood.

...…

In the Warhammer Party camp.

The warlock relayed everything from the conversation with Wu Heng.

Skull-Crusher and another core member frowned deeply.

"What arrogance, demanding half the city!" the dual-axe-wielding core member growled angrily.

If that Rotting Corpse army hadn't shown up, they would have already breached the inner city and begun the final battle.

By then, they would have everything—money, women, the luxury of the nobles.

But this army appeared, not only disrupting their plans but also demanding half the city. It was infuriating.

Especially since that army was made up of their own fallen comrades.

It felt like they were being robbed without a fight.

"What kind of person is he?" Skull-Crusher asked directly.

The warlock thought back and replied, "He wore a black cloak, and his face was covered by a strange mask. He's probably a necromancer. Judging by his movements and behavior, he didn't seem very old."

"You don't know his identity?"

"He didn't want to reveal it. He said names and identities didn't matter," the warlock replied. Then, as if remembering something, he added, "There's one more thing. I saw…"

He suddenly stopped mid-sentence, hesitating.

Skull-Crusher and the orc core member both looked at him in confusion.

After a moment of hesitation, the warlock continued, "I saw Nagzio and Ikhill. They're both dead and have been turned into skeleton servants by him."