126: Chapter 126 The Abyss Offers Mining Rights?

The third watchman's gong had just sounded its final strike. The streets of Holy Light City were immersed in a night so thick it seemed impossible to melt, and even the night watchman was curled up against a wall, dozing. In the side hall of the imperial palace, gilded palace lanterns still cast a warm glow. Lin Zhe leaned back in a rosewood chair, his fingertips tracing the newly unlocked Human Empire rule panel. Pale golden patterns flowed across his fingertips, and the rule veins of the entire empire were as clear as palm prints at this moment.

Su Ninghua sat opposite him, organizing fiefdom dossiers. The cuffs of her black imperial robe were embroidered with dark gold dragon patterns. Her brush tip was stained with vermilion ink, and from time to time, she would glance up at Lin Zhe's profile, the tips of her ears turning slightly red. Three days ago, after purging the Remnants of the Three Clans and appointing the Prince Regent, the empire's affairs had piled up like a mountain. She had stayed with Lin Zhe to handle them until late at night, yet she felt not a hint of fatigue.

"Tap, tap, tap—" Extremely light footsteps of a royal guard came from outside the hall. Through the door, they reported in a low voice: "Your Majesty, Prince Regent, a person wrapped in a black cloak is requesting an audience outside the palace gate. They are holding the exclusive token of the Abyss Witch and say they only wish to see the Prince Regent, as they have an urgent matter to report."

Su Ninghua's brush paused, and her brows furrowed: "People from the Abyss? They have always been at odds with the Human Empire, and they even dared to send a Shadow Hunter to ambush you before. What are they doing here in the middle of the night?"

The rule patterns on Lin Zhe's fingertips stirred slightly. He had already sensed the aura of the visitor—it was indeed from the Abyss faction, but there was not a shred of malice on them; instead, they were full of trepidation. He lifted his eyes indifferently and uttered two words: "Let him in."

"Yes."

The hall door creaked open, and a cold breeze carrying a faint scent of sulfur swirled in. A person wrapped in a pure black cloak, face completely covered, walked in, hunched over, carrying two heavy black iron boxes on their back. The moment they stepped through the door, they dropped to one knee with a thud, burying their head until it was almost touching the ground. Their voice was extremely low, filled with unconcealed reverence: "Subordinate Black Blade, commander of the Abyss shadows, under the orders of Her Majesty the Abyss Witch, Mei You, greets Mr. Lin Zhe and Her Majesty the Queen."

Su Ninghua remained cold-faced and silent, her fingertips already condensed with imperial sword energy; if the other party dared to make any suspicious moves, she would strike them down immediately.

Lin Zhe leaned back against the chair, not even lifting his eyelids, and spoke indifferently: "What is it?"

Black Blade hurriedly placed the two black iron boxes on the ground and opened them with a click. The first box was lined with black animal skin, displaying a contract radiating a dark purple halo, along with a thick stack of dark forging blueprints: "Reporting to you, sir, the previous collusion between the Dragon Domain Rebel Elders and the Abyss forces that caused you trouble was the unauthorized action of a dozen or so low-level leaders. Her Majesty the Abyss Witch has already fed them all to the magic spiders and specifically sent me to apologize to you. This is the permanent mining contract for the second Shadow Crystal Mine, bound by underlying rules. From now on, all high-grade Shadow Crystal Cores produced in the mine will be prioritized for supply to Luofeng Village. These are dark forging blueprints inherited by the Abyss for ten thousand years; the dark-attribute equipment crafted from them deals 20% more damage than those of the same grade, and they are unique in the entire server."

As he spoke, he opened the second box, which was neatly stacked with one thousand high-grade Shadow Crystal Cores, shimmering with a faint blue light: "This is one thousand high-grade Shadow Crystal Cores as a greeting gift for you, sir. Her Majesty the Abyss Witch also has two requests. First, from now on, all monsters in the Abyss faction will absolutely not proactively attack Human Empire players; anyone who violates this will be treated as rebels. Second, open the Abyss dungeon at a 20% discount for registered players of Luofeng Village, and provide all Abyss materials at a 20% discount to Falling Maple players. We only ask that you be lenient, sir, and stop targeting the Abyss forces. Regarding the trade route between the Abyss and the Human Empire that you previously sealed, could it be slightly reopened?"

Black Blade's voice trembled slightly. He had seen Lin Zhe's terror with his own eyes. Previously, dozens of Shadow Hunters had laid an ambush, but they hadn't even touched the corner of his clothes before being swatted back to the respawn point by tree spirits. There was also the Heavenly Realm Opposition, who had tried to cast a seal and had their cultivation directly destroyed by the backlash. If Lin Zhe really targeted the Abyss, not even Her Majesty the Abyss Witch could protect them.

Lin Zhe glanced at the rule-bound mining contract. The output of the second Shadow Crystal Mine was twice that of the first one. In the future, the price of dark forging materials for the entire server would drop by at least 20%, saving solo players quite a bit of money when crafting dark equipment. His fingertips moved slightly, and pale golden rule threads fell onto the contract, taking effect instantly.

"Very well. The trade route will open tomorrow." Lin Zhe's voice was not loud, but it carried an unquestionable majesty.

Black Blade was overjoyed, knocking his head against the floor with a thud, his voice distorted with excitement: "Thank you, sir! Thank you, sir! This subordinate will return to report to Her Majesty the Abyss Witch immediately! The Abyss will never cause you any trouble again!"

Fearing that staying even one second longer would displease Lin Zhe, he hurriedly left the boxes behind, backed out of the side hall hunched over, wrapped tightly in his cloak, and slipped out of the palace along the base of the wall. He rushed back to the Abyss before dawn, not making a sound, for fear of running into the night-patrolling Heavenly Realm deities.

In the side hall, Su Ninghua looked at the two boxes on the floor and couldn't help but laugh: "The Abyss has always been arrogant. Last time I sent an envoy to discuss the trade route, they wouldn't even let them in the door. This time, they are actually so humble, offering apologies and gifts of mines; it seems they are truly frightened by your abilities, sir."

[Ding! Detected: Top-tier female NPC · Abyss Witch Mei You's favorability towards the host has increased to 30. Sixth bond trigger progress +3%, current progress: 5%!]

The cold system prompt echoed in Lin Zhe's mind. He tapped his fingertips lightly on the mining contract on the table, a faint arc curling at the corner of his mouth.

The night outside the window gradually receded, and a fish-belly white appeared on the horizon. Lin Zhe lifted his eyes to scan the distant horizon; several unfamiliar auras were approaching the direction of Holy Light City, and they were not slow.

The rule patterns on his fingertips flowed slightly, but he didn't take it to heart.

As for those willing to come and deliver benefits, he would simply accept them all.