All the explorers hurriedly looked up, only to see in the faint glow that the chest of this big shot seemed to shine brightly, breathtakingly beautiful, arousing endless fascination. So, is tonight a special occasion?
Little Wu seemed to have found a way, immediately about to praise aloud.
Baixing quickly covered his mouth and said first, "Master, your emblem glows with spiritual energy and golden light, noble and extraordinary. Does it have any meaning?"
Audrey looked at him with satisfaction and said, "You’re not dumb. This emblem is a symbol of the family’s influence, representing that I belong to a powerful entity, not the wild boss you speak of. You were talking so loudly I could hear you from below."
Death’s Claw descended from the sky, and Lin Rui jumped in front of everyone.
The sound of system notifications resounded, and all the explorers looked at the shining big shot in front of them in amazement.
It’s not that Lin Rui himself was glowing, but that the [Light Mark] was in effect. The system was informing all explorers that the person before them was the sinner sought by the Divine Spirit, his Light Mark as dazzling as the sun, illuminating him amidst darkness or the crowd, making him impossible to ignore.
Just killing him would bring unimaginable wealth in an instant; mythical heroes and demigod-level armies would be within reach. Even a three-year-old child stumbling while walking could overpower and ascend with all this.
Yet, even so, no one dared to entertain the slightest fantasy about the lone Lin Rui.
After all, the big boss, who was just cheerfully smug, was now like a little girl caught doing wrong, following him obediently.
"Father, I didn’t mean to take risks. I just wanted to test the effects of the [Star Realm Apostle], so I played around with them for a while. You saw it too, my melee ability might be no weaker than Silver Moon’s now, and you don’t forbid Silver Moon from melee combat with a blade."
"Alright, from now on, carry a blade and engage in melee with Silver Moon," Lin Rui said indifferently.
Audrey’s eyes widened instantly, and she quickly clung to Lin Rui’s arm, shaking and pleading, "No, Dad, I never planned to go into melee combat in the future! I was just messing around today. In the future, I’ll be wherever you are, never leaving your side, not even for a moment."
Listening to Audrey’s soft and sweet voice, all the explorers felt aggrieved, wondering if she ever considered their feelings. It turned out their desperate fighting was just her playtime, an impulsive attempt by a remote boss.
All the explorers present now realized the person before them was Lin Rui: Golden Pansy and quickly explained, "Master, this is just a misunderstanding. We saw her wandering around the wild and thought she was a wild boss."
"Yes, yes. Besides, we hadn’t even decided whether to fight. She suddenly appeared behind us and scared us, which led to the impromptu battle."
Lin Rui waved a hand and said, "No need to say so much. You’ve attacked my territorial soldiers, intentionally or not, you should bear the consequences. This is the prevailing rule in this world."
Baixing sincerely bowed in apology and said, "Yes, Master, this is our mistake. We will compensate according to the rules. Would you please forgive our inadvertent misstep?"
The others quickly chimed in, "Yes, yes, Master, we are willing to abide by the rules and hope to turn hostility into friendship."
"Master, look at this young lady, not a hair was harmed. We sincerely atone for our actions. Could you be lenient? Even if you kill us, it’s doubtful that a Crimson Card is worth using such high prestige to open."
Lin Rui looked at them slightly surprised. It must be said, these people have adapted quickly to the rules of this world, clearly recognizing its harsh nature. No one jumped out mindlessly to shout or provoke. It seems enhancing wisdom has proven very effective.
Lin Rui said, "Considering it was an inadvertent mistake on your part, I won’t hold it against you. No need for a fight to the death. After compensation according to the rules, we can consider it settled."
In an instant, all the explorers felt the thrill of escaping death.
Baixing quickly said, "Master, our equipment is our means of survival. Can we keep it? We’ll give you all other assets. The most valuable are four Territorial Essences, a few hundred units of food, and over ten thousand Realm Coins."
Audrey looked at them sympathetically, thinking how meager their offer was; even her pocket money for buying clothes was more than ten thousand Realm Coins.
Lin Rui glanced over them and said, "Forget it, hand over the Territorial Essence to her, I don’t need your Realm Coins. Just tell me about the situation inland."
Baixing quickly nodded, "Master, ask anything you want. I will tell you all I know without reservation."
"Why are so many people coming here?"
Baixing immediately explained in detail, "I asked around and summarized everyone’s situation. Basically, the interior has become uninhabitable. There’s war everywhere; the forces of this world are fighting intensely, with battles constantly erupting."
Lin Rui’s eyes narrowed, and he asked, "Did you say battles are happening everywhere?" Official source is novel⟡fire.net
"Yes, indeed. Armies belonging to different factions are marching one after another, the warfare is complex, destroying many places. Once a territory gets involved in a battlefield, the aftermath of battles is enough to obliterate the territory, forcing many to flee."
"Yes, everyone thinks it’s better in border areas. They all say ’Golden corners and silver edges, grass bellies.’
"Master, is your territory accepting people? Can we join your territory? With soldiers as strong as yours, life must be tranquil and secure."
After listening to their intel, Lin Rui realized that Lu Weite might have severely underestimated Count Frans.
Since he dared to actively clear the Templar Order’s debts, he must be quite certain of his own capabilities.
Furthermore, he was very aware of his strengths and weaknesses. He neither led his troops against the Grand Commander of the Templar Order for a decisive victory, nor did he hold the fort decisively.
Instead, he fully leveraged his army’s scale, splitting forces for battle, matching offense and defense with the Templar Order.
It must be said, this was a very clever strategy, even the best choice for victory.
The Grand Commander of the Templar Order was indeed mighty, undefeated in battle. None of Count Frans’s generals could ensure defeating the Grand Commander head-on.
But the other members of the Templar Order wouldn’t necessarily surpass the Count’s army.
The Grand Commander of the Templar Order couldn’t be everywhere at once, obviously unable to cover other fronts.
As long as the Count’s army could gain the upper hand on other battlefields, or even just achieve equilibrium, wearing them down over time, a Templar Order with just over ten thousand knights would struggle against Count Frans’s massive army.
Lin Rui admired it internally, realizing the world’s faction leaders truly weren’t fools. Every single one’s performance was astonishing.
Subsequently, Lin Rui said to these explorers, "As long as you abide by the law, our Golden Pansy Domain welcomes anyone willing to earnestly join. But if you act unlawfully, don’t blame the unyielding rules for taking your heads."
Baixing immediately responded, "Of course. We are all making a voluntary choice. Those willing to continue adventuring will do so, while those opting to join a territory will naturally abide by the rules."
Lin Rui nodded, saying, "If any of you wish to join, stay here, recruit refugees and explorers with Audrey."
Audrey’s eyes widened, quickly asking, "Leaving me here, so Dad, where are you going?"
Lin Rui rode on Death’s Claw, smiling, "You agreed to escort the civilians here, do a good job. The conditions for territory upgrade are met, so I’ll return to the territory and upgrade it to a town."
Audrey watched Death’s Claw spread its wings and leave, stamping her foot in frustration, "Ah, I came here because the Lord was here! Turns out, I came, and the Lord went back to upgrade the territory to a town!"