210: Chapter 210 Resettlement of Surrendered Soldiers? Directly as Miners

After the five core Dragon Crystal Mines opened, the Dragon Domain became completely lively.

Clanging sounds echoed in the mine shafts from morning till night.

Players queued up to mine, life-skill players frantically climbed the rankings, and Dragon Domain administrators were busy beyond belief.

But outside Black Wind Valley, a group of people remained unmoved.

Over three thousand surrendered rebels squatted in a temporary camp, each with their heads bowed and faces pale.

Qing Yan's fate was sealed and his core henchmen had been executed, but the ordinary coerced followers had not yet been formally settled.

These people were all panicking in their hearts.

Some thought they would be executed.

Some thought they would be reduced to slaves.

Others had already handed over the last of their belongings to relatives, just waiting for the sentence to be passed.

At the edge of the camp, a black dragon soldier with a broken horn said in a trembling voice, "Can we... still live?"

The old rebel next to him gave a bitter smile: "It'll be good enough if we aren't thrown into Dragon Flame Valley."

Just as he finished speaking.

At the front of the camp, the Silver Dragon Guards of the Dragon Tribe parted to make way.

Lin Zhe walked over.

Ao Ningshuang stood by his side, her silver eyes cold.

Qing Yu held a registry, followed by several Dragon Domain administrators.

The surrendered soldiers, who were previously whispering, all knelt down instantly.

"Mr. Lin Zhe, please spare our lives!"

"We were only forced by Qing Yan!"

"We are willing to atone for our sins!"

Over three thousand people knelt in a mass, not daring to lift their heads.

Lin Zhe glanced over them, his expression calm.

"Ordinary surrendered soldiers will not be killed."

As those four words fell, everyone in the camp froze.

Not killed?

Did they hear correctly?

Lin Zhe continued, "Those willing to stay in the Dragon Domain will all be assigned to the mine shafts."

"To mine."

"atonement points will be issued monthly based on the amount mined."

"Once you have enough points, you can exchange them for free status."

"You can also exchange them for dragon crystals, potions, and housing."

"Those who perform well can apply for Dragon Tribe civilian status."

Boom!

The camp immediately erupted.

"Mining?"

"Not slaves?"

"Points can be exchanged for freedom?"

The Broken-horned Black Dragon Soldier suddenly looked up, his eyes turning red: "Sir, are you telling the truth?"

Lin Zhe said indifferently, "The rules are bound."

Hum—

A pale gold rule light screen unfolded over the camp.

[Dragon Domain Surrendered Soldier Settlement Rules]

[1: Ordinary surrendered soldiers without blood debts may choose to stay and work in the Dragon Domain mining area.]

[2: Miner-surrendered soldiers will receive atonement points monthly based on their extraction volume.]

[3: Points can be exchanged for free status, basic dragon crystals, potions, and residency qualifications.]

[4: Those with excellent performance may apply for Dragon Tribe civilian status.]

[5: If there is another rebellion, desertion from the mines, or harm to civilians, eligibility will be immediately revoked, and severe punishment will be meted out without mercy.]

Once the rules were out, the surrendered soldiers completely believed it.

Someone burst into tears on the spot.

"I can live!"

"And I can earn my freedom through my own efforts!"

"Mr. Lin Zhe's great kindness!"

Lin Zhe raised his hand and added another sentence.

"Those unwilling to stay will each be given one hundred copper coins for travel expenses."

"They will be safely escorted back to their places of origin by the Silver Dragon Guards."

"The responsibility for their previous coercion into the rebellion will no longer be pursued."

At this, even the elder dragons behind Ao Ningshuang were stunned.

Letting them go even if they don't want to stay?

Even giving them travel expenses?

But no one dared to question it.

Because everyone understood.

Killing these three thousand people was simple.

But killing them would only leave behind hatred.

Letting them mine, atone, and exchange for freedom was truly turning a hidden danger into labor.

Qing Yu said loudly, "Register now."

"Those willing to stay in the mining area, stand on the left."

"Those willing to return home, stand on the right."

After a brief silence.

Whoosh!

Over ninety percent of the surrendered soldiers rushed to the left.

"I'm staying!"

"I know how to mine!"

"I've worked in the Black Wind Mine before, I'm experienced!"

"Give me a pickaxe, I can go down the shaft right now!"

There were only over two hundred people on the right, mostly those with young ones and the elderly.

Lin Zhe did not make things difficult for them.

"Give them travel expenses and send them off."

The Silver Dragon Guards immediately complied.

The surrendered soldiers who chose to return home held their hundred copper coins and knelt to kowtow.

"Thank you, Mr. Lin Zhe!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty Dragon Emperor!"

