Dark Magician Isekai: Return and make Fantasy World into a VR Game

Lord Adra III of Indahl had sent his soldiers to deliver a total of 52 sets of full-body armor and over a hundred weapons, including spears, swords, short swords, and blunt weapons, to the players.

Players gleefully brought this equipment, along with the equipment's owners and their mounts, back to Weisshem. Both the captives and horses belonged to Yang Qiu, and as for equipment… half of it also ended up with Yang Qiu.

It couldn't be helped. Firstly, players couldn't use spears and blunt instruments, as these weighed nearly half of a player's skeletal body. Just picking them up would disrupt their balance, let alone actually be effective in combat.

The components of full-body armor, including shoulder plates, chest plates, and steel kilts, were also unusable for players. Their skeleton body couldn't support these heavy pieces of gear.

The riding greaves worn by the cavalrymen were, of course, also unusable for players. Ordinary shoes would already make a player's skeletal frame unable to walk, let alone these boots with a heavy steel shell.

If Yang Qiu didn't offer some reputation, coins, or other rewards in exchange for gear that couldn't be equipped, the players would surely throw a huge fuss and complain on the forum.

In any case, players were delighted that they had managed to plunder helmets, arm guards, guards, leg bindings, long swords, short swords, and other gear. They even complained that Weisshem didn't have enough open space to auction their loot and thus noisily commuted back to Exile Town.

It was also lucky that Weisshem didn't have enough empty space for them to hold auctions; otherwise, Wagner Pitt, who had just become a prisoner, might have been infuriated to death.

When Wagner Pitt was stripped of his equipment, tied up, and taken away on horseback by the undead, he felt utter despair. He assumed that he would have the miserable fate of either having his head chopped off or becoming an undead sacrifice.

However, after being brought to Weisshem as a prisoner, Wagner suddenly realized something was wrong.

Wasn't Weisshem supposed to have turned into an undead lair?

Why are the people here still living their lives as usual?

The undead had dragged them through the streets, but the townspeople that were returning home didn't run away in panic. Some had even dared to stop and watch!

Wagner even saw the townspeople who stopped by the roadside chatting among themselves curiously as if the high and mighty Indahl city defense force was a circus sideshow…

As they passed through residential areas, even children excitedly ran out of their homes to get a close-up view, only to be dragged back by adults.

Although he couldn't hear the voices of the townspeople due to the constant and raucous "KABAKABA" noises of the undead, Wagner felt utterly embarrassed and wished he could drop dead on the spot… He had never imagined the scene of him entering Weisshem to be this awkward.

Beyond that, Wagner was genuinely relieved—since the undead only captured them alive, and Weisshem, the supposed "nest of undead," was thriving with life, indicating that the new lord, Rex, was unlikely an evildoer. For the time being, the lives of the cavalry squad seemed relatively safe.

Following that, the undead indeed only took away their horses and belongings before placing them under the courtyard wall of Weisshem's town hall. Then, in succession, the skeletons stepped onto a raised platform in the middle of the courtyard and disappeared.

Wagner stared with wide eyes until the last undead "vanished" and sighed, feeling a sense of relief.

That's right, these undead were just tools that the new lord, Rex, had used to deal with them.

Since Rex had gotten these undead to capture them alive, it meant that he probably would take their lives. It was more likely that he would use the captured cavalry squad as bargaining chips to gain something from Indahl.

Wagner struggled to sit up and gazed straight ahead solemnly. He tried his best to maintain some shred of dignity to not appear too disheveled when Rex's people saw him.

Half an hour passed…

An hour…

As the sky gradually darkened, Wagner's legs started to go numb, and the areas bound by rope started to ache. His men were all exhausted and dozing off, yet no one came to deal with them.

The town hall wasn't completely deserted; during the long period of sitting, Wagner saw at least four groups of tanned, young women in neat attire carrying thick folders or holding boxes, coming and going out of the town hall.

These women… weren't very proper. At least, Wagner had never seen young women this age actually going out with such messy hair, not to mention the mud and dust on their shoes, clothes, and even their faces.

As these ladies hurriedly came and left, they would occasionally cast a curious glance in his direction, but there was no intention of engaging in conversation or contact.

In addition to these peculiar women, the undead that Wagner never wanted to see again… also appeared.

In the platform center of the courtyard where the undead had disappeared, varying numbers of undead appeared after a flash of white light.

These undead completely ignored Wagner and the others, chattered in their headache-inducing "KABAKABAKA" noises the moment they appeared, and headed out of the town hall.

