-We’ll get him eventually,- Little Corpse murmurs. I’m growling as he holds me in the crook of his arm.
The elders told us to go with Poor Pretty, that he was supposed to guide us on a tour of his non-Patron Master, a Grave Lord who is supporting him until he becomes a Grave Lord. Tch! I need to pay Little Lord. Give him a bonus for putting up with this asshole.
“You can advance at any time, can’t you?” Little Corpse asks, gently probing when I want to rip the asshole’s face off.
“Tch! You get a bigger bonus for accomplishing more before you rise in the ranks,” Poor Pretty rolls his eyes before leering at me. “Does your Master have enough Resentment to Ward a house in the Graveyards? Or is it so weak that --.”
[Karmic Pearl x6 Produced]
[-1000000 x6 +Regard]
[+10 x6 Con. Qi]
[-10000 x6 Qi]
[+1000 x6 Karma]
[Ghost Pot: +420/-0]
[Resentment: +1333820/-212147]
[Current Condensed Qi: 1836568/26896725]
[Current Qi: 439540/957945100]
[Current Karma: 107586902/234520515]
[Resentment Wallet: 200C.St.,113R.Sl.,228R.Sh.,0D.M.R.N.,7I.D.P.]
[Mortal Wallet: 12E,692K,180P,697R,179Da,258De,2605k]
[Spirit Wallet: 0Dr,0Ph,0Th,1325Di,126Co,10679St]
“Yes, it just condensed Dragon Pearls,” Little Corpse sighs. He continues in a low tone, as if talking to himself. “Truly it’s impossible to compare to a Devouring Bank when it comes to storage. Did you know Resentment can be collected and banked?” He turns to Poor Pretty before shaking his head. “Tch! What am I saying? You were begging my master for a few stones earlier. How can I live up to this level of Condensing?
“How do blade skills compare to a Void that can sustain hundreds for years? Or an aura that promotes Cultivation? Dying was one of the worst things that happened to me, but it lead to me being found by my master. From an illiterate farmer to a powerful Undead Cultivator! Ha!” Little Corpse grins to himself before remembering we were dunking on Poor Pretty. “Ah, sorry. Senior was explaining how house wards work? We won’t need them, my Master Devours Resentment, but it’s good information to have.”
Get dunked on? Please? Being polite. Something you know nothing about, dumbass! Now... How did I...
[Resentment Pearl Produced]
[-100000 -Regard]
[+10 Con. Qi]
[-10000 Qi]
[-1000 Karma]
[Ghost Pot: +420/-0]
[Resentment: +1333820/-112297]
[Current Condensed Qi: 1836608/26896513]
[Current Qi: 429240/957945100]
[Current Karma: 107586052/234520515]
[Resentment Wallet: 200C.St.,113R.Sl.,228R.Sh.,1C.M.R.P.,0D.M.R.N.,7I.D.P.]
[Mortal Wallet: 12E,692K,180P,697R,179Da,258De,2605k]
[Spirit Wallet: 0Dr,0Ph,0Th,1325Di,126Co,10679St]
“Tch! Talk about creating new wonders and the 10,000-year treasure creates a 100,000 year treasure to spite you,” Little Corpse chuckles as I hork up a softball-sized clear crystal with a baseball-sized flame in the center. “‘Centennial Millennial Resentment Pearl’? How do I live up to this? Huh?” Little Corpse asks Poor Pretty who just stares at us with sad eyes and a hanging jaw.
Slam dunk, bish. Dick all in your face. If I had nuts they would’ve swabbed your face, too! ? Left a streak of awesome as a present. ?
“You are awful,” Little Corpse groans, giving me a light squeeze.
