9: Secondary crystal veins

The wind stopped. Shen Xiaochuan pulled the broken spear from the earth and tossed it aside.

He looked down at his hands, his palms covered in blood and mud. His ribs still ached faintly, but he could move.

"Chen Yan."

"Here."

"Count the men."

Chen Yan walked over, his arm wounded, his face pale. Behind him followed three warriors, holding wooden boards covered with names.

"Thirty-four dead."

"Wasn't it nine?"

"Another one didn't make it."

Shen Xiaochuan nodded, "Record their names. Carry the bodies to the back mountain, dig a pit, and erect a monument."

"Yes."

"How are the injured?"

"Twenty-three seriously injured, over a hundred lightly injured. We're running out of spirit liquid."

"Prioritize the spirit liquid for those on the verge of death. The others can eat wind wolf meat."

Chen Yan paused, "Some people are fighting over the meat."

"Anyone who dares to hoard it will have three days' rations deducted."

"Alright, I'll go give the order now."

Shen Xiaochuan walked to the center of the battlefield. Numerous Barbarian Ox corpses lay scattered on the ground, their hides thick and tough. He crouched down, used his knife to cut open the neck of one ox, reached in, and pulled out a fingernail-sized crystal.

Blue, slightly cool.

He stood up and placed the crystal into a cloth bag. He then checked several more corpses, each with similar fragments.

"The things in this place contain Ore."

He looked into the distance, where plumes of smoke and dust rose from beyond the mountain.

"Let's go."

"Now?"

"We can't stop. We must take the mining area today."

The team began to gather. Less than two thousand people were still able to move, some limping, none speaking.

Shen Xiaochuan walked at the front, with Chen Yan close on his right.

After two hours of travel, the terrain gradually rose. Ahead was a narrow valley with steep slopes on both sides.

"Send out Scouts."

"They've already been sent."

A moment later, a soldier rushed back.

"Report! Movement three hundred paces ahead. Rocks are loose on the hillside, suspected to be an arrow tower setup."

"Dwarves?"

"Looks like it."

"How many people?"

"Can't see clearly, at least one tribe."

Shen Xiaochuan squinted, looking. Sunlight shone on the hillside, faintly revealing metallic reflections.

"Get down!"

Everyone immediately dropped to the ground.

The next instant, arrows tore through the air.

Whoosh—whoosh—

Seven arrows embedded into the ground, three of them piercing a warrior's chest. The man grunted and fell, unmoving.

"Don't move."

"They've stopped shooting."

"Wait ten seconds."

Ten seconds passed, and the hillside returned to silence.

"They stopped."

"It's a test. Not a full attack, which means their arrows are limited."

Shen Xiaochuan slowly stood up, "Chen Yan, take fifty men and flank from the left, hugging the base of the mountain. I'll take the front."

"You go? That's too dangerous!"

"I'm fast. They're slow to draw their bows, I can charge in."

"I'll send the shield bearers forward."

"No need. The shield formation is too slow."

He drew his knife and took a deep breath.

"Listen for the signal. I'll tap my knife three times, then you lead the charge."

With those words, he walked forward alone.

One step, two steps.

The hillside remained unresponsive.

He quickened his pace, closing within a hundred steps.

The arrows came.

One, two, three!

He dodged sideways, deflecting one with the back of his knife. The fourth grazed his shoulder, leaving a bloody mark.

Fifty steps.

He accelerated, sprinting at full speed.

By the time the fifth volley of arrows struck, he was within thirty steps.

With a flick of his blade, he parried two. One grazed his thigh, tearing his clothing.

Twenty steps.

He leaped, rolled upon landing, and continued to sprint.

Ten steps.

He crashed through the wooden fence and burst into the mining area.

Before him was a semi-circular mining pit, surrounded by stone walls. Six arrow slits were distributed along the walls, with Dwarves hidden behind each.

He charged straight for the nearest arrow tower.

The Dwarf inside had just nocked an arrow, but hadn't yet drawn the bowstring.

Shen Xiaochuan kicked open the door and struck the Dwarf's face with the hilt of his knife. The Dwarf instantly fell unconscious.

He seized the longbow, turned, and fired.

An arrow pierced the second arrow slit, hitting the Dwarf in the shoulder. The Dwarf screamed, and his bow fell from his grasp.

