Little Corpse and Silent Howl are coordinating over what they can see on the map, Silent Howl hogging it and directing our actions. I get to know that they’re also comforting one another, lamenting something I didn’t see, and exchanging me stories when I glimpse at the Logs. What didn’t I see yet? I can see that there’s a group of people squatting at one of the branches in the tunnel looking at Little Corpse knowing he’s a Ghost Soldier and they think I’m more Resentment condensing into something.
“What is that?”
-Your grandmother and your grandfather, show some respect to your ancestors!- I snark while grooming.
“Shit! It’s a talking Ghost!” one of them says, pulling out a Resentment blade with the intention of adding me to their Ghost Pot. He’s in for a surprise...
“Doesn’t that mean its dangerous? We should go,” one girl pipes up nervously. I know I’m being irrational with thinking she’s a Hatchet type, but Hatchet was nervous when she first met me, too.
“Dude, the Soldier is sitting. It might have formed from a Servant! Maybe it hasn’t fully formed!” another girl squeals in excitement.
“Quick! Before it wakes!” the guy with his blade drawn and excited for a fight tries to psych himself up while the others wait to see what happens when he attacks.
“I’m Little Corpse, and this is my Master Eclipsed Rainbow. I would advise against attacking us,” Little Corpse calls calmly, pulling out a manual to read while he waits.
-No no... Come. Let me get a nibble,- I snicker lifting my wings to get to them. Not a full spread, just cleaning them up.
“They’re not moving!” someone points out why? “Clearly they can’t defend themselves!” That leap in logic is worthy of an Olympic medal! “Let’s try to collect them!”
“Consider this your final warning,” Little Corpse says, while scrubbing at his forehead. Not my fault this time! “It’d be better to dispose of you here rather than have you free to run around the Empire.”
-I don’t care about the Empire. I don’t want people trying to blame your bullshit on non-hunans,- I volunteer, raising a foreleg so they know I’m speaking.
[-1 HP]
A blade of Resentment flies across the distance between me and my attackers. I didn’t expect it to retain its form over the distance so didn’t think I had to dodge, and Little Corpse didn’t think it’d do anything so he didn’t bother trying to block.
-Tch! Ow.- How dare.
[Ghost Pot: +1000/-0]
[Resentment: +1,471,930/-680,290]
[Current Condensed Qi: 1,839,685/29,901,786]
[Current Qi: 97,790/957,945,100]
[Max Will: 23,944,666]
[HP: 23,944,666]
[Current Karma: 119,607,144/234,520,515]
I bring up my quick stats to see how much health I actually lost. Not sure if the 1 point I saw was with my recovery in place, but I can’t see my health. I think it’s around 9 to 10 million, but only 9s are in my basic Qi.
[Ghost Pot: +1000/-0]
[Resentment: +1,471,930/-680,290]
[Current Condensed Qi: 1,839,685/29,901,786]
[Current Qi: 97,790/957,945,100]
[Max Will: 23,944,666]
[HP: 23,944,666]
[Current Karma: 119,607,144/234,520,515]
[Resentment Wallet: 200C.St.,113R.Sl.,228R.Sh.,2C.M.R.P.,0D.M.R.N.,10I.D.P.,1A.D.P]
[Mortal Wallet: 12E,691K,180P,697R,179Da,258De,2605k]
[Spirit Wallet: 0Dr,0Ph,0Th,1325Di,126Co,9679St]
-Where the hells is my health?- I grumble while bringing up a wider range of quick stats. -Fack! Did I remove it from the notification?-
[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: 119,607,144/234,520,515]
[Master: Shimmering Steel]
[Familiar: (1/20) Fuck Face (Ghostly Servant)]
[Contracts: (1/10) Sweet Pea Blossom and Chrysanthemum Petal]
[Max Will: 23,944,666]
[Current Condensed Qi: 1,839,685/29,901,786]
[HP: 23,944,666]
[Current Qi: 97,790/957,945,100]
[Ghost Pot: +1000/-0]
[Resentment: +1,471,930/-680,290]
