Heroes of Might and Magic: Grand Consul

Chapter 148 The Haunted City (Bonus Chapter for 750 Votes)
Ivan received a letter from home and eventually came to see Sumu.

Regardless of any past twists and turns, Argyll was ultimately his surname. Moreover, his father and brother had been forced by Salman and even wanted him to go out and make a living, showing their good intentions.

Previously, when Salman and the Cult of the Void sent troops to attack the western part of the Marquisate, he led his troops to defend it, hoping to demonstrate his stance.

The two sides are now exchanging prisoners and resources, and there are no signs of a deadly confrontation for the time being, which has given them room to maneuver.

When his family was truly in danger, he wanted to ask Su Mu for help, or for him to return to Baishi City to rescue his father and brothers.

Ivan sat imposingly on the stone chair, looking at Su Mu with unwavering eyes: "Lord, White Stone City is in imminent danger. I hope you can lend me a hand."

When I see my brother, I will persuade him to return to his territory. If Salman continues to press the issue, I will fight them to the death!

Su Mu patted Ivan on the shoulder, signaling him not to get excited: "Although I don't know how Rhodes got the information, I've caught him red-handed cooperating with the Void Cult."

There is evidence of the deal, and if he insists on pressuring the Argyll family, I will take this matter to Congress.

He'd heard that Rhodes was vying with Gabe for the ducal throne, and he definitely didn't want to cause any more trouble.

It's no secret that the Northern Family has connections with the Arcane Empire, but the timing is too sensitive, and Rhodes certainly doesn't want to make a big fuss.

This consideration likely extends to wars that disrupt trade routes.

Similarly, Su Mu's reluctance to antagonize Salman and the Void God Cult was also due to considerations of the Ivan family's situation.

Therefore, Su Mu felt that it was the best option for the Argyle family to withdraw at this time.

"The fields of Langlitburg have yielded a harvest. I will go with you to Whitestone City to relieve the starving people and resolve the conflict between Argyle and Salman!"

The county town has used a large amount of timber to temporarily preserve the soil's fertility, and crops have been sown on time, so a large harvest will soon follow. At this point, transporting enough grain for ten thousand people to White Stone City will be no problem at all.

“Shield soldiers are too slow. This time we will take 300 Wild Griffins and all the Thunder Swordsmen with us. The food will be transported by the Griffins.”

If Ivan were to command this number and level of extraordinary troops, it would be fine if the war lasted a short time, but if it became a protracted war, his mana would be a problem. Having Su Mu accompany him is the best outcome.

Ivan was deeply moved by the lord's words. He knew that Sumu's willingness to make this trip was a testament to their friendship. Moreover, his willingness to allocate provisions during a month of disaster was already an act of great kindness.

Ivan's Loyalty +5

Seeing that the other person was about to burst into tears, Su Mu laughed loudly: "Don't overthink it. It is only right and proper for a human lord to help disaster victims. Whether it is White Stone City or Gray Stone City, I will lend a helping hand if it is within my ability."

Besides, you promised to make a name for yourself in the plains, how can you get stuck in such a small predicament?

Hearing Su Mu's teasing, Ivan laughed out loud, dispelling the gloom in his heart and restoring his resilient mindset.

"Alright, then I'll go and organize the troops!"

After Ivan finished speaking, he quickly ran out and led his troops on a march north.

After Ivan left, Su Mu couldn't help but look north, a worried expression on his face.

Famine is common in Whitestone City, and disasters are not uncommon during the month of calamity, but ghost stories are rather strange.

Could it be that the Grand Duke of the Dead has awakened and sent his men to find the Argyll family?
It's not impossible.

……

A cold wind swept through the quiet, dark room.

Boo and his squad of spearmen stood ready, searching every nook and cranny to ensure no monster was missed.

This is the third week of the famine. The food supply in White Stone City could have lasted for a while, but it was secretly sabotaged, causing many civilians to starve to death in the streets.

Lord Soya Argyle promised to send a batch of grain, but he never received a single bag of flour.

Some say the nobles are raising prices arbitrarily, making grain too expensive to buy; others say that ghosts roam the city, stealing grain and burying it in the cemetery, and many farmers find food in the cemetery, but after eating this grain, their bodies quickly decay and turn into bones.

As a member of the extraordinary soldier class, Boo naturally didn't believe in such ghost stories. There must be monsters wreaking havoc, corrupting and infecting ordinary people, turning them into skeletons.