-Hm? Oh! You’re worried about me? I still have over 100,000 negative Resentment and over a million positive Resentment to condense, but I’ll hold off in case of emergency. You were showing us how to set up a home?- I remind Poor Pretty and watch as he slowly closes his mouth, slowly shuffles to face away, and then slowly shuffles his defeated ass to continue the house tour. -You didn’t finish explaining how wards work. What do they look like? What flavor are they? I hope they don’t need ambient Resentment. I’m afraid I’m purifying your Master’s home.-
[Death Knell(+420/-218)]
[+1 Con. Qi]
[-30 -Resentment]
[+30 Resentment]
[+10 Karma]
[Last Rites II Enhanced(+420/-218)]
[+1 Con. Qi]
[+1000 +Resentment]
[+1000 Karma]
[Ghost Pot: +420/-0]
[Resentment: +1439850/-113144]
[Current Condensed Qi: 1836611/26896766]
[Current Qi: 429230/957945100]
[Current Karma: 107587067/234520515]
-Oops! Sorry about that,- I flinch at the sheer amount of things falling over or shattering. Didn’t think there’d be so many in a house visited by monks. -Gas.-
“How are you still here?” Poor Pretty points and stares, eyes wide and jaw slack in horror as he looks Little Corpse and the girls up and down.
-Why should they?- I nudge the girls who gild up and start spewing blessed incense. -They’re blessed, aren’t they? They helped me help the monks in Sorrow’s Roost? Remember?- Little Corpse bows his head, head raised in supplication as he intones something, more things breaking from his quick blessing. -Strange. Aren’t you friends with the monks?- Poor Pretty stiffly turns away.
“Master!” he shrieks, head flying back, moving stiffly as he tries to get away.
“Idiot! What have you done?!” Someone bellows before a man in rich blue robes storms out of one of the small manors. He draws to a halt when he sees that Poor Pretty has brought guests, then double takes when he sees me. “Eclipsed Rainbow?!”
Excuse me?
-Do I know you?- I jump into my Logs but the name, pulled from Poor Pretty’s thoughts, doesn’t ring any bells.
-Says he was a manager at Eager Hearts. He’s wondering if you’re here because you found out they used you to kidnap people for Resentment and then used you to hide the bodies of the ones that didn’t survive their training,- Little Corpse informs me.
-Be a dear and find more trustworthy monks to give that info to,- I murmur. Did that old monk send me with Poor Pretty to wreck more shit and get his Master in trouble? -I think I like monks now.-
“Ah,” Fat River Fish quickly calms, folding his hands into his sleeves, eyes narrowing slightly in a calculating look.
-Teaching you how to purify and chant with your body has only helped you, and you still bear a grudge? Tch!- Little Corpse gives me a not so friendly squeeze before giving a respectful light bow to Fat River Fish. -He remembered you were in a coma.- “Greetings! My Master has become a Grave Lord and Poor --. Heart’s Disarray has been tasked with explaining how to create a stable house in the Graveyards.” -He thinks he’s the reason you have enough Souls, Ghosts, and Resentment to be a Grave Lord.-
-He might be right,- I frown thoughtfully as Poor Pretty squawks, -- his voice is literally cracking. Did I just scare second puberty into this asshole? -- informing his Master that he’s to house us for a week and explain how things work while the Resentment Mill is investigated.
Slimy Slug excuses himself, stating he needs to speak to Poor Pretty before dragging him off into a quiet corner of the courtyard. While Little Corpse keeps me updated on what they’re saying I scan the courtyard, a sandy oasis with stones shaped and piled to resemble bushes and short leafy trees. There really is a Resentment Miasma pooling in the divots and channels raked into the sand garden.
-Poor Pretty --. Tch! You almost got me in trouble with your names!- Little Corpse pauses to berate me but I just snicker. -*Poor Pretty is telling Slimy Slug about how you cleaned out the Mill and managed to gather a bunch of elders in it.
-*It was warded to prevent anyone from using Markers to Void Walk out. Ah. I thought I was just low on Qi or Resentment so Requested a Transfer to your Void. I was able to Void Walk from there, so I didn’t think much of it.
