Someone who hadn't seen light for over three months could go blind if suddenly exposed to sunlight.

  When they reached the prison entrance, Luo Wei stopped and pulled a strip of cloth from her spatial ring, having Patrick tie it over Zachary's eyes.

  "I don't need your help—I'll do it myself!"

  Zachary snatched the cloth away. With trembling hands raised, he wrapped it around his own head.

  After he finished, Luo Wei had Patrick push open the stone door. The two of them and one undead walked out together.

  Smelling the fresh air outside, Zachary took a deep breath. His curved spine straightened considerably.

  Remembering her promise to the Fire God last night—to soothe Zachary's wounded spirit with delicious food—Luo Wei pulled a basket of pastries and bread from her ring.

  "Mr. Bunian, would you like to eat something first?"

  "No—" Smelling the tempting sweet aroma wafting from the basket, Zachary swallowed the rest of his refusal and said stiffly, "Well, maybe I'll have a little."

  "Alright." Luo Wei handed the basket to Patrick, having him feed Zachary.

  The elegant undead mage was somewhat resistant to feeding a dried-up old man bread. After receiving the order, the flames in his eyes dimmed considerably.

  He held the basket in one hand while pinching his other hand into an orchid finger gesture. Using two fingers, he plucked out a slice of bread and quickly stuffed it into Zachary's hand.

  Zachary grabbed the bread slice, sniffed it under his nose, opened his mouth wide, and wolfed it down.

  "Don't eat too fast—you'll choke." Luo Wei also handed over a water pouch.

  Zachary drained the water pouch in one gulp. His gray-blue complexion visibly reddened.

  "Blegh—" Only after finishing did he react, clutching his throat and gagging. "That stinks! What the hell did you make me drink!"

  "Healing potion. Didn't you sense the magical elements in it?" Luo Wei took the water pouch back.

  This pouch had been used at the arena. It had contained potion brewed by Hol. Rinsing it with some water might still have some medicinal effect!

  Zachary didn't know this was a Lich's handiwork. He cursed loudly, "Are the potion makers from the Misty Plains missing their noses? What kind of garbage is this? It smells worse than pig shit!"

  "It stinks a bit, but the medicinal effect is good, isn't it?" Luo Wei appeared extremely tolerant. "Alright, Mr. Bunian, let's discuss how to send you back."

  "Do you want to go by water, by air, or through the teleportation array?"

  Zachary's stomach churned. He gritted his teeth and took a while to recover before saying, "Release my men. And give back the ship we used to reach the island. I don't need you to escort me."

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  Luo Wei said tactfully, "Your subordinates probably don't have the strength to row. Their daily tasks have been quite demanding."

  Quarrying stone, chopping trees, paving roads, building walls, clearing wasteland—the island had endless hard labor. Those slave traders were exhausted like dogs every day. How could they have the strength to row for him?

  "How about this—I'll have Patrick escort you out to Nakisese Bay. Then you can send word for your own people to pick you up. How's that?"

  Still asking him "how's that?"

  Besides agreeing, what choice did he have!

  Zachary felt chest tightness and shortness of breath. "Fine."

  Luo Wei nodded and instructed Patrick, "Have Mark bring Mr. Bunian's subordinates over. Also call some undead to check the ship for damage. If there is any, repair it."

  [Yes, Master.]

  Patrick set down the bread basket and drifted away with vacant eyes.

  Luo Wei glanced at the sky, then turned to Zachary. "Mr. Bunian, I have something to attend to, so I'll take my leave first. Please forgive the poor hospitality. Wait here for a bit—Patrick will return soon."

  "Do as you please." Zachary sat down where he was.

  "Alright then, I'll be off. Goodbye, Mr. Bunian."

  Luo Wei summoned her wings and flew into the sky.

  Hearing the sound of her flapping wings, Zachary tilted his head back. Through the cloth strip, he opened his eyes and saw a blurry black shadow in the sky.

  After waiting ten breaths, he yanked off the cloth strip. His pine-green eyes, soaked by ice and snow, shone with a sharp light. His gaze quickly swept around. When he saw the rows and columns of eerily orderly undead tombstones beside the prison, his eyelid twitched. Two seconds later, he looked elsewhere.

  Ever since Luo Wei issued the Undead Housing Regulations and lifestyle discipline rules, all the undead had moved into the cramped, densely-packed undead cemetery. They couldn't even turn around without bumping into neighbors on all sides. Making noise would get them reported. Gradually, they stopped liking to hang around here.

  Except for sleeping, the undead spent their other time playing in hidden corners of the island—caves, sinkholes, under large rocks, and in dangerous forests. Staying in those places made it harder for Luo Wei to draft them for labor.

  So the cemetery was very quiet now, with no undead in sight.

  After scanning the area and seeing no one, Zachary stood up from the ground. His sensitive ears picked up lively human voices in the distance. He kicked off the ground and shot toward the sound.

  On top of the cliff, Luo Wei looked down at Zachary's racing figure below, watching him sprint toward the distant temple. She felt quite emotional.

  To gather intelligence on her, Zachary had endured hardship and humiliation, locked in a dark stone cell for nearly four months. His muscular body had starved down to dried jerky. With that kind of willpower, what couldn't he succeed at?

  Yet he chose to waste time on her.

  Luo Wei didn't understand what about herself was worth such effort to investigate. She only had two or three hundred subordinates. Aside from Troy and Patrick, she had no impressive followers.

  Zachary—a major power holder commanding heavy troops—would rather starve himself into a stick figure than give up on probing her secrets. He'd sacrificed people and effort but refused to quit.

  Ah, maybe this was just the charm of the God of Death and Time!

  Aside from that temple, he was destined to discover nothing.

  Luo Wei took one last look at Zachary's retreating figure, spread her wings, and flew toward the teleportation array.

  On the ground.

  Zachary passed through the forest, silently approaching where the island residents were building houses.

  Through the screening flowers and trees, wooden houses of strange style appeared before his eyes. The eaves curved upward like wings, the lines flowing and graceful, the structure rigorous and balanced, the design elegant. The framework connections were seamlessly tight, everywhere revealing harmonious, elegant, and dignified beauty.

  Zachary had never seen this architectural style. He'd never even imagined such a building method. Without a single nail or rivet, they could create such beautiful houses.

  This was definitely not Western Continent architecture, much less the style of the Wastes!

  Luo Wei hadn't lied. She really did come from the mysterious Misty Plains!

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