LIGHTNOVELONLINE
Chapter 176.2: Negotiations
As the hilltop spectators dispersed, the undead were still clearing up the battlefield…
More precisely put, they were collecting their spoils of war. Captives belonged to the NPCs, while the equipment on them was the players' prize.
This had already become an unspoken rule in Taranthan, unchallenged by anyone.
The spectacle of over nine hundred sets of armor being divided among more than three thousand players made the barren wasteland resemble a bustling free market. If not for the fact that the horses were off-limits to players, designated as mission items to be handed over to the NPCs, there might very well have been a lively horse market as well.
The Sea Lion mercenaries, sharing a muted empathy for the Radiant Sun Knights who had followed in their footsteps, efficiently gathered the stripped captives for centralized detention—a task at which they were adept.
"Next, we just have to bring the prisoners back," Kenn said numbly to his old comrade, Wagner. "Such a battle is… truly unprecedented."
"The only silver lining is there's no need to mourn the fallen comrades after the fact," Wagner remarked, glancing at the undead who had each perished at least 20 times over, his expression complicated.
Kenn couldn't help but nod in agreement. Were it his mercenaries that were pitted against the Radiant Sun Church's might, the outcome would have been absolutely miserable.
These Taranthan undead were indeed unruly, defiant, impulsive, and reckless. However, they also display certain commendable traits—fearlessness; the ability to execute short-term, goal-oriented tasks; a penchant for straightforward and effective tactics; and a relentless pursuit of victory.
"With such an extraordinary army at Yang's disposal, what can't he achieve?" Kenn mused. "Even the formidable Radiant Sun Church contingent has been thoroughly defeated. I can't imagine who else could stand against them."
This time, it was Wagner's turn to nod in silent agreement.
If there was one glaring weakness in the otherwise indomitable undead, it was the tent that allowed the fallen to swiftly resurrect and rejoin the battle.
Unfortunately, their enemies didn't have a chance to assail this vulnerability.
Wagner himself, together with Kenn and his mercenaries, as well as the coerced ascetic Lowell, formed the last line of defense for the resurrection tent.
Ascetic Lowell, in particular, would certainly pose a formidable barrier even if the Radiant Church knights had managed to breach the undead lines.
A high-level ascetic like Lowell might not be keen to actively fight enemies for Yang's sake, but protecting a small tent was a modest enough request that he couldn't easily refuse. Moreover, ascetics were particularly suited for such tasks.
Even without Lowell's assistance, Yang could take to the field himself—though a black mage might not be as adept at defense as an ascetic, it still wouldn't be an easy task to break through.
However… Wagner didn't feel any unease recognizing Yang's formidable might.
He had witnessed firsthand how the town of Weisshem flourished under the administration of Charlie Rex, the undead town mayor Ji Tang, and the undead Sis Zhao of the Merchant Association.
Deep down, he had no doubt that Indahl would fare even better under Yang's rule than under the Bartalises.
"The issue lies with Indahl itself," Wagner mused, his gaze drifting toward the northeast, where Indahl lay. "It's not as straightforward as Weisshem."
With Weisshem's decline following the loss of its main trade, local nobility in Weisshem had all moved to Indahl. Relocating all the red-light district merchants to a containment facility sort of dealt with the issue of local resistance.
Indahl, however, would be different. Most of the territory's nobility resided within the city walls.
Managing Indahl would absolutely not be a simple feat. Even the Bartalises had struggled to handle the complex web of local nobility's power and influence.
"How will Rex handle it… no, what will Yang do?" Wagner pondered, trying to fathom Yang's next move.
While Wagner was trying to guess Yang Qiu's thoughts, the latter, who had confirmed the undead's splendid victory via the imprint matrix, calmly stepped out of Weisshem town hall, summoned an undead horse, and left town in the direction of Indahl.
Just before night fell, Yang Qiu entered Indahl's gates openly and summoned the former bandit trio Hal, Tuttle, and Finley, who had been lingering within the city.
The former bandit trio, having gotten a huge windfall, were wary of Yang, fearing he might demand a share…
Yang, however, didn't care about that; instead, he gave them a new mission that had to be completed within a specified timeframe. With that, he dismissed the trio with a wave of his hand.
After sending the trio on their way, Yang Qiu then went to visit the Church of Lady Gold Coin's night watchmen division.
Yang Qiu's unannounced visit nearly gave the officials there a heart attack, but it served its purpose well. Within 20 minutes, Bishop Lee Jene of the local Church of Lady Gold Coin and Night Watchmen Captain Lynch Clarke appeared at the reception room where Yang Qiu was waiting.
Yang greeted Bishop Lee Jene with a nod and turned to Captain Clarke, smiling. "Good evening, Clarke. My man, Von Alphonse, was under your care; I have yet to express my gratitude."
Captain Clarke froze, casting a desperate glance at the bishop. The entire city knew about Von Alphonse's service to the night watchmen and his public execution by Clarke. Yang's opener had left him without any means of rebuttal!