-Don’t worry, I had you Group Transfer us around,- Little Corpse tries to reassure me in a subtle dunk. -Tch! I took no one into your Void other than my servants. Sorry again!- Okay, that was definitely a dunk. -Ah! He’s explaining that he saw you Condense several Dragon Pearls. Slimy Slug thinks you tricked him.-
[Death Knell(+420/-218)]
[+1 Con. Qi]
[-30 -Resentment]
[+30 Resentment]
[+10 Karma]
[Last Rites II Enhanced(+420/-218)]
[+1 Con. Qi]
[+1000 +Resentment]
[+1000 Karma]
[Ghost Pot: +420/-0]
[Resentment: +1545880/-215511]
[Current Condensed Qi: 1836644/26897058]
[Current Qi: 428920/957945100]
[Current Karma: 107588232/234520515]
-Gods granted me good health,- I murmur in a minor blessing as more stuff that was barely hanging on finally gives up the ghost. I look blankly back at Slimy Slug and Poor Pretty as they stare blankly at me, their conversation temporarily halted. -The monks did it. The drumming, too.- There’s more crashing and one of the doors falls off. -Okay, that’s not my fault.-
-The incense from the girls is spreading on your drum! Your Tone made it spread out farther, faster! Their incense can ride your sounds!- Little Corpse gives me a quick excited squeeze. -You’ve nearly purified this level of the manor. The incense might be seeping into others.-
“The incense!” Poor Pretty shouts, voice strained as he points up at the girls who are casually perched on a roof, the incense trailing subtly down drain corridors to drift along the many channels previously filled with Resentment. “They’re purifying the manor!”
“Hey, hey hey!” Slimy Slug rushes over, fluttering his hand at us. “We thank you for your blessings, but you’re damaging many items put in place to collect and store Resentment.”
-Ah, we’ve helped you. Would you like to make a donation?- I dare you to be angry. -Poor Pretty was quite clear that warding against Resentment is hard for hunans, and it is my understanding that Purification Rites are quite expensive. A small donation of a few shards should suffice. We’ve almost finished cleaning up everything from the “Mill”. You are welcome.-
“You think we’ll donate Resentment to you?” Slimy Slug points at himself, then me, but I’m more interested in how he’s turning red and shaking slightly. I think I can hear him gritting his teeth.
I wrecked all of your shit. Have you noticed? Do you think I tricked you? I’m tempted to hork up another positive Pearl, but I want to have a mill in the bank for emergencies. I’ve got plenty of negative Resentment to play with...
[Resentment Pearl Produced]
[-100000 -Resentment]
[+10 Con. Qi]
[-10000 Qi]
[-1000 Karma]
[Ghost Pot: +420/-0]
[Resentment: +1545880/-116849]
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
[Current Condensed Qi: 1836660/26896815]
[Current Qi: 418860/957945100]
[Current Karma: 107587262/234520515]
[Resentment Wallet: 200C.St.,113R.Sl.,228R.Sh.,2C.M.R.P.,0D.M.R.N.,7I.D.P.]
[Mortal Wallet: 12E,692K,180P,697R,179Da,258De,2605k]
[Spirit Wallet: 0Dr,0Ph,0Th,1325Di,126Co,10679St]
Be in awe of my balls!
-‘Centennial Millennial Pearl’? You hunans! Call it a Resentment Pearl!- I thrash, honestly annoyed by the pretentiousness of the naming conventions before I remember I was trying to flex. -Ah! Did you wish to make a donation?-
“Master? This is why they call you a greedy bug! Do you not see they can’t afford to donate?” Little Corpse “admonishes” me before looking back up with a light friendly smile. “Apologies. My master is a Void and a Bank and an insect. They’ve got that unfortunate Devour ability. Fortunately they are sterile. Unfortunately that might be why my Master is capable of retaining hundreds of spirits and Soldiers at the ready at all times. Luckily no one has pushed them into learning how to wake them.”
-You want me to wake more Little Corpses?- I ask broadly, looking up at Little Corpse and daring him to keep blabbing.
Who needs to know I’m sterile? What’s wrong with being a bug? It’s helped him out, hasn’t it? It’s helped out anyone who isn’t a dick or am I wrong?
