[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-book-of-the-dead":3,"chapter-book-of-the-dead-book-of-the-dead-chapter-87":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Book of The Dead",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1592325,2058,"Chapter B2C33 – On the Trail","book-of-the-dead-chapter-87",87,"\u003Cp>The wind cut cold across the foothills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Laurel crouched low, her fingers brushing lightly over the earth. The soil was dry, but not undisturbed. There—just barely visible—an imprint.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not animal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not kin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Human.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And something else.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She narrowed her eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…He’s been here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind her, Rufus shifted impatiently, resting his sword against his shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well? Don’t keep me guessing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Laurel didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she inhaled deeply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scent lingered faintly in the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And something unnatural.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Not long ago,” she finally said. “A few hours, maybe less.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Craic, standing a few paces behind, let out a low whistle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Damn. He’s closer than I thought.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They weren’t alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Around them, small groups moved through the terrain:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All drawn by the same thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two hundred sovereigns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the name:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Necromancer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Brun’s voice echoed in Laurel’s mind:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you want the money, you earn it. No sharing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rufus grinned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’re close. I can feel it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Laurel shot him a look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You can’t feel shit. Stay quiet and let me work.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He chuckled, but said nothing more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They found it not long after.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The clearing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Laurel froze the moment she saw it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Stop.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rufus halted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Craic moved to higher ground, scanning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What is it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Laurel stepped forward slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bodies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clean kills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No mercy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rufus’s grin faded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Shit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Craic crouched beside one of the corpses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No signs of struggle.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Laurel shook her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No. There was a fight.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She pointed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Look at the ground. Movement patterns. Positioning.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her voice tightened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He controlled the battlefield.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rufus clenched his jaw.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That… doesn’t make sense.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Laurel turned to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It does now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She gestured at the corpses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He’s not the same as before.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Craic stood up slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And we’re not the only ones hunting him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He pointed to the edge of the clearing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More tracks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Different direction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Different group.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Others passed through. Not long after the fight.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Laurel exhaled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then we’re racing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They moved faster now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No more casual tracking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No more conversation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only focus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Laurel pushed herself harder than before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her senses sharpened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Unseen whispered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every detail became clearer:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was close.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Too close.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something felt wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not fear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not quite.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pressure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like something ahead of them was watching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Waiting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Laurel slowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Stop.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rufus frowned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn’t answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her eyes scanned the area.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Too quiet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No birds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Craic raised his bow slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t like this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It came without warning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ground exploded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bones erupted upward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Skeletons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But not like any they had seen before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They moved fast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Too fast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Contact!” Craic shouted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rufus drew his blade instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Finally!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steel met bone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The skeletons didn’t just attack blindly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rufus’s expression shifted mid-swing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What the hell?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Laurel reacted instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fall back! These aren’t normal!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One skeleton ducked under Rufus’s strike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another moved to intercept Craic’s arrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Coordination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Real coordination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It stepped forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The revenant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flames burning faintly in its chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Laurel’s breath caught.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What is that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Craic didn’t answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t need to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They both knew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn’t just undead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was something else.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the shadows—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tyron stepped out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Calm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Quiet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rufus’s eyes widened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…You.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tyron tilted his head slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Rufus.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Laurel’s grip tightened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You know him?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rufus didn’t take his eyes off Tyron.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice darkened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I do.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a moment—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everything paused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The skeletons stopped advancing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The revenant stood still.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only the wind moved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rufus stepped forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You killed one of ours.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tyron didn’t deny it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No guilt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That answer alone changed everything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Laurel watched him carefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn’t the boy Rufus described.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn’t some weak, harmless nobody.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Controlled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Focused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dangerous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rufus raised his sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A grin spread across his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Because I’m going to kill you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tyron’s expression didn’t change.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the fire in the revenant’s chest flared brighter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And around them—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More bones began to stir.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Laurel took a slow step back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her instincts screamed at her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn’t a hunt anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a battlefield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And they had just stepped into the center of it.\u003C\u002Fp>",682,"2026-06-06T09:17:30.495Z",1,"novelbin.me","f7d27b8a32858c13cc1e1ffe49243ceb0003c4866d7ba1eb22a449c2dac94ac4","book-of-the-dead-chapter-21","book-of-the-dead-chapter-86",384,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fbook-of-the-dead-cover.jpg"]