Chapter 462, Hero Creation
No need for corpse interrogation?
Imiro looked at him with some confusion.
Wu Heng said seriously, "Steward, I need a separate room."
"What method is so secretive?"
Imiro asked but still led the two investigators to a room deeper down the corridor.
They chose an empty room.
Wu Heng took out gold powder and blood, gradually forming a closed magic circle on the ground.
When the final stroke was completed, the magic circle emitted a faint necromantic aura.
Wu Heng then took out the Soul Vessel and placed it in the center of the magic circle, removing its stopper.
A moment later, a ghostly blue spirit flew out of the Soul Vessel.
It gradually formed into the rugged figure of Occam.
Occam glanced around, attempting to turn invisible and leave.
However, the magic circle acted as a barrier, trapping him inside. The necromantic aura constantly eroded his semi-transparent soul.
Realizing escape was futile, Occam turned toward them and cursed, "You damned bastards, you'll all die at sea! Red worms will burrow into your bodies, and sea beasts will feast on your flesh!"
Across from him, Imiro and the two investigators looked visibly shocked.
So this was the method he mentioned.
It turned out to be imprisoning the spirit within a Soul Vessel.
Necromancers truly were terrifying.
Wu Heng explained first, "When I killed him, his spirit naturally formed. At the time, he even tried to attack me, so I sealed him in the Soul Vessel."
Imiro raised an eyebrow. "He didn't try to escape but chose to attack you instead?"
"Yes, probably thinking my level wasn't high enough, so he had a chance to kill me," Wu Heng replied.
Occam was a level 12 spirit, while Wu Heng's publicly known level was also 12.
"That fits a pirate's logic—taking risks for greater rewards."
Wu Heng continued, "Steward, you can ask whatever you need now. The magic circle's duration is limited."
Imiro nodded and refocused on the enraged spirit. "Who else was involved in this attack on Gold-Silver Island?"
"Ha! What? Imiro, you're so capable—go find out yourself!" Occam sneered.
Wu Heng stood aside, channeling necromantic energy into the circle.
The previously calm magic circle began to stir, and solid black whips lashed at the spirit.
"Ah~! Damn it, what is this?!"
The lashes made no sound.
But with each strike, Occam let out a heart-wrenching scream.
Bang~!
In the next moment,
Occam's spirit shattered violently, scattering in all directions.
After the lashes ceased, the spirit gradually reassembled, now appearing weak and frail.
Seeing that the spirit hadn't been completely destroyed, Wu Heng let out a sigh of relief.
This magic circle was something he found in a mage's manuscript, designed to control and attack spirits.
Otherwise, it would be difficult to handle an uncooperative spirit.
Once reformed, Occam's spirit looked frightened and feeble, trembling as he said, "Please, let's talk this out. You can't do this—it'll ruin the Guild's reputation!"
Imiro asked again, "Who else was involved?"
"The Divine Punishment Sect—you already knew that. I sent their people to stop you," Occam replied.
"Who else?"
"No one. The plan was to stop you, and once the pirates landed, they'd kill everyone," Occam said, glaring viciously at Wu Heng.
If not for him, the plan wouldn't have been so troublesome and wouldn't have failed.
"And what about the person who could control your head to speak after your death? They mentioned collaborating with you," Imiro pressed further.
"That was the bishop of the Divine Punishment Sect," Occam answered.
A bishop?
Wu Heng glanced at Imiro.
Based on what was previously said, Imiro had been delayed at the Island Lord's estate by the sect's guardian.
That indicated the guardian's strength was on par with Imiro's.
A bishop sounded even more powerful than a guardian, making them even more dangerous.
Imiro allowed the investigators time to take notes before continuing, "What was the nature of your collaboration? What did they gain from helping you?"
Occam sighed and said, "I promised them that once Gold-Silver Island was free from the Guild, they could establish a church here."
Imiro continued to look at him, seeing that he had no more to say.
He turned to Wu Heng. "Do it."
Occam's spirit showed clear panic, hastily saying, "Wait, wait! There's also Hero Creation. They have a base of followers and can help turn me into a hero. That's what we agreed on—mutual benefit. But they only had one person nearby to delay 'Imiro.'"
It seemed the attacks within the magic circle were truly torturous for spirits.
