Chapter 43: Cassius’s New Deal, A Banquet of Rot About to Begin!

“Currently, over seventy percent of the population has been infected.”

“From the dock laborers to those fat pig merchants, all of their hearts are secretly nurturing the larvae of our kind!”

“Those foolish nobles and magicians!”

“Although they have sensed something amiss and established quarantine zones, they have completely gone in the wrong direction!”

The beetle proudly waved its forelimbs. “They think it spreads through the air, they think it’s transmitted by contact… hahaha!”

“They would never dream that the true medium of infection is what they so proudly and indispensably consume every day—fresh seafood!”

“Especially those deep-sea fish!”

“As long as they continue indulging in raw fish slices and sucking on oysters,”

“Those delicious parasite eggs will keep pouring into their stomachs, gradually taking root in their hearts!”

“Even the strongest among them will eventually be infected!”

“And even if they isolate themselves, it only means they’re locking a herd of lambs awaiting slaughter together!”

“At most, one more month!”

“The entire Lemon Port will be transformed into the grand banquet hall of our kind!”

“A perfect hatchery!”

“A blood-and-flesh altar dedicated to You!”

“Grrrhhh…”

Melunus’s enormous body quivered with pleasure, the pool of rot churning once again.

“Well done, Glock, my little snack. You’re far more useful than those ghouls who only gnaw on bones…”

It extended its forked tongue and licked Glock’s glossy carapace, leaving behind a trail of sticky saliva.

“When all is done, I shall bestow upon you supreme glory—allowing you to enter the deeper sanctum…”

At those words, Glock’s entire body trembled with excitement, nearly jumping up.

“The deeper sanctum?!”

“Do you mean… your sacred and exalted rectum?!”

“Oh! My great master!”

“Your humble servant weeps in gratitude!”

“May rot ever accompany you! May your rectum forever be bountiful!”

Glock was ecstatic, completely unable to contain itself.

To their kind, being able to parasitize within Melunus’s stomach was already the greatest of blessings.

The flow of corrupt energy there caused their power to skyrocket and their race to evolve.

As for the rectum?

That was the holiest place within Melunus’s body—the area where the corrupt energy was most pure, the secretions most nourishing!

It was the ultimate nest Glock had always dreamed of!

“Go, Glock, continue spreading the joy…”

Melunus murmured in satisfaction, opening its enormous mouth once more.

Without a trace of hesitation, Glock dove in with fanatical devotion, disappearing again into the endless depths of the esophagus.

Within Melunus’s body, it would secrete a special pheromone to remotely command the as-yet-unhatched kin within Lemon Port, accelerating the progress of this silent plague!

Yet, shortly after Glock vanished, another violent wriggling began within Melunus’s abdomen—this time higher up, near what barely resembled a chest.

Another fit of vomiting came, but what was expelled was entirely different.

It was a sticky, half-transparent creature—like a massively enlarged slug—spewed out from within.

It had no distinct facial features, only two unusually developed, antenna-like fleshy tentacles sprouting from the top of its head, their tips glowing with a faint green light.

This was Melunus’s communication officer—a biological communication tool transformed by its corrupt magic, known as the Rot-Tongue Slug.

The Rot-Tongue Slug writhed laboriously, crawling toward the side of Melunus’s ear-like opening.

Its twin antennae rose high, beginning to receive and translate messages from afar.

Soon, a hoarse voice—carrying the heavy accent of nobility—resonated through the slug’s connection, echoing directly within Melunus’s chaotic mind:

“Great Lord of Rot, Melunus, your friendly collaborator, Cassius Morgan, greets you.”

“May the fragrance of Earl Ladd’s domain continue to bring you delight.”

Upon hearing this, a flash of disgust crossed Melunus’s enormous eyes.

Cassius Morgan!

That lord of Williams Territory!

A human traitor who sold himself to the Undead in exchange for power and immortality!

It had to be said—Melunus detested such false kin who still retained their human tone.

How hypocritical and pretentious they were!

However, Melunus also had to admit.

Cassius’s improvement in strength was terrifying.

In just a short time, he had already reached the threshold of the Fifth-tier.

He was only a step away from breaking through that massive energy barrier.

If he truly managed to succeed by chance—

Then Cassius would no longer be a small worm that Melunus could easily corrupt with just a scrap of rotten flesh.

Even within the Undead Scourge, he would gain the lowest title of an Undead Noble, barely qualifying to exchange a few more words with Melunus!

Moreover, in their previous trade,

Melunus had paid almost no price,yet his legions of Abominations, Liches, and  Ghouls had feasted to their fill, and the monthly sacrifices had been gathered in full.

It could be considered a decent foundation for cooperation.

“Cassius! Speak quickly! Don’t imitate those pretentious, rotting humans.”

Cassius’s tone carried a trace of flattery. “I have already heard of your progress in Lemon Port.”

“The work of the Heart-Eroding Leech has proven highly effective—truly worthy of being one of your carefully bred servants.”

“But this time, I contacted you to discuss another deal.”

“Oh?”

Melunus leaned forward slightly within the pool of decay.

“Let’s hear it, Cassius. But let me make it clear beforehand…”

It made no effort to hide its arrogance. “This Lemon Port—every drop of its sweet juice, every writhing piece of flesh—belongs to me!”

“Do not even dream of taking a share!”

“Of course, great Lord of Rot,” Cassius replied in his composed noble tone.

No sign of offense could be heard in his voice.

Yet inwardly, he was already cursing: Damn old fox!

Naturally, he coveted the fat prey that was Lemon Port.

Nearly three hundred thousand living souls!

Enough to let him easily break through the Fifth-tier!

But since Melunus had laid his plans for months, to interfere now would be no different from snatching food from a tiger’s mouth.

Cassius knew perfectly well—the difference between himself and this Sixth-tier Lord of Rot was still enormous, not someone he could afford to offend.

“I have no desire to covet the feast of Lemon Port.”

A touch of precisely measured humility appeared in Cassius’s voice.

“My proposal this time concerns Oak Town, Maple Leaf Town, and my own territory—Williams.”

Melunus couldn’t help but let out a sneer.

“Your Williams?”

“Cassius, how generous of you.”

“What is it? Have you grown tired of being a petty lord and now wish to throw yourself completely into the arms of decay?”

“Yes.”

“Your foresight is admirable, great Melunus.”

Cassius’s flattery carried a trace of sincerity. “I loathe my former lowly human identity with every passing moment.”

“I long to truly become one of the noble Undead!”

“Therefore, I require a small favor from you.”

“I ask that your Undead legions appear at the right time and the right place—to crush those pitiful worms hiding within the city.”

Such an important matter—

Cassius could never let his guards handle it directly.

Whether they could even win or not was another matter.

But letting the Undead take the blame as the apparent culprits was undoubtedly the best outcome~

“Just like in Florence.”

“You know, that cooperation was most delightful.”

Several of Melunus’s eyes flickered with a ghostly light.

The internal information Cassius had provided, along with his insiders’ sabotage, had made that ambush so perfect it was almost an art form.

In human terms—wasn’t it called collusion from within and without?

“Oak Town, Maple Leaf Town, Williams…”

“Cassius, your appetite is not small.”

“So then, what will you offer in return for this cleansing?”

“My lovely children need motivation to act.”

Cassius’s hoarse voice sounded once again,this time filled with unmistakable greed. “You will be satisfied, Lord of Rot.”

“I promise, when your legions march into those towns,”

“they will be greeted by the freshest flesh and the most defenseless souls!”

“Kukuku~”

In response to Cassius,came a thick, sticky laugh.

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