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

Tyron stood respectfully before Macley, clutching the purple diamond engraving knife and the brand-new banknotes tightly in his hands, but he did not leave immediately.

He raised his head slightly, his eyes filled with a hint of probing and earnestness, and began to speak:

"Teacher, I have a small request."

Markley was in a good mood, picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said, "Speak."

"Next, because the mission is very time-sensitive, I need a lot of time to run through channels, practice runes, and deal with corpses."

Tyron paused, his tone becoming more sincere:

"So I'm wondering... if I can skip those two large introductory theory lectures in the big classroom on the first floor this morning?"

"After your insightful teachings yesterday, which were as clear as sunshine, listening to those rote lectures would be a waste of my life and the precious time I have spent serving you."

That's a very skillful way of putting it.

This approach both belittles the general education courses and elevates the instructor, while also demonstrating that the student wanted to skip classes for work purposes, not to slack off.

Upon hearing this, Markley's lips curled up slightly, revealing a smile that seemed to indicate he had expected it.

As a formal wizard, he was well aware of the value of those public courses.

That's just a placebo for cannon fodder; true elites never rely on it to become stronger.

"OK."

Markley readily agreed:

"I'll talk to the academic affairs office. From now on, your attendance will be perfect, so you won't have to waste your time."

"Focus your energy on important matters."

"Thank you, mentor!"

Tyron's face was filled with undisguised joy, and he bowed again.

He then deftly stacked the three empty sealed boxes onto the flatbed cart, and before the pampered aristocratic students arrived for class, he pulled the cart and sped away like a gust of wind.

Watching Tyron's slightly thin yet energetic figure disappear through the doorway.

Purple Star, who had been standing silently to the side, gently fiddled with the gemstone pendant on her hat brim and turned to look at Macley:

"Teacher, do you need me to help him secretly?"

"Need not."

Mackley shook his head.

He walked to the window, looking down at the bustling crowd below, like ants, his eyes deep and thoughtful.

"Your excessive interference will only draw more attention to him."

"Purple Star, you must understand, this child's starting point is too low. You are a star in the sky, born to shine and stand out from the crowd."

"But he's different. He's a seed in the soil."

"He can't survive in the spotlight like you do. What he needs is the shadow, the safe space created by being ignored."

"The more attention we pay to him, the more dangerous he becomes."

"Let him make his own way. Only by rolling around in the mud a few times can a seed take deep root."

Zi Xing nodded thoughtfully, a hint of understanding flashing in her eyes.

"I understand, teacher."

……

……

Leaving the oppressive main tower, Tyron felt the air was much fresher.

Pulling the empty flatbed cart, his steps were as light as if he were dancing.

"Not having to attend early morning classes means I have an extra 4 hours of free time every day!"

Tyron was calculating rapidly in his mind.

"Four hours, with the 30x efficiency boost from the [Sacred Body of Slacking Off], that's 120 hours!"

"It will take about 5 days!"

"What others can learn in a morning, I can learn in five days! If I still can't keep up with those spoiled brats, I might as well just find a block of tofu and smash my head against it."

Just as he was humming a little tune and stepped out of the wizard tower gate...

They bumped into a large group of low-level apprentices who were on their way to a large class.

Among the crowd, four familiar figures stood out.

These were the four henchmen who had followed Hagrid yesterday.

The four men were still huddled together, pointing and gesturing at the apprentices, their faces arrogant and domineering. It seemed that their boss's death yesterday hadn't made them much more restrained.

However, when their gaze fell upon Tyron, who was pulling a cart.

Like a duck whose neck has been choked, all sound came to an abrupt halt.

His arrogant expression froze instantly, then turned into deep fear.

The four men lowered their heads in unison, hunching their shoulders as if they wanted to bury their heads in their crotches, and turned aside to make way for Tyron.

They didn't even dare to breathe loudly.

Tyron pulled his cart past them without even glancing at them, not even bothering to give these scoundrels a second glance.

But he knew perfectly well what was going on.

"It seems that Professor Markley's influence is indeed useful."

"Judging from the cowardly behavior of these four people, Tom's side must have withdrawn the order to kill me, and may even have warned his subordinates."

"Otherwise, given the ruthless and cowardly nature of these lackeys, if they see me alone, they might just come up and provoke me, or even resort to dirty tricks."

"This is the taste of power..."

Knowing that there would be no threat from Tom and Jane in the short term, Tyron felt much better.

……

Back in the dark and damp morgue.

Tyron locked the door and eagerly pulled out the purple diamond carving knife from his pocket.

Even under the dim light of an oil lamp, the carving knife still radiated a captivating luster.

