Chapter 5: Life From Death

Chapter 5: Life From Death (Or: How to Make Friends and Influence Corpses)

MC POV:

Bram and Joren stared at me like I'd sprouted a second head as I hovered over the pile of six goblin corpses, shovel in hand.

"So… Chief," Bram said slowly, "you want us to… what? Plant these goblins like potatoes?"

I forced a confident grin. "Exactly. Or, uh, something like that. The system said 'life from death.' Maybe there's a ritual, or… fertilizer? Just trust me."

Joren shrugged and started digging a shallow pit near the village's edge. The stench was enough to make my eyes water. I tried not to gag as we rolled the goblin bodies in, then covered them with a thin layer of earth.

"Now what?" Bram asked, wiping his hands on his tunic.

I glanced at the system screen, hoping for guidance. "System, I did what you hinted. Is there a next step, or do I just wait for villagers to sprout like weeds?"

[Host! The process is not so literal. But you're on the right track. Now, focus your intent and use the Summon Villager function on the table-while standing near a valid 'sacrifice.']

I hurried back to the Town Hall and tapped the glowing table. Sure enough, a new icon pulsed at the edge of the Villagers menu: Summon Villager (Requires: 1 enemy corpse per summon).

My jaw dropped. "You've got to be kidding me. It really is corpse-powered immigration!"

[Congratulations, Host! You've unlocked Necro-Logistics. The circle of life, Eldgonet style.]

Suppressing a shudder, I selected the Summon Villager option. The table's runes glowed a ghostly green. Outside, the mound of goblin corpses shimmered, and wisps of light drifted toward the village square.

With a crackle of energy, six new figures materialized in front of the Town Hall-one for each goblin sacrificed. They looked human enough, though one sneezed and muttered, "Why do I smell like swamp?"

The original villagers gawked. Lina edged closer to me. "Chief, are we… safe? They're not going to turn green, are they?"

I forced a reassuring smile. "Perfectly safe! Just… don't ask too many questions about the recruitment process."

[Host, you may now assign your new villagers to tasks. Population: 11/40. Efficiency increased!]

I couldn't help but laugh-first at the absurdity, then at the relief. "My first real battle, and not only did I win, but the enemies delivered my next batch of villagers. It's like Amazon Prime for population growth!"

[Don't get used to it, Host. Not every enemy will be this easy-or this useful.]

I opened the glowing table and got to work. "Alright, team, listen up! We've got a lot to do."

Two new villagers to clearing obstacles-boulders, stumps, wild bushes-cluttering the clearing around the buildings.

Two to collecting gold and elixir from the production buildings and transferring it to the storages.

The last two to help with repairs and general maintenance, working alongside Joren and Bram.

The village buzzed with new energy. Even the original villagers seemed impressed, if a little wary of my unconventional recruitment methods.

As the new recruits set to work, I took a moment to watch them. The obstacle-clearers hacked at stubborn roots and rolled stones away, sweat beading on their brows. The resource collectors moved with purpose, hauling buckets of shimmering pink elixir and sacks of gold coins from the mines and collectors to the storages. The repair crew patched up the battered walls and reinforced the Town Hall's door, chatting quietly as they worked.

Lina, ever the multitasker, handed out slices of coarse bread and kept a pot of stew simmering over the hearth. I caught her eye and she gave me a thumbs-up, her earlier skepticism replaced by a spark of hope.

I took a closer look at the new arrivals. They were a ragtag bunch, but each seemed eager to prove themselves.

Rik, a burly, red-haired man with a missing tooth, whistled as he chopped at a stubborn tree stump, pausing only to wink at Lina.

Mira, a tall woman with a braid down her back, was already organizing the storeroom, muttering about "proper inventory" under her breath.

Finn and Sera, twins with matching freckles, worked together, hauling gold and elixir with surprising efficiency.

Old Man Tobin, who looked like he'd lived through three plagues, was surprisingly spry as he patched the fence, humming a tune.

Petra, a quiet girl with sharp eyes, watched everything, learning fast and helping wherever she was needed.

I realized that, for the first time, the village felt like a real community-not just a collection of game assets, but people with quirks, strengths, and stories.

Just as I was beginning to feel like an actual leader, the system chimed in again:

[Alert: New threat detected. Proximity-medium. Estimated arrival: 30 minutes. Enemy type: Unknown. Difficulty: ???]

I groaned. "Can't I get a break? I just finished burying goblins!"

[Welcome to Eldgonet, Host. There's always another challenge. And remember: the more you grow, the more you attract.]

I gathered everyone in the Town Hall, the new and old villagers forming a rough circle around the magical table. I tried to look as confident as possible-channeling every movie general and video game leader I'd ever seen.

"Alright, listen up! We've got a new threat coming in thirty minutes. I don't know what it is, but we're not going to be caught off guard. Bram and Joren, double-check the defenses. Lina, keep everyone fed and calm. Tomas, make sure the gold and elixir are secured. Rik and Mira, keep clearing the area and make sure there's nothing for enemies to hide behind. Finn and Sera, collect as many resources as you can and get them to storage. Tobin and Petra, help with repairs and keep an eye out for anything strange. If you see anything weird, report to me immediately."

Elsa, the stern-faced accountant, raised a hand. "And what about the… summoning? Should we expect more, uh, unconventional arrivals?"

I grinned. "Only if more enemies show up. For now, let's just focus on making this village the best it can be."

As the villagers dispersed, I took a deep breath and leaned against the Town Hall door, watching the sun climb higher over the trees. Twenty minutes ago, I'd been a clueless newcomer. Now, I was a chief with a growing population, a working economy, and a village that-against all odds-was starting to feel like home.

The system's blue screen hovered at the edge of my vision, smug as ever.

[Feeling proud, Host?]

"Maybe a little," I admitted. "But mostly I'm just hoping the next enemy is as easy as those goblins."

[No promises. But you're learning. That's what matters.]

For once, I didn't argue.

If only, I had more villager's, I would've started training barbarians troops in level 1 Barracks but... sigh...

And I am unconvinced about the life from death method to summon villagers, this bastard definitely hiding.

***

Somewhere, in a cluttered room filled with floating manuscripts and empty coffee mugs, the god of Chaos watched my progress on a shimmering screen. He grinned, scribbling notes.

"Look at him go. Necro-Logistics, resource management, and a looming threat. The readers will eat this up."

A fellow deity poked his head in. "You're not going to make the next wave, like, actual zombies, are you?"

Chaos just winked. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

***

Back in Eldgonet, I shivered.

"System, did you just feel that?"

[Probably just nerves, Host. Or foreshadowing.]

I rolled my eyes, but I couldn't help smiling. Whatever was coming, at least I wasn't facing it alone.