[Resentment Wallet: 200C.St.,113R.Sl.,228R.Sh.,2C.M.R.P.,0D.M.R.N.,10I.D.P.,1A.D.P]
[Mortal Wallet: 12E,691K,180P,697R,179Da,258De,2605k]
[Spirit Wallet: 0Dr,0Ph,0Th,1325Di,126Co,9679St]
-Did I really confuse my health with Resentment?- I mumble dumbly, my face and mouth numb. I think I’m drooling on myself... -Did I just have a stroke?-
[Ghost Sect Disciple Defeated]
[+1,000 -Resentment]
[+100 Qi]
[+100 Karma]
[Ghost Pot: +1000/-0]
[Resentment: +1,471,930/-681,290]
[Current Condensed Qi: 1,839,685/29,901,811]
[Current Qi: 98,790/957,945,100]
[Max Will: 23,944,666]
[HP: 23,944,666]
[Current Karma: 119,607,244/234,520,515]
[Resentment Wallet: 200C.St.,113R.Sl.,228R.Sh.,2C.M.R.P.,0D.M.R.N.,10I.D.P.,1A.D.P]
[Mortal Wallet: 12E,691K,180P,697R,179Da,258De,2605k]
[Spirit Wallet: 0Dr,0Ph,0Th,1325Di,126Co,9679St]
I look at the asshole who’d sent the blade at me as they rear back, fully prepared to stab me, and just collect them to my Ghost Pot. They ragdoll, soul and life just gone, their body disappearing before the knees can touch the ground, banked by Little Corpse. I thought my health was disrespectful before. And how’d I do that? I didn’t even have to touch them. They were gonna get et, but it’s like I cut out the middle man and just Devoured--.
Oh! I get it! I see what I did there... Heh.
... Huh...
My silk slowly bristles, shimmering with something as I realize that Will is a big part of doing anything. The emperor couldn’t move because his Will would burn everything around him to a crisp. Am I going to get to the point where I just Devour everything in my sphere of influence?
Silent Howl:
You’d have to override the Wills of the Imperial Council first.
They don’t want you nomming everything? You can’t without an effort of Will.
Oh, thank gods! I collapse onto my side. I still don’t know how the emperor could spend his waking hours not thinking about pink elephants and succeeding. Can he even sleep? Or is that what he did to make the second sun? Just find a spot in space, take a nap, wake up to a new celestial body. As in sun, not physical form.
Did I almost do that at the monastery? What would it be? A giant mouth? Ooh! A black hole! And everything that gets sucked into it is Devoured or banked!
Can I set one of those up?
-Don’t think about it too hard,- Little Corpse says, nudging me in my side to distract me. And his manual crumbles, corrupted and destroyed by Resentment in a single breath while he seems more real. -Tch!-
-I didn’t tell you to touch me,- I point out as he dusts himself off in annoyance.
I didn’t lose any Resentment, so where’d it come from? I open my Logs, try to do a search for Resentment and know that my aura of Get Fucked draws Resentment and Essence towards me, that I’m not shedding it but promoting it to c’mere.
-Oh! Neat.- I attempt to do a quick touch up and spot one of the numerous survivors staring at us in horror. They didn’t get taken out?
-They didn’t attack,- Little Corpse shrugs with a new copy of whatever he’s reading.
Tch!
-Here, kitty kitty kitty,- I say at a loss of how to call them to come over and die, slowly~ creeping towards them.
-You--!- Little Corpse sets his manual down, reaches out, drags me back and the kids run off.
-Tch! What’d you do that for?- I grumble as he sets me down firmly with an extra push like I’ll snap into place on the ground. -Thought we were going to go exploring after I cleared my silk?!-
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Little Corpse focuses on me and I realize he’s checking to make sure I really did finish grooming. Dish bish... Is he about to tell me, with my fluffy ass that people refuse to stop picking up because I look so clean, that I missed a spot?
