C18 The First Stop!

As Kong Qing made his way through, he noticed many slaves still lost in slumber, while a few had already taken up their pickaxes to begin their labor. Desperate for a bite of steamed bun, they had to dedicate even more time to mining the source stones.

With a heavy heart, Kong Qing sidestepped them and proceeded to the rendezvous point.

He had been waiting at the location for quite some time, well past the early morning hours, and there was still no sign of Jiang Wen and the others. The persistent sound of digging around him only heightened his anxiety. Just as Kong Qing was starting to think he'd been stood up, Jiang Wen and his group leisurely made their way toward him.

"Haha, Brother Kong, sorry to keep you waiting! It was so crowded, we had to take quite the detour," Jiang Wen said with a chuckle.

Relief washed over Kong Qing upon their arrival. He glanced over at Gu Feng and Shang Dong; Shang Dong acknowledged him with a slight nod, but Gu Feng's expression was less welcoming. Feeling Kong Qing's gaze, Gu Feng huffed dismissively, prompting an awkward smile from Kong Qing.

Jiang Wen, noticing the tension, quickly interjected with a laugh, "Alright, let's focus on the task at hand. It's about time we got moving!"

At Jiang Wen's words, everyone stiffened, then nodded gravely in agreement. They followed Jiang Wen out of the mine, thankfully encountering no overseers along the way.

At last, they reached the iron gate of Area 26. Kong Qing was filled with a mix of emotions as they arrived at the unguarded gate. The group exchanged knowing glances and, after a collective nod, Jiang Wen took hold of the gate. Confirming the passageway beyond was clear, he scaled the gate.

With a thud, Jiang Wen landed on the other side, swiftly followed by Gu Feng and Shang Dong. As they stood outside the gate, looking back at Kong Qing and Guang Tao, Guang Tao gave Kong Qing an encouraging smile.

Kong Qing understood the unspoken message; this was no time for courtesies. Any misstep could spell disaster. As he climbed the gate, a rush of exhilaration surged through him, mingled with a creeping fear that enveloped his entire being.

Kong Qing felt a sense of relief as he realized that perhaps it was this psychological shift that kept the other slaves from daring to defy the rules of this place.

The fact that such a rudimentary iron gate had no guards was a testament to the deep-seated servility the leaders of the Ancient Quarters had instilled in the slaves' hearts, making them truly believe they wouldn't dare to overstep their bounds.

Bang!

Once Kong Qing landed, Guang Tao followed suit, leaping to the ground.

Jiang Wen glanced at the group before making his way slowly towards the end of the corridor.

Their steps were slow and heavy, particularly for Kong Qing, whose back was soaked through with sweat.

At last, they came upon the warrior at the end of the corridor.

The warrior lay on a rattan chair, not particularly old, in his thirties or forties, with several prominent scars marking his face.

After a brief hesitation, Jiang Wen and the others continued their cautious approach.

One step, two steps.

Kong Qing and his companions finally reached the warrior's side, feeling as though the mere dozen steps had spanned half the First Realm.

They each swallowed hard.

Shortly after passing the warrior and stepping beyond the corridor's end, the warrior's eyes snapped open.

"Where are you headed?"

Hiss!

Even with his back to the warrior, Kong Qing could almost see the warrior's face before him.

Jiang Wen was the first to turn and bow respectfully, "Master, we are under orders from the overseer to work in other mining areas."

"Other mining areas?" The warrior echoed with a hint of confusion, then pressed on, "Lately, it's been slaves from other mines being transferred to the twenty-sixth area. Why are you being moved elsewhere?"

Jiang Wen responded promptly, "We are following the supervisor's orders, and we are not privy to the reasons."

After a pause, the warrior gave a slight nod and said dismissively, "Very well, you may go."

Whoosh!

At the warrior's words, the weight in Kong Qing's chest finally lifted.

Just as Jiang Wen and the others were preparing to depart, the warrior posed another question, "To which area are you being reassigned?"

Hiss!

The group, barely having taken a step, halted in their tracks. Jiang Wen answered, "The Forty-Sixth Area."

After Jiang Wen responded, the warrior remained silent and closed his eyes once more.

At last, Kong Qing and his companions managed to escape from Area Twenty-six. Stepping out of the tunnel, each of them wiped the fine sweat from their foreheads.

