This Necromancer Just Wants to Plant Trees - Chapter 37 (Patreon)

"This weapon, it's very special."

Matthew could feel a chilling power emanating from it.

It was different from the destructive and malevolent energies, more like a force that went straight to the soul.

For ordinary people, it might just be a tool for banishing undead.

But in the hands of a necromancer with a horde of summoned creatures, it might have the chance to shine even more brilliantly.

"Of course, the former owner of this weapon, Ussul, was a hot-tempered necromancer. Her reputation was once known far and wide in the Great Marsh, and people said her undead had all sorts of incredible abilities. At first, I thought it was because of her powerful spells, but later, I learned the true source lies in this."

Old Farlong sighed and continued, "She entrusted me to find a good owner for this weapon when she passed away, but just a few years later, the whole Riga incident happened, and I sealed this whip away."

Matthew was surprised and asked, "You and the previous owner of this whip were good friends? A female necromancer?"

Old Farlong raised an eyebrow and replied, "Do I look like the kind of person who would pick anyone?"

Matthew quickly shook his head.

"I and Ussul were just friends. Of course, when she was younger, she might have had some affection for me, but at that time, my horizons were high, and I was only interested in princesses from some small country or wealthy ladies. I preferred spending a lot of money to have a succubus entertain me for a few nights rather than looking at dry necromancers. But as it turns out, I was completely wrong."

He continued, "After coming back from Hell, my appearance was ruined for a while, and those shallow women left me one after another. Only Ussul came to me voluntarily. She went to great lengths to heal the wounds on my face, and then one day, she quietly left."

Matthew asked with curiosity, "What happened next?"

Old Farlong replied, "What happened next? There was no 'next.' Young people always think that many stories have a long future and that people who missed each other will meet again. But in reality, most stories come to an end without any continuation."

There was a hint of sadness in Old Farlong's eyes. He continued, "When I finally had time to spare, Ussul had her brain severely corroded by an excess of negative energy due to a failed experiment. Her mind became unclear, and when I went to see her, she didn't even recognize me anymore."

"I visited her swamp twice. The first time, she drove me away, and the second time, she was somewhat clear, but it was like a brief moment of clarity. When she was on her deathbed, she left everything to her two apprentices, whom she used to scold regularly, but she left this whip to me."

"At first, I thought she wanted to lash me with it. Later, I realized that this whip was a magical item she had put her heart and soul into, containing all her understanding of necromantic summoning. She probably thought that those two apprentices with no great talents couldn't bring out its true value and entrusted it to me to find a better owner."

Old Farlong finished his story and looked at the whip for several seconds. Then he moved his gaze away and congratulated Matthew, "Now, it's yours."

Matthew took a deep breath upon hearing this and clenched the whip, saying, "I won't let it be disgraced."

Old Farlong nodded in approval, "That's the way it should be."

The two fell into silence for a while.

On the side, Abing watched Matthew put away "Ussul's Rebuke" with longing in his fiery eyes, almost as if it were about to materialize.

Seeing Abing's desire, Matthew sighed, "As for Firefly and Moonbeam, I guess I'll have to rent them."

Compared to purchasing, renting was undoubtedly a more expensive choice, but Matthew didn't have the funds to buy them at the moment. In the face of the approaching storm, he truly needed those two daggers to enhance Abing's combat abilities.

After careful consideration, he could only offer the newly acquired, unheated deed as collateral.

After completing the necessary paperwork, Matthew walked out of the Old Soldiers' Aid Association's small building, tired.

Behind him, Abing, cloaked in the night, with his flickering soulfire, accompanied him.

Old Farlong, still wearing a smile, said, "If you need other weapons in the future, feel free to come to me. My arsenal holds weapons from all over, and most likely, you won't be disappointed."

Matthew forced a smile but didn't respond.

Suddenly, Old Farlong added, "By the way, if you can find a better way to heal or alleviate the venom of the pit vipers, I can give you these daggers as a gift, or even pick out a high-quality weapon for you."

Pit viper venom? Matthew recalled the group of old soldiers in the second-floor room, coughing and groaning continuously.

He nodded firmly, "I'll try."

...

After leaving the Old Soldiers' Aid Association, Matthew paid another visit to the shops in the Craftsman's District, purchasing ten sturdy shovels. Then he returned to the Oakwood Forest, where he embarked on today's tree-planting journey.

