The Great Worm Lich

His companion blurted out without filter, infuriating Luqi who was by the side. However, since he was afraid that he would give more slips if he stopped his companion from talking, he needed to pretend that nothing was wrong.

“When my grandfather had Sea Haines City in his control, our family would always dispatch no less than 30 fleets of large-scale armed merchant ships when we came to Scorpion Island.” Not knowing that his partner’s heart was already as anxious as blazing fire despite the calm appearance on his face, Antonio continued to reminisce the power his family used to have. “You’re from the mainland so you may not understand the value of our large-scale armed merchant ships in the Kattaman City State…”

“Alright, Antonio, my good friend! We always have time to talk about this later. Don’t you think that as a gentleman, you should first ask Madam Someril and her companions to take a seat?” Seeing that his companion was getting more and more excited talking about this topic, Luqi could no longer hold it back and interrupted his friend tactfully.

“Of course, but our picnic mat is too small. How shall we sit?” Antonio asked in a dilemma.

“It’s alright, Mr. Luqi. We only came here to greet McCardy. We’ll leave now that we have done so. Please continue to enjoy your food, I’ll see you next time.” Someril flashed a bright smile and turned to leave. Luqi, who was behind her, hesitated a while before interrupting, “Please wait for a while, Madam Someril. Is that okay?”

“Yes, is there anything, Mr. Luqi?”

“It’s like this, Madam Someril.” Luqi organized his words in his mind and tried to lighten the difficulty that they were in. Beating around the bush, he continued, “You should know that to us businessmen, time is money, the longer the turnover between buying and selling, the lower the profit we’ll get. Right now, our entire merchant fleet has been detained for several months on Scorpion Island by the Wizard Li tribe. I heard McCardy said that you’re very respectable in the native tribe so I wonder if you can help us out?”

“Mr. Luqi, I do indeed have some position in the Wizard Li tribe but the person who can influence the decisions of the natives is not me.” Someril turned to shake her head at the rugged looking man and shifted her gaze to Zhang Lisheng.

Due to the McCardy’s subconscious bias and unwitting contempt, she would always be full of praise when she mentioned the Atlantean explorers, particularly Someril. However, when it came to the Earthlings, she would only use simple expressions like ‘courageous’ or ‘they’re not bad sometimes’ to glaze the matter over. Because of this, Luqi had been given the wrong impression and had flattered the wrong side.

Now that the mainlander saw the subtle hint that Someril dropped, he cursed in his heart opening his mouth but did not know what to say. However, at this time, Zhang Lisheng had already walked away without turning his head around.

“Madam Someril, your companion…” Looking at the young man’s back disappearing into the trees, Luqi opened his mouth and said with a wry smile.

“Mr. Luqi, my partner is called Zhang Lisheng. Even though he looks young, he’s actually a very knowledgeable scholar. When our group encountered the shipwreck and floated to Scorpion Island, we were already exhausted and no longer could fight with the Wizard Li tribesmen. It was all because of the fact that he looks exactly identical to the previous great guardian spiritual monster in the history of the Wizard Li tribe that he’s mistaken as the reincarnation of their god and that’s how we managed to survive. Later, in order to thank the Wizard Li tribesmen for taking us in, Mr. Lisheng has passed on many useful knowledge that he knows to the aborigines. Gradually, he became more and more loved by them and now, he’s even called as The Great ‘Pundit’ by them.”

The Atlantean woman’s words sounded very miraculous and magical but all of the mainlanders knew that every Hellfire tribe would enshrine spiritual monsters who possessed the spellcasting power. There were also many spiritual monsters who loved to transform into human form to live as well. Adding on to the fact that the Hellfire civilization had a lot of strange customs, this was not entirely impossible.

‘The Great Pundit’ mentioned by Someril at the very end of her sentence baffled Luqi as well. Even though he did not know the meaning contained in this title, since the title was adorned with the word ‘Great’, then, according to the Hellfire custom, this was no doubt a distinguished title.

To a pitiful person who had fallen into desperation, he would still be blinded by instinct, no matter how smart he was. Voluntarily, he chose to believe that he had seized a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get out of this trouble.

“Pundit, Pundit? It sounds like a great title!” Luqi commented, his breathing unconsciously turned heavy. “Madam Someril. Your companion is really lucky. Can you i-introduce him to me? I think all of you don’t wish to stay on this deserted island forever, too, right? I heard McCardy said that the reason all of you left home is so that you can travel to different places and widen your mind and sight. Now that you’re trapped here, you must feel very unhappy…”

“Mr. Luqi, please don’t get too overwhelmed with emotions. I understand what you mean.” Someril interrupted the mainlander’s words calmly. “Don’t worry, I’ll ask Mr. Lisheng to do his best to help your merchant fleet. I’ll look for him now.”

Turning around, she hurriedly left the lush green beach.

More than ten minutes later, under the guidance of a native choresman, the Atlantean woman found Zhang Lisheng, who was chowing down on food, in a tree house that had its windows wide open, allowing sunshine to shine through.

“Dr., what do you think of Mr. Luqi and his merchant troops?” Kicking off the animal leather shoes, Someril walked on the leather carpet and sat beside Zhang Lisheng before asking directly.

