Chapter 620, What Exactly Happened
...…
Wu Heng sat in the carriage, raising an eyebrow at the chatter he overheard.
How did the conversation turn to him?
Also, the kind of beastkin he liked wasn't nearly three meters tall and burly.
Did these people misunderstand something?
"Guest, the road ahead is too congested. Let's take another route!" the coachman called from the front.
"Take another road," Wu Heng said.
The carriage slowly turned around, avoiding the main road and continuing toward the island lord's mansion.
When they reached a nearby street.
Wu Heng got out and walked a short distance before returning to the mansion.
...…
Entering through the gate.
Three maids came out to greet him.
Minnie helped him take off his coat and said, "Master, the streetlights in Lighthouse Street have started being installed."
"I saw it on the way back."
"The residents of Lighthouse Street are really happy. I heard someone shouting thanks to the Lord of the Island." Minnie looked very pleased.
"Really? I came back late and didn't hear that."
"Hehe!" Minnie laughed. "Master, do you want lunch?"
"No, I'll eat with everyone tonight."
"Okay!"
Minnie and the other two maids went back to the living room, while Wu Heng went directly to a corner of the courtyard.
With a wave of his hand, two coffins appeared on the open ground before him.
He had a skeleton open the lids.
He looked inside and cast [Battlefield of the Dead] on the two corpses.
Necromantic energy spread.
Two skeletons stood up from the coffins, shaking their bodies, letting rotten flesh and decayed clothes fall off.
[Skeleton Mage (Level 11)]
[Skeleton Mage (Level 7)]
Wu Heng opened their attributes to take a look.
Among the traits were [Hollow Skeleton] and [Intermediate Soul].
The proficiencies included [Cloth Armor Proficiency] and [Staff Mastery].
But the skill slots were empty, not a single skill had been retained.
Wu Heng understood why.
Any mage, once turned into an undead servant, would lose all previously learned skills. Even if they learned later, it would only be necromantic spells.
A forced path limitation.
"Come out first," Wu Heng ordered.
The two skeletons stepped out of the coffins and stood obediently to the side.
Wu Heng had other skeletons clean up the area.
He continued, saying to the two skeletal mages, "Follow me upstairs, I have tasks for you."
The skeletons followed behind.
They went upstairs into the study.
Wu Heng walked to the bookshelf and took out two skill books.
He walked over to the level 11 skeleton mage and handed it [Battlefield of the Dead]. "You read this book first, and learn the skill as quickly as possible."
Then he went to the level 7 skeleton mage and handed over [Raise Skeleton]. "You read this one. Find your own spots to study."
The two skeletons each picked a place and began reading.
Wu Heng sat nearby and released the three phantoms, letting them move around freely.
Reading or watching cartoons.
"Uncle, that's my spot," Xiaoxiao pitifully pointed to the skeleton's location.
Wu Heng glanced over. The level 7 skeleton was occupying Xiaoxiao's usual cartoon-watching spot.
On the windowsill were colorful plush toys and various oddly shaped, valueless trinkets.
"Got it!"
Wu Heng nodded, took a sip of water, and said to the two skeletons, "You two, come read in the next room."
"Thank you, Uncle! You're the best," Xiaoxiao cheered beside him.
Wu Heng led the skeletons out.
In the next room, he had them start reading.
Skeletons didn't need light, so it didn't matter whether the lights were on or not.
All they needed was a quiet space.
Wu Heng sat in the study for a while, until Minnie called for dinner from downstairs.
He opened the door and went down to eat with the maids.
...…
Crackle~!
As night fell, the streetlights of Lighthouse Street lit up one after another.
The entire main road of Lighthouse Street was brightly illuminated.
The crowd around them immediately erupted in cheers.
Shops that had closed reopened.
Street vendors began carrying goods through the streets, selling all kinds of items.
A young bard looked up at the streetlight as bright as the sun, his vision slightly dazed.
He looked at the spot under the light.
Then clenched his fists.
He squeezed into the front of the crowd, placed a wooden box under the streetlight.
He climbed on the box and cast two status buffs on himself.