From where Wagner was, he could see a little of the street beyond the courtyard gate. He witnessed these undead boldly strolling out and following along the street.

Weisshem's people have really adapted to coexisting with these undead… Wagner thought to himself, feeling a complex mix of emotions.

There were residential dwellings in the vicinity of the town hall, yet these undead coming and going without inducing any signs of panic such as screams indicated that besides serving the new lord and capturing outsiders like Wagner and his unit, the undead were also active in the town at other times.

There were people coming in and out of the town hall, and occasionally pedestrians could be seen on the street outside. It showed that the locals didn't deliberately avoid the town hall due to the presence of the undead.

Their cavalry squad, fully armed and trespassing without notifying the lord in advance, didn't in any way look like visitors. Yet, Rex had gotten the undead to spare their lives.

As a beneficiary of this, Wagner was in no position to blame the people of Weisshem for not putting up any resistance and accepting coexistence with the undead…

People are inclined to seek benefits and avoid harm. It's only normal for the ordinary townsfolk to make compromises for such self-preservation.

But how do these undead manage to coexist with the living without harming them?

Wagner continued to ponder, finding it increasingly difficult to understand.

The main enemies Indahl's city defense force faced were bandits, marauders, and beasts from the Sorensen Mountains and nearby areas. Wagner only knew how to combat these adversaries and lacked much knowledge about dark beings.

Knowledge in this world didn't come cheap. Wagner, who had a rough upbringing, was sold into the Rhine Kingdom as a young servant for six silver coins. Even reading a newspaper required guesswork for him, and he had to ask the wives of ordinary citizens for the meaning of slightly obscure words.

Wagner's lack of understanding of the tactics and coordination of these dark beings meant that all he knew was what he read about them in newspapers. Such reports depicted the undead as beings inclined toward slaughter, inherently evil, and entirely incompatible to coexist peacefully with humans.

While Wagner reckoned that what appeared in the newspapers had some inaccuracies, he, at least, considered it to be largely the truth.

As he continued to contemplate, two men hurriedly entered the town hall courtyard.

No, it was a young man with a strong physique, visibly formidable, accompanied by an undead companion, and both were pushing bicycles with muddy steel frames. This scene made Wagner do a double take.

The young man also looked at Wagner, and his dirt-covered, sweaty face revealed a surprise. He then turned to exchange a few words with the accompanying undead.

People here can be so intimate with the undead…

From what Wagner saw, it was unexpected but not entirely surprising, considering that the locals didn't seem to show any intention of avoiding the town hall, which he considered a "nest of undead."

The young man and the undead continued to push their bikes and entered the town hall's lobby.

Wagner glanced at the darkening sky and sighed. It seemed that they would be left to cool off overnight, and Lord Rex, who had established a solid position in Weisshem, would only show up later.

At this moment, yet another large group entered the town hall courtyard.

All of them are young men and women with tanned skin. These people were carrying thick document bags, lugging half-empty cloth bags, wearing backpacks, or jointly carrying wooden boxes.

Most of them had rather delicate facial features, but they didn't seem to care about their appearance. Each of them appeared rather tired, with hair damp from sweat and dirt or mud on their faces, hands, clothes, and shoes.

As they passed through the courtyard, they would glance curiously in Wagner's direction, but no one even spoke as if even talking was a strenuous effort for them.

This group also entered the town hall.

Wagner eyed them suspiciously, unable to comprehend what these young people were up to.

They appeared too fragile to be laborers and didn't seem at all capable of handling such duties.

It was unlikely that they were clerical staff. Most of this group were women, and would any administrative office hire women as clerks, and so many at that?

Moreover, clerks in administrative offices were usually composed individuals, unlike how this disheveled bunch looked.

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While Wagner was puzzled, a few more men entered the town hall courtyard.

At first glance, these men seemed to fit Wagner's understanding of laborers, but… they appeared unfriendly, and their demeanor was far from decent.

Wagner's brows furrowed when he laid eyes on these men, and even had a sense of hostility rise in him. Undoubtedly, if he ever saw such individuals in Indahl, he would certainly stop them and inquire about their background.

Unlike the hurried comings and goings of before, these men stopped in their tracks and stood there, glaring at Wagner and his men.

"Hal. You guys are here."

The young man that had pushed the bicycle in earlier called out to this bunch from a distance.

"Ah, yeah," Hal said gruffly.

