C15 Join

Time slipped away silently, and Kong Qing, wiping the sweat from his brow, made his way up the mountain. Finding himself alone, he was about to take a quick bathroom break.

But before he could even loosen his belt, a series of familiar voices reached his ears.

"Ah, I can't stand being here any longer!" exclaimed one of the youths in frustration.

Another joined in the grievance, "Five buns a day, who can live like this?"

"There are four of us, and we only get six buns a day. Without proper food, how are we expected to have the energy to work for them?"

"Just hold on a little longer, it's almost over," said another, setting down his pickaxe.

Hearing these voices, Kong Qing immediately thought of the four young men he had encountered the night before. He cautiously approached the source of the sound and saw the youths picking up their pickaxes. After a moment of contemplation, Kong Qing returned to his work area.

As dusk fell, Kong Qing, carrying two boxes of Source Stones, stealthily made his way to the young men's work area.

Thud! Thud!

The baskets of Source Stones hit the ground, causing the youths to look up at Kong Qing with furrowed brows, puzzled by his intentions.

Without a word, and hearing the distant shouts of the overseer, Kong Qing quickly made his way back along the small path.

At the stroke of midnight, all the slaves who had fulfilled their quotas ceased their labor and exited the mine, each carrying their quota of Source Stones.

Kong Qing did the same, though he was particularly exhausted today. In addition to completing his own task, he had also dug out two extra baskets for the four youths.

Kong Qing's actions were motivated solely by their conversation earlier that day.

He couldn't afford to dismiss any glimmer of hope, even if their words had been in jest; he had to seize it.

As expected, when he returned to his work area, the four youths came over to Kong Qing.

"Cough, cough," one of them cleared his throat, easing the tension in the air.

About to speak, the youth then gave Kong Qing a respectful bow, "Thanks for today!"

Kong Qing quickly responded with a fist-in-palm salute, "It was the least I could do."

"Well, if there's nothing else, we'll head back first," said the youth, smiling.

Upon realizing the young man was actually preparing to leave, Kong Qing felt a pang of disappointment. After all, there's no such thing as a free lunch. He promptly called out, "Could we step aside for a quick word?"

The youths halted at Kong Qing's call and turned around. The young man's brow furrowed in confusion at Kong Qing's request. "This..."

Kong Qing nodded, then with a light smile, he led the way down a nearby path.

After a brief hesitation, the youths followed Kong Qing's lead.

As they walked, they passed other slaves. To avoid drawing attention, Kong Qing aimed for a more secluded spot.

Reaching a collapsed cave, Kong Qing turned to face the four youths.

The sight of Kong Qing's beaming smile made the youths increasingly uneasy. The desolate surroundings, coupled with Kong Qing's unusual strength, prompted them to instinctively keep their distance.

"Why have you brought us here?" the youth inquired, his voice laced with suspicion.

Kong Qing chuckled at their cautious stance. "Haha, relax. I have no ill intentions. Besides, it's just me against the four of you. How could I possibly pose a threat?"

Reassured by Kong Qing's words, the youths' expressions softened, and after exchanging glances, they gave a tentative nod.

No matter how formidable Kong Qing might be, they were four strong. Surely a pack of wolves needn't fear a single tiger.

"By the way, my name is Kong Qing. And you are?" Kong Qing introduced himself.

The youths paused before responding, "Jiang Wen."

"Han Dong."

"Guang Tao."

"Gu Feng."

It was clear that Jiang Wen was their leader, the same youth Kong Qing had injured the day before.

"Excellent!" Kong Qing greeted them with a respectful fist salute. "Brother Jiang, I owe you an apology for last night's incident."

Jiang Wen quickly returned the gesture, "Brother Kong, you're making too much of it!"

"Getting to the point, Brother Kong, why have you called us here?" Jiang Wen cut straight to the chase.

Sensing Jiang Wen's lingering caution, Kong Qing replied candidly, "Well, I won't beat around the bush. Brother Jiang, do you know of a way to escape the Ancient Quarters?"

Bang!

Kong Qing's final words sent a shock through Jiang Wen and his companions, their faces paled, and their fists clenched involuntarily.

