The Wizard: Starting as a Corpse Collector Apprentice and Paying for a Monthly Subscription

Six o'clock in the afternoon.

The setting sun, like blood, dyed the skyline of Lion City a poignant crimson.

Tyrion led the old horse, slowly making his way back to the servants' quarters of the Wizard Tower in Kane.

Old Ma was so exhausted that he was foaming at the mouth and his four legs were trembling.

After all, this already flimsy cart now had seven corpses neatly stacked on it.

In addition to the two thugs, drug addicts, and baby originally required by the mission, there was also Hagrid, the burly man who looked like a brown bear, and the brother and sister who died because of their own greed.

This weight is practically pushing Old Ma's physical limits.

Tyronn wasn't much better off. To avoid exhausting Old Ma halfway there, he practically walked the whole way back, having to push him from behind every now and then.

"Huff... huff..."

Tyrone, panting heavily, pushed open the wooden door to the servants' quarters, which reeked of oil and horse manure.

"Hey! Little Pony!"

Cole, the craftsman who had just finished his work and was about to go home, was hanging his hammer on his belt when he saw Tyren returning home laden with his goods, and he immediately grinned:

"Great haul today! With this truckload coming back, my bonus for the end of the month is secured, right?"

Looks like your old horse needs an extra meal today.

Tyron wiped the sweat from his brow, revealing a tired but genuine smile:

"Yeah, Brother Cole. We were lucky; we landed a few big deals."

"That's definitely a big order."

Sak, a young laborer who was adding hay to the manger, came over.

This young man is only twenty-three years old, has a cheerful personality, and is saving money to get married.

He glanced at the bulging body bags in the car and clicked his tongue:

"It looks heavy."

"Brother Ma, you need to work on your physical fitness, otherwise you won't be able to close big deals in the future."

Just then, an old voice came from the corner:

"Little Horse, where did that old bastard Jack go?"

The speaker was Old Smith, the old stable boy who worked with Old Jack raising horses.

The two were usually very close, often getting together to drink a couple of glasses of cheap beer and boast about their past romantic escapades.

"He said he was going to deliver goods to the city yesterday, but we haven't seen him all day today."

"That old man, is he hiding somewhere, slacking off and drinking?"

Upon hearing this question, the relaxed atmosphere in the servants' quarters instantly froze.

If someone suddenly doesn't come to work, everyone is prepared for what might happen.

Tyron stopped what he was doing, remained silent for a moment, and then sighed softly:

"Old Jack...is dead."

This statement is like a stone thrown into calm water.

The dozen or so people in the servants' quarters fell silent instantly, with only the sound of horses chewing hay echoing in the air.

Old Smith dropped his hay fork to the ground with a clatter.

He stared blankly at Tyrone, a flicker of disbelief flashing in his cloudy eyes, which were quickly filled with sorrow.

"Dead...dead?"

Old Smith's lips trembled, and his eyes instantly reddened.

"That old man... finally... finally couldn't get over this hurdle!"

He knew about Old Jack's situation, of course, but unfortunately, aside from offering verbal support, there was nothing else he could do to help.

After all, in this world, they can barely support themselves and have no energy left to care for others.

"Ugh."

Cole took off the oil-stained hat, held it in his hand, and looked somber.

"Uncle Jack is a good man."

"Last time my third child was sick, he lent me money to buy medicine."

"How could someone so straightforward be gone so suddenly?"

Sack also dropped his playful grin, lowered his head, and kicked at the pebbles at his feet:

"Uncle Jack is quite pitiful."

"He was a good man when he was young, and he lived a happy life with his wife. I never expected that something like this would happen at the end... Sigh."

As Tyron looked at the genuine sorrow on the faces of these working-class people, a warm feeling welled up in his heart.

In this cruel wizarding world, perhaps only in these people at the very bottom can one still see a glimmer of humanity.

"He died protecting Grandma Linda."

