CHAPTER 866: CHAPTER 597 THE GIANT BEAST FORBIDDEN LAND

Huff, huff.

The furnace burned, the scorching heat from the welded furnace on the body turned red, and the high temperature caused the connected skin to emit a sizzling sound.

The stench of burnt flesh infiltrated the nostrils without any restraint.

On the Eastern Continent, across the boundless plains, the necromancer Soc held a bone whip as he inspected his undead laborers, the distant sounds of cursing causing him to frown.

He lightly tapped the colossal body’s frame before him, the rotting corpse infused with energy from the burning Magic Furnace was forced to continue its movements.

"Move slower."

Soc was reluctant to shake the whip in his hand, each undead laborer was incredibly precious, especially the one he currently held—a mutant from the New Era, standing as tall as a one-story building, with muscles accumulating like inexhaustible soil, and exaggerated veins as thick as a thumb.

When the energy produced by the furnace was injected into the veins, it could enhance its strength to the maximum.

"Ensure the body remains intact," Soc reminded once again.

The undead could understand every word he said.

As the baron’s son, Soc had lost his territory before the world turned grim and could only roam this wasteland, relying on scavenging corpses to barely increase his power.

But the "suppression of the rebellion" was still far from achieved.

He faced his cousin’s family, whose husband was one of the most powerful lords on the continent, holding the largest survivor settlement outside the territories ravaged by the madness-inducing, mutating corpses.

Soc clutched the rocks, clambering up the steep slope; despite the disarray, he managed to keep his clothes clean.

"Those damned lunatics, rebels, disgusting wizards!"

Rad continued his incessant chatter.

A knight under his father’s command, old with a foul temper and limited strength, yet the only one willing to continue following Soc.

Everyone else preferred seeking opportunities in safer places.

Thus, despite having lost most knightly virtues and behaving as a crude, loyal brute, Soc maintained absolute trust in him.

"What’s the matter?" Soc asked, having already guessed some possibilities from the knight’s swearing.

"They stole from our territory again!"

Rad counted their lost possessions on his fingers, including magic materials that could be traded at nearby gathering places, dozens of pounds of jerky, unpolluted pure drinking water.

There were also a few sets of new clothes.

"Let them be."

After all, they were merely powerless scavengers, and the title of baron’s son wouldn’t help them.

"Also, your emblem!"

"What?"

Soc’s expression finally changed; he couldn’t accept the loss of the emblem representing his family.

"Yes, that one, the old baron’s emblem."

"Then, let it be lost."

Upon finally confirming the loss of the emblem, Soc was surprised by the calm within himself; he was even more distressed by the loss of food, suggesting that for the foreseeable future, they would have to subsist on grass roots until they could hunt some edible prey.

In the New Era of rampant mutations, the giant beasts were the true apex predators on the food chain.

"Did you uncover any good stuff?"

"Not a single one."

The two sat, engrossed in their own memories, though it was clear their recollections were different based on their expressions.

Only when it was time to leave did they stand and depart.

They went to trade at the nearby survivor camp, exchanging for some living supplies, and then... that was it.

"How about the Rock Earth Giant Lizard’s area?" Soc suggested.

The calamity and the giant lizards had fused to create enormous monsters; the area was seldom visited, but also represented more opportunities. To the monsters, the essentials for human survival and some precious resources were mere trinkets.

Many regions nearby had similar myths—someone wandered into the giant lizard’s domain and discovered treasures, escaping poverty and even becoming a lord.

The old myths of deities had faded away like dust without a trace, replaced by new legends projecting people’s desires and current needs into stories.

Thus, tales of wealth and fortune from forbidden zones emerged.

The knight, who had been speaking endlessly, suddenly fell silent.

Just when Soc realized he might be daydreaming, the knight nodded: "Alright."

"I think..."

"You are my lord," the old knight said solemnly, "Where your sword points, there shall I charge."

It must feel great to become a lord.

Soc hoped for more powerful knights, not just the old knight Rad.

There was still a long way to go.

With little preparation, the two, along with a massive, cumbersome undead laborer, set off towards the territory of the Rock Earth Giant Lizard in the forbidden zone.

Surviving on the road.

They finally arrived at the forbidden zone of the Rock Earth Giant Lizard.

The ground began to tremble rhythmically, it was said that the giant lizard was turning over.

"At least it’s still far from us, temporarily considered safe."

Rad smiled, but gripping his sword, he moved forward step by step, constantly ready to face enemies from any angle, his inner turmoil evident.

Temporarily, not a pleasant word.

Suddenly, a flock of birds took flight!

Rushing footsteps approached, like leopards in the jungle, or other four-legged predators. There were so many mutant species, from magic, from calamity, or even experimental creatures escaping from that wretched Far East Magic School.