This infamous magical skill, widely known in the world of heroes, is called Necromancy.

Ordinary people have very low magical power characteristics, and even if they are killed, it is difficult for them to transform on a large scale. But it is different for extraordinary soldiers.

Therefore, the lurking mastermind targeted the resting archers. When Soya summoned his soldiers at dawn, he shouted several times, only to find many vacancies, one of which belonged to the owner of this house.

As the commander of the spearmen, he naturally had to relieve the city lord's worries, so he led his men to this place to collect clues and try to find the enemy's whereabouts.

"Black stone, soul flame, moldy objects, and a slightly sweet smell."

It seems the wizard has cast an evil spell, brutally murdering the archer and taking his body!

There was only a pool of blood on the ground; the body had long since disappeared.

We're too late!

A sorrowful sigh drifted through the room, but there was no reply.

His men rushed forward. There seemed to be leftover food on the ground, which smelled delicious and was a delicacy for the soldiers who had been starving for many days.

"Greedy bastards, are you still warriors of the castle? You've turned into this just because of these scraps?"

Boo whipped his men a few times, giving them a good scolding, before leading them out the door.

The entire city was shrouded in dark clouds, and the scene was one of desolation. Wild crows landed by the roadside and pecked at the bones of the dead.

This tragic scene was like a living hell.

Boo couldn't understand why no one was doing anything about White Rock City's current state. Wasn't Salman planning to use the city as a trading hub? How could so many people have starved to death?
He even complained to Lord Soya, saying that Lord Ivan was doing a good job, and the city's residents lived in peace and prosperity. Although they didn't make a lot of money, they didn't starve to death. But now things have turned out like this.

He heard that in the morning, a large number of people flocked to the council hall, demanding food and hoping that the lord would provide some relief.

But in the current situation, even the superhuman troops don't have enough food, let alone ordinary people.
Many farmers drank snow water when thirsty and ate tree bark when hungry, struggling to survive, not knowing when someone would come to their rescue.

Soya did say that if we held on for a few more days, there would be reinforcements and food, but could everyone hold on until then?

Bo patted his stomach, which was thin and bony. Perhaps the hunger had passed, because he didn't feel as much pain as usual today.

"Just hang in there a little longer, and we'll be able to get something to eat!"

The musketeers behind him expressed their discontent sparsely with the barrels of their rifles, seemingly still savoring the food they had just eaten.

"Let's go, let's continue our patrol and try to find the evil wizard and his undead soldiers as soon as possible!"

Just as Boo was about to move, he heard some noises from the next room. He used his spear to pry open the tattered straw mat, and there was a trembling little boy hiding underneath.

This person was pale and thin, malnourished, yet he survived on an empty jar, which was clearly a previously stored grain.

The boy stared at them in terror, his arms trembling, as if worried that these superhuman soldiers would steal the food he depended on for survival.

Boo reached out his hand, offering him the gentlest gesture he could muster: "Don't be afraid, we are the guardians of White Stone City, we will not harm you."

He thought the little boy would gladly accept his kindness, but to his surprise, the boy's pupils constricted, he was terrified, and he screamed and ran away into the distance.

"Ghosts! Ghosts!"

"A ghost? Where is the ghost?"

Boao stood frozen, his gaze slowly moving downwards. He saw a gigantic skeletal hand, its surface wrapped in rotting, blackened flesh, the arm clad in the castle's standard armor. But further down, a gaping hole opened in the abdomen, revealing dark, foul-smelling entrails teeming with maggots and flies. From the groin down, only bones remained; the flesh had been completely devoured.

He raised his weapon, the spearhead reflecting the dim light, revealing a row of skulls and pale soul fire.

Distant memories suddenly flooded back, giving him a headache. A few days ago, the city lord of Soya summoned soldiers, and among those whose names weren't mentioned seemed to be the spearman commander, Bo'ao.

He led his men in pursuit of the murderer, but the many houses where archers were resting were devoured by the starving before they could even pick up their weapons.

"I'm so hungry, I'm so hungry!"

"Since everyone is struggling to survive, it's better to sacrifice some people to benefit others. That way, we'll live up to the name of the castle."

Boo's decaying skeletal face twitched slowly, revealing an eerie smile.

"Let's go, let's continue patrolling and look for 'clues'!"

(End of this chapter)