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It was getting late, and Kong Qing was under strict orders to complete his quota of six boxes for the day. Despite his best efforts, he could only finish by midnight.

Outside the rest area, there was no one to be seen except for the supervisor.

"Supervisor, here's today's yield," Kong Qing said, gesturing to the six boxes of Origin Stones behind him.

"Three buns, now scram!" the supervisor barked.

The Ancient Quarters were divided into nine large mines, each further split into dozens, if not hundreds, of smaller mining areas. The larger areas could host tens of thousands of workers, while Kong Qing's was on the smaller side, with just a few dozen people.

Kong Qing nodded, offering a faint smile as he picked up the three buns, ready to head back to his cave.

Over the past three years, Kong Qing had made quite an impression on the supervisor. Even though he often daydreamed, fantasized, and at times burst into laughter or fell silent, he never failed to complete his daily tasks.

Noticing Kong Qing's calm demeanor and vacant gaze, the supervisor called out, "Hold on a second."

"Hmm?" Kong Qing halted, looking back at the supervisor, puzzled. "Is there something else you need, Supervisor?"

The supervisor hesitated, then pointed at the buns in the basket.

"Take another one," he said.

Kong Qing was taken aback. What was the occasion? The supervisor usually rewarded slaves who exceeded their tasks, but it was always just one extra bun.

"Has the supervisor lost his mind today?" Kong Qing wondered.

"If you don't want it, go back to sleep," the supervisor snapped, his face turning stern.

"I'll take it, I'll take it," Kong Qing quickly recovered, snatching up the bun and darting into the cave.

Inside the cave, Kong Qing saw that nearly everyone was already asleep. For them, sleep and buns were the only sustenance for their bodies, while their spirits were perhaps long gone.

Kong Qing found a spot on a wooden plank and sat down, shaking his head as he clutched the bun and devoured it hungrily.

When a small piece of the bun dropped to the ground, Kong Qing hastily picked it up and popped it into his mouth.

Soon, Kong Qing had polished off three buns. Holding the last one in his hand, he promptly stashed it in his pocket.

"I'll have breakfast sorted for tomorrow," Kong Qing thought to himself with a contented smile.

"Ouch, that really hurts," Kong Qing muttered, shaking his shoulder out of habit.

As Kong Qing was getting ready to lie down for some rest, he noticed a familiar silhouette in the corner of the cave. The slender frame of the youth was huddled in the chilly corner, shivering uncontrollably, a sight that tugged at the heartstrings.

"Could that be the youth?" Kong Qing's thoughts drifted to the upper class, and he let out a heavy sigh.

"Best not to get involved in these minor issues," he reasoned, turning away and settling down to sleep.

But in a fleeting moment, the corner where the youth lay lit up like the stars on a dark night, catching Kong Qing's attention out of the corner of his eye.

Bang!

Kong Qing's lethargy vanished instantly, and he fixed his gaze on the spot where the youth was, though the scene he hoped to witness did not reappear.

"Am I seeing things?" Kong Qing wondered, scratching his head before lying back down.

In the Ancient Quarters, the extensive mining of Origin Stones had compromised the soil structure, filling the air with a peculiar substance that cast a perpetual gloom over the sky.

The miners had no way to tell time, relying solely on the supervisor's commands. They would arrive at their designated mining spots early in the morning, wielding their pickaxes with vigor.

"Bang!"

"Bang!"

The rhythmic clanging of the pickaxes against the rocks echoed as Kong Qing wiped away beads of sweat. He turned at the sound of footsteps approaching from behind.

"You'll dig here," the supervisor directed the young man. "You need to fill three boxes a day. Only then will you earn your steamed buns in the evening."

The young man nodded and made his way to the spot next to Kong Qing, picking up a pickaxe to start his labor.

"Bang!"

"Bang!"

The youth worked tirelessly until finally, a source stone tumbled down from the rock face.

The supervisor's expression turned grim. "At this rate, you might as well skip dinner," he said sternly.

Yet the young man seemed deaf to the supervisor's words and continued to dig as before.

The supervisor let out a contemptuous snort and tightened his grip on the whip before lashing it across the young man's back.

"Crack!"

"Thud!"

The young man, whose injuries from the previous day had not yet fully healed, could hardly endure such a blow. His body staggered and he collapsed to the ground.

"Get up!" the supervisor commanded in a cold tone.

Trembling, the young man dabbed at his moist eyes and shakily got back on his feet to resume his digging.

