Translator: AkazaTL

Proofreader/Editor: JWyck

***

Chapter 98

Upon arriving, everyone got off the truck. Su Bei looked up and couldn’t help but let out a chuckle. The entrance to the Different Space was disguised as a tunnel, invisible to ordinary people, but as an Ability user who had entered several Different Spaces, he could tell at a glance.

Following his gaze, Si Zhaohua miraculously caught his amusement. He coughed lightly, tugging Su Bei’s sleeve to signal him to tone it down.

Inspectors at the entrance checked each laborer’s identity, matching faces to photos and asking questions to verify answers.

Su Bei and Si Zhaohua’s identities, crafted by the Academy, were flawless, passing the inspection easily and entering the tunnel.

Inside, the Different Space was a stark contrast to the outside—crimson skies and earth, sand piled into small hills, countless gaunt laborers pushing carts filled with pale red crystals toward storage.

Those pale red crystals were likely unprocessed Mental Crystals. They’d learned that these crystals were rarely pure when mined, often containing impurities, requiring a special process to purify, a technique only Apogod had mastered, uncracked by other nations.

The man leading their group of over thirty barked coldly: “Stop gawking, keep up! Anyone who falls behind, heh, this place isn’t so kind!”

He sneered, striding off. The crowd, intimidated by his words, quickened their pace to follow. At a large, crude straw hut, the man stopped: “This is your lodging from now on. Up at five, breakfast left at your door. Be at the worksite by six. First time you’re late, no food that day. Third time...”

He didn’t finish, maintaining his sneer and changing topics: “I’ll show you the way later and tell you what to do. Starting tomorrow, you’re on your own. Understood?”

“Understood...” The group replied sporadically, voices weak. Some sensed this place wasn’t as good as imagined; the man’s pause carried deep meaning, too frightening to dwell on.

Seeing their reaction, the man didn’t bother getting angry, following protocol: “Any questions? This is your only chance.”

Someone boldly raised a hand. The man pointed: “Speak.”

“If we’re sick or have an accident, can we take leave?” he asked his biggest concern.

“If sick, a dorm mate can request leave, and we’ll send a doctor. Other reasons, no.”

Seeing him answer, others grew bolder. A girl asked: “Can we write home? When can we leave?”

“Letters once a month, inspected. Leaving...” The man’s cold sneer returned. “Make a big mistake, and you can leave.”

Su Bei understood—the man’s “leaving” likely wasn’t what the girl meant. She thought of leaving alive, but his meaning was probably otherwise.

The girl, seemingly not catching his true intent, was satisfied with writing and leaving, lowering her hand.

More questions followed, and Su Bei gleaned useful info. Newcomers shared a room and mined in one cave. Every fifteen days, a new batch arrived, with no competition between groups.

Hearing about the fifteen-day cycle, Su Bei raised an eyebrow. Fifteen days ago was when the auction went wrong, when Jiang Tianming and the others vanished.

They must have joined the last batch, posing as laborers. Their next task was to find that batch’s worksite and rendezvous with Jiang Tianming’s group.

Su Bei and Si Zhaohua exchanged a look, both understanding.

No one asked about boys and girls sharing rooms—poor kids couldn’t afford such concerns. They knew working here meant harsh conditions, so co-ed dorms didn’t faze them.

With no more questions, the man introduced himself, telling them to call him Head Zhang or Head. He gave five minutes to choose beds and stow luggage.

Choosing a bed was crucial, especially in a communal bunk, where position mattered. Su Bei and Si Zhaohua, with their speed, claimed spots against the wall—far comfier than the middle, with at least one side secure.

Si Zhaohua needed the wall spot more, so Su Bei took the bed beside him.

Li Jie, ever familiar, plopped next to Su Bei: “You two grabbed spots fast! Edge feels best.”

Without delay, the three left the room. Head Zhang led them around three hills to a mine, not far from their hut. They passed other huts, all empty.

Wearing miner hats with small lights, they entered the cave, filled with unmined red crystals, scattered tools, and carts.

“You’ll work here from six a.m. to noon, break for an hour, then resume at one. Dinner’s at seven, one hour, then work continues. Work ends at midnight,” Head Zhang laid out a grueling schedule, with just seven hours’ rest daily, including sleep.

But that wasn’t all: “A supervisor will oversee the cave, but don’t worry—he’s not watching your work but preventing malicious competition or stealing others’ results.”

Allowing such behavior would reduce diligent workers, favoring those who stole, bad for the mine’s owners. Hence, supervision.