The blade is crystal clear, its deep purple color seemingly carved from the purest crystal. A faint, cold light gleams on the edge, a mark of the "Sharpness" enchantment.

What pleased Tyron most was its grip.

It is not a straight cylinder, but has an ergonomically designed concave-convex curve, and the surface is engraved with fine anti-slip textures.

Holding it in your hand, the feeling of its fit is hundreds of times more comfortable than holding your lover's hand.

"A skilled craftsman must first have the right tools. The ancients were right."

Tyron exclaimed in admiration, feeling that his pent-up desire to express himself, which he had been holding back all night, was about to explode.

He immediately crawled into the cellar and picked out a fragment of the skull.

Returning to the table, he took a deep breath, flicked his wrist, and the tip of the purple diamond carving knife touched the pale skeleton.

Without the aid of magic thorns, relying solely on the sharpness of the carving knife itself.

click!

A very faint, almost imperceptible sound.

The blade tip easily pierced the surface of the bone, to a depth of about a fraction of a millimeter.

Next, use your wrist to move the blade.

Although I can still feel the resistance from the bone density, and that stiff feeling is still there, it's so much smoother than the "constipation" feeling I had when using the boning knife yesterday!

"Cool!"

Tyron gave a silent shout and immediately entered a state of focus.

With the added efficiency of 30 times, he began practicing carving basic runes on the bone fragments.

Thanks to the two hours of intense study on the microscopic structure of bones yesterday, and the assistance of this powerful tool.

This time, his progress was rapid.

The first time, the lines were crooked.

The fifth time, the node depth was insufficient.

The tenth time, the magic circuit broke.

……

After making more than twenty mistakes in a row, consuming about an hour of external time.

Tyron finally stopped carving with his knife.

On the skull fragment in front of him, a delicate, small, and well-structured frame of Ian runes had clearly taken shape.

Although it has not yet been imbued with magic, its perfect geometric structure already exudes a unique aesthetic.

"It's done!"

Tyronn was overjoyed and was about to celebrate with a fist pump.

"ah--!!"

A scream suddenly echoed in the basement.

Tyron abruptly dropped the carving knife, gripping his right forearm tightly with his left hand, his face contorted in pain.

I got a cramp.

The prolonged high-intensity, precision-based operation, coupled with his muscles being constantly tense, finally caused his frail body to protest.

The excruciating pain, as if his muscle fibers were about to snap, instantly caused a layer of cold sweat to break out on his forehead.

"Ouch...it hurts..."

Tyron rubbed his stiff forearm while trying to stretch and relieve the spasms.

He looked at his thin wrist, his skin pale, with clearly visible blue veins.

"This is fucking..."

"My wrists aren't even as thick as those of those wealthy aristocratic ladies!"

"With that kind of physical condition, you want to be a wizard? You'd have a hard time even being a tailor!"

Tyron slumped in his chair, panting heavily as he fell into deep thought.

Although this cramp was a minor incident, it served as a wake-up call for him.

"With the upcoming era of intense competition in the Wizard Tower's 'cost reduction and efficiency improvement' process, it will be impossible to comfortably obtain low-priced corpses in the city."

"Corpses inside the city are too expensive; this market is definitely not enough to support our current budget of only 6000 purple gold coins."

"Therefore, in order to complete Macri's tasks in the future, we will inevitably have to expand outside the city."

"Go to those chaotic suburbs, go to those lawless places, and get in touch with more outlaws like Hagrid, or even more dangerous ones."

"You need to be in good health to handle that kind of situation."

Tyron clenched his fist, feeling a sense of powerlessness.

Now that we have money, we should hurry up and improve our physical fitness.

"Otherwise, with those skinny arms, they'd get cramps just from carving a rune, let alone escape with that small frame!"

"If we really encountered danger, my lungs would probably explode after running just a couple of steps!"

Despite the criticisms, Tyronn's execution has always been top-notch.

After the painful cramps subsided, he quickly formulated his next plan in his mind.

"Health is the foundation of everything; it is the capital for revolution."

"Our priority is to rapidly strengthen this physical body, so the most urgent task at this stage is to replenish nutrients and improve overall health!"

"Having a healthy body not only increases the survival rate, but also allows for faster, more accurate, and more sustained inscription of these runes, thereby increasing proficiency and experience in inscription."

"Once I finish researching the subject of 'Dominating Bones,' I can even use inscriptions to attach bone armor to my body for defense."

"Only when you can withstand attacks, fight back, and run away will you be able to gain a foothold in this world."

Having confirmed the plan, Tyron immediately stood up.

He changed out of his work clothes, which were stained with bone meal, and put on a clean linen shirt.

This time, he neither led the old horse nor pushed the cart.

