018 The First Transaction

The moment the commercialization of "Whispers of the Dead" and "Corpses" was announced, Bailey rushed back to Audo City like a madman.

Upon his return, his first priority was not to investigate the corpses, but to locate a nobleman who had long been interested in his family's shops and real estate. Now bordering on insanity, Bailey gambled his entire fortune on this venture, desperate for a chance to turn his life around. In his frantic state, he accepted a massive loss during the transaction; assets that could have fetched two hundred gold coins were sold for a mere one hundred and fifty. Though he had lost fifty gold coins in the process, Bailey did not care.

With the cash in hand, he went to the eastern outskirts of Audo City, home to a graveyard—though not an ordinary one. This site held the remains of criminals, specifically the most heinous and vicious among them. Unlike Kaelen’s world, this realm was plagued by the undead; there was always a chance that the deceased might rise. While an average person turning into an undead was a minor nuisance easily dealt with, the resurrection of a powerful individual could have catastrophic consequences. Consequently, such graveyards were established to concentrate these dangerous corpses, where they were either suppressed by holy magical artifacts or purged of dark energy by priests at regular intervals to prevent reanimation.

These were the corpses Bailey had his sights on.

Armed with money and hired hands, he arrived at the cemetery and bribed the presiding priest with five gold coins. Then, his men began to dig with manic intensity. Bailey knew full well that this business was considered shameful in the Bourbon Kingdom. It could be done, but it could not be exposed; if it became public knowledge, he would surely be ruined. Therefore, he dared not operate on a massive scale, focusing instead only on the corpses with the highest combat ratings from their lifetimes.

The graveyard had existed for hundreds of years. The lowest-tier corpses were at least Rank 3, and the highest potentially exceeded Rank 4. After a period of frantic digging, Bailey’s team recovered eighteen Rank 4 corpses and two that were confirmed to be Rank 5.

Twenty corpses in total—yet one should not underestimate them. Based on the rates Kaelen had set, the eighteen Rank 4 corpses alone would fetch between 360 and 900 gold coins. If the two Rank 5 corpses were included, the potential profit was staggering. His total costs, including the fifty lost in the property fire sale, the bribe, and labor, did not exceed one hundred gold coins. The prospect of earning several times his investment—a fortune the likes of which his family had never seen—made Bailey tremble with excitement.

However, Bailey was not naive; he understood the immense risk. If discovered, he would surely lose his life. He kept his composure, leaving his most trusted men to guard the corpses while he returned to Audo City. He purchased dozens of gold coins' worth of wine, black tea, and textiles—goods in high demand by the Silver Hand. By doing so, he created the illusion that he was merely a desperate merchant staking his future on the undead market. Using these legitimate goods as cover, he transported the twenty corpses toward Kaelen’s "Land of the Dead."

Bailey was fortunate; he crossed out of the Bourbon Kingdom without encountering a single obstacle. As he stepped into Kaelen’s territory, a smile he could no longer suppress spread across his face. He knew he had won the majority of his gamble. If Kaelen honored his word, victory would be absolute.

Yet, at this stage, Bailey felt a flicker of anxiety. Everything rested on Kaelen. What if the necromancer refused to pay? Could a necromancer truly produce hundreds or even a thousand gold coins? What if he reneged on the deal? The thought made him shiver.

But Bailey was no amateur. He had a contingency. Upon entering the territory, he had his men display the twenty corpses openly and marched toward Kaelen’s base with bravado. It was a calculated move: by exposing the cargo so brazenly, he forced Kaelen’s hand. Kaelen wanted to commercialize "Corpses" and "Whispers of the Dead," right? Bailey was his first customer. His public display served as an advertisement; if the deal succeeded, both would profit, and Kaelen’s market would gain momentum. If Kaelen refused to pay, it would be a mutual destruction—Bailey would be ruined, but Kaelen’s market would suffer a devastating blow. He was forcing Kaelen to pay a high price to demonstrate his credibility.

Regardless of the motive, the maneuver drew immense attention. From the moment he entered the market with his twenty corpses and stood before Wutie, everyone interested in the venture gathered around. They all wanted to see who this pioneer was and whether he would successfully "eat the crab."

Kaelen took the matter very seriously and arrived at the market as soon as he received word. Ignoring the fawning Bailey, he went straight to inspect the corpses.

"Ten Rank 4 common corpses, worth two hundred gold coins! Five Rank 4 elite corpses, worth one hundred and fifty gold coins! Three Rank 4 superior corpses, worth one hundred and fifty gold coins! Two Rank 5 corpses, grade unknown, let’s value them at two hundred gold coins each—that makes nine hundred gold coins in total! Can you accept this price? If so, we shall conclude the transaction immediately!"

As Kaelen spoke, their expressions shifted. Bailey’s face was filled with wild ecstasy, while Ogolun, standing behind Kaelen, looked as if he were about to cry.