74: The divine realm is stable, and twenty square kilometers have been established (Part 1).

Simulated battlefield, hilly terrain.

The small hill occupied by Lin Zhou became an isolated island in the chaotic battlefield.

The Literary Heart Elves spellcasting regiment set up a faint Aura of Righteousness Barrier on the perimeter, the Tiangong Dwarves vanguards held the key passages, and the Legalist Enforcer adjudication team patrolled the surroundings like ghosts, eliminating any scattered enemies attempting to approach.

"My Lord, three kilometers to the southeast, a small-scale skirmish has been detected involving three Orc deities and two Elemental deities, currently in a stalemate," reported a Legalist Enforcer scout via mental link.

"Five kilometers to the northwest, a small oasis resource point has been discovered, currently occupied by a Swamp Naga deity with about two hundred kin, ranging from LV12 to LV15."

"Directly to the north, classmate Zhao Hao is locked in a fierce battle with a Zerg deity and has the upper hand."

Pieces of intelligence converged on Lin Zhou. He analyzed the situation calmly, not rushing to make a move. In the Early Stage of the chaotic battle, conserving strength and gathering intelligence were far more important than blind slaughter. Although his Hundred Schools Divine Domain was powerful, his kin composition was relatively balanced; rushing into the chaotic fray would easily make him a target for deities who specialized in mass-producing troops or extremely strengthening a single attribute.

"Maintain vigilance and continue reconnaissance. Focus on resource points and groups with tendencies to form alliances," Lin Zhou commanded. His gaze turned toward the oasis resource point occupied by the Swamp Naga. According to the rules, occupying resource points could provide a continuous small supply of simulated troops or temporary buffs, which would be very helpful for Late Stage combat.

Just then, a sharp wolf howl approached from afar! Suddenly, dozens of pitch-black Shadow Demon Wolves with glowing green eyes burst out from the bushes on the flank! These demon wolves moved swiftly, were around LV14, and lunged directly at the outer perimeter of the Literary Heart Elves!

"It's Zhou Feng's kin!" Elwin identified them immediately; the opponent was clearly coming for Lin Zhou!

"Hmph, hiding your head and showing your tail!" Lin Zhou snorted coldly, his thoughts shifting.

Before the demon wolves could get close, golden patterns suddenly lit up on the ground! The Legalist Enforcers, who had long been lurking nearby, instantly activated the Net of Law (Small)! Golden Chains of Order emerged from the ground like vipers, precisely entangling the dozen demon wolves charging at the front! The speed of the demon wolves plummeted, and they suffered from the continuous burning of the power of Order, emitting painful howls.

"Song of Righteousness · Evil Breaking!" Elwin seized the opportunity and led the Literary Heart Elves spellcasting regiment to chant in unison. The majestic Vast Righteous Qi transformed into invisible sound waves, sweeping toward the bound demon wolves like a tide! Under the suppression of attributes, these dark-aligned demon wolves were like being thrown into purgatory; their soul-fire-like eyes dimmed instantly, and their bodies rapidly dissolved within the righteous energy!

In a single encounter, Zhou Feng's vanguard wolf pack lost nearly a third of its numbers!

"How is this possible?!" In the distance, hidden in the shadows, Zhou Feng's expression changed. His Shadow Demon Wolves excelled in speed and stealth, and he had intended to launch a sneak attack, but he hadn't expected the opponent to be so well-prepared, and that those strange chains and righteous energy were so effective at suppressing his kin!

"Lin Zhou! Can you only cower in defense?" Zhou Feng couldn't help but mock him via Divine Power transmission, attempting to provoke Lin Zhou.

Lin Zhou remained unmoved and instead ordered Snik: "Lock onto his position, the adjudication team prepare 'Evidence Search', find him!"

Snik's cold gaze swept across the direction the wolf pack came from, the Book of Law (Imitation) in his hand flipping, and invisible power of Law spread like ripples. Soon, he pointed to a shadowed area in the southeast: "My Lord, the target is hiding here. Their Divine Power fluctuation has formed a Karma link with behaviors like 'sneak attack' and 'malicious attack'. The evidence is irrefutable!"

"Execute judgment!"

Ten Legalist Enforcer adjudicators simultaneously raised their Chains of Forbidden Law; the chains, as if possessing life, ignored distance and pierced directly through the Void Realm, shooting toward the area where Zhou Feng was hiding!

