Building the Strongest Undead Empire from Scratch

Chapter 199: Miss Alex... is that you?

Alex knelt beside Chi-Chi, checking her breathing. It was faint.

Chi-Chi had no visible wounds, but Alex, though not an expert in soul magic, had some understanding of souls. She guessed that Chi-Chi's soul had been damaged.

"I'm too late," Alex murmured, cradling Chi-Chi in her arms. Chi-Chi seemed to sense Alex's warmth, her fingers twitching slightly, but she remained unconscious.

Chi-Chi had likely been struck by the angel's holy light, an attack that, like Alex's dark magic, directly harmed the soul. Ironically, angels would call it soul purification.

Alex's escape route was cut off, surrounded by ruins in the desert. The angel had destroyed the castle crystal to prevent Alex from fleeing, but hadn't anticipated losing to her.

Despite the dire situation, Alex didn't panic. She knew that if she could leave the desert and find a Lord, she could easily return to Undead City.

Among the ruins, Alex saw the bodies of Luca's other allies, including a middle-aged man who bore a resemblance to Chi-Chi. They were all dead, with no chance of survival.

"Sigh," Alex sighed, realizing that Chi-Chi's family was gone, and she herself was in grave danger.

Alex dug a large pit, placing the bodies inside and setting them ablaze. She then buried their ashes in the desert sand.

"Rest in peace," she whispered.

Next, Alex approached the ice-sealed angel. His golden eyes glared at her with fury. Alex raised her right hand, conjuring a black spear that pierced the angel through the ice.

With the angel dealt with, Alex quickly gathered the scattered supplies and summoned the angel and Templar Knights as Reaper Guards. She then ordered the Reaper Guards to leave and await further commands elsewhere.

Summoning Reaper Guards was practical; regular undead would draw too much attention, but Reaper Guards could hide in shadows and teleport to Alex when needed.

Alex buried all traces of the battle under the desert sand, ensuring no one would know what had happened there.

She hoisted Chi-Chi onto her back, donned a black robe from her ring, and used the red moon in the sky to orient herself before flying east.

In Undead City, the siblings waited for hours, but Alex didn't return.

"Do you think something happened over there?" Xiao Hui asked, worried. Even attacking a castle shouldn't take this long.

"I'll ask," Xiao Mu said, sending a message to Alex. "Leader, how's it going? Is it resolved?"

Alex quickly replied, "There's a problem. They were all wiped out. I couldn't save them, and my escape route is cut off. I can't return to Undead City for now."

Xiao Mu: "What about the enemy? How will you get back?"

Alex: "I killed the enemy. Returning to Undead City isn't an issue. I just need to find a Lord."

Alex: "Don't worry about me. Proceed with the attack on the hobgoblin kingdom as planned. You take command and focus on gaining strength."

Xiao Mu: "Got it."

Xiao Mu closed the chat interface. Xiao Hui, who had been peeking over his shoulder, understood the situation.

"Those damn angels are so despicable. They destroyed the castle just as Alex got there. Now Miss Alex might not be back for days," Xiao Hui fumed.

The distance between Lords wasn't fixed. If lucky, Alex might find a Lord in a few hours and return. If unlucky, it could take a month.

"Don't worry. She took a huge risk to save a subject, showing she's worth following," Xiao Mu reassured her.

"I know. I just hate those native races," Xiao Hui grumbled.

"When should we attack the hobgoblin kingdom? Now?" Xiao Hui asked.

Xiao Mu checked the system time. It was past eleven at night.

"Tomorrow. We need to inform Alex's undead," Xiao Mu said. Although he had Alex's orders, coordinating all the undead required the cooperation of the Monarch levels and Race Kings.

"Alright, let's get some sleep," Xiao Hui said, heading to her palace, leaving the matter to Xiao Mu.

[Night retreats, dawn arrives.]

The next morning, the undead army was assembled outside the main fortress. Azure and John had returned from Emerald Hills. With four Monarch levels stationed at Sophie's and Emerald Hills, all other Monarch levels were in Undead City.

Including Azure and John, there were fifteen Monarch levels in Undead City.

In the city square, the siblings and several undead gathered to plan the attack.

Since a necromancer had died and none were stationed in the city, Xiao Mu arranged for a necromancer from Emerald Hills to switch places with one of the Monarch levels.

"We'll build the undead fortress as leader instructed, directly under the hobgoblin kingdom's barrier. You all will provide cover," Xiao Mu explained to the undead.

"Five stay behind, not enough, support," Azure's ethereal voice suggested.

Xiao Mu understood, meaning ten Monarch levels would fight, leaving five to guard the city, with reinforcements if needed.

"Alright, let's move out," Xiao Mu said decisively.

"Arthur, carry them. Focus on advancing to Monarch level," Azure instructed Arthur.

"And me," John added. As a newly advanced Monarch level, John could fly but was slower than a Commanding level bone dragon.

Xiao Hui noticed Azure's blue eyes glance at John.

Arthur carried the siblings and John south, followed by Azure, Riven, and ten Monarch levels. The massive zombie titan, though a Monarch level, was too slow and stayed to guard Undead City.

Meanwhile, Alex was growing frustrated. The desert was larger than she had imagined. She had flown all night without seeing the end, and there were no signs of life, let alone a Lord.

Alex felt she might have flown in the wrong direction. Luca and his allies couldn't have thrived in such a barren place. One direction must be closer to the desert's edge.

But having flown all night, she decided to continue east. Luca hadn't had time to tell her anything before he died.

"Ugh... cough..." Chi-Chi suddenly coughed and spat out blood.

Alex quickly landed and gently laid Chi-Chi down.

"Miss Alex... is that you?" Chi-Chi asked weakly. Alex noticed her forehead was burning, her face pale, and her lips bloodless.

"It's me. I'm here," Alex said, letting Chi-Chi lean against her arm. She used ice and fire magic to create water, which she floated to Chi-Chi's lips with wind magic.

But Chi-Chi only managed a few sips before vomiting violently, expelling blood and remnants of food. "Miss Alex... thank you... where's the enemy... and my father and brother?" Chi-Chi asked, her voice growing weaker.

Alex hesitated for a moment. "The enemy is dead. They're all fine, but you're seriously injured. You need to speak less. I'll find a way to heal you."

"Okay..." Chi-Chi nodded weakly, not asking further questions, and Alex sighed in relief.

"I didn't want... to trouble Miss Alex anymore..." Chi-Chi said dejectedly. She could sense her own injuries clearly, feeling as if her soul and body were rejecting each other.

"Don't say such nonsense," Alex replied, seeing Chi-Chi grow weaker. She quickly hoisted Chi-Chi onto her back and flew east, ignoring her Mana Points' consumption. She needed to get out of the desert fast.

"Miss Alex... that angel... he emitted a golden light... and all our troops died... I was hit by the light... and then I lost consciousness..." Chi-Chi explained weakly.

Alex's eyes narrowed. That was the angel's domain. She was surprised that Chi-Chi, as a level 1 Commanding, had survived the angel's domain.

"That angel... was really strong... but... Miss Alex is the strongest... I didn't expect even an angel... couldn't beat Miss Alex..."

"I want to become as strong as Miss Alex... those damn angels... I thought they were supposed to be good..."

Alex responded absentmindedly, but internally, she was growing more concerned. Chi-Chi's increasing chatter was not a good sign, as if she were experiencing a final burst of energy before the end.

Alex sped up, flying east as fast as she could, disregarding her Mana Points' depletion. She needed to leave the desert as soon as possible.

Before she knew it, Chi-Chi had passed out again.