-You wanna be a monk? Say it and I’ll make you bald,- I growl, narrowing my eyes and preparing to take all of his hair.
-Tch! You’re ridiculous!- Little Corpse stands up and tries to orient himself with Silent Howl’s guidance.
I have to eavesdrop via Logs because neither of them feel like dealing with me. Tch! What’d I do?
There are pockets, open rooms where the entrance isn’t visible on my map, but Silent Howl thinks I should be able to burrow through the rock in order to reach the sealed rooms. We’re going to go around collecting Resentment, looking for anyone who may be trapped, free them, and generally inconvenience all the hunans involved in cultivating in this area.
I attempt to dig and end up just deleting chunks of rock the size of me curled up. The fit would be tight for me in my hunan form considering I’m so small so I take the time to bite wide holes through the rock.
-Stop playing around!- Little Corpse chastises me. I’m only about eight bites in, two me lengths, when he chimes in. -Just get to the room and transfer me inside! You don’t have to widen the tunnel for me!- ... He’s got a point. -Ugh!-
Work smarter, not harder, me! I don’t bother trying to repair the damage I’ve done to the wall, -- Little Corpse has a nice little cubby to wait in, -- and just nom my way deeper.
-I could wait in your Void,- he reminds me, but curls up to read in the cubby. It’s just big enough for him to put his back to one side, legs folded, one up with his arm propped on his knee, the other leg to the side with his knee poking into the main hall.
I can only do a bite every few seconds, but I don’t know why when I’m not actually using my mouth. I’m Willing the chunks away and I have to wait to digest? How’s my Devouring figure?
After a few minutes I remove a section of wall and end up staring at a swirling colorless void. I recoil, worried that it’s some corrosive bullshit that’s going to spill into my tunnel and start eating me alive, but it stays within the confines of the room. I brace myself, sticking an arm into the hole, pulling it back out in relief when nothing happens.
Over to the Logs to find out that it’s condensed Resentment from an artifact in the room that is literally devouring the stone and making a new chamber. An artifact set to create a room. Little Corpse hisses something at me and I remember to transfer him, staying in the tunnel and dropping him into the space in front of me.
-It’s a large room, 3 yiddits by 3 yiddits,- Little Corpse says as he paces around the room. -Bring out the girls. We’ll collect the Resentment then visit the other sculptors.-
O~kay. I let the girls out and they open their purses, all three of “my” spirits just letting the balance of Resentment stabilize between their Ghost Pots and the room.
Sweet Pea Blossom and Chrysanthemum Petal
Request to Condense (10,000) Resentment into a (Shard of Resentment)
Yes ~ No
I get a weird Request window from the girls. Make Shards?
[Ghost Pot: +1000/-0]
[Resentment: +1,721,960/-696,806]
[Current Condensed Qi: 1,839,743/29,901,958]
[Current Qi: 102,910/957,945,100]
[Max Will: 23,945,828]
[HP: 23,945,828]
[Current Karma: 119,607,833/234,520,515]
[Resentment Wallet: 200C.St.,113R.Sl.,228R.Sh.,2C.M.R.P.,0D.M.R.N.,10I.D.P.,1A.D.P]
[Mortal Wallet: 12E,691K,180P,697R,179Da,258De,2605k]
[Spirit Wallet: 0Dr,0Ph,0Th,1325Di,126Co,9679St]
I guess I could make a few, but I’d rather do Pearls... Something nags at the back of my mind as I approve the Request and get ready to make the Shards.
[Resentment Shard Produced]
[+1 Con. Qi]
[10,000 Conferred Resentment]
[Ghost Pot: +1000/-0]
[Resentment: +1,721,960/-696,806]
[Current Condensed Qi: 1,839,744/29,901,958]
[Current Qi: 102,910/957,945,100]
[Max Will: 23,945,828]
[HP: 23,945,828]
[Current Karma: 119,607,833/234,520,515]
[Resentment Wallet: 200C.St.,113R.Sl.,228R.Sh.,2C.M.R.P.,0D.M.R.N.,10I.D.P.,1A.D.P]
[Mortal Wallet: 12E,691K,180P,697R,179Da,258De,2605k]
[Spirit Wallet: 0Dr,0Ph,0Th,1325Di,126Co,9679St]
-Oh! How creative! I wondered how you did that,- Little Corpse murmurs and I bristle with the understanding that the girls have been sneaking Requests. -Calm down! It was supposed to be if they needed to do any shopping for you so they didn’t have to run to ask for money to buy things.-
-Yeah, but who gets the Karma?- I grumble, narrowing my eyes.