"You guys take over and quickly settle these people before it gets dark." Rex, accustomed to Hal's unfriendliness, was unfazed.

As he approached the men tied up beneath the courtyard wall, Rex effortlessly identified the strongest among them; it was an easy task at his level to recognize fellow professional levels.

"May I know your name?" Rex met Wagner's gaze and nodded slightly.

Wagner remained unflinching, and no one would know he had actually been startled.

It was only when Rex approached that he realized this young man's strength wasn't ordinary.

"Wagner Pitt," Wagner said stiffly. "First Lieutenant in the Indahl City Defense Force."

"Hello, Lieutenant Pitt." Rex nodded again. "I am Charlie Rex."

Wagner was taken aback. A man with such strength had an extraordinary status. This wasn't something Wagner wasn't able to accept.

But Wagner couldn't help scrutinizing Rex's shoes and pants.

The sweat and dust on Rex's face seemed to have been washed off, but the mud on his shoes and thighs made Wagner's eyelids twitch.

Are you really a noble?!

"Your unexpected arrival took me by surprise. I hadn't received any letter from Indahl beforehand," said Rex.

Indahl's city defense force was a regular army, and the transfer of troops to another territory required communication between the two lords, even if it was just a steward coming over to explain in advance.

Adra III, however, evidently hadn't observed this etiquette—in other words, Rex, Weisshem's lord, had the reason to treat Wagner and the others as invading enemies. As long as he wasn't afraid of retaliation from Adra III, the head of the Bartalis family, Rex could kill or sell off every one of these men from the cavalry squad.

Wagner was well aware of the intricacies involved and chose to remain silent.

Rex paused and continued, "I believe this may be a misunderstanding. Until the misunderstanding is cleared up, I can only ask you all to stay temporarily and be my guests in Weisshem. What do you think, Lieutenant Pitt?"

Wagner remained silent for a bit, then lowered his head. "I apologize for the inconvenience then, Mr. Rex."

Rex had noble lineage and actually possessed territory. It was only a matter of time before he received the corresponding title. Until Rex officially received his title, calling him "Mr." was the safest and least likely to go wrong in any situation.

"Then please follow our friend who is in charge, and he'll settle you guys in temporarily," Rex gestured behind him.

Hal stood unmoving on his spot, like an old master.

The others weren't so bold and didn't dare confront Rex, who had been raised to a high position by Yang, either. Jerome, Finley, and Tuttle approached and untied the ropes binding the soldiers' feet.

They only untied the feet to prevent these guys from running away or hurting others.

When the soldiers were lined up, Hal waved his hands and brought these people away.

Wagner was about to follow but was stopped by Rex.

"Lieutenant Pitt is an officer. Officers should enjoy preferential treatment according to customs. Please come with me," Rex politely said.

Wagner understood very well how nobles' politeness on the surface worked and followed like a conscientious captive…

Five minutes later, Rex personally led Wagner to a large house two blocks away from the town hall.

When Wagner saw this large house, he thought it was Rex's residence and that he was going to be personally guarded by Rex—then, he was before two men in robes.

"Good evening, Inspector Lowell, Yang. This is Wagner Pitt, First Lieutenant in the Indahl City Defense Force."

In the hall, Rex greeted Lowell politely before introducing the still-bound Wagner to the two.

Yang had already known about Wagner from viewing the perspectives of different players. He casually waved and said, "Untie our guest. There's no need for so much apprehension here."

Rex promptly untied Wagner.

Despite finally regaining his freedom, Wagner couldn't feel relaxed at all, glancing suspiciously at Yang and Lowell.

These two, who looked younger than him but had strong auras, made Wagner's tense nerves scream. Even though he was standing and the two were sitting, Wagner felt like he was a child crawling at the feet of adults!

Yang flashed a slight smile. "I am Black Mage Yang. My undead have been in your care, Lieutenant Pitt."

Wagner: "…"

Wagner had, of course, heard stories about the Nightmare Butcher when he was younger. This monster, who had lived for several centuries, was now sitting in front of him, looking younger than Wagner himself.

Thinking back on how he and his soldiers had killed at least a thousand undead, Wagner broke into a cold sweat…

Inspector Lowell glanced at Yang weirdly. Is it that fun to tease a youngster?

Yang Qiu, who had no intention of mistreating Wagner, smiled gently. "The Indahl City Defense Force's unannounced arrival must have been a misunderstanding between Adra III and Rex. Until the misunderstanding is cleared up, I hope you won't mind accompanying us, two old men, for the time being."