Bishop Lee Jene gave Clarke a reassuring look and took his seat across from Yang, his expression stern. "We appreciate the efforts of all exorcists, but we do not favor any particular one. Please state your business directly, black mage."
"Do not misunderstand me, esteemed bishop," Yang replied with a smile. "I highly respect the teachings of the Church of Lady Gold Coin. Had I not become a spellcaster, I might have been a devout follower of Lady Gold Coin."
Even as a casual remark, coming from the Nightmare Butcher who had just humiliated the Radiant Sun Church a few hours earlier, these words sounded surprisingly pleasant to Bishop Lee Jene. The bishop's expression softened slightly, though he maintained a firm stance. "Unfortunately, there are no ifs in our doctrine."
Yang Qiu's smile deepened.
He understood the subtleties of dealing with a person like Bishop Lee Jene. After all, having lived over three centuries, dealing with a youngster who had barely lived 60 to 70 years was child's play.
Lady Gold Coin, the goddess of money and trade, was worshiped in their faith. In her doctrine, everything had a price and could be negotiated.
Even the Radiant Sun Church can pay to construct their churches within your strongholds, and here you are, presenting an inflexible stance toward me. Are you trying to insult the thickness of my wallet or simply looking to hike up the price?
Unfortunately, I'll be rejecting both possibilities.
Yang's smile remained unchanged as he spoke, "Even so, this doesn't affect my reverence for Lady Gold Coin. My followers are always keen on maintaining a good relationship with the Church of Lady Gold Coin—like Von Alphonse, for instance."
Captain Clarke of the Night Watchmen wanted to bury his head in the ground, wishing that this matter wouldn't be brought up.
Yang continued, his smile unabated, "Another of my followers, Charlie Rex, is quite adept at managing territories. Should he receive more support and have more room to maneuver, he would be better able to express my respects to Lady Gold Coin on my behalf."
Captain Clarke was stunned, and Bishop Jene's mouth twitched. The Church of Lady Gold Coin was known for being lax, but they hadn't expected the Nightmare Butcher to be that ridiculous. Couldn't he be a bit more subtle?!
Yang Qiu's point was straightforward: my people would dutifully pay the tithe after occupying Indahl as per the norms. They were much better at managing the territory and would undoubtedly make more money. Therefore, the church's share wouldn't diminish but instead increase.
But expecting extra donations beyond the tithe was wishful thinking!
Before the outcome of the battle of honor between Charlie Rex and the Radiant Sun Church, Yang Qiu's words might not have carried much weight.
Indeed, black mages specialized in offensive area magic and curses that instilled fear, but a single one could hardly threaten an entire city—killing too many people would only lead to a loss of control, and without killing, one couldn't expect subservience.
However, just today, a few hours ago, even without personally appearing, Black Mage Yang had showcased to hundreds of Indahl observers how his undead army could utterly defeat a formidable knightly order.
This forced Bishop Jin to take Yang's demands… no, requests seriously.
If the Church of Lady Gold Coin weren't willing to negotiate, Yang would still insist on having Charlie Rex lead the undead army and forcefully take Indahl, an act they would have no answer to.
To resist meant confronting Yang head-on; to do nothing meant watching Indahl's lordship change hands.
Nobody believed the Bartalises' city defense force could withstand the undead army's assault, especially when the Radiant Sun Church's knightly order only lasted three hours.
A more significant reason for Bishop Jene's hesitance to confront Yang was the fear of provoking him. If the madman ran to attack the Church of Lady Gold Coin's holy land, it would make Jene a pariah within the faith.
After a pause, Bishop Jene vaguely stated, "…Ultimately, Charlie Rex's status is too low."
Indeed, Indahl was merely a peripheral territory of the Rhine Kingdom, but it boasted nearly the size and population of a count's land. Charlie Rex, being nothing more than a viscount's bastard, made it difficult for Bishop Jene to support such a lord.
Yang confidently smiled and started to weave false truths. "Regarding Rex's status, please rest assured. Not long ago, Charlie met with Parker Chapman Odysse, the third son of Count Odysse, who has friendly relations with his father, Viscount Rex.
"Young Master Parker was pleasantly surprised to reunite with his childhood friend and brought good news: Viscount Rex had been searching for Charlie, hoping to mend their father-son relationship, a sentiment Count Odysse also favored."
Captain Clarke and Bishop Jene: "…..(° △° (° △° )"
"Young Master Parker promised Charlie that upon his return to Indahl, he would bring his father's profound love and the Odysse family's support," Yang went on cheerfully. "Due to a rift with the Bartalises, Young Master Parker avoided Indahl City on his last visit. I believe he'd be delighted to enjoy the city's night view next time around."
The premise for the Odysse family's goodwill toward Charlie Rex was that this illegitimate son had the support from the Church of Lady Gold Coin. And if Charlie Rex could get the church's backing, he could naturally count on the friendship of the Odysse family… This logic was flawless and perfect.