Chapter 635

Chapter 635: Level Five Small Miner

Big Kui was speaking with Li Hui when he suddenly shouted, “Blast it! That mine owner is a leech, making me cancel my holiday and go to work now! He says there were many deaths in the mining accident on the thirty-eighth level and that we need more hands.”

At that moment, the mirror split in two, and a hawk-nosed old man with light blue eyes shouted, “Li Hui, so you didn’t die! You thought you could sneak away and enjoy three days off? Cancel it! All miners are to cancel their holidays until I gather enough workers!”

Before Li Hui could reply, the mirror returned to normal, and Big Kui fumed, “Zhou Bapi, greedy pig! Just because you’ve become a small mine owner after finally reaching level twenty-two! I, Big Kui, will definitely reach that level before I turn forty, and I’ll have plenty of kids—that’s my strength!”

Hearing this, Li Hui’s expression became strange.

On the Extreme Huan Continent, the few opportunities for low-level cultivators to rise were to become higher-level miners, then transition into ownership of mines to exploit miners in hopes of becoming major mine owners. This life would be much better.

All low-level cultivators had their hopes set on this as they descended into the mines day after day. If they were lucky enough to find a seedling, especially a high-quality one, it meant the chance to turn their fortunes around.

Big Kui shouted, “Hui, you’re even unluckier than I am! You finally managed to gather three days off to take your wife out, only to run into this mining accident? Tsk tsk! You need to hurry up and have kids! You need to have at least three to increase your vacation days. It’s our luck that we can have kids at the mine. Those fools who have had thirteen or fourteen children get five days off a month! Five days! Just think of all the things you can do! I heard some even take private jobs. No wonder they all advance to mid-Condense Essence; they are all rich from taking private work!”

“Private work?” Li Hui pondered: “Taking private jobs is indeed a good way to increase income. The room is too small, and it’s public housing. I need to change my situation quickly.”

“Don’t just sit there; hurry up and earn contribution points! Zhou Bapi is ruthless!” Big Kui said as they ended the call. “Quickly, meet up at the mine! The accident on the thirty-eighth level might actually be good news because only those wealthy mines have problems, which means we might find seedlings. All my past discoveries of seedlings happened after mining accidents. This is my unique secret technique; you better pay attention!”

“Got it, see you at the mine.” Li Hui nodded and took out a set of mining gear that included a heart shield emblazoned on the chest, marked with runes representing a level five miner.

That’s right; the original Li Hui was a level five miner, referred to as a small worker in the mining industry. You had to reach level eight to become a big worker, level fifteen to become a special worker, and level twenty-two was a threshold. If you passed it, you could find a way to transition to become a mine owner, albeit just a small mine owner in a remote part of the city. Further advancement depended on the overall profitability of the mine.

Li Hui then grabbed a pair of chain mail gloves; only with these would he have the complete mining gear. He was amazed at how simple the artifact was.

Before stepping out, he left a message for his wife on the Round Mirror, explaining the situation. Then he added, “I heard from Big Kui that this mining accident might be an opportunity, so I plan to stay underground for a few more days. As the weather gets cooler, don’t forget to switch to thicker blankets.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Hui suddenly realized he had been so absorbed in feeling that remnant soul last night that he unconsciously took on that person’s identity. As one of the millions of ants on the Extreme Huan Continent, he had to learn to survive before improving his life. After unfortunately dying, his wife would remarry within three months, and the children would be taken care of by the city’s regulatory office. It was genuinely tragic.

His residence was only a short tea’s distance from the mine. He could see the huge mine entrance protruding from the ground, resembling a circular dam! Above the mine, many wooden buildings stood, alongside towering steel supports.

At the base of the supports were winches, some of which were "clunking" as they turned, drawing up cage-like platform carts.

Li Hui glanced around and walked toward the thirty-eighth hoisting frame. When he arrived, he found it packed with people; it seemed everyone wanted to try their luck.

“This way!” Big Kui waved. Familiar miners liked to enter the mines together, but they typically parted ways once inside to avoid sharing good fortune and to prevent catching bad luck from each other—this was the rule among miners.

The hawk-nosed mine owner stood at the front and said, “The first team has gone down to clear the time barriers this morning. The second team will enter on the thirteenth year after the mining accident. If you don’t come back today, there’s an extra two percent contribution points reward. Remember your timelines and preferably bring two market bears. The third team goes in on the twenty-third year after the accident. This mining area is vast, and after ten years of nurturing, new produce is bound to appear, plus you might find some leftovers. The fourth team goes down at noon; try to stretch the time intervals as much as possible.”

Big Kui whispered to Li Hui, “That sly old coot! He won’t mention the cause of the mining accident at all. The second team seems to have an advantage, but only offering a two percent contribution points as a reward? How frugal is that? Everyone doesn’t realize that it was caused by a time phantom! Thirteen years apart might not be safe, and it’s only the newcomers who rush into the second team; folks like us old hands are scrambling for the third team.”

“High risk, high reward. I plan to take my chances in the second team,” Li Hui said quietly.

“What? You want to throw away your life? You just got back a life yesterday, and today you’re heading straight into the death trap! Xiaolu is such a good wife, wouldn’t you want her to marry someone else after three months?”

“Cough, we don’t have children, so there are no rewards to be deducted,” Li Hui rolled his eyes, again cursing the ridiculous rules of the Extreme Huan.

“That doesn’t matter; those gossipy women will say she’s a husband killer! Xiaolu gave up her father’s extra help for having over thirty children just to marry you. Goodness, pretty boys just take advantage!”

“Actually, I have another name—Li Yingjun.”

“Scram! You’re not going into the second team, and you should listen to me!” Big Kui’s voice was a bit loud, drawing the mine owner’s attention. The mine owner shouted, “Stupid kid! Li Hui wants to advance and try for the second team, and you actually want to stop him? Get out! Let Li Hui go into the mine!”

“Old fellow…”

Big Kui was about to explode when the mine owner pressed his heart shield on his mining outfit and said, “See this? A level twenty-two miner plus a level one mine owner. With your skills, don’t get twitchy or I’ll throw you into the sewer. Behave yourself.”

Big Kui deflated like a punctured balloon, running out of steam completely.

In the end, Li Hui still joined the second team and entered the cage. Just as Big Kui said, the second team was filled with rookies and newcomers; the imprints on their heart shields were either two or three, with level five miners being a rarity.

“Clunk clunk…” The winch turned and released the chains, and Li Hui took three bear cubs with him. Now he understood that Extreme Radiance cultivators used these cubs as storage bags, providing some simple food and water.

The view expanded as the cage descended rapidly, and he could distinctly sense the fluctuations of time force. After about two incense sticks, they saw an ancient gate.