The Dead City (Seeking Follow-up Reads)

"This city is already dead."

Gu Xi glanced around and said this directly.

As a Necromancer, Gu Xi could clearly sense that this land before him was filled with a Death Aura.

This aura wasn't the kind produced by an over-concentration of undead or an accumulation of Negative Energy.

It was the ethereal feeling of an entire city having died.

Standing on this ground, Gu Xi felt as if a great whale had fallen, and he was now inside its body.

Just then, Luna drifted over, pressing close behind Gu Xi, and whispered softly in his ear.

"My lord, take this city."

Gu Xi was taken aback. Take this city? Did she mean this abandoned, nearly collapsed castle, or...

Gu Xi looked around and suddenly realized that this place might actually be interesting.

Though the castle before him was in ruins, its footprint and original materials remained. Gu Xi could tell at a glance that this had once served both military and residential purposes.

As a Necromancer, if he truly took this city, he would have a place to station his troops in the future.

Just as Gu Xi was about to agree, Luna flew toward the castle gate.

As she flew, she kept looking back at Gu Xi.

"Come on, hurry!"

Now Gu Xi was confused instead.

Weren't they supposed to occupy this castle before them? Why was she running off like this?

Though he didn't understand, Gu Xi still trusted Luna. He quickly followed after her.

At the same time, behind him, all one hundred and eighty Skeletons moved in unison.

The Skeletons formed into Battle Squads advanced in formation, while those not assigned to any squad swarmed behind Gu Xi, bumping into each other and clattering with a cacophony of clicks and clacks.

But Gu Xi had no mind to deal with them now. Following Luna out through the castle gate, he realized that the city she wanted wasn't the castle before him at all.

It was a vast, empty city ahead.

The legendary Mirror False City of Victoria City.

The city before him was clearly built in the architectural style of the fifteenth or sixteenth century. Its layout was somewhat chaotic, with stone houses seemingly erected at random, lacking any planning.

The ground, however, was quite clean—nothing like the streets of that era.

But Gu Xi noticed that this city, like the castle, was filled with a sense of deathly stillness.

As if this city had long since died.

Though the buildings within the city were still standing, Gu Xi felt as though he had entered a Dead City.

While Gu Xi was still marveling at the state of the city before him, he suddenly heard Luna speak.

"Aryadovi."

"What?"

Gu Xi's heart jolted, and he couldn't help blurting out.

Luna then snapped back to reality and turned to ask, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. What did you just say? Arya..."

"Nothing." Luna shook her head firmly, having no memory of what she had just said.

Seeing Luna's expression, Gu Xi instead calmed down.

Looking at the city before him, which wasn't too large, a thought suddenly flashed through Gu Xi's mind.

Could Luna be the City Spirit of this place?

He had heard before that if a city was ancient enough or special enough, a City Spirit would gradually emerge, existing as the Guardian of the City.

If Luna were the City Spirit of this city, then her reaction just now would make sense.

A city that had just died—even if the spirit had become a Contract Undead because of Gu Xi—would still hold some attachment to the city.

If they hadn't come to this city, Gu Xi might have simply used Luna as an ordinary Contract Undead.

After leaving this Game World, Gu Xi would have found a way to strengthen his Undead Army. If possible, when he reached level 3, he would contract another powerful undead.

But now the situation was different. Having arrived at this Mirror False City and learning of Luna's possible identity, Gu Xi's options naturally multiplied.

"Luna, lead the way. Don't be afraid. I'll always be right behind you."

His thoughts only turned for a moment before Gu Xi quickly made his decision.

"B-but I don't know where to go," Luna said hesitantly.

"It's fine. Go wherever you want. Follow your own heart."

Gu Xi soothed Luna.

Under Gu Xi's soothing, Luna instead calmed down, her hollow eyes fixed on a certain direction outside the city.

Before Gu Xi had spoken, Luna hadn't felt anything.

Now it was different—now Luna had an urge to rush over immediately.

As he spoke, Gu Xi kept watching Luna's emotional reactions.

The moment he saw Luna's expression, Gu Xi knew there was a chance.

"Don't overthink it. Let's go."

Luna, upon hearing this, actually followed Gu Xi's words, ignoring whatever path lay ahead and heading straight toward the place that drew her.

Gu Xi followed behind Luna, flanked by four Battle Squads and a motley assortment of Skeletons.

After charging out of the city, Gu Xi looked back and found that the castle behind them had vanished into the mist.

It seemed that the completely abandoned city was, as the legends of Victoria City said, merely the entrance to the city before them.

Inside the castle, there might not have been any feeling, but now that they were out, it was different.

The castle disappearing into the mist meant the way back was gone.

Gu Xi was still dwelling on this when he suddenly heard a rustling sound nearby.

He turned toward the source of the noise and saw figures flickering deep within the mist.

Gu Xi glanced at Luna, who was forging ahead without a care, then pointed at a Skeleton.

That Skeleton showed no reaction at all.

This irritated Gu Xi somewhat.

These summoned undead were just not as useful as Contract Undead.

Some things had to be ordered before they would act; without a command or if the gesture was too subtle, they had no idea what to do.

They only ever followed Gu Xi around, charging in to hack at enemies when they saw them.

Gu Xi was used to having Luna help communicate with these undead, but now that something had happened to Luna, his command nearly became a problem.

Fortunately, Gu Xi reacted quickly. He pointed at the Skeleton and said, "You, go into the mist and check what those figures are. The rest of the Skeletons, gather around me."

Under Gu Xi's orders, the Skeletons moved swiftly.

As the Skeletons stirred, Gu Xi suddenly noticed something—at some point, enemies had infiltrated his ranks.

This is the New Book period. Please help out with follows, recommendations, and the like. Thank you!