[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-global-survival-i-have-endless-skeletons":3,"chapter-global-survival-i-have-endless-skeletons-global-survival-i-have-endless-skeletons-chapter-77":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Global Survival: I Have Endless Skeletons",{"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},1080891,1399,"Chapter 77: Elric and Minerva.","global-survival-i-have-endless-skeletons-chapter-77",77,"\u003Cp>Inside the Federation Police headquarters, the atmosphere was suffocating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elric stood alone in his office, a thick report clenched tightly in his hand. His eyes moved back and forth across the words, yet none of them seemed real.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each line struck him harder than the last, hammering against his rational mind and shattering every assumption he had built over the past week.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How is this possible...?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a sharp motion, he slammed the report onto the wooden table. The heavy thud echoed through the room, vibrating against the shelves and filing cabinets that lined the walls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thoren.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A rookie necromancer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A nobody, barely a week inside the Abyss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet, according to the report in front of him, this same young man had annihilated the infamous Ghost Scream Bounty Hunters in a single night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elric pressed his palm against his forehead and dragged it downward, exhaling sharply. The more he thought about it, the more absurd it became.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Ghost Scream Bounty Hunters were not amateurs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their boss alone had survived more than a year within the Abyss, long enough to be considered a hardened veteran by Federation standards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had led dozens of successful hunts, clashed with elite awakeners, and carved out a fearsome reputation that even the Federation treated with caution.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the Federation Police would hesitate before engaging such a force directly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet now, they were gone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wiped out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Destroyed so thoroughly that not even survivors remained to contest the report.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"In one night...\" Elric muttered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The words tasted bitter on his tongue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He began pacing back and forth across the office, his boots striking the wooden floor in a steady, agitated rhythm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His mind raced, replaying the sequence of events over and over again, desperately searching for a flaw in the narrative.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was none.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had gambled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A dangerous gamble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the very beginning, his plan had been simple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He would allow the Ghost Scream Bounty Hunters to act freely, turning a blind eye to their crimes and excesses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the situation reached a boiling point, the Federation Police would step in as righteous enforcers, crushing the criminals and solidifying their authority over the region.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It would have been perfect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The people would cheer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Federation’s image would be restored.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And he, Elric, would be praised for his decisive leadership.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet everything had gone down the drain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The criminals were gone before he could act.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And worse, Thoren’s name now stood at the center of the storm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What should I do now...?\" Elric muttered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stopped pacing and stared at the report again, his jaw tightening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If this situation spiraled out of control, the higher-ups would demand answers. Questions would be asked. Records would be reviewed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why had the Federation Police not intervened?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why had no officers been dispatched during the conflict?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why had they waited until morning?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His fingers curled into fists.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I need a scapegoat,\" he whispered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A flicker of realization lit up his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since no Federation officers had appeared during the battle, responsibility had to fall somewhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone would need to take the blame, quickly and decisively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as the public saw accountability, the Federation’s image could still be preserved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as he was considering which of his subordinates would be sacrificed, a sharp knock sounded at the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elric frowned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Who is it?\" he barked, irritation seeping into his voice. \"Come in.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Creak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The door swung open, and a young officer stepped inside. He snapped to attention and saluted sharply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Captain,\" he said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What?\" Elric demanded impatiently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Officer Minerva has returned, sir.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elric’s eyes widened for a brief moment before a slow, calculating grin spread across his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So she’s back...\" he murmured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Call her immediately,\" he said loudly. \"I need her in my office. Now.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes, sir!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The officer saluted again and rushed out, closing the door behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elric leaned back against his chair and exhaled deeply. Relief washed over him, followed closely by a dark, satisfied smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Perfect,\" he whispered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, he no longer needed to worry about which pawn to sacrifice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Officer Minerva was ideal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Competent. Trusted. Known for her diligence and sense of justice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If she took the fall, the blame would stick—and the Federation Police would emerge unscathed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lost in his thoughts, Elric barely noticed when the door opened again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Minerva walked in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her expression was pale, her eyes cold and unreadable. There was no hint of the fiery determination she usually carried.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Captain,\" she said flatly. \"You called for me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She did not salute.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elric paused, momentarily caught off guard. He lifted his head and studied her more closely. Something about her demeanor unsettled him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She looked exhausted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But more than that, she looked distant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, the stakes were too high for hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Officer Minerva,\" he said, straightening in his chair. \"You are to proceed to the Ghost Scream Bounty Hunter headquarters and conduct an investigation.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He paused deliberately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I trust you’ve heard the rumors.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She did not respond.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her gaze remained fixed on him, unwavering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elric frowned inwardly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What’s wrong with her?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This isn’t like her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Normally, she would have seized an assignment like this without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearing his throat, he continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That necromancer has acted once again,\" Elric said firmly. \"The Federation Police must take a stand. The people need reassurance that we can protect them.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He leaned forward slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I trust you to handle this properly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, no response.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, finally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The word hit him like a slap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elric blinked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Captain,\" Minerva continued calmly, \"I’m too tired for any form of investigation.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her voice trailed off as she stared at him intently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Besides,\" she added, \"why are you only sending officers to the scene now?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His brows furrowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"From what I heard, the battle happened yesterday,\" she said. \"Why were no Federation officers deployed during the fight?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The questions struck him like arrows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elric froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the first time she had ever questioned a direct order.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fury surged within him, hot and violent. Rage coiled around his chest like a living serpent, tightening with every breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How dare she?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wanted to explode, to remind her of her place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he restrained himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was trying to salvage the situation, not destroy it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are you rejecting a direct order?\" he asked, his voice low and dangerous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He expected hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compliance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, Minerva nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She turned toward the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Since you failed to send men during the fight,\" she said coolly, \"you should be the one to clean up the mess.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She walked away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The door slammed shut behind her with a sharp crack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elric remained seated, frozen in place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the first time since receiving the report, he felt something close to fear.\u003C\u002Fp>",1118,"2026-06-03T10:41:31.766Z","2026-06-03T10:41:38.603Z",1,"novelbin.me","c72ee01f48737cbae1b17a4033a90e3a5d298c0198a707709a7a4cb1f4180cd5","global-survival-i-have-endless-skeletons-chapter-78","global-survival-i-have-endless-skeletons-chapter-76",326,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fglobal-survival-i-have-endless-skeletons-cover.jpg"]