C21 Exposure

"By the way, Kong Qing, how did you manage to get in after we left?" Jiang Wen inquired, biting into a steamed bun.

Kong Qing nodded with a grin. "I just claimed I'd fallen from another mining area, and believe it or not, they bought it. Haha!"

"That actually worked?" Guang Tao was taken aback.

Gu Feng chuckled. "The overseers probably see us as slaves who've lost all reason. They think we're incapable of lying or rebelling."

Jiang Wen nodded, his smile reflecting understanding. "Exactly. To them, the millions of slaves in the Ancient Quarters are nothing more than tools."

"With the wrong use, even a tool can end up hurting its owner," Kong Qing said with a light laugh.

Jiang Wen and the others nodded in agreement. They were the very tools that had struck back at their captors!

"Speaking of which, Kong Qing, how were you captured?" Jiang Wen asked.

Gu Feng and the others turned their attention to Kong Qing, curious to hear his story.

After finishing his steamed bun, Kong Qing answered leisurely, "I was living alone in a small village. Three years ago, I went out to forage for vegetables and ended up being seized."

"That's terrible. Those damn brutes!" Jiang Wen exclaimed angrily.

"And what about you all?" Kong Qing asked, turning to the others.

Laughing wryly, Jiang Wen shared his story. "I used to live in Umanatalos, in the Imyve region. Two years ago, out of curiosity, I brought some friends to the Ancient Quarters. Despite revealing that we were from Imyve, we were still captured."

Seeing Jiang Wen's somber expression, Kong Qing quipped, "Curiosity killed the cat, huh? Haha!"

Jiang Wen dismissed the joke with a wave of his hand. "I'm fine, but my friends..."

At that, Kong Qing fell silent, empathizing with the weight of guilt and remorse in Jiang Wen's heart.

After a while, Guang Tao spoke up softly, "It seems like all of us were brought here by fate. Sometimes, I still feel like I'm living in a dream."

"In a dream..." Kong Qing murmured, involuntarily lifting his gaze to the dark sky above. The dense clouds shrouded everything, hiding the moon and stars, leaving no trace of light to be seen.

The longer they gazed, the heavier their hearts grew. If fleeing the Ancient Quarters was akin to reaching for a twinkling star, then the dark clouds were like the massive hands of the controllers, clenching everyone's freedom, forever obscuring any glimmer of hope.

Having finished their steamed buns, Kong Qing and his companions collapsed on the ground, succumbing to a deep slumber.

To avoid arousing suspicion the following day, Kong Qing and the group dispersed to mine in separate areas. They stayed close enough, though, to support each other in case of any sudden incidents.

At the designated hour, with Kong Qing's assistance, each of the five men delivered five crates of Origin Stones to complete their task.

With fresh steamed buns in hand, they agreed to reconvene at their usual meeting spot.

"Only five days left!" Jiang Wen declared somberly.

Kong Qing nodded, "I've gathered some intel as well. Apparently, the oversight in District 14 is unlike any other."

"Different how?" Jiang Wen's brow furrowed in concern.

Gu Feng and the rest shifted their attention to Kong Qing, eager for details.

After a brief pause, Kong Qing explained, "District 14 is home to tens of thousands of slaves. It's incomparable to the larger mining districts, but it's still densely populated compared to the ones we've worked in before."

"More people means better cover for us," Guang Tao interjected hastily.

Kong Qing shook his head, "No, there are over twenty supervisors there. Some take pleasure in forcing young slaves to battle one another. Winners receive no reward, but losers face execution!"

"Executed!" The news struck Jiang Wen and the others like a bolt of lightning, their buns now squished into tiny lumps.

Wordlessly, they stared at the remnants of their meal.

Kong Qing too closed his eyes, still reeling from the shock of the news. In District 14, executions were a daily occurrence.

For Kong Qing and his four companions, the fear of death at the hands of slaves or the hands of supervisors paled in comparison to another threat: encountering the other four. How would they handle such a confrontation?

Although they were all close as brothers, when it came to life and death, they couldn't make any promises.

In the Ancient Quarters, abandoning friends, lovers, and even family members was not uncommon.

After a while, Jiang Wen let out a laugh, "What's on your minds? With thousands of slaves in District Fourteen, what are the odds we'd run into each other?"

"Exactly. Instead of worrying about that, we should be planning where to go have fun once we get out," Guang Tao chimed in.

Kong Qing couldn't help but sigh internally at their forced smiles, "Maybe we really won't bump into each other."

"If we've managed to make it this far, I'm sure it's the same for others in different mining areas!" Jiang Wen said with a grin.