Then shouted, "Bard 'Gaviel' will take this opportunity to read the Great Detective story to everyone."
After a bow, he began the story.
"My name is Watson. I was wounded and sent back home to recover..."
The surrounding crowd was suddenly surprised.
Watching the streetlights wasn't that interesting.
Someone telling stories here was a good way to pass the time.
As the story began,
the crowd gathered more densely.
Then, another person stood under the next streetlight. The focused light looked like a spotlight on stage.
He shouted, "I'll tell a story too."
Soon, more and more people stood under the lights along the road.
It was as if each light had become a small stage.
A performance for all.
...…
In the crowd.
"This place is livelier than the central district," Shiyali said, holding her younger sister's hand.
The central district had attracted quite a few people when its streetlights were installed.
But it wasn't this lively.
Sheila Grey said, "Maybe Wu Heng didn't expect these streetlights to become the stage for low-level bards."
The newspaper stories were hot.
But low-level bards didn't have the chance to enter taverns to tell them.
And here, so many people were gathered.
Though there was no pay, it was a way to level up and improve their skills.
"Maybe he planned it all along. Didn't he say he wanted to support bards and transform stage plays?" Shiyali said.
"Heh... not necessarily that thoughtful."
...…
Elsewhere.
Philipa wore a beige dress, with a green parrot perched on her shoulder.
Seeing the brightly lit street, she looked excited.
"Wu Heng is amazing. He really installed streetlights for Lighthouse Street."
"I knew I wasn't wrong about him. He didn't disappoint me."
"Stupid bird!"
Philipa flicked the parrot's forehead. "Don't talk about him like that."
The parrot glanced at her, then flew off.
"Philipa..." 'Milison', wearing a cloak, walked over and grabbed her hand. "Why are you wandering off? What if we got separated?"
"It's Lighthouse Street! How could I get lost?" Philipa asked.
"Still, with this many people, better be careful."
Smack!
Philipa smacked her on the butt. "I'm the captain of the Gold-Silver Island fleet. Who'd dare mess with me?"
Milison's face turned red.
She nervously glanced around and held her daughter's hand tightly.
Philipa continued, "Tomorrow I'll go find Wu Heng and ask him to install one at our doorstep too."
"Don't trouble the lord."
...…
The next morning.
After breakfast, Andviel went to city hall.
Wu Heng came downstairs from the room where the skeletons were studying.
A whole night had passed, and still no skill had been unlocked.
It seemed they'd need more time.
Tap tap tap~!
Footsteps echoed as the catgirl Robé came running around the staircase corner and bumped into him.
Rubbing her nose, she quickly said, "Master, some people are here. They say they're caravan representatives, here to visit you, and they brought gifts."
Visiting him?
Wu Heng had met most of the resident caravan representatives on the island.
Many had already cooperated with him.
These must be newcomers here for the exhibition.
"How many came?" Wu Heng asked.
"Three caravan representatives, plus some attendants, and gifts," Robé replied.
Wu Heng thought for a moment and said, "Take them to the living room. Go to Shanaila and wake her up, have her come over."
"Okay!" Robé responded and ran downstairs.
Soon, Minnie led in the three well-dressed guests. Their attendants waited outside in the courtyard.
Seeing the skeletons all around, they looked a bit nervous.
"Lord of the Island."
"Greetings, Lord of the Island..."
The three gave a slight bow.
"No need to be formal. Sit and talk."
...…
Gold-Silver Island, inside a tavern.
The story of "Blushing Maid Beni" had just ended.
The tavern fell into silence again.
Even after hearing it many times, the lingering sadness remained.
In a second-floor private room, an elegantly dressed elder and a middle-aged man sat facing each other. Several guards and attendants sat near the door.
"It's really something, telling the story from the maid's perspective," the middle-aged man said.
The elder nodded slightly, then after a moment of silence, spoke softly, "My wife also used to write little stories, about ordinary people."
His expression instantly turned sorrowful.
"We often sat together and listened to her stories."
The mood in the room grew heavier.
The middle-aged man hesitated, then asked, "Forgive me, but what exactly happened back then?"