“Mr. Luqi is a very intelligent, daring, adventurer who likes to gamble but doesn’t know how to control the situation. We have a term to describe such a person back in my home country, that is ambitious but incompetent. As for his companions, they are all idiots who have either eminent or outstanding ancestors. They’re unhappy about the fall of their families so they want to put up a last-ditch struggle. But now, it looks like they’re going to die for real.” After the young man voiced out his evaluation, he smiled unconcernedly and picked up a plate of wrinkled dried red berries from the tray. “Madam Someril, this berry is very delicious. It’s sweetness and sourness is just right. Do you want to try?”

“You have really sharp judgement.” Someril grabbed a few mouthfuls of berries and threw them into her mouth. After she chewed on them, her eyes lit up and she proceeded to take the wooden bowl containing the fruits. “This fruit looks inconspicuous but its taste really leaves a long impression in you.”

“There are many things that look inconspicuous but valuable. Glamorous appearance, on the other hand, would often look impressive but lacks real worth, just like a group of mainlanders wearing luxurious attires as though they were going to attend some banquet in the palace who brought a group of beautiful servants with them to the Hellfire sea region to do some trading. Actually, you can also easily see that something is not right with them without the need of having any sharp judgement,” the young man said with a curl of his lips.

“But glamour has its own advantages too, Dr. A glamorous looking name card can allow us to integrate into the upper class of the mainlanders effortlessly.”

“Oh, d-do you intend to use that Mr. Luqi’s merchant ship to mix into the Kattaman City State?” Zhang Lisheng was shocked. “But you didn’t seem to think so when you were talking to Mr. Travis just now.”

“That’s because I overestimated their intelligence before I met with Mr. Luqi and his companions.” Someril smiled.

“What a sufficient excuse.” Zhang Lisheng nodded as he burst into a chuckle. “Then what do you wish me to do? Madam Someril?”

“Very easy, Dr. Tell the Wizard Li people to let Luqi’s merchant fleet leave and let them make an amazing and profitable sale.”

“Understood. Then we’ll leave Scorpion Island together with those broken sailing ships of Luqi’s merchant fleet and integrate into the mainland high-class society in Kattaman City State?” Zhang Lisheng pondered and took a deep breath before saying, “It’s easy to let the merchant ship go and let them make some wealth but I’d never get on their broken ship to sail across the ocean with them. Even with a detailed nautical chart, it’s a life gambling move crossing the Hellfire sea using such primitive wooden ships.”

The long tail of Scorpion Island stretched out between the Hellfire sea region and the normal sea. Actually, it could already be considered as a normal sea region already 200 to 300 meters away from the island. Even though the young man was exaggerating, it could still be said as a reasonable reason since it was related to his life.

The Wizard Li’s war of conquest was yet to be over. Zhang Lisheng did not wish to leave Scorpion Island at such a critical moment so for this reason, he had made up his mind that he would use the reason of cherishing his life to remain here on the island no matter what Someril said.

However, to his surprise, when the Atlantean woman heard his words, she replied, “Dr., I understand that we must use a good bait if we want to take advantage of a group of stupid and greedy people. Mr. Luqi and his noble companions are like stupid donkeys and I’m like the rider. You staying in the Wizard Li tribe, on the other hand, is like dangling a delicious carrot in front of the stupid donkeys so I don’t intend to ask you to leave Scorpion Island as well.”

“Donkey, rider and carrot?” Taken aback by surprise, Zhang Lisheng’s mouth dropped. “Madam Someril, you actually know Aesop’s fables, this is incredible.”

“Dr., please don’t look down on me. My translating device contains an entire British Library in it.” The Atlantean woman joked and stood up. “In that case, it’s settled then. I’ll bring Luqi to see you now.”

“Do we have to rush? Alright then. I’ll tell the choresmen to tell this to the Red Mountain Harbor’s headman. I’m sure there should be no problem.” Saying so, Zhang Lisheng also stood up and walked Someril out of the tree house.

There was a choresman standing outside of the door. After watching the Atlantean woman leave far away, the young man immediately ordered, “Go tell the Red Mountain Harbor’s headman to ask for those Hellfire tribesmen who have lived here before they converted to Wizard Li tribe. Ask them what kind of goods do the mainlanders like to trade and prepare more of those for them.”

“Yes, Pundit.” Even though the choresman did not know Zhang Lisheng’s true identity, he knew that the young man had a distinguished position. Immediately, he kowtowed and hurriedly ran away.

“I finally can send away those motley spies, aliens and Captain America away!” Looking at the back of the short native who disappeared, Zhang Lisheng had a relaxed expression on his face as he muttered. “My next step is to rest for a few days before gathering the army to sweep across the Scorpion Island sea region in one fell swoop, and raise my Witchcraft’s Gate of Death to Rank-11 Wizard as I’m doing so. I’ll also absorb the power of faith and raise my Witchcraft’s Gate of Sacrifice to Rank-11 Wizard. Then, I’ll just patiently wait for the Resurrection and the Soul-God Consolidation to take place…”

When the young man thought of the future, his gaze gradually turned deep.