"Brother Kong, you're pulling our leg, right?" Jiang Wen asked, his voice tense.

In the midst of the charged atmosphere, Kong Qing shook his head earnestly. "I'm hoping you'll share your escape plan with me, or better yet, take me with you!"

Hiss!

"Are you serious?" Jiang Wen bit down on his words, taking a while before responding.

Observing the expressions of Jiang Wen and his group, Kong Qing sighed internally, "We're all just strangers passing through. I've been too impatient."

Kong Qing's tension melted away, and he exhaled deeply, "Ah, I've been too hasty. If Brother Jiang is reluctant to share, then it's time for us to part ways."

Having said that, Kong Qing walked past Jiang Wen and his group, pausing next to Jiang Wen to add, "Good luck to you all!"

Kong Qing truly longed to escape, and Jiang Wen's group represented the first glimmer of hope he'd seen in three years. It was impossible for him not to be affected. However, if they were unwilling, he couldn't very well force them.

He could empathize with Jiang Wen and the others. Simply surviving in the Ancient Quarters was fortunate enough, let alone having a means of escape. Adding another person to the mix would only increase the risk.

As Kong Qing moved past them, Jiang Wen slowly opened his eyes and said, "Wait a second!"

Clearly, it had taken a struggle for Jiang Wen to utter those words.

"Brother Jiang!"

The other three exclaimed in unison.

Surprised, hope flickered anew in Kong Qing's heart.

Before Kong Qing could reply, Jiang Wen pressed on, "You're not planning to turn in the person who exposed us, are you?"

Despite the dim light, Kong Qing could still make out Jiang Wen's composed face, which now bore a heavier gaze.

Kong Qing smiled with ease, "What's in it for me?"

Jiang Wen paused at Kong Qing's response, then a knowing smile spread across his face. "Truthfully, I can't promise we'll definitely make it out."

Kong Qing felt a sense of relief at Jiang Wen's response. It was a step forward from where they had been before. "As long as there's a chance to escape, there's hope, right?"

Jiang Wen nodded, his voice grave. "We might end up dying in the Ancient Quarters."

"Staying in the Ancient Quarters means certain death anyway; it's merely a matter of time," Kong Qing countered.

After a heavy silence, Jiang Wen exhaled sharply. "I agree to let you join us!"

"Brother Jiang!" Gu Feng blurted out in alarm.

"Every additional person increases our risk," Shang Dong chimed in.

Before Jiang Wen could respond, Guang Tao interjected, "I think an extra person could actually improve our odds of escaping."

"Guang Tao! You too? You're okay with this kid joining us?" Gu Feng asked, turning around in frustration.

Guang Tao nodded firmly. "If it's a brother we trust, I believe our chances of success increase."

"But can we trust this kid?" Gu Feng challenged.

"I trust him," Jiang Wen declared firmly.

"Brother Jiang! You... You all! Hmph," Gu Feng's eyes darkened, and with a huff, he vaulted past the group, storming off.

After a moment, Gu Feng stopped, shooting a piercing look at Kong Qing before striding away.

"Gu Feng!" Shang Dong called after him, but Gu Feng had already vanished. Shang Dong sighed deeply and followed in the direction Gu Feng had gone.

Kong Qing hadn't anticipated that his joining would cause such tension among Jiang Wen and his brothers.

After a brief pause, Kong Qing spoke up, "Brother Jiang, I apologize."

Jiang Wen shook his head and settled back down. "Don't worry about Gu Feng; that's just how he is."

Jiang Wen's reassurance left Kong Qing at a loss for words.

Guang Tao quickly added, "Gu Feng is more desperate to escape than any of us. He's been in the Ancient Quarters for six years. He says he has a sister back home, and who knows how she's doing. If not for his sister, Gu Feng might not have lasted this long."

"Now that I've agreed to let you join us, Gu Feng is worried that your arrival might disrupt our plans," Jiang Wen said with a wry smile. He then turned to Kong Qing and added, "I'm someone who speaks his mind. Guang Tao can vouch for that!"

Guang Tao nodded in agreement right away.