By evening, he had met the tree-planting goal for the day. After a simple dinner, he continued with his meditation and spell study.

Unknowingly, the moon had risen high in the sky.

Inside his wooden house, Matthew stretched and got up, carrying a bag filled with shovels as he walked out to the open space.

He made his way to the "Zombie Dormitory" and summoned five of the Silvermoon Zombies, then threw the shovels in front of them.

"Pick them up; these are your weapons."

Matthew attempted to give the zombies orders. The process was not easy at all. Never underestimate the intelligence and tool-using capabilities of ordinary undead creatures. Directing them to use shovels, even for an experienced necromancer like him, was far more challenging than operating an excavator.

Fortunately, Matthew was patient. He taught the zombies how to properly grip the shovels step by step, like a kindergarten teacher. It took nearly an hour, but he eventually succeeded in teaching them the correct way to hold the shovels.

"Whew!"

Matthew wiped his sweat. The process was challenging but pleasantly surprising.

"Zombies with flesh are indeed different!"

He ordered one of the zombies to start digging on the open ground. After a few attempts, an uneven pit appeared in front of Matthew.

"Success!"

Matthew smiled with satisfaction. This was where zombies excelled compared to skeletons. Their hand structure was more human-like, allowing them to easily handle tools they had used during their lifetime.

Skeletal creatures didn't have that luxury. They could swing a sword or wield a small round shield, but their hands couldn't stably grip weapons or tools for extended periods. Their bones might even break during the process.

This was one of the main reasons Matthew had refrained from involving undead creatures in his work. But now things were different. He could command the Silvermoon Zombies to dig holes, greatly improving the efficiency of tree planting.

"In the future, I can focus more on site selection, transplantation, and maintenance."

Matthew led the zombies northwest, heading toward a moonlit wasteland.

Soon, the moonlit night revealed a group of tireless figures laboring diligently on the barren land.

...

"I never imagined that zombies could do this kind of work."

Eli appeared silently.

He gazed at the zombies working tirelessly with a complex expression. "They don't look like evil creatures at all; they're more like a group of farmers."

Matthew smiled and said, "Undead creatures were never inherently evil. It's just that their existence is too unusual for other life forms, which causes people to react with fear and rejection."

Eli furrowed his brow, clearly not agreeing with Matthew's explanation, but he didn't argue. Instead, he changed the subject and said, "These days might seem calm, but evil is never far away. I can sense their presence."

"The Withered Ones?" Matthew's expression turned serious.

Eli nodded firmly, saying, "They are indeed cunning and patient, lurking in the shadows all this time. It gives me an uneasy feeling. Perhaps we should consider changing our strategy. Waiting for them to strike passively isn't working."

Matthew pondered for a moment and replied, "If we want to lure them out, we need to make better preparations."

Eli said confidently, "If they dare to show themselves, they won't stand a chance against me. As for preparations, you've set up plenty in these days, haven't you? There are magic traps all around the cabin; I almost stepped on one myself."

Matthew shrugged, saying, "Those are just alert spells. It's hard to say if they'll be very useful. The crucial part is, if we choose to lure them, we'll have to eliminate every last one of them."

Eli loosened his muscles, saying, "I'm ready for that."

Matthew had been contemplating this issue in recent days. Now that Eli was full of fighting spirit, he thought for a moment and agreed, "Alright, let's do it. Tonight, we'll hide in the Moonlit Grove. I'll instruct the Oakwood Fairies to be responsible for keeping us informed. If the Withered Ones show any movement, we'll rush back immediately. You go ahead and wait there; I'll have Ella open the door for you."

Eli agreed, and shortly after, Matthew summoned Ella to lead Eli to the Moonlit Grove. Matthew, on the other hand, had to attend to the surveillance task that he'd entrusted to Lulu. The speed at which the Withered Ones were destroying trees was alarming, and the vigilance of the Oakwood Fairies was crucial for minimizing the losses.

...

Moonlit Grove.

Fourth level of the Bugnest.

Eli wandered aimlessly here, captivated by the unique scenery and atmosphere that invoked a hint of nostalgia.

He still remembered the last time he was here, fighting side by side with Samantha. But now...

