Undead Mage: I Have a Skeleton Clone-Chapter 623 - 425: The Sudden Undead Plague, The Queen’s Call for Aid!

"What did you see?" Fang Zhou turned his head and asked.

"The other tents are also full of dead Forest Centaurs. There isn’t a single living one, and some of the dead even have strange smiles on their faces," Miliou said urgently. "All the supplies have been left exactly where they were, completely untouched."

"The guards on watch died by the campfire, and there are no signs that the cargo was disturbed." It doesn’t seem like an attack by Demons who relish destruction and chaos, so what could have killed them? Gu Yueyuan wondered, his brow furrowed in thought.

"It’s fine. The bodies can still talk." Fang Zhou commanded the Undead Creatures to move the corpses one by one, preparing to perform an Undead Mage’s classic trick.

However, as soon as the Forest Centaur bodies were disturbed, their horrific appearance was revealed, covered with red and black scars.

"Ah!" Miliou screamed like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. "Get away from there! These people died of a plague!"

The terrifying word "plague" shot through the minds of every member of the Calamity Squad like a bolt of lightning. Despite being protected by the Skills of the Natural Druid, Liu Diewu, they couldn’t help but feel the urge to retreat from the camp. A plague that could kill Forest Centaurs ranging in power from Apprentice to Lower Black Iron must be terrifying indeed.

But Gu Yueyuan suddenly noticed the expression on Fang Zhou’s face and unconsciously stopped in his tracks.

"This is not a plague." Fang Zhou’s voice was unnervingly soft, carrying a strange tone of a hunter’s delight upon finding his quarry. "It was Undead Magic that killed them! To encounter a fellow practitioner in the Forest of Nature, this is truly—"

"What? An Undead Mage?" Gu Yueyuan’s eyes flashed.

Fang Zhou took out body bags and had his Undead Creatures collect the corpses of the dead Forest Centaurs, then placed them into his Space Storage Capsule. After he was done, he signaled for the members of the Calamity Squad to step out of the tent. He then looked at the three bodies lying outside and commanded a Skeleton Warrior to approach and slash one of the corpses’ shoulders with its sword.

The skeletal weapon was sharp enough to easily slice through the Leather Armor on the body’s shoulder, revealing the skin beneath. The corpse’s shoulder was covered in a tangled mass of black pustules and red scars, obscuring its normal skin color. Liu Diewu felt her mouth go dry and couldn’t help but avert her gaze from the horrifying corpse.

"After the onset, the body temperature rises rapidly, the surface of the skin becomes covered with black pustules and red scars, and death occurs very swiftly. This is the inherent Skill of the Zombie Race, the manifestation of Corrosive Poison Incarnation taking effect on a living being! If I hadn’t seen these traits on the bodies with my own eyes, I would never have thought that this Corrosive Poison, which is converted from Undead Death Energy, could have such an effect," Fang Zhou said in a heavy voice.

At this moment, Miliou, the Flower Elf guide who had a Contract with Liu Diewu, regained her composure. With a sorrowful expression, she looked at the grimacing bodies of the Forest Centaurs and pleaded, "Lord Fang Zhou, how could an Undead Mage appear in our Forest of Nature? The Demons that invaded before wielded powers of Chaotic Evil, but they always left a trail to follow. Our Natural Allies also have extensive experience in combating evil. But if our enemies have mastered powerful Undead Magic like yours, the consequences would be truly terrifying."

The two Flower Elves, contracted to Liu Diewu and Zhang Wu, had accompanied the Calamity Squad in battle for over half a month. They had witnessed firsthand the terrifying combat power of Fang Zhou, the Undead Mage, filling them with both respect and fear for Undead Attribute Professionals. With Fang Zhou as their teammate, they naturally felt at ease. But the thought of an equally terrifying Undead Mage becoming their mortal enemy was simply too horrifying to contemplate.

Fang Zhou gently patted the little Flower Elf’s head. "Don’t worry," he comforted her. "I’m here, so it’ll be fine."

He waved the Undead Magic Ball, and the ghostly blue light within it drew a beautiful arc in the night sky before rapidly expanding. This light acted like a clear spring, dispersing the persistent Death Power that had gathered in the camp. The stench of decay in the air gradually dissipated, replaced by the forest’s natural, fresh scent.

Simultaneously, Fang Zhou used his profound mastery of the Corrosive Poison Series skill tree to dispel the corrosive poison curse lingering on the Forest Centaur bodies. He drew complex Runes in the air with his hands, and streams of green light flowed from his fingertips, covering each corpse. Like purifying holy water, the light gradually penetrated every corner of the bodies, thoroughly cleansing the corrosive poison curse. As the light faded, the signs of decay on the bodies also began to subside. Though they couldn’t be fully restored to their original state, at least they no longer emitted a nauseating stench.

After all this was done, the members of the Calamity Squad felt the oppressive Death Power that had been weighing on their hearts finally recede, and the expressions on their faces relaxed considerably.

Fang Zhou dispelled the summoned Undead fodder and said, "The problem here is solved, but there’s still a lot to do. The appearance of a Demon that has mastered Undead Magic this close to the Queen’s Tribe is not a good sign. We must find the Queen’s Tribe as quickly as possible and establish contact with them to find out what’s been happening."

Liu Diewu nodded. "No problem, Fang Zhou. I’ve already reported the situation here to the Military Academy. They’ve given us full authorization to assist our Flower Elf allies in resolving this anomaly."

"Time is of the essence, so let’s set off as soon as possible," Fang Zhou said. "We might have to travel through the night."

After leaving the camp tainted by Undead Magic, the Calamity Squad decided to race against time to cross the forest as quickly as possible. They were willing to risk encountering more Night Demons, even though it meant traveling through the dark.

Fang Zhou rode at the front on his Mutated Demon Swamp Frog. Perhaps due to her concern for the Queen’s Tribe’s safety and the threat of the Undead Demon, Miliou’s expression remained gloomy, her usually talkative mouth shut tight.

The forest at night seemed even more eerie and terrifying. Branches reached out from the side of the road like the arms of Demons, swaying in the cold wind. The howls of unknown Demons never ceased, and occasionally, the sounds of things scuffling and biting each other could be heard from both sides of the path. For the powerful members of the Calamity Squad, however, these were not a problem. They urged their mounts forward without a moment’s pause, swiftly leaving all the sounds behind them.

As dawn broke in the east, the trees on either side began to thin. Low, dense bushes and evergreens gradually replaced the majestic oaks and the towering, spear-straight firs. The path slowly widened, and the broken stone slabs paving it grew larger. Some parts even showed signs of recent maintenance.

The scenery ahead suddenly changed. The Calamity Squad emerged from the endless forest as the morning sun poured golden light onto the earth. A flat, green plain stretched to the horizon, a sight that lifted everyone’s spirits.

Just then, the Flower Elf Dance token pinned to Fang Zhou’s chest began to glow with green light. It seemed to be sensing the life energy of a large number of Flower Elves. Fang Zhou let out a sigh of relief and gradually slowed his mount. Miliou also perked up, her eyes scanning the surroundings.

Liu Diewu raised her hand and launched a signal firework—the agreed-upon meeting signal between the Sea City Military Academy and their Flower Elf allies. Soon, several cautious Moonlight Deer carrying several Flower Elves leaped out from the nearby grass. Seeing her familiar kin, Miliou eagerly hurried over to chatter with them. With the proof of the Flower Elf Dance tokens worn on Fang Zhou’s and Zhang Wu’s chests, the welcoming party of Flower Elves quickly confirmed the Calamity Squad’s status as allies.