“Tch! I’ve upset my Master by gossiping when we should be collecting. I’ll put them down to rest and then we’ll find another Bone Snare nest for it to feed on. We’ll leave first,” Little Corpse says, and I hope he’s being serious about the Bone Snare nest. Otherwise why mention it?
[Death Knell(+420/-218)]
[+1 Con. Qi]
[-30 -Resentment]
[+30 Resentment]
[+10 Karma]
[Last Rites II Enhanced(+420/-218)]
[+1 Con. Qi]
[+1000 +Resentment]
[+1000 Karma]
[Ghost Pot: +420/-0]
[Resentment: +1651910/-117696]
[Current Condensed Qi: 1836663/26897069]
[Current Qi: 418850/957945100]
[Current Karma: 107588277/234520515]
Parting gift!
Little Corpse Requests a transfer to a monastery and I approve it, all of us being dumped in the courtyard of the monastery where I accidentally-ed into the Library. He bursts out laughing, the girls joining him, still dumping incense, while I look around at all of the terrified people recoiling from us.
-You want to sell your silk? Why not trade it to the monks for access to the books in the library? You can make a donation and a profit in knowledge,- Little Corpse says, sobering up quickly before striding towards the main building without waiting for an answer. He pulls up short, hefting me up in an attempt to look me in the eyes. -You disagree?-
-What part of “nap” are you confused about?- I try to snap at him, but I’m exhausted. -I put in a lot of hard work punishing them, ya know?- I grumble, my eyes slowly closing on their own.
-Ah...! You rest,- he says like I have any control over it.
-I sleep bite!- I warn in case anyone else gets any ideas about staging another coup. I barely catch one of the girls sucking her teeth in annoyance before it’s lights out.
-Shit! Wake up! You’re glowing!-
I stumble to my rear legs while taking swipes with my forelegs, completely unable to open my eyes. Did the fuckers glue them shut? All kajillion of them? I suppose just smearing something over my face would be faster... I don’t see anything...
“Oh, it’s falling back asleep. You were right, it does appear to still be alive,” someone murmurs and I’m falling asleep before I can tell them to “it” their face.
Silent Howl:
If you stopped ignoring me this wouldn’t happen.
Check your Regard, your positive Resentment, and count the numbers!
Bish, you count these Zs, I’m going back to sleep.
-I have no idea how it’s going to push that out. I’m surprised it didn’t split wide open,- Little Corpse admits.
Come again? My eyes pop open and I realize that I wasn’t looking at me curled up. Because I can’t curl up.
-*Why am I the size of a beach ball? And glowing?!- I panic, my drum coming fast and hard. -Numbers! Something about numbers!*-
[Ghost Pot: +1000/-0]
[Resentment: +14218400/-317523]
[Current Condensed Qi: 1836783/26897219]
[Current Qi: 417650/957945100]
[Current Karma: 107588877/234520515]
I quickly try to count the numbers, remember what commas are for, and then nearly accidentally start horking up the death egg.
-What the fuck? What’d you do to me?!- I screech.
Can I take on a hunan form or will I pop if I do? What is this and where is it lodged? Is the room big enough for me to be me in? I think I can cough this up if I’m me sized.
-They’re awake!- Little Corpse says, grabbing the cushion I’m on and lifting it up before the girls each grab hold on either side and fly me out a window. -Quick! Take on your true form!-
Don’t have to tell me twice.
[Death Knell]
[+1 Con. Qi]
[-30 -Resentment]
[+30 Resentment]
[+10 Karma]
[Last Rites II Enhanced]
[+100 Con. Qi]
[+1000 +Resentment]
[+1000 Karma]
[Ascendant Dragon Pearl Produced]
[-10000000 +Regard]
[+100 Con. Qi]
[-100000 Qi]
[+10000 Karma]
[Ghost Pot: +1000/-0]
[Resentment: +4218400/-317523]
[Current Condensed Qi: 1836887/26899974]
[Current Qi: 317630/957945100]
[Current Karma: 107599892/234520515]
[Resentment Wallet: 200C.St.,113R.Sl.,228R.Sh.,2C.M.R.P.,0D.M.R.N.,7I.D.P.,0A.D.P]
[Mortal Wallet: 12E,692K,180P,697R,179Da,258De,2605k]
[Spirit Wallet: 0Dr,0Ph,0Th,1325Di,126Co,10679St]
Okay, when did I make it a reflex that I have to ring a bell every time I puke? What is this? I go to groom, realize I’m still glowing, and then look down at a blazing sun that feels like a gentle spring morning lie in with enough time to wake up and enjoy the rest of the day. Da fuq is that?
