183: Chapter 183 Remnants of the Heavenly Realm Poisoned Him? The Poison Backfires on Him

At the surrender processing area outside Black Wind Valley, a long queue formed early in the morning.

Groups of rebels who had discarded their weapons crouched behind wooden fences, waiting to register, receive travel expenses, and exchange points. Yesterday, Lin Chen had just wiped out the scalpers pretending to be rebels to scam benefits, so today the entire processing area was noticeably more orderly.

Lin Zhe stood by a temporary high platform, his expression calm.

Qing Yu followed at his side, with two squads of Royal Guards and Dragon Race guards behind her, their eyes constantly scanning the crowd.

"Sir, there are about six hundred new surrendered rebels today,"

Qing Yu reported in a low voice. "Most are here to surrender sincerely, but with such a mixed crowd, we still need to be on guard."

Lin Zhe nodded slightly and began walking into the processing area.

Upon seeing him, many surrendered rebels immediately lowered their heads, even slowing their breathing.

By now, everyone in Black Wind Valley knew that their survival depended entirely on a single word from Lin Zhe.

Beside the platform stood a wooden table with a teapot and several coarse porcelain teacups, intended for those on patrol to take a temporary break.

Just then, a "surrendered rebel" wearing tattered black armor and with a face smeared with dust slowly squeezed out of the crowd.

He kept his head down, looking no different from the anxious ordinary rebels around him.

However, a faint golden light pattern flashed through Lin Zhe's eyes, and his gaze lingered on the man for a moment.

It wasn't dragon qi.

Nor was it the Dark Fire Aura found on the rebels.

Instead, it was a deeply hidden fluctuation of light, wrapped in cold malice.

Qing Yu also sensed something was wrong, her hand already resting on her sword hilt.

The man knelt down first, his voice trembling: "Mr. Lin Zhe, I... I am willing to surrender, and I am also willing to reveal one of Qing Yan's secret grain transport routes..."

As he spoke, he leaned forward slightly, as if wanting to convey the information more clearly.

However, his other hand, hidden in his sleeve, quietly pulled out a small packet of grayish-black poisonous powder.

Colorless and odorless.

The powder was extremely fine.

As long as it was sprinkled into the tea on the table, an ordinary person would never notice.

A look of ruthlessness flashed in the man's eyes.

"Die..."

With a flick of his wrist, he was about to throw the poison powder out.

The next second.

Buzz—

The Rule Shield around Lin Zhe suddenly lit up!

The pale golden light patterns rippled like water.

Not a single grain of the grayish-black poison powder that had just left his hand fell into the teacup; it was violently slapped back by an invisible force!

Swish!

It all smeared right onto the man's own face!

"Ah—"

A shrill scream instantly erupted.

The man clutched his face and rolled on the ground, his complexion turning black at a visible rate. Veins bulged on his neck and the backs of his hands as black foam continuously poured from his mouth; he convulsed wildly like a fish tossed onto the shore.

The surrounding surrendered rebels retreated in unison, terrified.

"There's an assassin!"

"Poisoning!"

Qing Yu's gaze turned cold, and she acted instantly.

Bang!

She kicked the man over and pressed her longsword directly against his throat.

Two squads of guards pounced simultaneously, pinning him down firmly.

Upon searching him, they immediately found a Platinum Medallion engraved with the insignia of the Heavenly Realm Opposition, along with a half-empty bottle of the same poison.

Qing Yu's expression darkened immediately.

"As expected, not a rebel."

"Someone from the Heavenly Realm Opposition."

As soon as those words were spoken, the surrounding crowd erupted.

"Heavenly Realm remnants?"

"They were all supposed to be purged, yet there are still some who slipped through the net?"

"This bastard hid in the surrender line to poison people, how insidious!"

The man was so deeply poisoned that his entire body began to turn black and purple, and his eyeballs were nearly bulging out.

But under the suppression of the Power of Rules, he couldn't even commit suicide; he could only convulse while letting out muffled, indistinct screams.

Lin Zhe walked up to him, his expression indifferent.

"Who sent you?"

The man gritted his teeth, still trying to hold out.

Qing Yu reached out and ripped the disguise from his face, revealing the pale, distorted countenance beneath.

"Still pretending?"

"If you don't talk now, I'll make sure you can't even die cleanly."

The poison was causing the man's consciousness to crumble, and he finally broke, speaking with a trembling voice.

"It was... we came on our own..."

"Those cleared out by Saintess Yun Qingwan before... were only those on the surface..."

"On the border... there is still a remnant stronghold on the border..."

"We... have been waiting for a chance to take revenge on Lin Zhe..."

While spitting out black foam, he intermittently revealed the entire location.

The southwestern border of the Heavenly Realm.

Beneath an abandoned Light Sentry Tower.

There are over twenty more Opposition remnants hiding there, responsible for coordination, communication, and storing poison.

After hearing this, Qing Yu immediately had the guards note down the coordinates.

The news was quickly sent to the Heavenly Realm.

In less than half an hour, a holy white server-wide announcement streaked across the sky.

[Server-wide Announcement: Heavenly Realm Saintess Saintess Yun Qingwan hereby apologizes.]

[The poisoner who infiltrated the Dragon Domain surrender party is indeed a remnant of the Heavenly Realm Opposition. This matter is a result of the Heavenly Realm's lax supervision.]

[Effective immediately, all players across the server receive a 3-day 10% Light Resistance buff.]

[The Heavenly Realm has dispatched the Adjudication Army to the remnant stronghold on the border. All involved will have their cultivation stripped and be imprisoned in the Jail of Confinement.]

The announcement faded.

Beams of soft white light instantly fell upon players throughout the server.

The world channel instantly exploded with messages.

"Another buff!"

"Light Resistance +10%, a freebie for three days!"

"Saintess Yun Qingwan reacted quite quickly this time."

"Those remnants were asking for death, trying to poison the great Lin Zhe? They must be tired of living!"

In Lin Zhe's mind, a system prompt sounded accordingly.

[Ding! Due to Saintess Yun Qingwan's proactive apology and purge of the Opposition remnants, her favorability has increased!]

[Fifth Bond trigger progress +2%!]

Qing Yu sheathed her longsword and said softly, "Sir, the Heavenly Realm has already taken action. They should be able to clean them out completely this time."

Lin Zhe hummed in response, his gaze sweeping over the processing area, which had fallen silent again.

The Heavenly Realm remnant on the ground who had attempted the poisoning was down to his last breath, his face as black as the bottom of a pot, still twitching intermittently.

The surrounding rebels who had truly surrendered felt their scalps tingle with fear, burying their heads even lower.

Everyone understood now.

If you tried to pull something underhanded right under Lin Zhe's nose, you would only end up dying more miserably.

In the distance, from the direction of Black Wind Valley, the sound of the wind grew more urgent.

People in the camp continued to queue for surrender, and the guards had already sent new intelligence to the main tent.

Lin Zhe merely looked up for a moment before continuing on his way.