After all, this trip was to purchase personal items, not to collect a corpse, and using a public vehicle for private purposes is easily criticized.

……

Stepping out of the wizard's tower's shadow, you're greeted by the bright morning sun.

Tyron walked eastward along the stone-paved road until he arrived at the banks of the Tianyun River.

This is the busiest morning market in Lion City.

On the wide river, boats of all shapes and sizes shuttle back and forth.

On the shallows along the banks of the river, countless small boats were moored.

These are farmers and merchants who have come from towns and villages along the upper and lower reaches of the Tianyun River.

Every morning, they would go downstream to bring the freshest produce from their fields here to sell.

This isn't a proper market; there are no fixed stall fees.

It only lasts for about an hour each morning, and then dissipates after the sun rises higher.

But precisely because of this, the local atmosphere is the strongest, and the food is the freshest and cheapest.

Tyron is preparing to cook for himself.

Standing on the riverbank, looking down at the bustling crowd below, I took a deep breath.

The air was filled with the fishy smell of the river, the fragrance of the soil, the fresh scent of vegetables, and the smell of livestock sweat.

This is the essence of everyday life.

He walked down the steps and blended into the hustle and bustle.

"Fresh river shrimp! Just caught! They're still jumping!"

"Homegrown carrots! If they're not sweet, you don't have to pay!"

"Make way! Make way! Be careful not to get burned!"

The sounds of hawking, bargaining, and children crying mingled together, creating a deafening cacophony.

Tyrone saw a dark-skinned farmer who had tied himself and his two children around his waist with a thick hemp rope while unloading cargo from a boat and trying to prevent the children from running off and falling into the water.

Not far away, a plump woman sat at the bow of the boat, openly unbuttoning her clothes to breastfeed the baby in her arms, while simultaneously haggling with the passengers on the shore.

"These are top-quality Tianyun duck eggs! They're incredibly nutritious, costing thirty silver coins each!" (Silver coins to gold coins: 100:1)

Tyron weaved through the crowd, his eyes scanning the goods and prices at each stall like radar.

He had a scale in his mind, and was rapidly calculating the cost-effectiveness.

"To quickly improve your health, you must first ensure you get enough protein."

"Meat, eggs, and dairy products are the best choices."

He walked up to a meat stall and glanced at the beef hanging on the hooks.

With its rosy color and clear texture, it is indeed a high-quality meat.

"Boss, how much is the beef?"

"14 purple gold coins per kilogram," the butcher replied without looking up.

"It's a bit expensive, but it's about what I expected," Tyron thought to himself.

"The worldview is, after all, medieval. Although wizarding technology liberated some productivity, these magical technologies mainly served the upper and middle classes."

"The Engel coefficient of people at the bottom of society is generally above 60%."

He then went to look at the apples.

A regular-sized red apple costs 1.2 purple gold coins per kilogram.

Carrots, turnips, tomatoes, and other fruits and vegetables cost about 60 silver coins per kilogram.

Pork costs approximately 9 gold coins per kilogram, and onions cost 1 gold coin per kilogram.

The price of various types of fish is around 5 to 10 gold coins per kilogram.

Legumes...peas, broad beans, lentils, these high-quality plant proteins are priced at around 80 silver coins per kilogram.

Looking at the dazzling array of ingredients, Tyron's Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily.

He recalled the daily, unchanging oatmeal porridge, black bread, and overcooked, unidentified vegetable leaves in the Wizard Tower's dining hall.

Suddenly, I felt that those things were nothing but pig swill, and I could hardly swallow them.

"The food culture in this godforsaken place is a disaster."

Tyronn was internally screaming:

"They only roast and boil, and the only seasonings they use are salt and pepper. It's a complete waste of resources."

"As a Chinese person, wake up that culinary gene etched in your DNA!!"

"Anyway, I have plenty of time, so I might as well make the most of my free time."

"Perhaps... I really should consider treating myself to something delicious?"

In a world where we face immense pressure to survive and heavy physical labor every day, being able to enjoy a delicious and satisfying meal is definitely the best way to relieve mental and physical stress.

"Moreover, you can buy more things in one trip."

Tyron clutched the money pouch in his arms, his thoughts beginning to wander:

"Anyway, I have a cold storage for storing corpses. Although it sounds a bit disgusting, it's a proper magical cold storage, very clean, and there's plenty of empty space."

"At least I don't have to worry about the food spoiling."

Thinking of this, his eyes became fervent.

"I might even be able to use the unique Chinese cuisine to expand my network of connections at the grassroots level."

"Who can resist a meal of braised pork? If one can, then two!"

"Furthermore, one of the weekly tasks in the monthly pass is to make 10 magical dishes!"

"Mysterious Eastern cuisine combined with magic—this looks like a huge potential business!"

