Lord of Rot

Even Leech couldn’t just openly bring a corpse into Iron Stone City.

But the materials and tools for creating a Corpse Ghost were all in Iron Stone City. He had to go back to make the process more convenient.

After entering the city, he hired a horse-drawn carriage. Upon entry, he had presented his noble credentials to avoid inspection by the Soldiers.

Back at his residence, after once again ordering that no one be allowed in, he searched the corpse. He found a small pouch of money on the body: 2 Jinri and 30 Silver Moons.

”Is that it? So poor!”

Although when he had just transmigrated here last year he didn’t have even a single Jinri, times had changed. He was wealthy now, and his confidence had grown.

He really couldn’t be bothered with a few paltry Jinri.

Aside from that, there were two Magical Curiosities, which, besides the corpse itself, were the biggest haul this time.

’The Lucky Potion really worked.’

After drinking the Lucky Potion, Leech had wandered around the Black Market for ages without finding a single Magical Curiosity. But this guy who’d delivered himself to Leech’s doorstep came with two of them. It was like getting a pillow just when you were feeling sleepy.

Delivering corpse materials and Magical Curiosities, and he didn’t even have to spend any money—the Lucky Potion really was bringing him one stroke of good fortune after another.

The two Magical Curiosities were quite special, too.

One was shaped like a badge. He infused it with Spiritual Power, consuming 5 units.

Suddenly, an image of himself appeared beside him, identical in appearance and even able to mimic his movements.

He reached out to grab it, but his hand passed through empty air.

A Phantom!

A Phantom Badge.

But just by looking with the naked eye, or even closing your eyes and listening, it was impossible to tell the real from the fake.

Very useful.

Leech then looked at the second curiosity. Its design was a bit peculiar.

It was a pot. When he infused Spiritual Power into it, the pot glowed faintly, but that was all.

’A useless curiosity?’

There were many useless Magical Curiosities, like the [Poisonous Touch] that had fused with Aina, which could poison its user to death. But it all depended on how the curiosity was used. The dead don’t fear deadly poison, making it a perfect match.

He casually set the pot aside.

The most crucial thing now was to create the Corpse Ghost. He didn’t have any Extraordinary Magic Potions on him, but having Magical Curiosities was just as good. He could use one of the two to create the Corpse Ghost. Leech preferred to use the useless curiosity to make it, prioritizing cost-effectiveness.

The Phantom Badge, by comparison, was somewhat useful.

”I’ll just use... Huh? Didn’t I get two Magical Curiosities?”

Leech looked at the Phantom Badge on the table but couldn’t find the other item.

’I didn’t leave just now, I didn’t even stand up. That thing should be right here next to me.’

He searched all around, even patting himself down, but he just couldn’t find the other curiosity.

”How strange!”

’Did it turn invisible? Then why can’t I remember it?’ Leech casually picked up the pot from the table and looked underneath it. There was nothing there.

There was nothing in the pot.

He put the pot down, his frustration palpable.

’If I can’t find it, I’ll just stop looking for now. I’ll use the Phantom Badge to make the Corpse Ghost.’ He still didn’t know how many people the man had brought with him. If he was missing for too long, it would cause trouble.

「In the outer room.」

Inside the coffin, gold filled the wounds. Leech placed the Phantom Badge on the corpse’s chest. He was actually interested in the Phantom Badge, since it could create illusions to confuse people, but it was only a passing interest. If he had to use his Energy Storage Staff to create a Corpse Ghost, he definitely wouldn’t be willing.

With all preparations complete, he closed the coffin lid, now only needing to wait for the fresh Corpse Ghost to be ”done cooking.”

Then, unwilling to give up, he went back to continue his search.

”There it is!”

The moment he entered the room, Leech saw the pot on the table.

’It’s in such an obvious spot. How could I have not noticed it this whole time?’

”It must have activated after I infused it with Spiritual Power,” Leech said, picking up the pot. ”Could its ability be... to make people unable to see it?”

Leech recalled that while he was searching for the curiosity just now, he had definitely seen the pot, and had even picked it up.

But he just hadn’t paid it any mind, subconsciously dismissing it.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t see it, but rather that he was made to ignore it.

”Aina!”

Leech called Aina over and handed her the pot, into which he had infused Spiritual Power. ”Take this, go outside, then come back in.”

The Extraordinary Corpse Ghost Aina obediently took the pot, left, and then returned.

”I can still see you, I think,” Leech said, staring at Aina.

Aina nodded.

’Did I guess wrong?’

He suddenly asked, ”Aina, where’s the thing I gave you?”

”Thing?” Aina looked confused.

”I put it in your hand,” Leech said, walking over to Aina. She was only holding a pot in her hand.

Leech lifted the pot and looked at Aina’s hand.

There was nothing there.

He put the pot down again.

”Hiss... how strange!”

Suddenly, Leech froze. He had infused less Spiritual Power this time, so the effect was short-lived.

He stared at the pot in shock.

Just now, he had once again ignored the pot’s existence. Even knowing that the pot could hide its presence, he was unable to focus his mind and notice it.

”A pity it can’t be used on people.”

The pot was a good one, but it could only make itself disappear. It wasn’t anything particularly amazing.

But looking at the wide-mouthed pot, Leech suddenly had an idea. After infusing it with Spiritual Power, he flipped it upside down and placed it on Aina’s head. ”Go out, then come back in,” he said.

Aina went out, returned to the room, and stood in front of Leech.

”Why isn’t she back yet?” Leech, however, walked right around Aina and looked outside. The area was empty.

Aina waved her hands at Leech, as if to say, ”I’m right here, look at me!”

But Leech just casually brushed her hand aside and even walked a full circle around her. ”Hiss... this is so weird!”

Based on his previous experience, Leech knew that Aina’s presence must have been diminished. She was probably right next to him, but he just couldn’t notice her no matter what.

”Attack me,” Leech said.

As danger approached, Leech instantly sensed it, raising a hand to catch the incoming fist.

He also saw the Extraordinary Corpse Ghost Aina, with a pot covering her head.

”So, it breaks out of that low-presence state as soon as it attacks. Unless there’s a huge disparity in strength between the two parties, a sneak attack is useless.”

Because Leech had already sensed Aina the moment she prepared to attack him.

”This is... a Pot of Invisibility.”

It’s not that she was invisible to the eyes, but that one’s perception of her was extremely weakened, making her like a pebble on the roadside—something you see but don’t notice.

Next, he conducted more experiments with Aina, such as having her stand still while Leech attacked at will.

Even without ”seeing” her, he was still able to hit Aina, which also broke her out of that strange ”invisible” state.

Therefore, to successfully activate the ”Pot of Invisibility,” one must ensure they are not in combat—they cannot attack others, nor can they be hit by others.

’Looking at it this way, its use seems a lot more limited.’

But it could still be a valuable curiosity for eavesdropping and reconnaissance.

If used well, it could even be a secret weapon. You think it’s a one-on-one fight? Take off the pot, and hehe, there are two of us!

Or when being pursued, one could hide, quietly put on the pot, and then walk away openly.

However, with Leech’s personality, he would never let himself get into that kind of situation. He had no interest in backing himself into a corner just to stage some kind of desperate counterattack.

With his ability to extract the experiences of the deceased from their corpses, his learning had no bottlenecks.

’Just a couple of gimmicky curiosities, really.’

The two Magical Curiosities were useful, but their uses didn’t seem to be all that significant.

After a period of waiting.

The coffin lid was pushed open.

The Extraordinary Corpse Ghost, fused with the badge, was fresh out of the oven.