[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-ember-dragon":3,"chapter-ember-dragon-ember-dragon-chapter-411":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Ember Dragon",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},1161933,1504,"Chapter 411: The Players’ Undead Followers (Part 1)","ember-dragon-chapter-411",411,"\u003Cp>Chapter 411: The Players’ Undead Followers (Part 1)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lich entered the familiar yet unfamiliar Soulweeper Castle, and a human researcher wearing a white lab coat and mask immediately approached.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hello, I’m Magusi Churin, a researcher from the Empire’s Department of Magic.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You must be Director Orest, as mentioned by the higher-ups. Please follow me, and I’ll introduce you to your new working environment.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Magusi slightly bowed and respectfully extended his hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was already used to such things—in the Ember Empire, a melting pot of various races, having a superior of any species, even a lich, was no surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Uh, hello.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Orest paused for a moment before realizing he needed to shake the human’s hand—it had been over three hundred years since any human had stood before him without fear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this human’s words, the lich couldn’t help but feel a sense of absurdity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the residence he had lived in for over three hundred years without change. Every corner was familiar to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now, he needed a stranger to guide him—inside what used to be his own Soulweeper Castle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, this arrangement came from his \"master,\" and he had no choice but to accept it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Where’s my Wailing Soul chandelier?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah, Director Orest, that didn’t meet the Empire’s standards. We’ve replaced those souls with the latest electric lights.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Th-this is the Howling Corridor?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Exposing undead creatures like that was too risky, so we reinforced the area.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What about the Death Slaughterhouse?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Empire’s experts insisted that biological experiments require a clean and sterile environment. We’ve equipped it with the most advanced tools for dissecting bodies and studying the secrets of undead creatures.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Noticing the lich’s silence, Magusi asked with concern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Director Orest, are you... okay?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’m fine. Let’s continue.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ahead is your office, converted from the former main hall of Soulweeper Castle. It’s now the highest-spec office in the Undead Research Institute.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The higher-ups specifically mentioned that, despite being an undead, you’ve devoted yourself fully to the Empire’s development and are a role model for the entire institute.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Clap, clap, clap, clap!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A dozen researchers in white lab coats emerged from various rooms, their applause echoing throughout the institute.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So this is Director Orest.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’ve heard so much about you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s said that he’s transformed over 100,000 undead creatures for the Empire—truly a model among us.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Indeed, using a decayed body of hundreds of years to contribute everything to the Empire, and being personally appointed by His Majesty—remarkable!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I heard that the institute was created specifically because of Director Orest. We all owe him our thanks.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Clap, clap, clap, clap!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Surrounded by the crowd, Orest felt increasingly bewildered and deeply experienced the unique nature of the Ember Empire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These humans weren’t afraid of him—instead, they admired him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Magusi opened the door for him. The once blood-stained hall, littered with bones and remnants, was gone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Replacing it was a clean, bright office space with a simple and practical layout.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Orest once again fell into a deep silence, the soul fire in his eye sockets flickering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, a loud \"bang, bang!\" came from a metal cabinet nearby, as if something inside was struggling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lich, as if guessing what it was, slowly approached and opened the polished metal cabinet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside, the bone pen was locked within a glass case, wrapped in chains, but it continued to bounce and struggle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The journal, bound in human skin, was locked in another case, now covered with a new cover bearing the Empire’s emblem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Th-this...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Magusi looked slightly apologetic. \"The Engineering Department officials said these items damaged the Empire’s image, so we made some adjustments. I hope you don’t mind.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sigh—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don’t touch them again.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lich sighed and released the bone pen and human-skin journal from their confinements.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the past, if humans had dared to do something like this to him, he would’ve turned their entire town into undead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now, under the Empire’s authority, he had to bow his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Understood, Director Orest.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"By the way, I have His Majesty’s latest order for you. This may become your primary task going forward. Please review it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Magusi carefully handed over an imperial decree.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Orest leaned in, reading the golden scroll. The soul fire in his eyes flickered violently, and his hunched posture grew even more pronounced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Director Orest?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are you alright?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You can rest for a few days. His Majesty said this task hasn’t started yet.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the desk, the newly freed bone pen continued to scribble away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"October 3, Year 1786—I realized today that this Soulweeper Castle, or rather, the Undead Research Institute, no longer belongs to me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Isthalia, Ember Emperor Square.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The square bustled with activity, teeming with people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Empire’s new steam locomotives rumbled along the tracks, emitting thick clouds of smoke, though the sight had become commonplace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the Empire’s central development hub, Isthalia had attracted residents from across the Anzeta Wasteland.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a flood of new missions being issued, nearly 40,000 players had gathered here—thanks to the abundance of tasks and development opportunities, it had been dubbed the \"Newbie’s Fast-Track Paradise\" by strategy experts on the forums.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the [Starfaller Notice Board], tiefling guards removed old posters about the experience shop and replaced them with brand-new ones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Empire’s new announcement!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hey? Come check it out! This event looks interesting!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Players called out to their friends, and soon a crowd gathered around the board, packed tightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Another money-draining event? Is it the return of the Dragon Proud Heaven’s Treasure Chest? If I buy it again, I swear I’m a fool!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are you talking about the treasure chest? Cassius’s treasure chest? That wasn’t bad—I spent five gold coins and got a green item. Buying it would’ve cost at least fifty gold.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Stupid whales, get lost!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Look closely! This time, it’s not a treasure chest—it’s a new undead follower!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Undead follower?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What’s that? Sounds intriguing!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every change to the notice board signaled new opportunities, and the veteran players swarmed the area, spreading the news across the forums like wildfire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Within minutes, nearly 10,000 players had gathered in Ember Emperor Square.\u003C\u002Fp>",1016,"2026-06-03T12:47:02.951Z","2026-06-03T12:47:07.061Z",1,"novelbin.me","0d1d862f47105a30345d9e1ba8944237d27771cb29eced4c2c183292b657dbf2","ember-dragon-chapter-307","ember-dragon-chapter-306",603,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fember-dragon-cover.jpg"]