Three moving figures shuffled through the dark alleys of the City of Wandering’s Light and Shadow Zone, their tattered robes, strange masks on their faces, and the lingering stench of death enough to instill fear in all living creatures.

That is, if it weren’t for the plump, pale pink specter twerking in front of them.

And their ridiculous conversation.

"You bunch of little brats without a single hair on your bodies! Do you know how important the thing you interrupted was to me? That was an opportunity I traded for six months’ salary, you damn kids!"

"Curse those bones! I’ve provided you all with mental relief so many times without asking a thing in return! You ungrateful lot! You destroyed my hope!"

"Just one-hundredth of a second longer and I would have gotten the contact information of that beautiful, delicate, leggy dark elf girl!!!"

The specter’s furious roar disturbed several bats in the alley, which might be the barbaric distant relatives of Light Bats.

Shiny looked at his companions and shrugged, making his voice heard through the moving scales on his back.

"We are Liches, with no hair, no heart. You’re right about that."

Flexibility pulled up his robe to hide part of his face. Ever since he used the Hunger Trap disguise, he was more and more aware of his sense of shame, especially around his unscrupulous companions.

"Although you have indeed contributed to us without compensation, in reality Dexterous, you were merely obeying the orders from our instructor Troy... No matter how nicely put, it was just a mission after all."

Flexibility gave a slight smile and delivered the final blow to the large specter.

"Don’t mind their sarcasm, Mr. Dexterous."

"After all, that dark elf would never fancy you. She’s not a child, how could she possibly like a guy with a creepy pink hue like a giant balloon person?"

Dexterous wanted to strangle them but, thinking of the person behind them, he held his tongue, but still couldn’t resist saving some face and retorted,

"What if that girl happens to be an innocent child who likes balloon guys, huh? I might look burly, but I have a gentle heart."

Shiny laughed without any consideration for feelings, "Ha ha ha ha! What kind of dream are you having, Dexterous? You’re looking for a pure-hearted beauty in the Bloody Rose Bar? That’s hilarious, I’m about to laugh my jaw off."

"Don’t you know dark elves originated from those fallen Elf Race members?"

"Or do you think that girl took half a year’s salary for her drink so she could save for a ticket back home?"

"Aren’t you aware that the Elf Race has the second highest fraud crime rate in the City of Wandering? The honey trap is the specialty of City of Wandering’s Elf Race beauties."

Dexterous’ spectral expression furrowed.

"I won’t ask what race holds the first place for the crime rate, or where they come from. But, the Elf Race being second in fraud crimes, I really haven’t heard of that. How come I remember that the Sin Demon Clan was ranked second in the Secret Pivot Council report?"

"Don’t look at that official report; you should pay attention to our Andrey News instead. Many of the Elf Race’s frauds go unreported, so there are no official data," laughed Shiny. "Or are you saying that someone like you, who gets carried away by looks, would go ask the Spellcasters for help after realizing you’ve been scammed? Oh~"

"Hilarious, Dexterous, you sell adult films; how can you still harbor such naive virgin thoughts?"

"Watch your tone! You pile of rot! What I sell are youthful, unripe dreams! It’s a career that makes me proud!!"

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha!! Flexibility! Flexibility!! Give me something to chill my skull! I’m falling apart; I’m shaking all over!"

"As you wish." Shiny became a block of ice, and even within the ice, the scales on his face still formed a great big smile.

Deep purple clouds formed within Dexterous’ pink form, displaying the specter’s irritation.

"Just wait, I’ll get you guys good!"

An hour later.

"Although I did talk tough earlier...but this is just too unsightly!"

Inside Dexterous’ Soul House, he emerged from the shadow of his "heartbreak," shocked at the sight of the three recently revived Liches.

"How could you fall into a trap of desire, a hunger trap at that?! You’re Liches! Have you starved to death?!"

The Necromancer Figure Club’s three members weren’t much angered by Dexterous’ obviously mocking comment.

They were conversing.

"We’ve failed the course." 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

"Yeah, we failed."

"Liches obsessed with appetite, that would have been laughable in the past."

"Hunger guise really has a profound effect on us."

"I thought you guys, having experienced the Gluttonous Lich Plague, would be used to this by now."

"Nowadays, liches like Andrey probably can’t resist the temptation of food."

"The boss’s research results are outrageous, truly a miracle."

"This is probably why Troy suddenly demanded this test. Spirit Summoning Studies requires learning to resist temptation, seems like we need to undergo retraining."

"Understandable. Think of it as the ’price’ for relishing good food anew."

Dexterous was eavesdropping on the conversation among the three, learning of another person’s existence, the boss of Shiny, Flexibility, and Manipulation. It appeared that he was also the culprit behind the liches’ odd behaviors.

He was curious. What kind of Lich could make these three rebellious, disrespectful lads willingly follow a leader, and with Troy’s sudden commands, Dexterous had an intuition that all this was related to their boss.

"So, who is your boss?"

"The Fallen Light, the future of Spirit Summoning Studies, the rising star of the Salvation Society... the creator of hunger guise, the president of the Necromancer Figure Club, Dr. Epidemic." Manipulation listed a string of grand yet seemingly far-fetched titles, making Dexterous realize this might be an important figure for Andrey.

Though still weak, the future looked promising.

"So, this Dr. Epidemic, is he also a Soulology classmate of yours?"

"Yes, and moreover, our Necromancer Figure Club’s Soulology mentor is Soul Stone Troy."

"Is that so? Then why has he never come to see me with you guys?"

Shiny tilted his head.

"Perhaps because Dr. Epidemic has a better private Soulology tutor?"

Dexterous snorted, lying on his side in mid-air, his right hand propping his head, he looked down at Shiny and the others with a casual expression of superiority.

"I, Dexterous, don’t make unfounded claims. But let me say this! In the Soul Realm, back in the day, I was also a renowned master of Soulology. Even if we bring in those ghost tutors of yours, none would dare to say they’ve outperformed me in all aspects!"

"A Soulology mentor better than me! Ha, tell me, who was it? One of my former defeated underlings?"

Manipulation touched his mask, "I’m not too clear on the situation, but it seems to be someone close to Dr. Epidemic? Someone from his partner’s side?"

"Partner? Someone young enough to be a partner to a lich probably isn’t some old antique. Let’s hear it, who is it? From which emergent family?" Dexterous was picking his nose, his face wearing the lonely invincibility of an old-timer making an entrance.

"The Naslan Family."

Sputter! In the view of the three, Dexterous deflated like a balloon. He sat up straight, looking at Manipulation.

"Which family did you say?"

"The Naslan Family."

Dexterous lowered his head and started gesturing with his hands, as if something terrifying were watching him, "You mean... the family with ’The Three Sisters’?"

"Yeah, Dr. Epidemic’s partner is Lady Ariana Naslan."

"..."

Dexterous understood.