But slacking wasn’t allowed either, Head Zhang continued: “At midnight, the supervisor checks your results. Fail to meet quotas, no food the next day. Fail multiple times, you won’t want to see the consequences.”

He picked up a pickaxe, demonstrating, and knocked out a crystal, tossing it into a cart: “See? Keep crystals as whole as possible. Broken is fine, but not tiny pieces—that’s waste. Waste deducts pay.”

After a few more, he stood: “One cart per person. When full, find the supervisor to swap. Don’t try to fool them—no one’s an idiot. The last guy who tried, you won’t see him again.”

At his final warning, the group shrank back. Some understood his hidden meaning, while others naively thought the person was fired.

Being fired was scary too—they came to survive. If fired, no job outside offered food and shelter like this.

Some, like Su Bei and Si Zhaohua, faked their flinch.

Head Zhang left, telling them to return, with dinner at seven by the door. A rare chance, Si Zhaohua wanted to explore for Jiang Tianming’s traces. Su Bei stopped him: “Go back honestly. We won’t rush today.”

“Why?” Si Zhaohua asked, puzzled. “We’ve only got three days.”

Su Bei shook his head: “Don’t you find it odd?”

He glanced at Li Jie, curiously touching a crystal: “Our teachers couldn’t uncover that info, but a poor kid like him got it so easily?”

“Didn’t he say the recruiter was his relative, so they told him?” Si Zhaohua saw no issue with the excuse.

Su Bei scoffed: “What kind of person recruits for a place like this? Probably an Apogod native, right? Would such a rich person spill secrets for a pittance? If they did, they’d have to be close to Li Jie’s family. But if they’re close, why would they let him come here to die?”

He concluded: “Logically, Li Jie’s lying.”

Si Zhaohua realized Su Bei was right—he hadn’t thought of that. Li Jie was suspicious, so they couldn’t act rashly under his watch.

Si Zhaohua frowned: “So they suspect us; why send someone to test us?”

Li Jie’s target was clearly them—why else approach them directly? If not suspicion, why make such a pointed move?

“Not necessarily,” Su Bei shook his head. “Maybe they’re just targeting our countrymen. They know they’ve crossed us, so they’re extra cautious.”

He smiled, walking to Li Jie: “Little Jie, let’s head back. Rest early, or we won’t get up tomorrow.”

Li Jie’s eyes flickered. He looked up, giving a thumbs-up: “Good call, we need to rest. I’m hitting the toilet—you go ahead.”

Su Bei didn’t press, heading back with Si Zhaohua, whispering his plan: “Tomorrow, I’ll hit the toilet first; Li Jie’ll likely follow. When we’re back, you go—he won’t follow. Then you search.”

Dinner was steamed buns with a few vegetables, communal style—grab what you could. Si Zhaohua, predictably, was slow.

Not due to physical limits—in the dorm his speed could outpace everyone but Su Bei—but his crippling cleanliness. He’d never eaten communal food, struggling to reach in. Even the slightly yellowed buns took immense resolve to eat.

Su Bei just shook his head amusedly, saying nothing. Three days—buns wouldn’t kill him. This experience would teach the young master about such missions.

Night was torture for Si Zhaohua. Snoring, teeth-grinding, sleep-talking, and restless tossing filled the dorm, like a lively market, no sleep vibe at all.

Si Zhaohua sensed he’d be sleepless, turning to chat with Su Bei, only to see his eyes closed, breathing even, clearly asleep.

Si Zhaohua: “...”

The next morning’s wake-up bell rang. Su Bei rubbed his eyes, sitting up without much struggle. Thanks to years of school and his father’s harsh holiday training, five a.m. was manageable.

Si Zhaohua rose too, turning to speak, but Su Bei was startled by his bloodshot eyes. Without the Transformation Mask’s disguise, he’d surely have dark circles.

“Didn’t sleep?” Su Bei guessed in a second.

Si Zhaohua gave a bitter smile, shaking his head silently.

Despite exhaustion, he rose and washed with grace, eating his breakfast bun slowly.

Noticing Li Jie approaching, Su Bei nudged him: “Drop the young master act—it’s too obvious.”

Choked by the remark, Si Zhaohua glared, still elegant but wolfed down the bun in two bites. They turned to Li Jie.

Li Jie was all enthusiasm: “Starting mining today. Ever done it?”

Both shook their heads. Li Jie sighed: “Me neither. Heard it’s tough—wonder if we’ll meet quotas. But I heard you can scavenge outside, pick up some stuff.”

Su Bei looked thoughtful. Was this a deliberate excuse to let them explore? Something that convenient? It smelled like a trap.

If Li Jie wanted them out of the cave, staying put was their best move.