Wagner shuddered deep down but quickly nodded. "Of course."

A monster like the Nightmare Butcher… and there were two of them!

"Go about your business, Rex." Yang Qiu nodded at Rex. Then, he pointed to the small coal stove in the living room and smiled at Wagner. "I accidentally put out the fire. Could you help us get it going again? It's hard for us old folks to bear going without hot water for tea. Firewood and coal are in the backyard."

Wagner silently picked up the small coal stove and went to the backyard as directed by Yang Qiu…

After Wagner lit the fire and brought the small coal stove back to the hall, Yang Qiu instructed him to boil water, warm the cups, brew oatmeal milk tea, clean the house, handle the rubbish in the yard that had piled up for several days… and so on.

A professional level could handle such labor efficiently. Wagner finished these household chores that an ordinary person would spend half a day to clear in under an hour.

After dividing the self-heating hotpots that Inspector Lowell had personally prepared (mainly because Lowell was worried that Wagner, being clumsy, might mess it up), Yang Qiu generously said to the knight who had worked up a sweat, "You sleep in the guest room over there. Get up early tomorrow, tidy up the garden for us, clean the curtains, and change the sofa covers. Oh, and wash the dirty cushions in the living room."

Wagner held his small hotpot and silently walked away…

"Why did you bring him here?" With the subject gone, Inspector Lowell asked Yang Qiu.

"It would prove troublesome for Hal to manage if the Lieutenant and his men are kept together; Rex is so busy while we're free, so it's good to help Rex relieve some of his burden," said Yang Qiu as he nonchalantly uncovered the lid of his small hotpot.

"This young man is rather efficient at doing household chores. Looks like he often helps his wife with them. What a pleasant surprise."

Inspector Lowell didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Only you would be able to use a family knight as a servant!

"At least you wouldn't have to heat the bathwater yourself," Yang Qiu quipped.

Inspector Lowell shut his mouth and started to work on his own small hotpot.

There was no gas pipeline in Weisshem, and taking a bath was a troublesome affair—just heating water would take a long time.

Even though this private mansion, built by the former mayor for his own personal enjoyment, had a bathtub with a heating pipe in the bathroom, there was still a need to use the heating port from the outside after filling it with water. On top of that, the water had to be heated at least half an hour in advance and the fire must be watched.

Inspector Lowell wasn't a particularly fastidious person. He could accept bathing once every ten days or so. But, when living with Yang Qiu, who was always fresh and clean, with even a faint hint of fragrance, Inspector Lowell naturally couldn't lose…

While Yang Qiu and Inspector Lowell were enjoying the quiet night with someone else serving them, the players entered the final round of Inner Demon instance dungeons for the weekend event.

With the experience of having successfully cleared the instance once and the added bonuses of newly acquired shiny equipment flowing into the player community, the number of players participating in the Inner Demon instance dungeons at this time reached a new peak.

The loot… no, equipment seized this time was way too much. Even the big spenders like Brother Lahong and Qin Guan couldn't monopolize it all. Many casual players also obtained one or two pieces of equipment through the copper coins they had saved, significantly boosting their combat power. Naturally, the number of people wanting to challenge their limits also increased.

Two hours in the game passed, and these casual players were thoroughly schooled and finally realized how inflated their heads were… The monsters in the instance were completely different from the ordinary mobs!

These casual players grumbled as they withdrew, either logging out and waiting for the in-game dawn to return or heading to Desolate Outpost or Weisshem to play around. Anything was better than spending half the day forming a team, only to be wiped out in less than three minutes inside the instance.

Of course, not all casual players would give up so easily.

Two players, decked out in extremely luxurious equipment from helmet to knee guards, appeared in Exile Town's Third Street. They stood at the spot where people teamed up for the most popular Hal's Inner Demon instance and hollered, "Two bosses looking for mercenaries to carry us through! Any strong fighters available? 100 yuan red envelope for everyone upon successful clear!"

"It's not certain to beat the instance even with a full squad of 11. Who can even handle a 9+2 formation now?" A nearby player, who was also seeking a team, shook his head.

One of the two bosses glanced at this player, then raised his hand and shouted loudly, "Sincerely recruiting powerful workers, 200 yuan red envelope for each successful completion! 300 yuan for the team leader! Long-term partnership!"

"The heck!" Now, not only the players nearby were stunned. Everyone else in the area looking for teams was taken aback.

Regardless of whether others were tempted, Yang Ying was definitely intrigued and immediately went to drag her companions over…