-They collect and pay you to condense the Resentment, and they get the Karma along with every other Willing spirit. Most of whom are feeding you far more!- Little Corpse throws up his hands and I can read the Logs to see Silent Howl called me a greedy bug.
I wait for the room to clear enough for me to see that there’s something that looks like one of those water mines sitting halfway in the floor. How do they even get it in the room to start clearing space?
-Don’t eat it yet. We’ll see if we can collect a few more. We’ll need at least six. One for the spirits to study and five for you to be able to reproduce them.- Little Corpse says as they Deposit the item.
-Only five?- I ask. Pretty sure I had to eat ten of something. Probably went down when I got a title.
-Yes,- Little Corpse says, startling me. Silent Howl didn’t say anything, so I guess he was talking to me. He sighs and shakes his head. -Let’s keep moving.-
I transfer them to my void, amble back down the tunnel, and try to decide if I should continue on or move back when a face appears at the other end. Tch! I had my Logs filtered to find out what Little Corpse and Silent Howl were up to. Completely missed the people in the hall. Guess that other group of cultivators that got away reported me.
“Come on out!” someone at the end of the tunnel says, flapping their hand to call me over. “We know you’re eating something. Not like we can make you spit it out, but we would like to find out what you’re doing.”
I hunker down and crouch walk to the end, sighing in annoyance as I’m scooped up and out of the tunnel without anyone trying to ask my permission. I transfer Little Corpse out, and he casually reaches over to pull me from my captors, who are reluctant as fuck to let go until they see who’s calling dibs.
-Thought they were only picking me up because my silk was so bright!- I snap, angrily grooming.
-Your silk being so dark in a place of red rock is the same,- Little Corpse dismisses my ire, turning back to the group of masked Disciples who don’t radiate Grave Lord energy.
“Ah! Little Corpse, sir,” one of the masked people bows, the others offering halfhearted bows in response and Little Corpse waves me off as I turn to glare at him. “We got a report that Eclipsed Rainbow was here, that they’d been attacked, but the others had gotten away. We told them they should count themselves lucky.
“It’s dangerous to wander around. These tunnels are underneath the surface of a Fire Spirit Realm, and it’s dangerous to dig around. A few of them have noticed our presence because of the Resentment we’ve managed to gather, and they’ve been trying to dig us out for a while now,” the speaker chuckles nervously, bowing again.
Fire Spirit Realm? Surely they’d be cooked by now.
-You can protect yourself with a thin barrier of Qi. It’s considered truly amazing that you never bother with such things,- Little Corpse tells me, and I vaguely remember having to ward against wind once. It’s more effort than just adapting. -Most peoples do not mutate, much less as quickly as you do.-
Fair.
I try to turn back to the conversation but end up just grooming myself as the not-elder explains to Little Corpse that the rock insulates us from the rivers of lava on the surface, but it would be deadly if they didn’t have Resentment barriers. The masks. They’re using the masks not just to protect themselves from Resentment, but from Essence as well? Those things are pretty nifty. Should probably go farm those.
Little Corpse in turn shares that we’d sensed something and I’d gone to find an artifact clearing a room and generating a ton of Resentment. The newcomers suggest that we look up next time. Apparently the not-demons drive the artifacts into holes in the ground, wait, and then check to see if they found any tunnels.
“We’ve had to abandon a few, blocking them off with warded doors.”
