Outside Mantis Town, smaller tents could be seen everywhere. With the fame of Black Water spreading to almost every corner of the Crimson Dunes, more people continued to arrive.

Awakeners trooped to Mantis Town in large numbers.

Now, Black Water was no longer a rumor but a fact. It had become the hub of commerce for everyone, both humans and beastmen.

What used to be rare in the desert was now a common sight.

Water.

Food.

Potions.

Clothes.

You could get everything at Mantis Town without any problem as long as you had enough money. Some even believed Black Water might have access to hidden scrolls that might allow them to pass their trials.

With all these factors, Mantis Town grew at visible speed. What was previously the smallest town was turning into a bigger town bordering a small scale city.

New tents appeared outside the wall every day.

Small stalls were erected beside the road.

Merchants from other settlements arrived with nervous smiles and heavy packs.

This gave the humans and beastmen hope of a brighter future where they would not have to go hungry ever again.

They could live peaceful, prosperous lives.

At least, that was what many of them wanted to believe.

While the people were looking for a better future at Mantis Town, Thoren Solenne, and the Crimson Arc Guild elite squad had secretly departed from the town.

Standing at the top of a massive dune, Thoren stared at the small town in the distance. This was no ordinary town.

It was a Scorpion Clan town.

Like every beastmen clan, not every one of their clansmen lived in their main town. The weaker ones lived in villages around the town.

But for the Scorpion Clan, they did not have smaller villages but towns. With their might and power, their clansmen were stronger than others.

They might be weak compared to those living in the main Scorpion Clan Town, but they were not something other beastmen could compare with.

Thus, their weaker members lived a life far better than others.

And now, the Grim Reaper was looking at one of their smaller towns.

"Six patrol guards," Thoren muttered softly.

Even though this was a smaller Scorpion Clan town, the security was far better than any other smaller village he had been to.

Most of the villages around the main town did not have security patrols to secure the perimeters. Many could not afford such luxury, but not the Scorpion Men.

Their walls were not high, but they were sturdy.

Their entrance gate was carved from a dark desert wood strengthened with beast bones.

Sharp stone markers surrounded the outer perimeter, and several watch points were built along the higher ground.

"I will start with you." A sharp glint flashed through his eyes.

Since the Scorpion Clan could not be reasoned with, he would force their hands.

Whoosh!

From the undead space, three undead Scorpion Men appeared before Thoren. Their very presence made the air tremble slightly.

They might be dead, but their intimidating presence had not lessened but increased.

Their hollow eyes burned with eerie soul fire.

Their crimson shells carried a dull deathly sheen.

"Kill!" he gave the command.

Others might be scared to attack a Scorpion Clan settlement, but not him.

Receiving the command, the three undead Scorpion Men rushed toward the town. As Level 37 undead Scorpion Men, their speed was extremely fast, covering the long distance in a blink.

Guarding the entrance gate, two Level 33 Scorpion Men raised their heads and stared at their fellow clansmen rushing from the distance.

"Are we expecting any visitors?" one of the guards asked in their language.

"No..." the other guard shook his head.

"Whatever, we will know when they arrive."

Apart from the two guards, other patrolling guards had also noticed the incoming three undead Scorpion Men.

Since they were fellow clansmen, they did not suspect anything. Their eyes flashed with anticipation.

Perhaps it was an order from the main town.

Perhaps it was news from the elders.

In less than two seconds, the three undead Scorpion Men had arrived at the entrance of the town.

The two Scorpion Men guards stepped forward to welcome them.

Whoosh!

Argh! Argh!

Before the two guards could understand what was going on, their throats were ripped off from their bodies. Blood splattered to the ground.

Thud! Thud!

Their bodies fell to the ground, but the three undead Scorpion Men were already gone. Two of them appeared before the other patrolling guards, killing them in one strike.

In less than a second, the security guards had been taken down without alerting everyone inside the town.

The gate remained open.

The street beyond it remained calm.

Several adult Scorpion Men were gathered before a beast meat stall, speaking loudly about the recent changes in Mantis Town.

None of them knew the town had already lost its first line of protection.

With the three undead Scorpion Men entering the town, a bloody massacre began.

Screams and panic filled the air.

Weaker Scorpion Men ran for their lives.

On the street, blood flowed like a river. Scorpion Men corpses littered the ground at every corner.

Some of the brave Scorpion Men tried to stop the three undead Scorpion Men but were all ripped apart into pieces.

Their claws failed to stop them.

Their stingers failed to pierce them deeply enough.

The strongest in the town was their Chief.

A Level 35 Scorpion Man.

But in front of the three undead Scorpion Men, he was nothing.

For a moment, his appearance gave the fleeing Scorpion Men hope.

Their Chief had come.

But their hope lasted only a few breaths.

One undead Scorpion Man blocked his claw.

The second struck from the side and tore through his shell.

The third appeared behind him and drove its stinger through his back.

Argh!

They ripped his head from his body before his final command could leave his throat.

The town fell into deeper despair.

Twenty minutes later, the previously bustling town was eerily quiet.

Thud! Thud!

Walking on the street, Thoren stared at the Scorpion Men corpses without any change in his expression.

[Undead Summoning]

[Bone Manipulation]

A strong undead energy surged from the ground, entering into the various Scorpion Men corpses. Instantly, their bodies twitched as they began to come back to life one after another.

Hollow eyes opened with eerie soul fire.

A minute later, all the fallen Scorpion Men were back on their feet, their eyes burning with eerie soul fire.

Looking at his undead army of Scorpion Men, Thoren nodded his head with a pleased expression.

And after becoming undead, their fear and hesitation were completely removed.

Without hesitation, he left the empty town toward his next target while the undead Scorpion army followed from behind.

Behind them, the town remained silent.