"Thud!"

"Thud!"

Clearly, the young man was working at a much faster pace than before, prompting a frown from the supervisor, who then walked away.

It wasn't until the sound of the supervisor's footsteps had completely faded that Kong Qing set down his pickaxe and looked over at the young man.

After a brief hesitation, Kong Qing couldn't resist speaking up. "Hey!"

The young man remained stoic, tirelessly continuing his work.

"Uh..." Kong Qing's mouth twitched in annoyance at the lack of courtesy but persisted, "Buddy, I don't think we've met before. The name's Kong Qing. And you are...?"

"We've met before, haven't we?" came the young man's nonchalant reply, though he never ceased his labor.

Kong Qing quickly recalled the previous day's events and offered an embarrassed smile. Seeing that the young man wasn't interested in conversation, he didn't push his luck.

As Kong Qing picked up his pickaxe to get back to work, the young man finally paused.

"I'm Fu Shan."

"Oh," Kong Qing responded, nodding quickly while his pickaxe kept striking the stone.

And so, they each focused on their tasks until the evening signaled a break was near.

Kong Qing easily completed his quota of three boxes for the day, but Fu Shan was not as fortunate.

Ignoring his wounds, the sheer weight of the iron pickaxe alone was enough to render Fu Shan's arms nearly immobile.

By day's end, Fu Shan had barely managed to finish half of his quota, amounting to one and a half baskets.

Fu Shan glanced at the basket behind Kong Qing, which was already full, and noticed the excess Origin Stones that Kong Qing couldn't fit inside.

Comparing it to his own half-filled basket, Fu Shan felt a pang of emotion, and he had to fight back the tears that threatened to fall.

Upon seeing the situation, Kong Qing simply shook his head and gently lifted the Origin Stones from the ground. He walked over to Fu Shan's basket and carefully placed them inside.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Kong Qing dusted off his hands and flashed a wide smile. "There you go, you're just one basket short now."

Fu Shan caught sight of Kong Qing's gesture and paused, visibly taken aback. "Why are you helping me?"

Kong Qing was momentarily at a loss for words, then chuckled. "Does helping someone really need a reason?"

Fu Shan nodded earnestly, then quickly shook his head and murmured a soft "Thank you."

"Alright, we've still got some time. Let's dig together," Kong Qing said, his smile fading into determination.

Fu Shan had more to say, but seeing Kong Qing already hard at work, he held back his words, picked up his pickaxe, and began to dig with renewed vigor.

The sky over the Ancient Quarters was heavily polluted, casting the same dreary hue over both day and night. The mines relied solely on the glow of fire towers for light.

As Kong Qing noticed others setting down their tools and heading toward the rest area, he tossed the final Origin Stone into Fu Shan's basket.

"Phew, finally finished. Let's go grab some food," Kong Qing said with a laugh.

Before Fu Shan could express his gratitude, Kong Qing had already vanished from the work area, basket in tow.

Holding a steamed bun, Kong Qing made his way back to the cave. After devouring his meal, he settled down for a well-deserved rest.

Once Kong Qing had fallen asleep, Fu Shan, weary from the day's labor, entered the cave. Despite the growing number of people, he made his way to the same secluded corner he had occupied the night before. It seemed that only the embrace of darkness could offer Fu Shan a sense of safety.

As the days turned into a month, the bond between Fu Shan and Kong Qing grew stronger. In the harsh conditions of the Ancient Quarters' slave mines, they had become close friends.

"Not bad, you're getting more skilled by the day," Kong Qing complimented with a smile.

Fu Shan returned a slight smile. "Thanks, but you don't need to help me today. I can manage on my own."

Kong Qing had spent each day of the past month helping Fu Shan with the digging, a kindness that deeply moved Fu Shan.

After a month of excavating in the Ancient Quarters, Fu Shan had picked up a few tricks and was determined not to impose on Kong Qing again.

Mealtime had arrived, and Kong Qing noticed that Fu Shan still had nearly half a basket of source stones to collect. With a chuckle, he scooped up a lone source stone at his feet and tossed it into Fu Shan's basket.

"I... I told you there's no need for your help anymore," Fu Shan protested, flustered.

Kong Qing dismissed the concern with a wave of his hand, suggesting nonchalantly, "Let's grab some dinner. We can talk more about it tomorrow."

As Kong Qing hoisted his basket, ready to head out, the footsteps of the supervisor halted right behind him.