Steampunk Era: Mad Abield
Chapter 1180: Section 723: Meeting (1)

Chapter 1180: Section 723: Meeting (1)

As the progress of the logging continued, Malin noticed that the undead patrols were appearing more and more at the outer edges of the logging site. They did not attack but watched, causing everyone, including Sage Yu, to feel puzzled.

Sage Yu was perplexed about why the undead didn’t launch attacks, and the leader of the Pioneer Corps also expressed confusion about the undead patrols—for in his experience, as the Pioneer Corps advanced, the undead would usually fall into a frenzy, and a new wave of attacks should have already arrived.

Unfortunately, up until now, only patrols of undead had appeared, aerial reconnaissance found nothing, and the hunters, who controlled animals, had their expert mole spies conduct underground investigations, but they also found no clues.

And following the principle of avoiding unnecessary trouble, Malin did not let anyone attack the undead patrols either.

"I have a strange feeling that maybe things will take a turn," Malin said to Sage Yu.

Thus, a week passed peacefully between both parties, and Malin noticed traces of undead offspring within the undead patrols.

Sage Yu confirmed with binoculars that they were indeed undead offspring: "Their skin is very smooth, just like... humans, except with blue skin, which makes it hard to believe they are human."

Malin thought for a moment, reached out, and took the snack bag from Jin Weili, then walked towards the patrol alone.

"Your Highness! Are you going to feed the undead? They are undead, you know." Jin Weili voiced his puzzled greeting: "I’m not worrying about my snacks, but about you being eaten by the undead!"

"I got it." Malin turned around and gave the boy a pat with the Psychic Palm, sending Jin Weili with a prolonged scream flying into a nearby pond.

Always talking too much.

Malin walked to the middle of the camp and the patrol. He picked up the bag in his hand, opened it, took out a piece of snack, and bit it.

In the undead patrol, an undead stood up, trying hard to look human. After confirming what Malin was doing, it turned around and shouted.

The five offspring, who were like playful young beasts, stopped and looked at the hunched undead. Then, under its urging call, they walked towards Malin.

The undead shouted again, one of the offspring paused, then struggled to stand up and walked with its somewhat bent hind limbs.

Then the second, the third, Malin watched these five offspring staggeringly approach, sighing in contemplation.

These undead... are evolving too.

A little offspring was given two snacks, watching them devour these sticky treats hungrily, Malin patted each of their heads.

In any case, humans and undead are enemies, but this is also the life forms on this planet contending with each other for survival rights. Even if one day, Malin has to personally kill these five children, today, he is an elder, and they are just five kids.

The stories on the battlefield can be left for the future, but for now, Malin gave all the remaining snacks to these five kids.

At this time, the hunched undead walked towards Malin.

The undead around it followed closely, but eventually stopped at its somewhat disgruntled shriek.

This seemingly limping undead walked up to Malin.

Malin thought for a moment, took out a bag of snacks from his private space, opened it, and handed it to the undead.

The undead reached out its hand, but did not take it, instead opening its palm, letting Malin see its calloused and soil-covered hand.

"Do you find it dirty?" Malin asked.

The undead nodded.

Goodness, it understands human language.

Malin was startled, then immediately understood the situation—this old undead must be the most respected elder in this tribe, teaching the young, smooth-skinned offspring to live like humans. As for why, isn’t it obvious? This old undead must have lived among humans when it was young.

Although unaware of its experiences, from its behavior today, he understood that if the undead continued like this, they would only be exhausted by the humans.

As for the last massive attack of the undead, that is even better explained. Like humans have different groups, there must be different factions among the undead too. The previous attack was likely from the warlike faction that ended in chaos.

So this time, the old one came to observe the human camp, confirmed that humans—especially powerful beings like Malin—did not attack them, and thought of using the children as bait—you see, if humans wanted to capture the children, the undead’s speed in the woods is beyond human reach. Even if all the children were lost, it would have no impact on the undead. But if humans wanted to talk, then he would come to meet them.

Evidently, he gambled right, just like what Malin did.

Thus Malin applied a Psychic Whisper to this guy, enabling direct communication between him and Malin.

"You gambled big, if I were your enemy, I would have killed you all." Malin finished, took out some snacks, and placed them in the hands of the old undead.

The latter caught the snacks, then nostalgically picked one up, put it in its mouth, and slowly chewed before swallowing, then lifted its head to look at Malin.