CHAPTER 134: CHAPTER 129: ARRIVAL! SPRING CITY’S HIGH-YIELD WHITE CRYSTAL MINE

After several days of traveling together, the group had grown familiar with one another. Even the brutish, big-bearded Wang Yujie was starting to be genuinely accepted by the others. Although he still spoke without a filter and made wild, boastful claims, he was, on the whole, a decent person.

Every time they found a temporary place to rest, he would silently patrol the surroundings and occasionally share useful travel tips. He constantly reminded everyone never to let their guard down, as many dangers lurked in the darkness. To survive in the apocalypse, one had to be wary not only of the mutated Black Demons but also of the humans hiding in the shadows, for they were often far more dangerous.

At their final temporary camp before reaching the Energy Crystal mine, Liu Haofeng seized a moment when no one was paying attention to pull Chen Pingchuan aside and clear the air.

His face was full of sincerity as he said, "Chen Pingchuan, I don’t know why you dislike me, and perhaps there’s been some kind of misunderstanding, but I sincerely hope we can put our past grievances behind us. You must have heard Big Beard say that we’ll be reaching the Energy Crystal mine in a day’s time."

"The other students might not see the risks involved, but I find it hard to believe that you don’t. So, if possible, I hope..."

Before Liu Haofeng could finish, Chen Pingchuan cut him off with a slight wave of his hand. "I understand," he responded coldly. "No need to say more. I can guess what’s on your mind and what you’re trying to test."

"There’s no need for such fancy tricks between intelligent people."

"I don’t like owing anyone favors, so in return for the interesting stories you’ve shared over the past two days, I can give you two answers."

"First, I’m not targeting you personally. This mission is something I must accomplish, regardless of who else is involved. Second, I have my own reasons for my actions, and I don’t need to explain them to anyone."

With that, Chen Pingchuan turned and walked away without a backward glance. He left Liu Haofeng standing there awkwardly, a hint of resentment and confusion in his eyes as he watched the departing figure. This transfer student, Chen Pingchuan, is far too mysterious, Liu Haofeng calculated silently. What on earth is his background?

At such a critical moment, right before they reached the Energy Crystal mine, he couldn’t let his conflict with Chen Pingchuan jeopardize the mission. Yet, Chen Pingchuan’s attitude was humiliating. If only I’d known he had a connection to Feng Jiaqi... I must have been out of my mind to mock him back at the academy.

What Liu Haofeng didn’t know was that, given his behavior during the simulation, Chen Pingchuan was already being incredibly magnanimous just by speaking to him so calmly. This attitude was a direct result of what had transpired over the past couple of days.

The long journey was incredibly tedious, so to pass the time, everyone began sharing their knowledge and experiences. Each person came from a different background, so their stories varied wildly. Some told amusing anecdotes about trivial matters, others narrated folk horror stories, and a few shared celebrity gossip. Surprisingly, the most useful information for Chen Pingchuan came from none other than Liu Haofeng.

Yes, information. Chen Pingchuan had always considered Liu Haofeng to be nothing more than an uneducated, hedonistic rich kid. But after listening to his eloquent storytelling for the past two days, Chen Pingchuan was surprised to discover that the guy was actually a sharp-witted and knowledgeable academic.

From Liu Haofeng’s accounts, the group learned about conditions outside of Spring City, though most of it was outdated information from before the apocalypse. Nevertheless, this was immensely valuable to Chen Pingchuan. Previously, his lack of knowledge about the outside world had often left him feeling as if he were lost in a fog, completely disoriented.

Now, he was at least beginning to understand that this planet was far vaster than he had ever imagined. The area of a single Kailing Province alone was nearly the size of an entire country from his previous world. This new knowledge completely reshaped his perspective on the world’s scale.

Based on the distance we’ve traveled, if this were my past life, we would have not only left the city but crossed the entire province long ago,

he mused. But here, we’ve barely reached the edge of Spring City’s sphere of influence.

At noon the next day, the convoy arrived smoothly at its destination: the Energy Crystal mine.

The perimeter of the mine was a desolate wasteland of overgrown weeds and scattered deadwood. However, its geographical position was uniquely advantageous. It was nestled in a valley surrounded by mountains on three sides, whose majestic peaks stood like a giant barrier forged by nature, cleverly isolating the mine from the outside world. The only route leading out was sealed by a towering stone wall bristling with sharp barbed wire. A massive metal gate was set into its center.

Above the gate’s lintel hung an old, weathered plaque. The words "Spring City High-Yield White Crystal Mine" were inscribed on it, though the characters were faded and blurred by corrosion. As the convoy approached, soldiers in the guard posts on either side confirmed the identities of its members before opening the main gate.

The scene inside the mine was different from the outside. While it still lacked any bustling activity, there were at least a few scattered signs of life... living miners.

"This place doesn’t look too bad, Brother Feng. Maybe you were just worrying for nothing," one of the students commented.

"Yeah, Brother Feng," another added. "Look at those people in miner uniforms. None of them look skinny. They seem to be doing alright."

"Perhaps," Liu Haofeng murmured. Though the miners’ faces were numb and devoid of emotion, their sheer numbers made him think that maybe he really had been worrying too much.

"With so many miners here, we probably won’t have to do any of the digging ourselves," someone else remarked.

As the vehicles drove deeper into the complex, the group began to see conventional buildings lining the road. First, they passed a massive factory. It housed various types of heavy machinery, and the noise of its operation was deafening. Liu Haofeng guessed this was the processing plant for raw Energy Crystals, where they were cut, polished, and smelted.

Farther on, they saw the mine’s vegetable garden, filled with all sorts of crops. Its vibrant greenery was a stark contrast to the wasteland outside the walls. After that, they passed rows of employee dormitories, and then there were no more buildings.

Soon, the convoy reached the far end of the mining camp. Before them was the entrance to the mine itself: a long, dark tunnel that looked like the gaping maw of some great devouring beast. It exuded an indescribable sense of oppression and appeared to lead directly into the mountain’s interior. A massive iron gate, secured with an enormous lock, blocked the tunnel entrance. The protective barbed-wire fence nearby was covered with various safety warnings. Standing right next to the fence was a rather luxurious four-story building.

The vehicles of the convoy parked in the open space in front of the building, and everyone, including Chen Pingchuan’s group, disembarked.

"Hahaha! Captain Nightingale! I’ve been eagerly awaiting your arrival!" a voice boomed.

As Chen Pingchuan turned toward the sound, his pupils shrank.