113: Chapter 113 Forced to Leave Through the Side Gate? The Queen Personally Receives Him

Yellow sand drifted by, carrying the scent of incense unique to the imperial capital. Lin Zhe and his group had been traveling along the official road for half an hour when the towering Saint Light City finally appeared at the end of their line of sight.

The thirty-meter-tall, bluish-gray city walls were built entirely from solid blocks of granite, and the gilded copper studs on the walls shone dazzlingly in the sunlight. The main city gate was twenty meters wide, and the dark iron gate, carved with five-clawed golden dragon patterns, stood half-open. Caravans, players, and commoners queued to enter and exit, making it very lively.

The city gate was already packed solid. Thousands of players were crouching at the base of the city walls on both sides, holding up their terminals and snapping photos, waiting for Lin Zhe to enter the city. Many of them wore Lin Zhe's exclusive golden profile frame, and their chatter could be heard from half a mile away.

"Holy crap? He's here, he's here! The dark armor of the Royal Honor Guard! Big Boss Lin Zhe has arrived!"

"My god! This display is just too much! A thousand Royal Guards clearing the way, golden horns blowing—if I had this kind of status, deleting my account would be worth it!"

Before the cheers of the crowd had died down, a dozen aristocratic servants in brocade robes suddenly rushed out from the city gate tunnel, wielding wooden clubs and blocking the path at the main entrance completely. At their lead was an elderly noble with a goatee, wearing a fifth-rank official robe embroidered with cloud patterns, his face full of arrogance. This was Zhou Mingyuan, a hardliner from the Remnants of the Three Clans planted in the Ministry of Rites. He had already taken bribes to give Lin Zhe a hard time.

"Stop!" Zhou Mingyuan lifted his chin, scanned the plainly dressed Lin Zhe, and looked at him with utter disdain. "The imperial main gate is for nobles, royalty, and foreign envoys. You, an NPC born as a low-class Refugee, are you worthy of using the main gate? Get lost and enter through the side gate! Letting you into the city is already a favor from Her Majesty the Queen, so don't be ungrateful!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the servants immediately brandished their wooden clubs, jeering and pushing forward to drive Lin Zhe toward the side gate. That side gate was so narrow that only one person could pass through by bending over; it was usually only used by people hauling manure carts or dumping swill, clearly intended to humiliate Lin Zhe.

The surrounding players instantly exploded, rolling up their sleeves and preparing to charge forward to argue. "What the hell are you saying, you old geezer? Big Boss Lin Zhe is an honored guest personally invited by the Queen. Why should he use the side gate?"

"Damn it, get out of the way! Or I'll smash your dog head crooked!"

"You don't want to live anymore, do you? You dare to make things difficult for Big Boss Lin Zhe?"

The aristocratic servants immediately drew their blades and hacked at the approaching players. Several players who rushed forward too quickly lost a third of their health bars and were forced to retreat repeatedly. Zhou Mingyuan proudly stroked his goatee and sneered repeatedly. "A bunch of commoners daring to interfere in noble affairs? If you dare to cause trouble again, I'll have you all arrested and thrown into the dungeon!"

He glanced sideways at Lin Zhe, his eyes full of provocation, feeling incredibly smug inside: So what if the Queen sent you an honor guard? I'll give you a hard time at the very first hurdle of entering the city; let's see how you'll be able to hold your head up in the imperial capital in the future!

The entire city gate was instantly on the verge of conflict, the air taut. Lin Zhe sat on his white horse, not lifting his eyelids once throughout the ordeal. He tapped his fingertips lightly on the saddle, his expression so detached that it was as if the people jumping around before him were nothing more than a few buzzing mosquitoes.

Ling Xi frowned, her fingertips already condensing a pale green Natural Divine Power, ready to tie these blind fools into dumplings at any moment. The longbow in Qing Yu's hands was already fully drawn, the arrow tip gleaming with a cold, dark blue, poisonous light. As long as Lin Zhe gave the order, she could instantly pierce Zhou Mingyuan's throat.

Just then, the tightly closed inner city gate suddenly opened wide with a "boom," the dull sound shaking dust from the city walls, causing it to fall in flurries.

Everyone froze, looking up toward the sound.

They saw the hem of a black imperial robe sweeping across the bluestone road. Su Ninghua, with her ink-black hair tied high and an aura of golden imperial majesty surrounding her, walked out from the city gate step by step. Following behind her were the civil and military officials of the imperial court; the Minister of Rites, the Minister of War, and the royal princes were all present, each looking respectful, not even daring to breathe loudly.

