Everyone was stunned. No one expected to see the corpse of the highest ruler in a situation like this.

"What exactly happened?" Eight Hands asked in a dry voice, voicing the question on everyone's mind.

The black-haired youth turned around, allowing the pollutants to get a clear look at his face.

Black hair and green eyes?!

A black-haired, green-eyed human actually survived?

But how could that be? Everyone knew that whenever such a person appeared in the Holy City, they would mysteriously vanish soon after.

Could it be…?

The expressions of pollutants that had once entered the Holy Land suddenly changed. If they felt fear before, now they were showing the same kind of fanaticism Lloyd had shown earlier.

Kermov also noticed the young man's eyes and was visibly shaken.

Wasn't this the same face from the portrait in the Tower?

While he was caught off guard, Lloyd took the opportunity to attack, revealing sharp fangs. "Hey, where are you looking?" he asked, and his bat form sank its teeth into Kermov.

This bastard!

Kermov gritted his teeth and stepped back a couple of paces before launching an even fiercer counterattack.

Ruan Xing looked toward the stands. Everyone had stopped what they were doing.

Fu Gui had already returned to his regular self and was standing on Ruan Xing's shoulder again. "Looks like your Tower's influence is still powerful. At least a lot of high-tier pollutants have seen your face before."

When Yin Zhu created this city, he never presented himself as anything exalted. He operated under the identity of "Administrator."

Perhaps because the portrait in the Tower couldn't be removed and might cause misunderstandings if seen, Yin Zhu fabricated a lie to deceive the gullible pollutants.

Using the fake will of a god, he acted more freely, more boldly, without restraint.

After all, so many years had passed without the arrival of the person in the portrait. And if someone like that did show up, they would be killed in the cradle. Black hair and green eyes had become taboo. Anyone who had those traits would be eliminated quickly.

It wasn't because they were taboo that they disappeared, but rather, they became taboo because others feared them to the point of killing thousands by mistake, rather than letting one go.

Ruan Xing stood up and pressed a finger to his lips. He cast the same amplification magic he’d once used in the illusion realm, inspired by the mayor rabbit’s loudspeaker.

[Spirit Speaker]

"Cease all attacks."

The high-tier residents were the first to stop.

Even Eight Hands stopped punishing his disobedient pet.

Chen Qiang, beaten and bleeding from his nose and mouth, also turned his gaze toward the source of the voice.

Many residents looked at the man in front of them with deep curiosity.

"Who is this?"

"It's normal that you haven't seen him. Only high-tier residents know. He is the creator of the Holy Land."

"Does that mean… he is a God?"

The pollutant who spoke didn't finish the sentence, but the others clearly understood what he meant.

One of the most fanatical pollutants nodded. "That's right. Back then, I once boldly asked the Administrator who the person in the portrait was. He told me not to ask what shouldn’t be asked. Wasn’t that already a hint?"

Another added, "With just one sentence, he stopped all the chaos on the field. Do you think the Administrator can do that?"

The low-tier resident asking the question shook his head. "Impossible."

"This is a freaking miracle!" one pollutant suddenly stood up, the single eye on his forehead wide open, pupils trembling.

But many pollutants still remained skeptical.

The young man looked around. No one dared meet his gaze. But the moment he looked away, their eyes greedily glued themselves back onto him.

He spoke, "The thief acted in my name, abused power, and oppressed the people, which led to this situation. So I punished him."

The Administrator claimed to act on behalf of a god, so why call him a thief?

What did he steal?

The Holy Land itself? His lifespan? The authority to govern the Holy City?

Many people shook their heads, their crazed expressions slowly calming, but the confusion in their eyes remained.

"Many of you must have heard the phrase 'all are equal.' Are residents not people, too?"

As they listened to the young man's voice, it was like someone was softly whispering in their ears, repeating over and over: Haven’t you suffered enough oppression? And those discarded humans, were they not once you, or could they be you in the future?

The confusion in their eyes faded, replaced by doubt and fear.

If there were no equality, could they survive in such a cruel environment?