Tyrone said in a low voice, which was a dignified way to end old Jack's life:

"I have buried them together. In the cemetery of St. Dormition Church."

Hearing this, old Smith wiped away his tears and patted Tyrone's shoulder forcefully:

"Good boy...well done. That old man will thank you down there."

……

After saying goodbye to everyone, Tyron struggled to drag the body bags and pull the bodies from the car into the morgue one by one.

This is definitely a physically demanding job.

Especially Hagrid's corpse, weighing over 180 pounds of dead flesh, was as heavy as a granite block.

Tyron gritted his teeth and used all his strength to push him onto the morgue rack.

"Huff... huff..."

After settling all seven bodies, Tyron was so exhausted that he was soaked to the bone, as if he had just been pulled out of the water.

He slumped into the chair, feeling like his lungs were about to explode.

"His physical condition... is terrible."

Tyron looked at his thin, bony arms and shook his head helplessly.

He is 1.75 meters tall and weighs only 95 kilograms.

This is the result of long-term malnutrition.

"I need to find a way to train my body and improve my physical fitness. Otherwise, if I only have a brain but no body, I'll eventually die from exhaustion on the road."

But then he thought about it again and gave a wry smile.

Sufficient nutrition is a prerequisite for physical exercise.

Blindly exercising without sufficient energy intake is not about improving your health; it's about slow suicide.

He doesn't have a single penny of his own in his pocket right now. He eats the life-sustaining meals provided free of charge by the cafeteria every day. Where would he get extra money to buy meat for exercise?

Just as Tyron was leaning back in his chair, breathing heavily, his brain feeling dizzy from lack of oxygen, he was...

Thud...

A crow flew in silently through the window and landed on the windowsill.

It tilted its head, its dark eyes gleaming with wisdom, and quietly watched Tyron, who was exhausted, pale, and limp.

His eyes were full of appreciation and approval.

"Magnus".

A steady, authoritative voice, with a familiar metallic quality, rang out from the crow's beak.

That was the voice of Professor Markley.

Tyron felt a jolt and instinctively wanted to stand up and bow.

But he was so tired that his legs gave way and he ended up kneeling on the ground.

"Mentor...mentor!"

The crow flapped its wings and gracefully glided to the table beside it, its call carrying a rare hint of gentleness.

"No need for formalities. You're too tired, just get some rest."

It turned its head, its sharp eyes sweeping over the seven neatly arranged corpses on the morgue shelf, and nodded in satisfaction:

"It seems you did a very good job collecting the bodies today. You could even say you exceeded expectations."

"Tell me about what happened today?"

Tyron took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his physical exhaustion.

He did not conceal anything or embellish anything, but instead recounted everything that happened today in an objective and calm manner.

From the matter of Old Jack, to the negotiations with the Brewmaster, Father Logan's greed and change of heart, to Hagrid's provocation and duel, to the betrayal and counterattack of the siblings, and finally the response at the Eye of the Cloud rune shop.

He recounted every detail, every conversation, and even how he used public funds to buy a burial plot for the old Jacks and bribed the guards.

"But please rest assured, mentor, I did not exceed the budget given by Senior Sister Zixing."

After speaking, Tyron lowered his head, awaiting his mentor's judgment.

Macley looked at his honest, almost endearing disciple through the eyes of the raven and nodded inwardly.

Having known everything through the token monitoring system, he was very satisfied with Tyron's honesty.

"He performed quite well."

Mackley gave it extremely high praise:

"Especially in handling Hagrid's matter, you showed some strategy, both preserving the Wizarding Tower's reputation and resolving the problem. Very good."

The tone shifted abruptly, and the crow's voice took on a hint of authority and pressure:

"But... you secretly learned magic without telling your teacher?"

Tyronn's heart tightened, and he quickly bowed again, his tone filled with fear and respect:

"Reporting to my esteemed mentor! I have my own selfish motives!"

