### Chapter 0: Hoarding Grain to Delay Claiming the Throne
==============================
In the Heavenly Sword Sect’s Law Enforcement Hall dungeon.
Lin Nan was crudely tied to a wooden chair.
In front of her was a basin of roaring hot coals.
A hulking brute with his shirt unbuttoned grinned as he tossed a branding iron into the flames.
Lin Nan inhaled sharply.
Looks like they’re gearing up for some good ol’ torture.
Although she didn’t quite understand how the Law Enforcement Hall linked her to the invading enemy, their suspicion wasn’t entirely unfounded.
This was bad news.
Players could only respawn at their starting point after a complete d*ath, meaning as long as they didn’t actually k*ll her, they could slowly crank up the pressure until she spilled whatever beans they wanted.
What to do?
Well, she could just hand over the male character to the system for safekeeping. That guy could talk his way out of anything, maybe he could bamboozle them.
Even if he was tortured, the pain wouldn’t transfer to the female character.
The system had always been a total j*rk, so it was about time the male character tasted a bit of the people’s judgment pie.
Though, fundamentally, the male character under the system’s control was merely a fragment of consciousness, a tiny shard meant to regulate his actions. But in the end, he was still part of the system.
No dragging it out.
The male character instantly logged on.
As he found himself in a cramped interrogation room, surrounded by several brutish men—some wielding long whips, others brandishing scorching irons—his scalp tingled at the sight of bloodstains clinging stubbornly to the walls.
Holy cr*p, the original owner really screwed him over this time.
Not only did he miss out on the fun, but this situation was just plain ridiculous…
But if the male character met his end again, his slice of consciousness was likely to be wiped out by the system.
Fighting for his survival, the male character, dumped into this mess by an unscrupulous owner, racked his brain on how to confess without raising suspicion or incurring punishment.
…
Of course, Lin Nan’s decision to switch back to her female character wasn’t purely out of avoidance.
After all, the recent turmoil at Heavenly Sword Sect meant the Cold Moon Witch would’ve become a thorn in the side of the other sects.
Even if the other sects stayed out of it, with Heavenly Sword’s full-on attack, the little Cold Wind Cave wouldn’t stand a chance against the top sect in the human realm.
Even if she managed to escape, those little demons who followed her would surely be out of luck.
She wasn’t a cold-hearted person; how could she just stand by while her companions suffered?
So she figured it was the perfect opportunity to take care of things back in the Cold Wind Cave while the male character was busy rotting away in that dungeon.
Survival was the name of the game.
Back in the day, Zhu Yuanzhang had avoided becoming a target by implementing the “hoard grain, delay claiming the throne” strategy.
While she had no intentions of seizing power, she needed to stay low-key. The human realm had already made enemies of two major sects, and in the monster realm, she couldn’t afford to make any loud moves.
With her decision made, Lin Nan decided to check out Cold Wind City.
After all, claiming to be in seclusion for a week, she hadn’t shown her face in public at all.
“Long live the King!”
“Long live the King!”
On her way, little demons excitedly knelt and bowed to her.
At first, Lin Nan felt a bit awkward, eager to help them up, but these little demons were acting like they wanted to bury their heads in the dirt and refused to budge.
Eventually, she gave up; with a slight nod, she walked on, and the little demons promptly scrambled back up.
Compared to her last visit before going into seclusion, the city walls of Cold Wind City were significantly taller, and some key areas had been reinforced with packed earth and stone.
Even if the enemies used fire attacks, they wouldn’t be able to break through those fortified sections right away.
Cold Moon truly had the ability; trusting her with the management of Cold Wind Cave was definitely the right call.
As Lin Nan paused to examine the newly constructed walls, she noticed another group of little demons kneeling by the roadside.
Strange, many of these little demons looked unfamiliar, and even some types of monster races she had never seen before had popped up.
Before her seclusion, she had only accepted the surrender of the Tiger Wolf Cave, and with the little demons from Cold Wind Cave, their total number had only been around 300.
Yet now, the little demons scattered throughout the city already exceeded a hundred.
There were also patrol teams roaming the top of the walls, and on one side of the city, several makeshift wooden shanties had been erected, from which buzzing chants and applause occasionally drifted out.
Although she didn’t get close, it was clear there was a huge crowd inside.
Roughly estimating, the total number must have already surpassed 300.
She had initially wanted to check out what those little demons were up to in the shanties, but thinking that if she went over, it would lead to another wave of kneeling, making her quite uncomfortable, she decided against it.
Better to wait until she saw Cold Moon first.
Sure enough, not long after she made her appearance, Cold Moon hurried over with her two top generals, Little Drill Wind and Old Drill Wind.
“Your Majesty!”
“Your Majesty!”
During the days Lin Nan was in seclusion, Cold Moon had been acting according to her last meeting’s orders, and some decisions were even inspired by her deeper understanding of Lin Nan’s intentions.
Thus, facing Lin Nan now, Cold Moon felt a bit nervous, uncertain if her actions would please the King.
“Hmm, while I was away, you, Second Great King, worked hard.”
“Not at all, Your Majesty. With you in seclusion, every moment is a life-or-d*ath matter. It’s truly an honor for me to help relieve Your Majesty’s burdens.”
Lin Nan nodded, “Yes, how’s the situation lately?”
Taking a deep breath, Cold Moon recounted every detail of the initiatives taken in Cold Wind City over the past week.
Lin Nan hadn’t even planned to listen closely, but the more she heard, the more astonished she became.
Sister, are you trying to start a rebellion here?
Cold Moon hadn’t just sketched plans on paper; she had put everything into action.
In just a few days, she had sent people to conquer the three major caves nearby and organized the little demons from Tiger Wolf Cave and Cold Wind Cave to hold a complaint rally, helping them fully grasp where their suffering truly originated from.
Furthermore, she had ordered the newly surrendered caves to send some little demons into the city for acclimatization, explaining why she had run into so many unfamiliar faces on the road.
Lin Nan nodded subtly on the surface, forcing an air of deep understanding, though inside she was panicking.
After all, she was stretched thin right now. Cold Moon was needed to manage the city’s affairs, and if Cold Moon thought she wasn’t grasping the situation well enough and got any wild ideas about leaving, she’d be up a creek without a paddle.
Best to keep the peace for now and evaluate things later. If Cold Moon continued with her grand plans, she’d have to figure out a way to swap her out.
In chaotic times, survival came first.
If she couldn’t even grasp that fundamental truth, it was only a matter of time before she dragged herself down with the rest.
“Not bad, you did well.”
Lin Nan nodded, her beautiful face taking on a hint of seriousness.
Cold Moon’s heart sank.
Right, it must be that she hadn’t done well enough, her thinking still too narrow.
Thus, the King’s expression lacked any hint of joy and instead seemed more solemn.
“Next, we will do this…”
Lin Nan stated.