"Brother Jiang, where to now?" Kong Qing surveyed the surrounding hillocks and called out.

Jiang Wen's lips curled into a slight smile. "Let's get moving. We're short on time. To Area Forty-three!"

Area Forty-three was the first destination for Kong Qing and his group. It was a small community with just over five thousand people and only five supervisors.

The two mining areas were a mere six or seven kilometers apart, and their route required them to skirt around a women's mining area. With time pressing, Jiang Wen and his team needed to reach Area Forty-three before the supervisors returned to the mine.

"Come on, just a bit further. We're almost there!" Jiang Wen encouraged as they sprinted.

The terrain was nothing but undeveloped, barren hills, yet Kong Qing and the others still encountered several patrols along the way, narrowly avoiding each one.

"We need to pick up the pace; there are more people around," Guang Tao said breathlessly as he leaped over a large log.

"Brother Kong, how is it that you seem unfazed?" Jiang Wen inquired, puzzled.

Jiang Wen and the others were drenched in sweat from the effort, while Kong Qing appeared not to have broken a sweat, which bewildered Jiang Wen.

"Haha, maybe I just have better stamina," Kong Qing chuckled.

"Enough talk. We should save our breath and keep moving. We're not out of danger yet," Gu Feng interjected, cutting off the conversation.

Jiang Wen could only offer a wry smile in response.

Having evaded several more patrol teams, Kong Qing and his group finally reached the entrance to Area Forty-three.

The five men cast a glance at the warrior guarding the passage and proceeded to walk through without being questioned, which left them puzzled. However, they didn't have the luxury of time to ponder this stroke of luck—they would welcome such fortune any day.

Continuing through the tunnel, they made their way toward the gate of Area Forty-three. With each step closer, the sounds of excavation from within grew louder.

Approaching the gate, Jiang Wen was the first to vault over it.

As Jiang Wen touched down, a supervisor's voice suddenly echoed from behind Kong Qing.

"I've been reprimanded again. We must increase production this time!"

"We don't have many young people in District Forty-Three. The production issue is really beyond our control."

...

The sound made everyone shudder. Gu Feng and Shang Dong simultaneously leaped onto the gate. After scaling it in a few quick moves, they climbed over, prompting Kong Qing and Guang Tao to exchange glances before jumping onto the gate together.

"My leg is stuck!"

As everyone held their breath, Guang Tao's calf became wedged between two iron rods on the gate. The unexpected mishap caused a visible shift in the expressions of Kong Qing and the others.

The gate, constructed from iron rods, had very narrow gaps between them. Seeing Guang Tao's predicament, Jiang Wen quickly pushed against his calf, trying to free it, while Gu Feng and Shang Dong also exerted their strength to push from the outside.

But Guang Tao's calf was wedged too tightly; despite their combined efforts, they made no progress.

Jiang Wen's face turned grave as he yelled at Kong Qing, "Kong Qing, what are you waiting for? Get over here now!"

The supervisor's voice grew increasingly louder, and the sound of approaching footsteps could be heard. Kong Qing gave Jiang Wen a fleeting glance before releasing his grip on the iron rod.

This action startled everyone, leaving them confused. Kong Qing didn't climb over; instead, he jumped back.

As Jiang Wen was about to call out to Kong Qing, Kong Qing's gaze sharpened, and he summoned strength into his arms once more.

With a swift motion, he grabbed Guang Tao's ankle and yanked it forcefully.

Bang!

In an instant, Kong Qing had pulled Guang Tao's calf free. Before Guang Tao could utter a word, Kong Qing urgently commanded, "Get out of here, and don't worry about me!"

"Weren't they supposed to transfer some younger slaves over last time? It's been months; I guess that plan fell through."

The supervisor's voice resonated once more. Kong Qing quickly turned to look back at the corner of the passageway.

"Move!" Kong Qing bellowed with authority.

"Kong Qing! I owe you my life!" Guang Tao declared earnestly.

Gu Feng quickly added, "Kong Qing! My apologies."

Upon hearing their remarks, Kong Qing's expression turned stern. "Get out of here!"

At Kong Qing's rebuke, Jiang Wen gave a vigorous nod and, along with the three others, vanished instantly from the doorway.

Only then did Kong Qing slowly turn around.