The young man continued, "You're all so powerful. Do you really need humans to serve you?"

The residents looked at each other. That was true. Humans were clumsy and messed up even the simplest tasks. Some were worse than them.

He went on, "Unbind the pets. Let them return to where they belong. Leave the city to the residents. Let the Holy City become a true city of pollutants!"

Lloyd was the first to shout, "Drive out the humans! Give us back our home!"

As soon as he spoke, his followers joined in, chanting one after another.

The confusion and fear in the residents' eyes vanished. An emotion they hadn’t felt before surged from their chests, and their eyes were gradually being filled with determination.

Yes. They should have a city of their own. One that truly belonged to pollutants, where everyone was equal!

No more Administrator. No more oppression. No more darkness. That was the future they wanted!

And besides, where there were humans, there was always rebellion. A human who couldn't be trusted was a hidden time bomb. Why keep such a thing around?

Had they already forgotten the lesson from eight years ago?

That chaos cost the lives of so many residents. No one wanted to go through that again.

Meanwhile, the humans looked toward Ruan Xing in shock and uncertainty. Some fell into deep thought, while others wore fanatical expressions and cried tears of joy.

This was not a God of pollutants. This was clearly their savior!

Ruan Xing looked at the increasingly chaotic crowd and smiled slightly. "If anyone has a problem with this, they will end up like the Administrator."

Was the Administrator powerful?

He ruled over a whole city of pollutants. But now, he was lying there in front of everyone, dead and in pieces.

And the one who killed him? Not even a scratch on him. That meant the fight had been completely one-sided.

Many low-tier pollutants trembled, their eyes flicking between the Administrator's corpse and Lloyd.

They were already powerful, and now they had the support of the new top leader.

Did they even have the right to say "no"?

If anyone was going to be made an example of, it would be those who speak out.

Some pollutants who had felt indignant, those who had only just become residents and were ready to enjoy the perks, fell silent when they saw the corpse.

So what if he was not a God? With that kind of strength, even the Administrator had no chance. What could they gain by resisting?

Seeing their reactions, Ruan Xing nodded.

With spiritual brainwashing and brute force combined, even the few who still had thoughts of resistance couldn't stand against the tide.

Fu Gui: [Are you planning to control all these pollutants?]

Ruan Xing: [Even Yin Zhu couldn't accomplish that entirely, so how could I?]

Fu Gui tilted his head: [Then why brainwash them like this? Wouldn’t it be easier to just get rid of them?]

Ruan Xing: [Yin Zhu's research made it possible to turn humans into pollutants. That so-called irreversible line came from scientific research. But what if magic could produce a different result?]

When Ruan Xing had taken the form of the dumpling, the machine had identified him as an S-class pollutant. That meant, for at least a moment, he really became a pollutant. However, after reverting and being scanned again, everything returned to normal.

Could that mean the process was reversible?

Ruan Xing smiled as he looked at the residents like they were crops ready for harvest: [If the research fails, then we'll just get rid of them all.]

Fu Gui shivered. So, he was really treating them as disposable lab rats.

Fu Gui: [But how would you keep them under control? Once you take the humans away, would these pollutants not riot?]

Ruan Xing looked at the nearly-finished battle on the field: [Easy. I’ll make my deputy the strongest.]

He also planned to use materials from the Tower to set up a barrier over the entire city, allowing pollutants to enter but not leave.

Fu Gui was shocked again. This was honestly treating everyone like guinea pigs!

The crow looked at Lloyd on the battlefield with a pitiful expression. Poor guy.

Lloyd raised his voice: "I believe in you! I will serve you as my lord! Anyone who disobeys you is going against me!"

With one of the strongest, Lloyd, saying that, the crowd of pollutants became even more restless.

Kermov looked at Ruan Xing, his gaze burning. "God? You? I don't believe it!"

He suddenly broke away from his fight with Lloyd and lunged toward Ruan Xing.

Lloyd's expression changed. "Kermov!"

Ruan Xing watched him rush forward. The mycelium responded immediately and blocked him. Even with all his muscles straining, Kermov couldn't break through the defense.

