Chapter 182: The Call from the Depths of the Mausoleum

Chapter 182: The Call from the Depths of the Mausoleum

Seeing Admiral of Hell Ludwell’s reaction, Klein, just like the living crew members aboard the Black Tulip, almost could not believe his eyes.

The scenes he had originally imagined numbered two:

The first was that Ludwell had invited a demigod of the Numinous Episcopate to help, lying in ambush for Gehrman Sparrow and the powerhouse behind him. That was not impossible. Sequence 7 of the Death pathway was Spirit Medium, and it likewise possessed the ability to foresee danger.

The second was that this Admiral of Hell had made no preparations and would forcefully resist, only to be easily resolved by Mr. Azik.

Klein’s plan had been that, if it were the first case, Mr. Azik would deal with the demigod while he hunted Admiral of Hell and obtained his second marionette. If it were the second, he would respectfully ask Mr. Azik to watch from the side while he controlled his marionette and fought Ludwell one on one. During the process, he would use Creeping Hunger, hide within various shadows, and do his best to remain behind the scenes so that he could digest the Marionettist potion more quickly.

Who could have known that Admiral of Hell would not resist at all, directly prostrating himself on the ground and kissing the deck, like Azik’s most loyal and humble servant.

How can there even be a fight now…

Klein stared forward in a slight daze, not knowing whether he should open his mouth and say something.

The entire ship was equally silent.

Azik raised a hand and pressed the silk top hat on his head. Neither fast nor slow, he walked toward Ludwell, who was kneeling with his face to the ground.

One step, two steps, three steps. He stopped before Admiral of Hell Ludwell, then spoke in a low voice, “To what stage has the Numinous Episcopate’s artificial Death plan progressed?”

Ludwell pressed his forehead hard against the deck and answered hoarsely, “Artificial Death can already proactively influence high-Sequence Beyonders who fail advancement, but it still cannot respond to prayers or rituals…”

After describing it, he slightly lifted his upper body, removed the dark square ring from his right hand, held it in both hands, and offered it forward.

Silently, that ring seemed to be supported by countless spirits. It flew up on its own and landed in Azik’s palm.

Azik examined it for several seconds, pinched the ring, and put it on the index finger of his left hand.

All at once, an indescribably terrifying, deep, lofty feeling spread from his body. The living corpses and skeletons—some bare, some wearing broken leather armor—knelt on one knee one after another, lowering their heads as if only daring to look directly at his leather shoes. The flying wraiths and shadows likewise landed on the ground, pressing tightly against the deck. Not a single one remained floating in midair.

The remaining pirates aboard the ship dropped to the ground one after another, burying their faces against the deck without daring to lift them even slightly.

Klein stood at the other end, looking at Mr. Azik’s back and the suddenly open scene before him. His mouth opened, but no words came out.

Azik took another two steps forward, arriving at Admiral of Hell’s side. Then he turned to face Klein and said to Ludwell, “You will serve as his marionette for one year. When the time limit is reached, you may return to the spirit world.”

Azik spoke these words very calmly, as if they did not involve Admiral of Hell’s life and future. Or perhaps, to him, it was merely a small matter, and there was no need to care about the feelings or thoughts of the one being ordered.

Ludwell’s body trembled violently, as though enraged, as though unwilling. Yet in the end, he still did not raise his head. His forehead remained pressed against the deck as he said, “Yes, great Death Consul.”

The moment his voice fell, mysterious symbols dyed in pale white and shadowy green emerged one after another, interweaving…