Chapter 241: Wendigo

Someone came from the forest.

Not from Shiying Town, nor the now-extinct Rat People.

According to the ghoul Pan Ni.

They are a group composed of Wendigos and undead.

Interestingly, they did not come with malice, but respectfully requested an audience with the forest's warden outside.

"When did we ever have ties with the undead?"

As Luo De thought this, he used 【Tree Walker】 to arrive at Henry's Farm.

Outside Henry's Farm.

Pan Ni summoned a small undead legion to surround the group of Wendigos.

Most Wendigos are beings transformed from humans who died of freezing.

Perhaps this was a bloodline legacy left by some high-ranking Deer-kind entity; each Wendigo's transformation fuses with the skull of a reindeer or moose.

Regardless of the deer type, their antlers are always massive, entwined with branches or the skulls of prey.

Their bodies are the same—mixed together from corpses, flesh, branches, leaves, and bones, forming a giant creature three to five meters tall.

As Luo De approached, the tallest Wendigo spotted him.

It bowed deeply from afar.

He paid it no mind, glancing at it a couple more times.

He arrived beside Pan Ni.

At this moment, the ghoul lady summoned the rotting giant elephant, looking down upon the visitors from above.

Seeing her master arrive, she immediately jumped down and knelt on one knee.

"What's the situation?"

"Good afternoon, Master. Your humble Pan Ni has successfully intercepted a band of lawbreakers, safeguarding the forest's safety!"

Pan Ni was thrilled.

This was a merit!

A step toward redemption for her as a sinner! And it meant she was one step closer to living in her master's cottage!

"Misunderstanding! All a misunderstanding! Warden!"

The tallest Wendigo hurried to explain.

"I am Belkin, here specifically to pledge allegiance to the forest's warden!"

"Pledge allegiance to me?"

Hearing this, Luo De was surprised.

Is my forest some charitable institution? What are you, a band of evil undead, coming here to join?

Did word spread about me killing two seventh-rankers, and you came seeking fame?

Belkin bowed respectfully:

We came from the Gem City in the south, traveled through various places, and arrived at the mining district of Shiying Town, where we heard that the forest warden is powerful and accepts undead such as banshees, zombies, and ghouls.

In truth, along the way, various cults, wars, and internal chaos terrified them; they simply wanted a place to settle down.

He glanced at the ghoul Pan Ni, still kneeling, then at the tree spirit standing silently at the edge of the Baiyu forest, radiating immense power.

He silently swallowed an imaginary saliva.

A high-tier sixth-rank ghoul mage willingly bowed in submission, and behind him stood a mid-tier seventh-rank tree spirit—yet this tall human man before him had only mid-tier sixth-rank spiritual accumulation?

Disguise!

Definitely disguise!

Definitely seventh-rank! Maybe even eighth-rank?!

Hearing this,

Luo De was not swayed by their flattery.

"But I heard you harassed workers in Shiying Town's mining district."

"Another misunderstanding!"

Belkin, having lived as a human long ago, used archaic phrasing:

"We were newcomers, unaware of local customs, and after our long journey, our brothers' spiritual energy was depleted—we had no choice but to draw a little from humans. These past days, that witch from Shiying Town came daily to harass us; we simply couldn't bear it."

Luo De had no intention of letting a group of evil undead settle in his forest.

One, they weren't girls; two, Wendigos are inherently evil undead beings with a craving for fresh flesh—he didn't care to manage them.

He didn't beat around the bush; he bluntly refused.

Belkin was distressed, expressing regret.

He was still polite, and despite the refusal, presented a prepared gift—five meatballs.

Their effect: cold resistance.

There was no choice; these fellows had come with nothing.

The five meatballs were squeezed out from their own bodies.

"What are your plans next?"

Belkin feigned pitifulness: "If Master Luo De refuses to take us in, we can only continue eastward, enduring more hardship, hoping to find a stable home near human settlements."

"That doesn't matter—you're not girls, so I won't feel sorry for you."

"Girls?"

Belkin pushed forward a slightly smaller Wendigo. "She is."

The female Wendigo glanced at Luo De, then shyly averted her gaze.

Very timid.

Though she looked no different from the other Wendigos around her—all wearing deer skulls, bodies piled with bones, branches, and flesh.

"Isn't she just like you?"

Luo De was speechless.

He couldn't even tell their genders apart, let alone any differences among them.

Still, he somehow felt these fellows seemed terribly pitiful.

"Fine. I'll help you find that witch from the city hall—see if she'll give you a place to stay."

"Really?!?"

Watching Belkin's excitement,

Luo De sighed.

Besides, the dark elves at Coral Bay had summoned a red dragon; these Wendigos were decent fighters—they could be useful allies.

He sent a 【Far-Speech Chain】 to Dimeia.

He waited a long while.

Dimeia arrived with a 【Spatial Shift】.

She whispered two words to Luo De first.

She too had realized these Wendigos were naive, unworldly country undead.

The only good thing was they'd kept their rules—never harmed anyone.

"I've long wanted to recruit them, but never had the chance. I owe you one."

Dimeia, even in winter, still wore her extremely revealing evening gown—it seemed a precious magical artifact.

The winter air was dry.

The witch's skin was delicate, yet still rosy, her steps bouncing duang duang.

"All for the peace of this place," Luo De waved his hand.

Dimeia's baby-faced smile appeared: "Yes, all for peace."

Private chat ended.

Then she pretended reluctance.

Complained about their ugly appearances, their harassment in the mines, and scolded the Wendigos thoroughly.

The Wendigos had faced her many times before, always blasted into confusion by her spells—how could they dare resist? Suppressing the urge to flee, they bowed their heads and took the scolding silently.

At this moment, Luo De stepped in to play the good cop.

Said things like, "Give me some face," and "At least they haven't hurt anyone."

He soothed them into dazed gratitude, each thinking: Master Luo De is truly a good man—we must marry our girls to him.

In the end, Dimeia signed a magical contract with them, officially enrolling them in Shiying Town.

Luo De glanced at it.

Not serving Shiying Town's city hall—only serving Witch Dimeia, with low pay, brutal demands, and unfair terms.

Typical of you, Dimeia—pure exploitation.

He silently wished the Wendigos well.

(End of Chapter)