“Some people think that they’re just trying to stop us from digging towards one of their cities, but I don’t know of anyone who dared go up to investigate,” another masked Grave Disciple says, giggling and bowing nervously to Little Corpse the entire time she’s talking.
“More things for you to collect,” Little Corpse says verbally while giving me a gentle squeeze.
I haven’t just siphoned Essence in a bit... I’m fire proof, but I don’t think my familiars are... And we’d be getting Resistance on top of that. Wonder if I can collect Fire Spirits to my Ghost Pot?
-Yet,- Little Corpse says, face pinched in a stern expression of his resolve.
That’s one vote... I tune out and groom as they share information and the locations of warded tunnels. Apparently the Fire Spirits are born of Fire and Resentment, not just Fire Essence, and we are in one of the Mortal Hells, so technically I’d be dunking on hunans, not spirit beasts. Good to know.
Little Corpse thanks the group, apparently exchanging various forms of contact with a few of them and receiving a good luck charm from his girlfriend. He grits his teeth, still smiling and saying his goodbyes while giving me a not encouraging squeeze. Eventually everyone fucks off and we’re free to go check out one of these Resentment powered anti-Resentment Wards.
-You’re not glowing or smoking yet, but we know you can hold 10 Regard before there are any visible signs. You’re nearly at 1 Resentment, but you seem okay for now,- Little Corpse says and I turn to stare up at him.
[Ghost Pot: +1000/-0]
[Resentment: +2,722,080/-726,931]
[Current Condensed Qi: 1,839,883/29,902,143]
[Current Qi: 106,020/957,945,100]
[Max Will: 23,946,598]
[HP: 23,946,598]
[Current Karma: 119,608,573/234,520,515]
[Resentment Wallet: 200C.St.,113R.Sl.,228R.Sh.,2C.M.R.P.,0D.M.R.N.,10I.D.P.,1A.D.P]
[Mortal Wallet: 12E,691K,180P,697R,179Da,258De,2605k]
[Spirit Wallet: 0Dr,0Ph,0Th,1325Di,126Co,9679St]
-Are you afraid of big numbers or something?- I side eye him before going back to grooming.
-Before I died, the idea of having 1 Dalin was an impossible. I’m not afraid of big numbers, I... I’m a simple farmer. I can’t conceive of such large numbers. I can see them. I read them. I understand them, but they call up a deep fear,- he stutters, stammering and flinching as his pupils dilate.
Silent Howl:
Pretty sure you just find it terrifying that someone like Sandy is as powerful as they are.
It is terrifying and they’ve done some frankly ridiculous things with it.
Tch! Fuck off! Simple farmer my ass! And what’s wrong with me having this much power? You’d rather see it in the hands of someone who kidnaps others and cultivates their fear and hopelessness? Or someone who wants power just to have it? I’m the best person to have this much power!
Silent Howl:
I don’t agree, but they’re not wrong...?
Eat me!
You are in Book VI(6)
The Entitled Ghost Reserve
Unless the title changes
1, 2, 3, 4, & 5 (1-5) stubbed on RR, published on AmazonKU
6 posting on RR, posted on Patreon, published on Amazon
7 will post on RR, posted on Patreon, published on Amazon
8 will post on RR, posting on Patreon, WIP
TL;DR Section:
?? Grimdark Cozy, all the slice of life, all the death, all the gore, none of the random smex. There's enough nonsense without "romantic" relationships.
( Relationships aren't will they won't they but people trying not to kill each other because that's a power play.)
?? Snarky MC that thinks like a comment section, refuses to read, and didn't play the tutorial, trapped in someone else's dream life with absolutely no interest in playing along, much less being nice about it
?? Author enjoys solo-playing Wurm (Online/Unlimited) **unmodded**, watching extras in movies for that one who's EXTRA, and always wonders what happened in those two years where MC went from ignorant to badass.
You have been warned. Nice people left reviews. Read them for a heads up.
?? Spoiled isn't the only series, it's just the most upbeat one. First book in the series was my fifth or seventh novel, people liked it better, then they drowned in the background and from lack of smex...? RIP...?