"What the hell?" he muttered and stepped back.

Lloyd flew into a rage. He turned into a swarm of bats and swarmed Kermov, biting down and injecting poison.

Kermov didn't expect him to actually go for the kill. His eyes widened. "Lloyd, you idiot!"

His movements stalled.

Around them, residents began to stir. So Lloyd had been hiding his strength all this time?

Or maybe Lloyd gained new power!

Either way, it was enough for his followers to act.

Someone rushed forward and stood in front of Ruan Xing, launching an attack on Kermov.

For a moment, the once-dominant man was being overwhelmed.

Kermov was strong, but under wave after wave of attacks, after several residents were injured or killed, he finally went down.

He was pinned to the ground, face pressed against the floor, and spat out blood. "Damn it. Bunch of morons."

A figure approached. Kermov saw his shoes contrasting sharply with the black floor. The person squatted in front of him, long hair brushing the ground.

The young man spoke, "Kermov, are you willing to pledge loyalty to me?"

What a joke. He never bowed to even the Administrator, let alone some random guy who appeared out of nowhere!

Kermov sneered, "Screw you."

Ruan Xing sighed and shook his head. "Honestly, I think you would have been a better choice than Lloyd. Such a pity."

He flicked his wrist. The mycelium responded immediately and severed Kermov's head.

The look of disbelief was still frozen on his face as the head rolled to Lloyd's feet. Lloyd cheerfully kicked it aside and bounced over, beaming. "Darling, choosing me was the best decision ever!"

Beside them, Ming Zhi saw Kermov's severed head, and countless emotions rushed to her heart. The mountain that weighed on her for years was finally gone. She smiled, but her eyes were filled with sorrow, and tears streamed down her face.

Ming Rui hugged her, gently patting her shoulder in comfort. Looking at Kermov's lifeless expression, his face was full of satisfaction. The man who had oppressed him for over a decade was finally executed. Ming Rui felt like setting off fireworks to celebrate.

News of the challenge spread quickly through the Holy City.

A God descended and killed the wicked Administrator.

Whether people believed it or not, the high-ranking residents publicly declared their support. That alone was enough to silence the rest.

Additionally, the current Administrator, Mr. Lloyd, released footage revealing the true face of the previous Administrator.

The guy treated the city's residents as his personal property, even using white-haired humans for experiments. The scene resembled a human livestock farm, etching itself into everyone's memory.

Even the veteran residents felt their stomachs becoming sick, so the change in leadership felt inevitable.

Many high-tier residents were anxious, afraid they would be next. Some fourth-tier powerhouses even tried to resist but were swiftly eliminated.

Overwhelming power became a silent threat, keeping all opportunists in check.

After a period of turmoil, Mist City returned to peace.

But now, slogans everywhere had been changed: "Build a city for pollutants."

All pets were granted freedom, including the white-haired humans.

Three days later, all humans had gathered at the Trading Center.

This was the new Administrator's decree.

No one dared delay. In three days, they rushed to treat their pets, hoping to avoid punishment.

Inside the castle, Ming Zhi was packing up. Her belongings were minimal, and with her spatial powers, the task was easy. Ming Rui helped her, while not far away, Ruan Xing stood lost in thought.

As they packed, Ming Rui said, "Mom, Ming Chen is living well at the base now. Once we find her, let's move to the outer city and stay far away from the Tower."

Only a few people knew what was going on with the Tower. Most humans had no idea that the Administrator was a Tower Knight.

Ming Zhi nodded. She also knew something was wrong with the Tower. But since they were stationed at the human base, they probably wouldn't target humans directly. The conflict would be pushed outward.

The humans inside the base should be safe, right?

She wasn't entirely sure. She looked at the young man standing in the distance. His melancholic eyes seemed filled with countless words that he never spoke aloud.

At this moment, melancholic youth Ruan Xing was truly melancholic.

Fu Gui: [So, what now? You finally found your tower. Are you going back? Or just stay here and play God? With the barrier up and teleportation gates sealed, humans probably can't find their way here.]