-How are you so disrespectful...?- Little Corpse groans in the back of my head.
What’d I do? Not like I made it on purpose. What is it?
I condense down to get a closer look and the blasted thing is bigger than me. Holy hells, how?! I rear up, wanting to push it with my forelegs to see if it’s real, but not wanting it to pop back inside of me, ‘cause I don’t know how it was in me in the first place.
Silent Howl:
I hate this.
Keep making pearls before the gods smite you.
And get back indoors!
What’s his problem?
-Please get back inside so people stop worshiping you,- Little Corpse hisses at me as the girls try to shoo me back towards the window they carried me out of.
-Da Fuq are you talking about?- I mentally cross my fingers before banking the mini sun.
[+1 Ascendant Dragon Pearl]
[Resentment Wallet: 200C.St.,113R.Sl.,228R.Sh.,2C.M.R.P.,0D.M.R.N.,7I.D.P.,0 + 1 A.D.P]
[Ghost Pot: +500/-0]
[Resentment: +4462940/-317528]
[Current Condensed Qi: 1836887/26899974]
[Current Qi: 317630/957945100]
[Current Karma: 107599897/234520515]
[Resentment Wallet: 200C.St.,113R.Sl.,228R.Sh.,2C.M.R.P.,0D.M.R.N.,7I.D.P.,1A.D.P]
[Mortal Wallet: 12E,692K,180P,697R,179Da,258De,2605k]
[Spirit Wallet: 0Dr,0Ph,0Th,1325Di,126Co,10679St]
I hop in through the window, banking and Withdrawing the cushion to plop back onto before opening my Logs. And immediately close the window because now I know way too much without having read shit. It’s like I slept for a year to just absorb some of the stuff in my Library, but all at once instead of a slow absorbing. My head hurts but I’m afraid to move and I need to puke. Not puke. I need to dump pearls so I stop glowing.
[Karmic Pearl x4 Produced]
[-1000000 x4 +Regard]
[+10 x4 Con. Qi]
[-10000 x4 Qi]
[+1000 x4 Karma]
[Ghost Pot: +1000/-0]
[Resentment: +218400/-317523]
[Current Condensed Qi: 1836926/26900973]
[Current Qi: 277640/957945100]
[Current Karma: 107603892/234520515]
[Resentment Wallet: 200C.St.,113R.Sl.,228R.Sh.,2C.M.R.P.,0D.M.R.N.,11I.D.P.,1A.D.P]
[Mortal Wallet: 12E,692K,180P,697R,179Da,258De,2605k]
[Spirit Wallet: 0Dr,0Ph,0Th,1325Di,126Co,10679St]
-This is why you don’t trust monks!- I screech at Little Corpse before turning on the surprised monk. -What’d you fucks do to me this time?-
-I couldn’t kill you if I tried...- Little Corpse sighs into his hands, palms pressed together as he squeezes the bridge of his nose.
“There’s a meditation you should try that converts Regard to Karma...” the monk says in a friendly tone. I’m not a drunk tourist!
...
-That sounds helpful, actually,- I admit.
[Name: Kisandera, “Sandy”, Eclipsed Rainbow]
[Affiliation(s): Thousand Valleys, Seven Moons, Companion of the Sacred Phoenix Sovereign, Inner Void Productions, Wimble Sunrise, Scarlet Silk Society, Hunter’s Association, Vengeful Ghost Flame Sect]
[Race: Celestial Void Moth Queen[Shattered] (Ascendant)] ??