The thought of Samantha's cold and refined, self-assured face filled Eli's heart with a piercing ache.

"Damn it, I shouldn't have come to this cursed place."

Eli muttered angrily and kicked a stone.

Thud!

The stone flew far, hitting the wall with a deep dent, the echoes resonating for a long time.

Eli touched his forehead, feeling his pain intensify instead of subside.

Whenever he thought of Samantha, his heart felt like it had lost a significant piece. This sense of emptiness was tormenting him.

"What is she doing now?"

"Is she regretting what she said to me?"

"If only I could see her one more time..."

A jumble of thoughts raced through Eli's mind, making him feel increasingly homesick.

A strong desire pushed him forward.

He hadn't gone far when a leopard jumped out from the nearby corridor.

"Samantha?"

Eli looked at her with surprise and delight.

The leopard quickly transformed into human form, but to Eli's dismay, her first reaction was to furrow her brows.

"Did you cause that commotion just now?"

Samantha asked, her tone cold.

Eli was taken aback. His thoughts were in disarray, and he wasn't sure if he should admit or deny it.

Samantha didn't bother to argue further.

"Young man, we're done. Put away your childishness, alright?"

"I don't have time to play games with you. I'm busy!"

"Now, please leave the Moonlit Grove immediately. You people from the Earth Guild shouldn't stay here for long."

Samantha's words felt like knives stabbing into Eli's heart. His face grew incredibly pale.

"I... I..."

He struggled to speak but couldn't find the right words.

"Leave, please."

Samantha urged coldly, "Stop bothering me. This is the realm of the Moon Goddess, and your behavior is unacceptable!"

Eli's face turned even whiter.

"I... I..."

His throat moved, but he couldn't utter a word.

"You're gone!"

Samantha continued to urge, "Please don't pester me anymore. This is the Moonlit Grove, the domain of the Moon Goddess, and your actions are utterly inappropriate."

...

That night felt exceptionally long.

To be prepared for any unexpected situation, Matthew and Eli didn't venture deep into the Bugnest but instead explored the areas roughly cleared of Withered Ones.

However, the Withered Ones were more patient than they had anticipated.

Not only did they have no results by the time dawn arrived, but this pattern continued for several nights.

The Withered Ones remained still.

The Oakwood Grove was calm.

Matthew was forced to admit that their attempt to bait the Withered Ones had failed.

Eli then proposed a plan to actively track and eliminate the Withered Ones. His tracking skills might not be as advanced as the true "Wildlords," but he had always been more inclined toward direct combat as a "Shapeshifter."

Yet each Withered One was a master of anti-tracking techniques.

Matthew was worried about being lured away from the Oakwood Grove and decided not to act recklessly.

Thus, this group of elusive Withered Ones became a thorn in Matthew's heart.

In order to remove this thorn, Matthew visited Zeller once more to request a divination session. However, Zeller informed him that he had performed too many divinations recently and needed a break to ensure the accuracy of his future readings.

Matthew could only temporarily set this matter aside. Fortunately, he had patience in abundance.

"Let's consider this a breath-holding contest. We'll see who can laugh last!"

...

A few more seemingly tranquil yet tumultuous days passed by.

On a night three days later.

In Matthew's living room.

"Ding dong! Ding dong!"

Someone rang the bell.

Before Matthew could get up to answer the door, a gust of wind blew in from the kitchen and headed straight for the front door.

"Is it Sophie who's arrived? I recall today was the day for your extra lessons with her! But, Matthew, I don't remember you having so many students needing extra lessons. The living room can barely seat all of them, and we'll run out of milk!"

Peggy, who was opening the door, asked in delight.

Matthew nodded with a hint of resignation. "Matthew, you'd better come over here."

From behind the door, Peggy's voice sounded slightly muffled as she questioned, "I don't remember you having this many students. The living room can barely accommodate all of them, and we'll run out of milk."

Confused, Matthew looked up. The next moment, a group of people started streaming in.

At the forefront was the smiling Sophia.

Following her was the stern-faced Riga.

Then came the bearded Brad, the handsome Zeller, and Richard, who leaned on a gentleman's cane.

Lastly, a bewildered Samantha followed, holding a thick bag of books in her hands.

They flooded into the living room, making it crowded and lively in contrast to its usual emptiness.

Chapter 38 >>

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