The smug expression on Zhou Mingyuan's face instantly froze, and his legs began to tremble. He never imagined that the Queen would actually come out of the city to welcome him personally!

Su Ninghua didn't even give him a sidelong glance, walking straight to Lin Zhe's white horse. Her cold, clear brows and eyes softened instantly, and she took the initiative to reach out and hold Lin Zhe's arm. Her voice was not loud, but it clearly spread throughout the entire city gate. "Sir, you have had a hard journey. I have been waiting for you for a long time."

She turned her head slightly, scanning Zhou Mingyuan and the servants blocking the gate, her voice instantly turning as cold as ice, each word ringing with force. "Mr. Lin Zhe is my honored guest. Not to mention this imperial main gate, even if he wanted to walk into my bedchamber, he could. Who gave you the audacity to block Mr. Lin Zhe's path?"

Zhou Mingyuan was so terrified that he dropped to his knees with a thud, his whole body shaking like a sieve, his lips unable to form words properly. "Y-Your Majesty! I, I was just afraid that a low-class NPC would tarnish the dragon veins of the main gate! I was doing it for the sake of the empire's reputation!"

"The empire's reputation?" Su Ninghua sneered, her black imperial robe snapping in the wind. "You publicly humiliated my honored guest, which is what truly disgraces the empire! Guards, drag Zhou Mingyuan away and behead him immediately. Hang his head at the city gate for three days as a warning to others. As for all the servants who participated in blocking the gate, exile them all to the Dark Forest to guard the border, and they shall never be allowed to return to the city for eternity."

"Yes!"

The Royal Guards immediately rushed up and dragged the limp Zhou Mingyuan away like a chick. The dozen or so servants, terrified and wailing for their parents, were also pinned and dragged away. The group that had been so arrogant blocking the gate just a moment ago was cleared out completely in less than a minute.

The surrounding players were stunned for three seconds, followed by an eruption of deafening cheers that nearly scattered the clouds in the sky!

"Holy crap? The Queen is badass! Direct beheading! This face-slapping is just too satisfying!"

"Daring to make things difficult for Big Boss Lin Zhe? You must be tired of living! Beheading him and displaying the head is so cathartic!"

"I ship it, I ship it! The Queen came out to welcome him personally and even held his arm! What kind of divine pairing is this!"

Countless players held up their terminals, frantically filming videos and sending them to the world channel at light speed. In less than half a minute, the entire server exploded, and the messages flooded in so fast that the server lagged for three seconds:

"[Holy crap, holy crap! Am I blind? The Queen actually came out of the city to welcome him! And she's holding Big Boss Lin Zhe's arm! I declare that this pairing is locked in for me!]"

"[That old geezer was so arrogant just a moment ago, and in the blink of an eye, he's beheaded and hung at the city gate? I give this plot twist full marks! The Queen is badass! Big Boss Lin Zhe is awesome!]"

"[Who was it that said Big Boss Lin Zhe was just an ordinary NPC? Come out and get beaten! Even the Queen came out to welcome him personally; does your ordinary NPC have this kind of treatment?]"

"[I'm at the Saint Light City gate right now! The scene is even more satisfying than the video! That old geezer's face turned green with fear just now; he deserved it!]"

Su Ninghua held Lin Zhe's arm, leading him toward the main gate. The commoners and players along the way bowed in succession, their eyes full of awe. Lin Zhe remained calm throughout, his fingertips moving slightly as a cold system prompt sounded in his mind: [Ding! Detected that top-tier female NPC Su Ninghua's favorability toward the host has increased to 95. Third bond trigger progress +10%. Current progress: 50%!]

He lifted his eyes and scanned the civil and military officials standing inside the city gate. Many of them avoided his gaze, clearly harboring malice, evidently all accomplices of the Remnants of the Three Clans. A faint, cold smile curled the corners of Lin Zhe's lips, but he didn't take it to heart.

They were merely clowns; if they wanted to jump around, he would accept it all.

Su Ninghua's voice sounded in his ear, carrying a hint of tenderness: "Sir, the state banquet is prepared. Let me take you inside."

Lin Zhe gave a faint "Hmm" and followed Su Ninghua as she stepped into the main gate of Saint Light City. The cheers from the commoners and players on both sides rose in waves, one higher than the last. It was unknown who started it, but shouts of "Big Boss Lin Zhe is awesome" and "The Queen is badass" shook the sky, carrying for several miles.