"I want to master magic first, even if I'm just a novice, I can still make you proud at a crucial moment! And give you a surprise."

"I hope to prove my worth in this way, and in return... in exchange for more opportunities to attend your classes!"

These words were spoken with sincerity, expressing both ambition and flattery; it was a textbook-level response.

The crow's eyes showed even greater satisfaction.

It walked gracefully to the table and waved its wings to signal Tyrell to get up.

Then, its gaze fell on Hagrid's cleaved chest and the neatly severed limbs of the brother and sister.

"The cutting edge is quite sharp."

Mackley's voice became professional and seasoned:

"For a beginner to grasp the essence of 'Magic 3D Weaving' so quickly and apply it to Magic Needle Techniques..."

"Although this is only a level one spell, it is enough to show that you have a certain talent in the control and understanding of magic."

Upon hearing this, Tyron trembled with emotion, his voice choked with emotion:

"Thank you for your recognition, mentor! It is the greatest honor of my life, Magnus, to receive your praise!"

The crow nodded.

next second.

Pong!

A ghostly blue flame suddenly ignited on the crow's body.

Immediately afterwards, countless tiny runes leaped in the flames, and the free energy in the surrounding air rapidly converged.

To Tyrone's astonishment, the tiny raven began to swell and deform.

As numerous mysterious runes intertwined, bones stretched, flesh reorganized, and blue will-o'-the-wisps outlined a humanoid silhouette.

In just a few seconds, the crow disappeared.

Instead, there was Macley, dressed in a black robe and with a dignified face!

Although Tyronn couldn't tell if it was really him, his appearance and demeanor were exactly the same as Macley's!

What kind of move is this?!

Tyron's eyes widened, his gaze filled with undisguised longing and shock.

Is this the method of a formal wizard? To manifest in countless forms, omnipresent?

It's so powerful! So convenient!

Markley, who had returned to human form, paid no attention to his disciple's shock.

With a casual wave of his hand, a thin, black-covered book appeared out of thin air on the table.

"As a reward for your recent good performance, you certainly deserve my personal instruction."

MacLehley pointed to the book:

"I see you have a good understanding of runes. Take this book, 'The Dominator of Bones Rune Explained,' and take a good look at it now."

"If there's anything you don't understand, you can ask me now."

As he spoke, Markley turned around and walked towards the morgue, his gaze sweeping over the corpses as if selecting some satisfactory material.

Tyron was so excited his heart was about to jump out of his chest.

He first rushed to the sink inside, washed his hands three times with soap, and then wiped them clean with a clean cloth before carefully picking up the thin book of talismans.

It's like holding the whole world in your hands.

Turn the pages of the book.

As a seasoned exam-taking genius, Tyron instantly entered a state of focused study.

The book is not very long, only about three thousand words in total.

But every single word is a highly condensed essence of knowledge.

Not a single word wasted.

The book details a set of rune formulas called "Dominating Bones".

This is not just a spell, but a complete set of engineering blueprints.

From the construction of the rune framework to the logic of the drawing order;

From the derivation of the core formula to the optimization of the magic path;

It even includes detailed annotations and illustrations on the driving methods, the ratio of mental power to magic, and techniques.

Tyron was completely mesmerized; every line was imbued with a logical beauty.

"Wonderful... So this is how you can guide mental energy..."

"The rune structure at this turning point is simply a genius design..."

Tyron's brain was working at lightning speed, combining his previous introductory understanding of runic literature to quickly deconstruct and digest the knowledge in the book.

Once, twice, three times...

He watched it five times.

When he finally raised his head and let out a long breath, he felt as if a brand new door was opening for him.

Although the effect of this set of runes is simple—it involves controlling and manipulating the bones inscribed with runes through mental power—its potential is enormous.

Although he can't summon a skeleton army like a necromancer right now, controlling bone fragments and bone armor for defense is a piece of cake!

Just as Tyron came to his senses...