"What?!" Zhou Feng was shocked. He hadn't expected the opponent to have such a method to directly lock onto and attack the main body from such a distance! He hurriedly mobilized his Divine Power to defend, and a layer of Shadow Shield rose instantly.

However, the characteristic of the Chains of Forbidden Law was "imprisonment" and "Spell-breaking"! The chains struck the Shadow Shield, emitting a harsh friction sound. The shield fluctuated violently, and although it didn't shatter immediately, it greatly disrupted Zhou Feng's Divine Power circulation and mental concentration!

Now is the time!

"Bronzebeard!"

"Understood! Dwarf brats, charge with me! Earth-Shaking Strike!" Hero Bronzebeard roared, personally leading fifty Tiangong Dwarves vanguards as they rushed down the hill like a torrent of steel, aiming straight for Zhou Feng's hiding spot! Their bodies shimmered with the radiance of Rune Battle Armor, and their heavy footsteps made the earth tremble.

"Boom!!!"

Fifty Armor-Piercing Warhammers slammed into the ground simultaneously! The Earth-Shaking Strike formation was activated! A violent shockwave spread forward in a fan shape, the ground in the shadowed area where Zhou Feng was located cracked inch by inch, and the concealment Spell was instantly broken! He and the dozens of elite demon wolves guarding him staggered, exposed in broad daylight!

"Focus fire!" Lin Zhou's command was concise and powerful.

The Literary Heart Elves' Spell arrows, the Dwarf throwing axes imbued with Evil-Breaking Runes, and the Law Tridents thrown by the Enforcers poured down like a rainstorm onto the exposed Zhou Feng and his kin!

Zhou Feng resisted with all his might, and shadow magic emerged one after another, but his kin suffered heavy losses under the attribute suppression and dense firepower. Even more fatal was Snik, who continuously interfered with Legalist True Words: "In this place, shadow stealth is ineffective!" "Your attacks are considered a sin!"

Although each True Word consumed a huge amount of energy and the effect duration was short, at critical moments, it repeatedly disrupted Zhou Feng's rhythm, making him feel so stifled he almost vomited blood.

"Bastard! I'll fight you to the death!" Seeing his kin dying out, Zhou Feng's eyes turned red as he gathered his remaining Divine Power, preparing to unleash his trump card, Shadow Devour.

"You have no chance." Lin Zhou's voice was cold. He raised his hand, and the Fire of Civilization danced at his fingertips; although it was only a simulation, the Origin of Order and creation it contained still held a natural suppression over dark forces. "In the name of civilization, I define: This technique is illegal!"

Words as Law! Although it was only a simulated battlefield with incomplete rules, and Lin Zhou could not truly and completely ban the opponent's Spell, this interference, containing the true intent of the Legalist school and the power of the Fire of Civilization, caused Zhou Feng's gathered Divine Power to stall instantly, and the Shadow Devour failed before it could even take form!

"No—!" Zhou Feng watched in despair as Bronzebeard's warhammer and Elwin's beam of righteous energy landed on him simultaneously.

The simulated body shattered, and his consciousness was forcibly kicked out of the battlefield. Zhou Feng became one of the first contestants to be eliminated!

From the encounter to the counter-kill and elimination of Zhou Feng, the whole process took only a few short minutes. Lin Zhou's kin cooperated tacitly, and his tactics were highly targeted, especially the crowd control of the Legalist Enforcers and the purification of the Literary Heart Elves, which had outstanding effects when facing dark-attribute enemies. Some observers hiding nearby, seeing Zhou Feng get resolved so quickly and cleanly, put away their petty thoughts and dared not provoke this hill easily again.

"Well done, Old Lin! Haha, that brat Zhou Feng must be furious!" Zhao Hao's loud voice came through the Divine Power link; he had also dealt with his opponent over there and was rushing over excitedly.

Lin Zhou smiled slightly, began to clean up the battlefield, and sent troops to occupy the unguarded oasis resource point. The resource point began to slowly replenish his simulated troops (some LV10 ordinary Elves and Dwarf phantoms) and provided a temporary Life Recovery aura, slightly increasing the recovery speed of his kin's injuries.

The first battle was a victory, stabilizing his position and securing a resource point. Lin Zhou's ranking instantly soared into the top fifty. But he did not relax; the real chaotic battle had only just begun.