Chapter 684: Guide (1/2)

“It is quite a sight,” a sultry voice commented to Zac’s side, dragging him out of his reverie.

“Dreamers living among our people. I didn’t believe my master when he told me,” Zac said with a snort as he turned toward the source of the voice.

It was a Revenant, seemingly a human with a bit of demonic heritage. She didn’t have any horns, but her hands were a bit clawed and her skin had a thin pattern reminiscent of that of the Torrid Demons. She wore a tightfitting dress that looked more like an evening gown than a cultivator’s attire, but she did emit the aura of someone at early E-Grade.

He couldn’t tell whether she was a turned Revenant or if she was a natural-born undead of peak E-Grade warriors, but he guessed the latter was more common in an established place like this.

“Is young master perchance an Imperial?” the Revenant asked, and her eyes lit up when Zac slightly nodded.

He had already decided to go under the guise as a random scion of an imperial Draugr-clan after hearing the introduction from the Corpselord guard earlier. It felt like the safest bet, considering he still didn't know if there were actual pureblood Draugr native to a place like this.

“May I ask if young master requires a guide? I am a native to Twilight Harbor and know all the outs and inns. I can make myself available for as long as master needs, and I’m sure young Master will be satisfied by my… services.”

The Revenant was a professional guide, just as Zac assumed. It was a pretty common way for cultivators to make some extra money, especially among the weaker cultivators who were afraid to risk their lives in Mystic Realms or hunting grounds. A glance around the square showed that there were over a thousand teleportation stations just like the one he arrived in, and there was a small group of cultivators waiting outside all of them.

The voluptuous Revenant wasn’t the only one waiting outside the station where Zac appeared, there were actually six more undead guides. There were also 5 living ones; three humans, a treant, and a beastkin. However, none of the living had approached Zac when he appeared, and Zac guessed there were unspoken rules at play here.

“Ah, Triskatal is a decent bedwarmer, but her connections are lacking. Young master strikes me as a man with great purpose who has better things to do than to waste with a mere female. I have connections with two information houses, and I can provide far more detailed accounts of events and noteworthy persons in Twilight Harbor,” a Corpselord said as he donned a terrifying smile, though Zac guessed he was trying to look amiable.

The Revenant threw the competition infuriated glance, but she didn’t have time to for a rebuttal before another guide spoke up, detailing the perks of hiring them. It almost turned into a brawl, leading Zac to believe there was a surplus of guides compared to visitors. However, Zac’s curiosity was piqued as one of the guides stood silent.

It wasn’t that she was above competing with the others, she just lacked presence. She tried to speak up a few times, but she was quickly shot down, seemingly unable to shamelessly boast with such gusto. Of course, that wasn’t really why he was curious.

“Ah, don’t mind that lass. She’s a novice, and she was fired by her last employer,” the Triskatal said when she noticed Zac’s look. “She actually has the nerve to charge 50 E-grade Nexus Coins a day as well, as though she is a senior guide.”

“You are Draugr?” Zac asked, ignoring the comment.

Zac couldn’t stop some hesitation from seeping into his voice as he asked though, since she looked a bit different from himself or Catheya. Her eyes were black orbs just like his own, but they were matte and void of the abyssal feeling that Draugr eyes naturally possessed. She also had a few traits not normally associated with Draugr, such as slightly pointy ears and an odd vertical ridge in her forehead.

“I wouldn’t dare,” the young girl said with a bow. “There happens to be some divine blood in my ancestry. But I am not part of the Draugr-clans living in Twilight Harbor. You can consider me a normal Revenant.”

“Hmm,” Zac said.

He was quite relieved by her words. It had been a bit of a gamble to seal his Specialty Core in his undead state since he didn’t know what kind of reactions his Draugr heritage would create in a place like this. But between how common it seemed to be for ‘Imperials’ to come here, and the fact that there was actual Draugr-clans present, it looked like his appearance wouldn’t create any waves.

Part of him wanted to stay under the radar as he went about his businesses, but his experiences in Base Town and his subsequent experiences had imparted him with some valuable knowledge. Being too inconspicuous would only result in you getting discriminated against and losing out on important opportunities.

If anything, trying to lay low increased the odds of you getting in trouble with people with strong backgrounds, as no one would miss a dead wandering cultivator. Meanwhile, his Draugr appearance essentially made him a VIP by birthright, and people wouldn’t randomly move against him out of fear of whatever clan backed him. In fact, even the local clans would speak up for him if it came to it, as the nobility of the five races couldn’t be impugned.

Of course, the goal was to strike a balance. Going too far in posturing would just make you a target, like the Eveningtide Asura or Yrial.

“A- I, I have information connections as well!” the half-blood Draugr hurriedly said when Zac didn’t speak up again. “My father is a fact-checker for a local intelligence merchant. I am up to date to all the latest events!”

“Why were you fired by your last employer?” Vilari asked as she understood Zac was interested.

“I don’t provide… those… kinds of services,” the girl said as her eyes darted toward the Revenant called Triskatal. “The employer thought it was implied because of the price.”

“Good, I’ll hire you. Let’s start with one week and take it from there,” Zac nodded as he took off his mask, his appearance creating some waves among the congregated guides.

“Pureblood,” one of the Revenants whispered with a mix of dejection and envy, and the other guides sighed and walked away.

They might have been willing to compete for the assignment before, but they gave up when they saw Zac’s abyssal eyes. The noble races tended to stay with their own, and a half-blood Draugr was obviously better than a normal Revenant.

“I’m Nala. Thank you for giving me this opportunity. Where do young master wish to go?” Nala asked, clearly having some trouble looking into Zac’s eyes. Perhaps she felt a bit pressured by speaking with a proper pureblood Draugr.

“I’m in no hurry, take us to some interesting places,” Zac said with a smile. “It’s not often I get to leave the clan.”

“Ah, if young master wishes to relieve stress during his stay, I am always available to accompany you. I also have connections with various Flower Houses. Someone with your grand heritage would be welcomed with the utmost of service,” Triskatal hurriedly said as Zac started walking away.

A communication crystal flew up from between her breasts the next moment, making its way toward Zac. However, the crystal disintegrated as Vilari sent a spiritual wave at it, making the Revenant grimace.

“That won’t be necessary,” Zac said as he walked away with Vilari silently walking in tow.

Zac emitted the aura of a Peak-E Grade warrior, but he was still just in the middle stages and his body was still solely powered by the black ichor sitting in his veins. Of course, Triv had actually divulged that there were compounds that could temporarily awaken one’s body, not only making amorous encounters but even pregnancy possible.

However, those kinds of zombie erection pills left behind quite a bit of pill poison, and indulging too much in them could even harm one’s foundations.

“If the young master wishes to take in the sights of Twilight Harbor, how about a boat ride between the plateaus?” Nala ventured.