Having made up his mind, Tyron began a massive shopping spree.

"Beef is too expensive. I'm as skinny as a monkey right now. What I need is to build muscle, not lose fat. Fat is a good thing too."

He went to the pork stall and pointed to the piece of pork belly with alternating layers of fat and lean meat:

"Boss, give me 5 kilograms of pork belly!"

"Alright!" The butcher swiftly brought down his knife.

"Nobody wants this pigskin, right? Can you give me some?" Tyron pointed to a pile of pigskin that had been removed from the skin next to him.

"Take it, take it!" the butcher waved his hand generously.

The pork cost 45 gold coins.

Then, he started his shopping spree.

1 kilogram of onions, 1 gold coin.

1 kilogram of carrots, 60 silver coins.

1 kilogram of apples, 1.2 purple gold coins.

2 kg of peas, 1.6 purple gold coins.

Finally, he spent 4 gold coins to buy a kilogram of coarse salt.

It cost a total of 49.4 Purple Gold Coins.

Looking at the heavy pile of spoils in his hands, Tyrion felt even more accomplished than when he killed a monster.

……

Packing the 11 kilograms of goods into a long robe and carrying it on his back like an ascetic with a knapsack, Tyrone returned to the Wizard Tower in high spirits.

Back in the morgue, he first sorted the ingredients and stuffed them into a cool, shady spot under the bed.

Then, he picked up a pen and quickly drew a blueprint on a piece of paper, and rushed to the craftsmen's workshop in the miscellaneous work area.

"Brother Cole! Busy?"

Tyronn approached with a smile.

Cole, who was polishing horseshoes, looked up and wiped the sweat from his brow. "Hey, little horse. Why aren't you in class today?"

"We'll be busy with body collection soon, so I won't be going in the mornings!"

After listening, Cole whispered, "Little Ma, there's no future in just collecting corpses. Don't fall behind in your studies; the knowledge you acquire then is the most solid foundation!"

"By skipping classes like this, you're no different from those slaves!"

Hearing Cole's instructions, Tyron felt a warmth in his heart, and then smiled and said, "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

Then he pulled out a piece of parchment from his pocket, on which was drawn a strange figure:

"Brother Cole, could you get me a pot over here?"

Cole took the blueprints, his brows furrowing deeply.

"This pot... why does it look so strange?"

He pointed to the hemispherical object in the picture:

"Such a round bottom? How can you put this on the stove? Wouldn't a frying pan be better?"

"Besides, the sheet metal needs to be so thin, it's very difficult to hammer."

Tyronn explained with a smile:

"It's okay, Brother Cole, just help me create a rough shape."

"It would be best to fix a sturdy wooden handle here so that I can... uh, toss the food in the pan."

Although Cole didn't understand what "flipping the wok" meant, he nodded at Tyron's expectant look.

"Alright, since you want it, I'll knock one for you."

"This is simple, no molds needed, just hand-mapping. I can get it done for you in an hour."

Thank you so much!

Tyron thanked him, and very naturally handed over 20 purple-gold coins:

"Then I'll trouble you, Brother Cole. Please use this money to buy some fruit for your wife."

Cole hesitated for a moment, then his movements became incredibly smooth as he quickly pocketed the money, his smile widening even further.

"Haha, you're too kind, kid!"

After getting the pot sorted out, you still need a stove.

Tyron then jogged all the way to the kitchen.

It wasn't lunchtime yet, and the fat chef Burton was sitting at the door smoking his pipe.

"Uncle Burton!"

Tyronn leaned over and expertly lit Burton's fire:

Do you have any of those old, unused portable stoves here? Could I borrow them?

Burton exhaled a smoke ring and glanced sideways at Tyronn:

"What do you need that thing for? To roast corpses and eat them in the morgue?"

"How could that be!" Tyron said, both amused and exasperated.

"I'm just feeling too weak, so I wanted to cook something for myself."

"Alright."

Burton pointed to the dusty iron stove in the corner:

"The thing is right there. It hasn't been used in a long time. Check it yourself to see if it's broken."

"Provide your own fuel, and don't steal my coal."

Tyron then slipped him 50 purple gold coins and said with a smile, "I'm all alone, and I don't have many left, so please take good care of me."

He will need this chef's help a lot in the future.

Burton, puffing on his cigarette, grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth, and pocketed the money: "Haha, Little Ma is really sensible. If you need anything in the future, just let me know."

"Okay!"

Tyron picked up the simple cast iron furnace, which was about 20 centimeters in diameter.

Although it's a bit rusty, the structure is intact and it can be used after a little wiping.

He carried the stove and ran excitedly back to his morgue.

Everything is ready, except for the final push!