During tool distribution in the cave, Su Bei whispered to Si Zhaohua: “Plan’s off.”

Si Zhaohua was briefly confused but, being sharp, realized Su Bei’s change stemmed from Li Jie’s words. Analyzing them, he saw the issue.

He nodded: “I agree, but when do we look for Jiang Tianming?”

Yesterday didn’t count—three days from today. With Li Jie’s threat, they couldn’t search today. Would it lift tomorrow? Hesitating would waste time.

Su Bei shook his head, smiling: “Think about it—with Jiang Tianming’s troublemaking knack, could he really mine quietly?” From Li Jie’s talk of laborers fed to Nightmare Beasts, Su Bei guessed their location.

Si Zhaohua’s eyes lit up, then scoffed: “Hmph, you’re right. So we just mess up to get sent there?”

“No, no,” Si Zhaohua, meticulous, corrected himself before Su Bei replied. “Not ‘we’—you or me. One stays outside to liaise, else if we both vanish, the teachers storming in can’t take anyone.”

Su Bei agreed: “So, you or me?”

He was sure only the one going would get this side quest’s reward; the one staying might get scraps.

After joining the rescue, Su Bei checked his Destiny Compass. Surprisingly, his pointer hadn’t shifted, nor had Si Zhaohua’s.

He thought he’d misjudged, that the rescue wasn’t why Si Zhaohua’s pointer shifted, regretting his commitment. But when Si Zhaohua asked, “You or me,” Su Bei noticed his pointer wobbling.

He realized this choice was the key.

If so, he left it to Si Zhaohua, whose reward it was. Su Bei meant to piggyback, but missing out was fine.

“I’ll go,” Si Zhaohua answered without hesitation, eager to save them himself.

Su Bei, unsurprised, nodded: “Let’s plan at noon.”

He started mining diligently.

For ordinary people, this was grueling, energy-draining work, hard to do well with the “keep crystals whole” rule.

But for Ability users, it was easier. Their physical prowess outmatched most, and mining was mostly just digging dirt. School-taught force techniques made extracting whole crystals manageable.

Su Bei found the hardest part was pretending to struggle like others. Daily quotas were weighed in kilograms.

He had to fake difficulty and control his speed to meet quotas without overshooting, in order to avoid suspicion.

He felt Li Jie’s gaze several times but ignored it, mining honestly.

At lunch, perhaps because they’d been quiet all morning, Li Jie didn’t bother them, eating alone, letting them plan.

“I’ll find a way to skip work, get sent for punishment,” Si Zhaohua said, tearing off a bun piece, frowning, and reluctantly eating.

It was the fastest, safest method. Failing quotas took three days for punishment—too late. Provoking the supervisor might lead to attack, not punishment.

“But your excuse for skipping must be solid, or Li Jie’ll notice,” Su Bei replied, eating his bun leisurely.

Si Zhaohua knew this, sighing: “I know, but I can’t think of a good reason.”

Sickness was simplest, but real sickness allowed leave, and faking would draw Li Jie’s attention.

The reason couldn’t seem deliberate but had to prevent work. Si Zhaohua couldn’t think of one.

Su Bei tilted his head: “I have a way, but it’ll wrong you a bit.”

Si Zhaohua’s eyes lit up: “What?”

***

That afternoon, they mined “strenuously” while chatting quietly, but unlike before, they didn’t pick a secluded spot, staying near others.

“Why’d you bring that money? Do you regret it now?” Su Bei said in a low, exasperated tone.

Before speaking, he glanced around warily, drawing nearby attention. Ears perked up.

Though quiet, a few close by heard.

Si Zhaohua, acting distressed: “I thought there’d be a place to spend it. I should’ve left it—it feels dangerous to have now.”

“It’s fine. Send it out with a letter,” Su Bei consoled, meaningfully. “But till then, make sure it doesn’t get stolen.”

“No way!” Si Zhaohua said confidently. “Unless I’m punished and have to leave it in the dorm, I’ll keep it with me—how could it be stolen?”

Su Bei nodded seriously: “Makes sense. Didn’t Little Jie say work hard, don’t be late, and you won’t be punished?”

Finishing their scripted dialogue, they exchanged a look, dropping the bait and chatting about other matters. They ignored the glinting eyes around them—the lure was set; now they just had to wait for someone to bite.

The kids who overheard were conflicted. They were here because their families were desperate. Sent here to survive and find a temporary haven, hearing someone had a fortune sparked envy. With that money, they might not have come. Su Bei and Si Zhaohua were orphans, but they weren’t! That money could reunite them with their family.

Some just envied, but others schemed to act.

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