[Current Form: Lesser Void Moth]
[Current Title: Devourer of Sorrows]
[Current Karma: 107603892/234520515]
[Master: Shimmering Steel]
[Familiar: (1/20) Fuck Face (Ghostly Servant)]
[Contracts: (1/10) Sweet Pea Blossom and Chrysanthemum Petal]
[Max Will: 9579451]
[HP: 9579451]
[Current Condensed Qi: 1836926/26900973]
[Current Qi: 277640/957945100]
[Ghost Pot: +1000/-0]
[Resentment: +218400/-317523]
[Resentment Wallet: 200C.St.,113R.Sl.,228R.Sh.,2C.M.R.P.,0D.M.R.N.,11I.D.P.,1A.D.P]
[Mortal Wallet: 12E,692K,180P,697R,179Da,258De,2605k]
[Spirit Wallet: 0Dr,0Ph,0Th,1325Di,126Co,10679St]
While he’s off to find a manual, -- which apparently we’re trading for panels of wimble silk? Thanks for volunteering, Little Corpse. -- I have to figure out the latest monk nonsense. Namely how they managed to get people to convince people that I’m a good Devourer. ‘Cause there are people praying to me, trying to remote Deposit their Resentment. How the hells was I deified?
-There are altars in Eager Heart,- Little Corpse informs me. Reminds me. I know.
I know that there are altars where people have been pushing their fears. I know that Eager Heart wasn’t as popular to the locals and the families of the adventurers that got sucked in. I know that Slimy Slug was an accountant and he’s been a very wealthy member of the Vengeful Ghost Clan for decades. I know that Average Joe had been stealthily feeding me herbs that turn the little bank beetles into something similar to a portable bank with the ability to access their storage from a greater range if they’re bound.
Shimmering Steel is my Master. She broke our contract long ago, but I didn’t know how to report it. To stop it. I’d sent out a help request to a spirit board. A simple request, and my demands for the contract were simple. She broke the spirit of the contract, not the letter. She can’t command me, but we’re still connected.
I’m bound and unbound, a Devourer, and a bank bug. I feed on garbage and return treasure. I’ve been deified as a facking spiritual dumpster.
-*What is this bullshit?*- I hiss, head spun nearly 180 degrees vertically.
-From what I can gather, it’s because you were named after a bad omen,- Little Corpse murmurs, arm crossed over his chest, free hand picking at his lip as he sits with his head lowered, deep in thought. -It might have been a joke, but being named Eclipsed while being a Void bug and a bank bug, and I didn’t know that those were different paths, but...-
-Yeah, yeah, “10,000-year treasure”, but what triggered this fresh round of bullshit? I was asleep for 2 days!- I snap, the monk returning with a manual in hand. He hands it over to Little Corpse who doesn’t get a chance to let the monk know I haven’t made shit before the monk begs off with a smile and a murmured acknowledgement that he knows we’re busy right now, but we’ll get to it eventually. -How’d I go from “dumb greedy bug” to “Devourer of Sorrows” in 2 days?!-
-The people you saved from the mill? The Accounts from Eager Heart? The Accounts from Sorrow’s Roost? Your work at Sorrow’s Roost,- Little Corpse shrugs and I wonder what all Super Farmer managed to accomplish in that time without having to ride herd on me. Oh, yeah, no, he did a lot. I own a charity now. -*The destruction of the Red Silk Sect and the disappearance of their poisons? I’m sure the Death Moths probably played some part of it.
-You might not act like it, but you do a lot. You’re not just some lazy bug,- Little corpse crosses his arms and gives another small shrug. -The monks who trained while you drummed or toned experienced amazing progress. Hells, part of what I’m capable of is due to you.- He holds up a hand before I can begin to protest, and I remember that I did make him wrong. For a corpse. -I’m a corpse with the ability to Cycle with my blessed soul and my mind and Will intact. That’s you. It was always you.-
-Your will had to be intact for me to make you a servant, huh?- I snap, sick of all of the praise. I’m getting enough to glow if I sleep.