The Dwarf in the third arrow tower poked his head out to look, but was forced back by an arrow from Shen Xiaochuan.

"Now!"

He tapped his knife three times in quick succession.

The left hillside suddenly exploded.

Boom!

Oil bombs landed in the grass, and thick smoke billowed, obscuring vision.

Chen Yan led fifty men in a flanking attack. At the same time, Shen Xiaochuan opened the Faith Mall.

[Consume 1000 faith points, summon 1000 Elementary Believers]

A thousand Believers instantly appeared outside the mining pit.

"Surround them!"

"Close the main gate!"

The wooden gate was firmly blocked. Inside the mining area, more than twenty Dwarves were surrounded.

They held battle axes, stood on high ground, and shouted in an incomprehensible language.

Shen Xiaochuan stepped forward, holding the captured longbow.

"Lay down your weapons, and I will spare your lives."

No one moved.

He raised his hand and shot an arrow at the feet of the leading Dwarf.

"I'll ask one more time. Will you surrender, or not?"

The Dwarf looked down at the arrow, then glanced around. His kin were trapped, with nowhere to escape.

He slowly lowered his battle axe.

The others followed suit.

"Search them, confiscate their weapons."

"Yes."

Chen Yan led his men forward, collecting all the weapons: eighteen short axes, six longbows, and over two hundred arrows.

"Lord God, this is for you." Chen Yan handed him a piece of parchment.

"What is this?"

"A mine map. Found it on the Elder."

Shen Xiaochuan unfolded it for a closer look. The map indicated three mine tunnels, each marked with different symbols: one for crystal ore, one for rubies, and one for Stardust.

"How much is the output?"

"They won't say."

"Then let them see what real miners are like."

He opened the Faith Mall.

[Exchange: Elementary Mining Machine Blueprint (can manufacture automatic mining devices)]

He carefully rolled up the blueprint and handed it to Chen Yan, "Build it as soon as you get back, start with two lines."

"Yes."

"Take me to the mine."

The Dwarf Elder bowed his head and led the way. The other members of his tribe sat kneeling, not daring to look up.

The mine entrance was located on the north side of the mountain wall, sealed by a massive stone. The Elder activated a mechanism.

Click.

The stone door slid open.

The passage was wide, with luminous Ore embedded in the rock walls. Iron rails were laid on the ground, and a handcart stood motionless.

"The first one is crystal ore," the Elder said softly, "producing three hundred units daily."

"The second one?"

"Ruby Ore, one hundred units."

"The third one?"

"Stardust, intermittent."

Shen Xiaochuan walked into the first mine tunnel. The rock walls were filled with fist-sized raw crystal ore, glowing with a faint blue light.

He drew his knife and slashed fiercely.

Boom!

A crystal ore weighing fifty catties broke off with a resounding crash.

He picked it up and broke it open, discovering red veins within the crystal.

"Ruby symbiosis?"

"Yes," the Elder whispered, "We call it 'bloodline ore'."

Shen Xiaochuan's lips curved slightly.

"This Ore is much more valuable than expected."

Stepping out of the mine, he said to Chen Yan, "Immediately organize manpower into two shifts. The first batch of Ore must be transported out today."

"Should we kill a few to establish authority?"

"No need. Give them food, and they will naturally obey."

"Yes."

A System prompt appeared:

[Successfully occupied Level Two crystal ore Vein]

[Obtained crystal ore × 5000, Rubies × 800, Stardust × 200]

[incense value +5]

Shen Xiaochuan didn't look at the panel. He walked to the cave entrance and gazed up at the sky.

The setting sun slanted westward, its afterglow casting over the ruins.

A thousand Believers were transporting Ore. The Dwarves sat on the edge, silent as cicadas in winter.

He turned to enter the cave.

As he passed the group of captives, his eyes suddenly caught sight of a figure in the corner.

It was a young girl.

Her white hair was very short, barely reaching below her ears. She kept her head down, her hands resting flat on her knees, motionless.

The other Dwarves wore coarse cloth garments, but she alone was clad in a grey robe, with strange symbols embroidered on its cuffs.

Shen Xiaochuan stopped.

He walked over and crouched down.

"What's your name?"

The girl did not answer.

"If you don't speak, I'll assume you're willing to stay."

She remained still.

Shen Xiaochuan reached out and gently lifted her chin.

She opened her eyes.

Purple pupils, vertical like a cat's, long and cold.