Dark Wizard: Rise! My undead army!

The news of the new owner of the Shadow Mine spreading quietly like a deathly fog in the valley had only been there for a few days.

It's not unusual for the Bone Spire to send a new wizard, since they change every ten years.

Strangely, the new garrison commander, "Lord of All Things" Lynn, came alone, without even a single apprentice or servant by his side.

This has a different meaning for the few small families who have been entrenched on the outskirts of the Valley of Sinking Souls for generations, relying on the Bone Spire to draw resources from death for survival.

It seems this young wizard has only recently been promoted and has no one else to rely on...

This means... an opportunity.

Such a young, fully-fledged wizard, barring any unforeseen circumstances, is destined for great achievements, perhaps even reaching a high position within the Bone Spire.

Now that he is all alone, as long as the members of his family can gain a foothold under his command and become part of his "core group", then the family will have a powerful network of connections in the future.

Perhaps... it can truly allow the family to stand up!

This is truly a case of "when one person attains enlightenment, even their chickens and dogs ascend to heaven"!

On the morning of the third day, just as Lynn finished his initial perception of the Mark of Truth and was preparing to continue optimizing the "Meditation of All Things," a warning came from outside the fortress via the Soulfire Link from the undead guards.

There were visitors, and more than one group. It seemed that three forces had come together, and their expressions were full of respect.

After the undead were questioned, the visitors announced their identities.

It turns out they were three small families near the Valley of Fallen Souls.

Lynn frowned slightly. He hated unnecessary disturbances, especially when he had just sorted out the affairs inside the mine and was preparing to devote himself to cultivation.

But since we are in the main world, it is inevitable to interact with people, especially since I now represent the "Bone Spire Academy".

After having the undead guards lead the people to the reception room, Lynn suppressed the five-colored energy flowing around him, got up and walked out of the cultivation room.

Led by a "Skeleton Guardian," the three factions entered the fortress area, where a giant oak tree came into view, its body constantly emanating a contradictory aura of life and death.

A fiery vine coiled around the trunk of the oak tree, as if it were wearing a chain of flames.

More importantly... this tree is actually a calamity-level undead creature!

It should be noted that the strongest members of the three major families are currently only clan leaders whose strength has reached the peak of the third-level apprentice level, and they are mutually restraining each other.

It's astonishing that even a single gatekeeper has reached the level of calamity.

As expected of a "big shot" who came from the Tower of Bones, his strength is indeed substantial.

Inside the fortress's simple reception hall, three groups of people were already standing, clearly separated from each other.

On the left is an elderly man with dark skin, whose body has a hard texture left by the bone enhancement. Behind him is a smart-eyed boy who keeps glancing around.

This is Heruk, the patriarch of the "Iron Skeleton Family," and Baal, the outstanding young man from the family he brought with him.

In the middle stood a middle-aged man with shrewd and calculating eyes, dressed in a well-tailored dark gray robe. Beside him stood a young man of average appearance but with an unusually steady posture.

This is Morton, the patriarch of the Keller family, and his son Oleg.

On the right is a beautiful woman who still retains her charm and has a gentle temperament, with a young girl standing beside her.

The girl was about fifteen or sixteen years old. Her appearance was as exquisite as a rare "shadow flower" in the valley. She had fair skin, soft eyebrows and eyes, and wore an elegant black apprentice robe. She stood there quietly, yet naturally attracted attention.

This is Vera, the patriarch of the Nightsong family, and her daughter Arya.

Upon seeing Lynn's appearance, the three clan leaders, regardless of their inner thoughts, all wore the most sincere and respectful smiles and bowed in unison.

"Greetings, Lord Lynn! Congratulations on your arrival at Shadowmines, where you will be stationed to guard this region!"

Lynn walked to the head of the table and sat down, his gaze calmly sweeping over the three people and the young men and women behind them, nodding slightly:

"The three clan leaders are very kind. May I ask what brings you here today?"

The three patriarchs exchanged glances, and Morton, the seemingly most experienced patriarch, spoke first, his tone earnest:

"My lord, our family has lived on the outskirts of the Valley of Sinking Souls for generations, relying on the protection of the Bone Spire for protection and cultivating by absorbing the slightest trace of death energy. We have always been extremely respectful to the academy and to all the lords stationed here."

Chief Hruk of the Ironbone Clan replied gruffly, "Indeed! I've heard that you've just arrived, but you have no capable men to assist you."

"The affairs of this mine are complicated, from daily inspections and miner scheduling to ore storage, account reconciliation, and even communication with outposts and other forces, as well as the purchase of external resources. Every single thing needs to be managed by someone."

"Your status is noble, and your time is precious. How can you personally attend to every matter and waste it on these trivial tasks?"

Nightsong Chief Vera spoke softly, yet every word she uttered hit the nail on the head:

"Since you are new here, sir, you must not be fully familiar with the surrounding forces and resource channels in the valley. Although our family is small, we have been entrenched in this place for generations and have some connections and information channels."

"It would be our honor to share your burdens, and it would also allow you to take control of the overall situation more quickly and focus on your cultivation of the Great Dao."

After saying this, the three clan leaders almost simultaneously took out a small cloth bag from their bosoms and presented it with both hands.

"This is just a small gift to express our respect and to congratulate you on your new residence. We hope you will accept it with pleasure," Morton said on behalf of the three.

Lynn probed into the three bags of magic stones with his mind, his expression unchanged.

One hundred magic stones per household was hardly a "generous gift" to him; it was more like a tentative stepping stone.

He was more concerned with the unspoken meaning behind their words—giving someone away.

"You mean you want to send apprentices to help me with chores?" Lynn asked directly.

"Exactly!" The three clan leaders nodded quickly.

Hruuk added:

"My lord, there are indeed many things to do in the mine. Just the daily inspection of the safety of each mine tunnel, monitoring of the ley line nodes, and dispatching those stupid undead miners require dedicated personnel."

"The initial sorting of ore after mining, the warehousing records, and the regular reconciliation with Haske, the logistics officer at the outpost, cannot be taken lightly."

"There are also associated resources that occasionally emerge deep in the mine, such as 'Shadow Moss' and 'Bone-Eating Fungus,' which need to be identified, collected, and processed in a timely manner... All of these require reliable personnel who are familiar with the situation."

Vera also said gently, "My daughter, Aria, is literate and has a meticulous nature. She may be able to help you with some paperwork and daily chores. You may also entrust her with any purchases or communications you need to make."

Lynn remained silent for a moment.

He definitely needs manpower.

After eliminating Hoy and his two companions, the daily operation of the mine was maintained by the undead army to keep it in basic order.

However, there is indeed a shortage of people to do the detailed management, record-keeping, and external liaison work. He cannot be distracted by these tasks indefinitely.

By accepting these three apprentices, he was essentially accepting the overtures of these three families and, to some extent, binding them to his side.

The advantage is that you can quickly get local assistance, become familiar with the environment, and reduce the hassle of trivial matters.

The downside is that you'll have several "outsiders" around you that you need to be wary of, and they may very well have their own family's ulterior motives.