[But after killing the knight, the Tower will definitely come for you. It's only a matter of time.]

Ruan Xing looked at the tall buildings in the distance and frowned: [What are you so afraid of?]

He disliked how overly cautious Fu Gui was, especially when it came to the Tower, always eager to flee.

Fu Gui muttered: [Will is way crazier than Yin Zhu. I just don't want you to suffer because of him.]

[Fu Zhi doesn’t even remember you now. Are you sure the soul inside is still him? Is he still the person you like without his memories?]

Ruan Xing fell silent.

He gently touched the pendant around his neck.

During the battle, its seal had been undone.

But nothing happened. It was just a plain pendant, ordinary and silent.

If Fu Zhi was really the Tower spirit, why didn't he respond to his call?

Ruan Xing tightened his grip on the pendant.

Ming Zhi cautiously walked over.

"Um…"

Ruan Xing looked up. "What is it?"

"It’s like this. Eight years ago, I met a man. Maybe you know him."

Ming Zhi could no longer hold it in and told him everything she had seen.

When she described the man kneeling and apologizing, Ruan Xing's expression finally changed. He called over Ming Rui, pulled out a photo from his spatial storage, and asked, "Is this the one?"

Ming Zhi froze, then slowly nodded. "That’s him."

Ruan Xing smiled and told Fu Gui: [I'm going back.]

This was something he promised.

He had to go back, but he couldn't abandon his Mage Tower.

Relocating the entire Tower was possible, but only if the Tower spirit was present.

Ruan Xing sealed the teleportation array inside the Tower so only he could open it. Then he spent a long time sorting through everything inside.

To be honest, there had been losses, but not as bad as he feared.

The daily supplies were not important. What shocked him most was the depletion of magical materials, and especially the library, which had almost been completely emptied.

"So the Tower was really a research institute…"

Ruan Xing smirked. He had a rough idea now.

He utilized materials from the Tower to construct a barrier encompassing the entire Holy City. From now on, pollutants could enter, but not leave. It was like a giant cage.

Mist City would soon become a city solely for pollutants.

When that time came, Ruan Xing would have even more control, and cleanup would be much easier.

Maybe because these pollutants were artificially created, their pollution wasn't too extreme. When they died, they were just dead. They couldn't even turn into sand.

Perhaps that was Yin Zhu's trump card. Being able to create more pollutants within controllable limits.

The evacuation of humans was swift. With no interference, the Holy City's residents would be transferred in ten batches.

Ruan Xing would lead the first batch of one hundred people through the teleportation array at the Trading Center.

Light flared, and Lloyd's reluctant face vanished as everyone reappeared in a familiar, empty warehouse.

Murmurs rippled through the crowd as they realized where they were.

Inside the warehouse, the noise immediately drew Scar-tail's attention.

He pulled up the rolling door and was stunned by the sight of nearly a hundred people. What the hell?

A magical pot turned a few dozen humans into hundreds?

But he quickly snapped out of it and panicked. "Quick! Catch them! They’re escaping!"

If they got out and spread through the base, he would be doomed!

Driven by intense fear, he triggered his trap. The nearby shipping containers broke open, revealing the soil inside.

This had been his backup plan. If any humans disobeyed, he would use his Earth ability to trap them.

Nice plan, but the vanguard group included ability users… and Ruan Xing, a mage. They easily destroyed his setup.

Scar-tail was pinned to the ground, completely dazed. Then he heard vehicles arriving outside the warehouse.

The rolling door opened, and the bright light made him squint and tear up.

A figure appeared before him.

When he saw who it was, all the blood drained from Scar-tail's face.

Fu Zhi!

He was just doing a little shady business. How could he run into him?

Scar-tail's body started trembling uncontrollably. Clearly, it wasn't just "a little business."

Fu Zhi's cold face scanned the area. Most people avoided his gaze, but one black-haired figure walked straight toward him.

As soon as Fu Zhi saw that person, his expression softened. His eyes and brows lifted with a smile, as if he had finally been able to relax.

Then, before everyone’s eyes, Fu Zhi pulled the long-haired youth into a tight embrace.