The Necromancer is amassing troops like crazy in the apocalypse

Chapter 495: Chapter 408, Investigating the Corpse

Illuminating Stones hung from the ceiling, lighting up the faces of the individuals below.

The entire room was quiet as death.

Even the usually talkative Guard Team stood frozen in place, staring at the coffin in disbelief.

Mackintosh was dead!

The leader of the Old Barrel who controlled all the workers at the harbor and was known for having numerous lovers, now lay silently within it.

Dressed in his most familiar clothes, surrounded by scattered flower petals.

...

Wu Heng observed the few members of the Guard Team and, judging by their expressions of disbelief, they had just learned of his death as well.

“When did this happen?” Wu Heng asked.

With a soft sigh, Baldy replied, “The boss couldn’t hold on and passed away the day after the attack, so we prepared the coffin.”

Wu Heng looked at the body. “What was the cause of death?”

“Snake venom.”

Snake venom?

“No elixir was used?”

The development of elixirs in this world had reached a staggering level.

Even a cure for the zombie virus could be developed, and yet snake venom was enough to claim his life?

And this was a professional of no low rank.

His own resistance to abnormal states should have been stronger.

“An elixir was taken, and we even called for a famous Alchemist on the island, but to no avail,” Baldy said, his tone one of helplessness.

“And you solved it, yet the person still lies in the coffin?” The Guard Team leader huffed coldly, “Why didn’t you say earlier that ‘Mackintosh’ was dead?”

Baldy responded, “The Old Barrel has many enemies. If word of the boss’s death got out, it could prompt actions from them.”

The Guard Team leader nodded, seemingly satisfied with the answer.

He walked straight into the room and circled the body.

Then, he took off his armored gloves, tested for breath, and lifted the clothing of the body, sliding his hand inside near the heart.

Baldy looked startled and wanted to stop him but held back.

His gaze then shifted aside.

Soon after, the leader withdrew his hand, “He’s indeed dead.”

From the tone, it seemed the Guard Team had some trouble believing the woman could have died.

The Guard Team leader took out a handkerchief, wiped his hands while walking back, and said, “I had a good relationship with Mackintosh. It’s hard to lose an old friend. If you from the Old Barrel have any ideas, just say so.”

Baldy clenched his fists, looked at the others present, and said solemnly, “The snake that was found in the body must have been placed by someone. If you can help us find the murderer, the Old Barrel is willing to offer 200 gold as a reward.”

Everyone present was taken aback.

The Old Barrel really didn’t hold back with the money.

Killing a pirate would only net a few hundred silver.

To discover the murderer on the island would yield 200 gold.

If it were Wu Heng’s team conducting the investigation, each member would stand to receive a share of the gold coins.

It was clear that the people of the Old Barrel were genuinely angered.

The Guard Team was similarly affected, the surprise giving way to fervor.

The Guard Team leader cleared his throat, “Tell us everything that happened, in detail. Finding out who killed Mackintosh is as crucial as the information you provide.”

Baldy fell silent for a moment then recounted the events at the harbor.

The trouble started when two work teams disputed over cargo, escalated gradually, and caused chaos, disrupting the normal operations of the harbor.

Mackintosh went with his men to mediate. After settling the dispute and examining a worker who died in the chaos, the corpse exploded, and Mackintosh was bitten by a venomous snake.

Despite taking an elixir promptly.

After returning, the symptoms did not subside, and he eventually died in the tavern.

The leader continued, “Who do you suspect?”

“People from Black Crow’s Nest, we have had conflicts, and the Sea Dog Gang also wanted to take over the harbor’s business. With the boss dead, they stand to benefit the most.”

The leader nodded, “Wait here, I’ll find out for you.”

With that, he gestured and promptly left with his Guard Team.

…

After the Guard Team departed, the room grew significantly quieter.

Wu Heng and his team approached the coffin to take a closer look at the state of the body.

It was certain, there were no visible signs of life.

The somewhat arrogantly mannered female boss now lay stiffly inside the coffin.

After looking around, Wu Heng asked, “Why wasn’t an autopsy performed?”

“The boss’s race has a tradition to keep the body intact after death. Before passing, she also instructed us that we could investigate by any means to find the murderer, as long as we did not damage her body,” Baldy followed up and explained.

“What about Wenshi? That is, the Necromancer, asking the body questions?”

Baldy shook his head, indicating it wasn’t possible either.

After all, it wasn’t the corpse of a fugitive, and forcefully requesting a Wenshi seemed unreasonable.

Wu Heng glanced at him, then turned and said, “Cavina, check the body.”

Cavina stepped forward, undid the corpse’s clothing, and began the examination.

The several men present walked to a nearby spot.

And continued to ask some questions.

Baldy was very cooperative, answering whatever was asked, sometimes even with additional details.

After a while, Cavina returned, “There are clear snake bite marks, no other fatal injuries found on the body.”

Wu Heng nodded and turned his gaze back to Baldy.

“You mentioned some bodies that had poisonous snakes inside them?”

Baldy said, “Fearing they might contain toxins, we had people take them to the wasteland behind to bury. If you need to have a look, I can have someone take you there.”

“Good, arrange it!”

The group walked back upstairs together.

Baldy gave a couple of orders to two men of similar robust build.

The men came over and saluted.

Wu Heng said, “Let’s go, take us to the harbor first.”

The two men nodded.

They all went out together, with a carriage prepared, heading straight for the harbor.

…

At the harbor location.

The two men pointed out the exact spot and described the scene at that time.

Since Mackintosh’s death had not been made public, the harbor was still operating normally.

There was no such thing as preserving the crime scene, and even bloodstains could not be found.

After a cursory inspection, they continued on to where the corpses were buried.

Outside the city, in an undeveloped wasteland.

Two burly men and members of the group, wielding shovels, dug out the bodies.

The reed mat was pulled back, revealing three corpses with their guts burst open.

In the soil next to them, there were some dead black snakes, as thick as a pinky finger.

“My lord, these are the three bodies. At the time, their bellies burst open like balloons, and these poisonous snakes came wriggling out. The snakes died not long after,” one man explained.

Wu Heng nodded and signaled for everyone to step back. He then cast “Communicate with the Dead” on the first body.

The lying corpse abruptly sat up, its gaze turning towards them.

The two from the tavern were frightened, scrambling backward and standing at a distance to watch.

Wu Heng directly asked the corpse, “Before you died, why was there a fight?”

The corpse answered, “They stole our job, and fighting broke out before we could settle things.”

Wu Heng pressed on, “Your body had a spell pre-planted, who did it?”

“Don’t know!”

“Before you died, did you have contact with anyone unfamiliar?”

“No.”

“At the scene, did you notice anyone suspicious trying to approach you?”

“Didn’t notice.”

“In your opinion, who might have killed Mackintosh that day?”

“Black Crow’s Nest people, they had quite a feud with him.”

After five questions, the body lay back down.

Judging from the first corpse.

Not a single clue was revealed.

There was no breakthrough on our end, and the body was ignorant as well.

As for the mention of Black Crow’s Nest, it was just a guess, not evidence leading to a suspect.

…

He then turned to the second body and cast “Communicate with the Dead.”

Following that, the body sat up.

“Before you died, did you notice any suspicious people trying to approach you?”

“No!”

“…”

After five questions, this body too provided no useful intelligence.

All its attention had been focused on the fight.

Then the third body sat up.

This one was dressed differently, somewhat like a person in charge.

“Before you died, did you notice any suspicious people attempting to get close to you?”

The body fell silent for a moment before slowly beginning to speak.

“That morning, a dwarf came looking for work; he asked for less money, so I agreed to let him follow us and work.”