Gu Feng nodded in agreement, "Right, as long as we stick together, there's no obstacle we can't overcome!"

"Yeah," Shang Dong added with a light laugh, "I also have a feeling that escaping the Ancient Quarters is just a matter of time."

"Exactly! What's the saying?" Gu Feng asked with a smile.

"The day is within reach!" Jiang Wen responded, still smiling.

"Haha, the day is within reach!"

In just a few short exchanges, the mood among the five of them lightened considerably.

Just then, a familiar figure appeared around the corner.

"Escape the Ancient Quarters? You've got some nerve!"

Bang!

Jiang Wen and the others instinctively turned their heads.

Dong Luan!

"I've been searching for you for quite some time. So, you were hiding here. Who gave you the courage?" Dong Luan sneered menacingly.

Kong Qing and his companions exchanged glances before Kong Qing slowly said, "So it's you, Big Brother Dong Luan."

"Haha, I like being called that. So, what's it going to be? Have you decided to become my lackeys?" Dong Luan asked with a sly grin.

Kong Qing nodded, managing a thin smile, "Did you come by yourself, Big Brother Dong Luan?"

Upon hearing Kong Qing's question, Dong Luan quickly nodded, "I have no interest in those half-dead slaves. I think only you are fit to be my lackeys!"

"So you're alone!" Kong Qing's voice dropped, and in that moment, Jiang Wen and the others grasped Kong Qing's intent.

Kong Qing suddenly looked up, his Origin Energy bursting forth in an instant. With an explosive leap, he charged right up to Huan Huan.

Before Huan Huan could even gather his wits, Kong Qing's fist had thundered against his chest.

Bang!

Puff!

Huan Huan was slammed against the mountain wall, a mouthful of blood spraying out.

"You're all asking for death!" Huan Huan snarled, wiping the blood from his mouth.

Jiang Wen and his companions nodded in unison, their energy surging as they dashed toward Huan Huan.

Seeing them approach, Huan Huan's gaze sharpened. He quickly backed away to the other side of the mountain wall, but Jiang Wen and his group were already closing in.

In that instant, Huan Huan reached behind him.

He now gripped a sharp dagger in his hand!

"Come at me! Hahaha, you little runts, let's see what you've got!" Huan Huan bellowed menacingly.

Jiang Wen swiftly extended his arms to shield Gu Feng and the other two.

"Hahaha, you dare to mock me!" Huan Huan glared at Jiang Wen and his group with a savage look, then turned his attention to Kong Qing, who had already joined Jiang Wen's side.

"Thinking of escaping the Ancient Quarters?" Huan Huan let out a loud laugh, clutching the dagger firmly. "Too bad, your plan is about to fall apart!"

Upon seeing Kong Qing and the others still standing their ground, Huan Huan suddenly let out a skyward howl, "Someone is escaping!"

"Kill him!"

This was the singular thought in the minds of Kong Qing and his group at that moment.

As Kong Qing and his companions charged at him, Huan Huan's face paled, and he scrambled backward.

But having just endured Kong Qing's full-powered strike, he was drained of strength. Within a breath's time, he was pinned to the ground by Kong Qing and the rest.

Bang!

The dagger clattered to the ground.

"People! The slave is escaping!"

Despite being pinned down, Huan Huan continued to bellow furiously.

"Damn it!"

Kong Qing quickly covered Huan Huan's mouth upon seeing this.

But in the brief moment of their hesitation, Huan Huan managed to flip over and break free.

Kong Qing reacted swiftly, grabbing hold of Huan Huan's calf.

With a loud thud, Wang Luan was suddenly thrown to the ground, his head brutally hitting the earth.

Jiang Wen caught a glimpse of the dagger near Shang Dong's feet and urgently called out, "Shang Dong, the knife!"

Snapping to attention, Shang Dong seized the dagger. Kong Qing and his group, upon noticing, pinned Wang Luan to the ground once more.

"The slave is escaping!"

"Someone help!"

Realizing he was too weak to resist, Wang Luan continued to bellow.

Kong Qing's expression turned grim as he picked up a rock and wedged it into Wang Luan's mouth.

Jiang Wen looked up at Shang Dong, who was standing next to him, and bellowed, "Shang Dong, what are you waiting for? Finish him off!"

"No! I've never taken a life! No!" Shang Dong gazed down at Wang Luan, who was restrained on the ground by four men. Although Wang Luan could no longer move, his eyes were still fixed on Shang Dong with a fierce glare.

Shang Dong wavered.