Suddenly, a flash of eerie blue light appeared.

Suddenly, blue flames erupted from the bodies of the brother and sister on the morgue.

That is the fire of the dead, a powerful knowledge that can be mastered after completing the "Summoning and Controlling Technique".

Only with the foundation of undead fire can one cast necromancy of level three or higher.

Under the licking flames, their flesh and blood instantly turned to ashes, leaving only two white, jade-like skeletons.

The skeleton was handled so perfectly, with a smooth and warm surface, that it was even cleaner than the specimens that Teren had painstakingly prepared before.

Markley stood to the side, tapping his finger lightly.

Click!Click!

The two skeletons seemed to have been infused with souls, their joints making crisp cracking sounds, and they actually stood up!

They stretched their limbs, then walked with stiff but orderly steps behind Macley, standing respectfully with their hands at their sides.

Skeleton soldiers!

A true undead creature!

Tyrion held his breath; this was the first time he had ever witnessed a formal wizard cast necromancy.

That effortless control, that ability to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary, captivated him.

"How's your learning going?"

Markley turned his head casually and asked.

Tyron immediately composed himself and replied respectfully:

"Thanks to my mentor's clear and concise explanations of the rune course, I now have a good understanding of it."

Then he began to speak eloquently.

From the energy flow of rune nodes to the frequency adjustment of mental resonance, and then to the influence of bone material on rune effects...

Tyron combined the book's content with his own unique understanding, and spoke eloquently and logically.

He even raised several constructive questions at some key points.

Upon hearing this, a hint of surprise flashed in Macley's eyes, which quickly turned into a satisfied smile:

"Good understanding. It seems you've put in a lot of hard work on runes and have a certain talent for them."

He pointed to the two newly transformed skeleton soldiers behind him:

"Now that you understand, you have to practice."

"Next, I'll give you a task."

"Three days. Using your understanding and application of the 'Dominate Bones' rune, add a layer of bone armor to these two skeleton soldiers."

"Requirement: We must ensure their defensive capabilities without compromising their flexibility."

"In the meantime, these two skeleton soldiers will stay here to help you for the next few days."

Tyronn immediately straightened his back, filled with excitement, his eyes burning with fierce fighting spirit:

"Understood! The student will definitely live up to the teacher's expectations!"

The lecture is complete.

Macley's figure began to blur, clearly indicating that he was about to leave.

Seeing this, Tyron hurriedly took out the lion-head token that had been given to him during the day from his pocket, held it with both hands, and respectfully handed it over:

"Mentor, here is your token. The mission is complete; it is returned to you."

Markley took the token and casually tucked it into his sleeve.

Before his body completely dissipated, he looked at Tyron, his tone becoming more serious:

"You don't need to worry about what happened after Jane and Tom attacked you."

"I will warn them. Such vicious infighting is not allowed in my tower."

At this point, Mark paused, then added meaningfully:

"But you also need to understand."

"Your status is vastly different from theirs. Jane and Tom are both genuine nobles of Lion City."

"You'd better not provoke them."

"Your talent is good, but it is not high enough for you to cross the huge class divide and look down on the nobles."

"Do you understand?"

Hearing MacLeod's advice, Tyron felt a chill run down his spine.

He bowed deeply until Markley's figure completely vanished as will-o'-the-wisp before straightening up.

"Thank you for your reminder and protection, teacher."

"The students will certainly follow your orders, study hard, and strive even harder."

Then, as a large number of runes contracted, Macri's human body transformed back into a jet-black raven, which then flapped its wings and turned to leave.

In the empty morgue, only Tyrion and the two skeleton soldiers standing silently remained.

Tyron looked at the two skeletons, a playful smile playing on his lips.

"A class divide?"

"As long as you swing the hoe well, there's no corner you can't dig down."

"As long as I draw the runes fast enough and accurately enough... this gap isn't unbridgeable!"

"You two scoundrels, just you wait!"