Just the mention of more attacks.
And Occam spilled everything in one go.
Standing nearby and listening silently, Wu Heng furrowed his brows.
It seemed he had just learned something new—Hero Creation.
Level 20 marked the threshold for becoming a hero.
But it appeared to be more than just gaining experience; it required Hero Creation at level 18.
This… wasn't something anyone had ever mentioned before.
"What else? Say it all now!"
"Nothing else! We're just a group of pirates trying to avoid the Guild's investigations. How many secrets could we possibly have? If not for that kid, my plan wouldn't have failed!" Occam said angrily.
Imiro glanced at the investigators. "Got everything recorded?"
"It's all recorded."
"Seal him back up."
Upon hearing this, Occam shouted, "Imiro, I'm willing to work for the Guild! A spirit like me could be very useful!"
Wu Heng manipulated the necromantic energy, drawing Occam's spirit back into the Soul Vessel.
"Give me a chance, Imiro, Wu Heng—let's talk this out…"
Occam's soul stretched and was pulled back into the Soul Vessel.
Wu Heng replaced the stopper and stored it in his spatial ring.
Spirits were indeed useful to necromancers, but whether a spirit was worth nurturing depended on its personality and behavior.
Xiaoxiao and Glenda had different personalities but weren't inherently bad.
However, this pirate had a deep grudge against Wu Heng.
There was no way he would make him his spirit servant, no matter how high his level was.
With the questions answered,
Imiro clasped his hands behind his back and walked out.
Wu Heng quickly caught up. "Steward, do you still need the corpse?"
"Since you can interrogate the spirit, the corpse is yours to handle. Keep the spirit for now. Once there are no further issues, you can deal with it as you see fit," Imiro said calmly.
"Understood!" Wu Heng nodded.
Imiro left with the investigators.
Wu Heng walked over to the coroner's workstation.
"Deputy Steward, is there anything you need?" the coroner asked, stepping forward.
Wu Heng placed Occam's corpse on the table and said, "Remove the eyes and organs, and make sure they're preserved intact."
The coroner glanced at the body and recognized it as the former Island Lord.
Carefully, he asked, "Deputy Steward, there's no issue with removing them, but where should they be stored? With this weather…"
"I'll have someone bring over organ jars shortly. Just place them inside," Wu Heng replied and handed over a few silver coins. "For tea."
"You're too kind, Deputy Steward. This is part of our job."
"Take it. There've been a lot of pirate corpses lately—you've been working hard," Wu Heng insisted.
The two coroners accepted the coins. "Thank you, Deputy Steward!"
Wu Heng nodded and left the morgue.
...
Exiting the morgue,
Wu Heng returned to his study and asked Andviel to visit the magic shop to purchase organ jars.
Organ jars were a type of necromantic magic tool but were also widely used in the market.
Whether for alchemical materials or ritual supplies, they were often used to store animal or magical beast organs and blood.
Thus, they were commonly sold in magic shops.
The only downside was their higher cost.
Andviel nodded and took Philipa with her to shop.
Perhaps to avoid leaving the troublemaker alone in the Guild, where she might cause chaos.
The two left.
Wu Heng then headed to the Steward's office.
He knocked lightly before walking in.
Imiro looked up at him. "Something else?"
Wu Heng directly asked, "Steward, Occam mentioned Hero Creation earlier. This is the first time I've heard of it. Could you tell me more about it?"
Imiro put the documents in his hand aside and said, "This is something you'll encounter at level 18. It's still a bit early for you."
"I'm just curious. If it's convenient, could you briefly explain?"
Apart from Shanaila, most people assumed his level based on his age and time with the Guild.
But since he was nearing level 18, he was even more curious about Hero Creation.
Did level 18 really mark the start of a connection to hero status?
Imiro glanced at him and gestured for him to sit. "I can give you a brief explanation."
"Thank you."
Imiro organized his thoughts and began speaking slowly.
"Reaching level 18 makes you a tier-5 Professional, also known as a 'Hero-in-Waiting.' This signifies you've reached the threshold to become a hero. Advancing further isn't just about skill improvement; it also involves spreading your reputation. We call this process 'Hero Creation.'"
"You could understand it as needing a certain level of renown or influence to officially become a hero."