And those who stayed were soon divided into ten teams and sent to the five core mining areas.

The players were originally mining when they saw teams of surrendered soldiers entering with pickaxes on their shoulders, and they were all stunned.

"Holy crap, the rebels are here to mine?"

"What is this? Labor reform miners?"

"I have to say, this arrangement is pretty clever; rebelling isn't as good as mining."

Mining Expert, as an administrator, stood at the entrance of the Red Rock Rich Mine and directly posted the new rules.

[Exclusive Rules for Surrendered Soldier Miners: Do not steal player mining spots, do not withhold the portion to be turned in, and do not collude with guilds to monopolize mine tunnels.]

[Players must not maliciously oppress surrendered soldier miners; violators will have their mining area permissions frozen.]

The rules were very clear.

Both sides were regulated.

After receiving his pickaxe, the Broken-horned Black Dragon Soldier rushed into the mine tunnel without a word.

Clang!

Clang! Clang! Clang!

He swung harder than the players.

In less than an hour, he had mined over twenty low-grade dragon crystals.

The players nearby were dumbfounded.

"Man, were you a professional before?"

The Broken-horned Black Dragon Soldier wiped his sweat and grinned: "In the past, I was forced to mine by Qing Yan; no matter how much I mined, none of it was mine."

"Now, mining earns points."

"They can be exchanged for freedom."

"It'd be strange if I didn't work my heart out!"

As these words were spoken, the surrounding players fell silent for a moment.

Then someone gave a thumbs up.

"Alright, you mine."

"Just don't monopolize it."

The enthusiasm of the surrendered soldier miners was completely maxed out.

They were familiar with the Black Wind Valley mineral veins, knowing where the layers were loose, where the dragon crystals were dense, and where mid-grade ore fragments were likely to be found.

While players were still looking for mineral lines, they had already started swinging their pickaxes.

A player who mines seventy or eighty a day is considered an expert.

Some old miner soldiers could mine a hundred and twenty a day.

The world channel soon exploded.

"Hilarious, the surrendered soldiers are mining even more fiercely than the players!"

"atonement points are quite the motivation!"

"If Qing Yan knew all his men had become Boss Lin Zhe's miners, he'd probably cough up blood!"

In less than half a month, the first batch of points was tallied.

Several hundred surrendered soldiers had saved up enough basic atonement points.

Before the light screen, the Broken-horned Black Dragon Soldier tremblingly clicked exchange.

[You have consumed atonement points to exchange for free status.]

[You have left the status of a surrendered rebel soldier.]

He stared blankly at the prompt, then suddenly knelt on the ground and wailed.

"I'm free..."

"I'm really free!"

A group of surrendered soldiers nearby all had red eyes.

Even more people swung their pickaxes even harder.

There were also dozens of well-performing surrendered soldiers who took the initiative to find the administrators.

"We apply to be the mine shaft patrol."

"If anyone dares to monopolize the mine tunnels, we'll help catch them."

"We're familiar with this place; if guild players want to hide private ore, they can't hide it from us."

Buzzcut Warrior glanced at them and reported it directly.

Lin Zhe only replied with two words.

"Approved."

Soon, a Surrendered Soldier Patrol appeared in the mine shafts.

They were even tougher than the players.

A guild squad tried to secretly block a rich ore branch, but just as they set up their formation, they were caught by two surrendered soldier patrolmen.

"This is a public mine tunnel."

"Who told you to block it?"

The guild players were about to talk back when the administrator's light screen lit up.

[Malicious monopoly of mine tunnel detected.]

[Penalty: Mining area access permissions frozen for three days.]

Swish!

The entire team was teleported out.

Cheers immediately rang out in the mine shaft.

"The Surrendered Soldier Patrol is awesome!"

"Hahaha, they were rebels before, and now they're catching monopolies!"

"Now this is what you call successful reform!"

From high up in Wanlong City, Ao Ningshuang watched the mining area's orderly conduct, her silver eyes shimmering slightly.

"Not only are they not causing chaos, but they've actually become a line of defense for the mining area."

Qing Yu also nodded: "This move of yours, Sir, is more useful than killing them."

Lin Zhe's expression was calm.

"Only by giving them a way to live will no one want to rebel."

In the mine shafts below, the sound of pickaxes became denser and denser.

Surrendered soldiers mining, players mining, the patrol maintaining order, and administrators handling disputes.

The last three thousand-plus hidden dangers left by Qing Yan were gradually digested into the labor, order, and resources of the Dragon Domain.

No one mentioned rebellion anymore.

Everyone only kept their eyes on points, free status, and the next dragon crystal.