Daoist Chu clasped his hands behind his back and spoke with a thoughtful expression. "I am assuming you figured out that I forwarded a complaint to Elder Dong Bo. I also inford High Elder Liu Bei. Everything else happened naturally."
Lin Mu narrowed his eyes. "Naturally? Since when did I beco a guest of the Immortal Court?"
Daoist Chu smiled in a sly manner that made ng Bai roll his eyes. "Since it benefited us. Accept it. You now have a convenient title."
Lin Mu sighed but did not argue. He knew resisting this would only make his life more difficult. If the Immortal Court wished to declare him a guest for their own purposes, then there was no reason to fight it.
They were interrupted by steady footsteps. Elder Dong Bo approached with a respectful expression, though he still carried the air of an ancient authority figure.
"Honored Lin Mu," Elder Dong Bo said, "if you are recovered, please co with to the Command Office. I have prepared a space for you to speak comfortably,"
Lin Mu nodded. "Very well."
Daoist Chu, Cattaleya, ng Bai, and Little Shrubby followed behind him.The elder gestured, and several guards activated restricted flight privileges. Lin Mu's group rose into the air under Elder Dong Bo's lead.
Flying inside the outpost was normally prohibited. Only official personnel or those granted permission could do it. But at this mont, no guard dared to even glance at Lin Mu with anything resembling challenge.
They soared across the capital-like city built upon the tiny outpost world.
The Command Office stood like an enormous fortress, rising from the ground like a pillar of authority. More than a dozen buildings surrounded the main tower, all carved in the shape of white tigers and imperial beasts.
The main tower was so tall that the clouds brushed its midsection. That was where Elder Dong Bo brought them.
He landed on a grand balcony frad with jade pillars and golden carvings. Officials were already lined up in two rows, bowing deeply.
"Welco to the Command Office, honored guests."
Lin Mu ignored the ceremony. He followed the elder into a spacious office decorated with waterfalls of spiritual mist, ancient scrolls, and a large window overlooking the entire outpost world.
Servants carried in trays of fragrant tea, Immortal fruits, and light
refreshnts. Elder Dong Bo dismissed all unnecessary personnel, leaving only his most trusted aides.
He turned to Lin Mu with a polite but worried expression.
"Sir, do you wish to take a bath or rest first? I can prepare Healing specialists to check the poisons inside your body."
Lin Mu shook his head. "There is no need. I am fine. The poisons gave more benefit than harm."
Elder Dong Bo blinked several tis, unsure if he had heard correctly. "You... gained benefit?"
Lin Mu nodded. "My cultivation base absorbed the energy. I am well."
The elder sighed softly. "I see. Your cultivation is deeper than what I initially assud."
He took a seat and gestured for Lin Mu and the others to sit as well. Daoist Chu poured tea for everyone and then folded his hands behind his back.
Elder Dong Bo looked serious. "I am greatly ashad that Outpost Thirteen failed to uphold justice. I take responsibility for what happened, and I swear on my cultivation that punishnt will be carried out properly. But I must ask. How do you wish for this matter to be resolved beyond the current actions?" Lin Mu took a sip of tea and spoke with a calm tone.
"I want the guards to examine every prisoner under those two captains. Several individuals imprisoned in that jailhouse did not belong there. So were frad. So were imprisoned without trial. So only committed small offenses but were kept far longer than they should have been."
Elder Dong Bo's face turned cold. "That is not surprising. I suspected corruption existed, but it seems to be far more severe than the reports I usually receive."
Lin Mu continued, "I believe the corruption does not end with those two captains. There are likely many others involved. At least ten different officers based on how the prisoners described their arrests. It will not be limited to just one district."
Elder Dong Bo nodded grimly. "I will conduct a full internal audit. Every officer with even the faintest suspicion will be examined. Any that fail will face arrest and trial under the Immortal Court."
Daoist Chu added, "You should also contact the neighboring outposts.
Corruption rarely happens in isolation."
Elder Dong Bo pressed his palms together and lowered his head. "Indeed. I will send ssages imdiately."
The elder then looked at Lin Mu with sincere eyes.
"Thank you for pointing this out. You have not only saved yourself but also hundreds of innocents who have suffered under corruption."
Lin Mu leaned back and crossed his arms. "I only hope the Immortal Court will
clean its own house properly."
Elder Dong Bo bowed deeply.
"It shall be done."
While Lin Mu was freed from the prison and escorted toward Elder Dong Bo's office, other forces were already stirring across Outpost Thirteen. The mont Lin Mu left the jail, the goblins who had been watching hidden in the crowd, began executing their own plans.
In truth, the goblins had never truly stopped after their initial 'work'. They simply slipped into the alleys, shadowed rooftops, and under the corners of buildings where no human eyes could track them. Their small bodies, natural stealth, and innate knack for weaving concealnt runes made them perfect saboteurs. And now that soone had stood up for them, they felt obligated to repay that kindness in their own strange way.
The first incidents began near the Yong clan's residential district.
A sea otter beastkin rchant was casually sweeping the front of his shop when he froze. A tiny figure no taller than his waist stepped into view, wrapped tightly in a camouflage cloak that shimred like shifting smoke.
A goblin.Eyes bright.Claws curled in greeting.
It pressed a small rune stone into the rchant's palm before vanishing as if
the air swallowed it.
Five minutes later, the rchant accidentally dropped the stone. It cracked, releasing a faint illusion of recorded mories. Clear as day, scenes of Yong clan mbers extorting beastkin, kicking rchants aside, dumping goods into the street, and threatening apprentices with violence appeared.
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