Chapter 409: The Mine
Chapter 409: The Mine
Mo Hua wanted to get to the bottom of the missing miners, but she would have to wait for Situ Fang to gather more information first.
For the next three days, Mo Hua continued her futile search for Yan Jiao Shi in Nan Yue City.
It was Situ Fang who eventually came back with news.
They met again at the small tea house, where Situ Fang invited Mo Hua for a cup of tea. She then relayed what she had learned:
"I questioned the families of the missing miners about what really happened, but they refused to cooperate. They even accused the court of colluding with the Lu family, oppressing the common folk..."
"The Lu family?" Mo Hua interjected.
"They own the mines," explained Situ Fang.
"I see," Mo Hua nodded.
Situfang continued, "I had to detain them for a few days before they started talking. They were scared into telling the truth."
Intrigued, Mo Hua asked, "What did they say?"
Steward Fang sighed. "Apparently, these missing miners disappeared because they were trying to steal from the mines..."
"Steal from the Lu family?"
"Yes," Situ Fang affirmed, nodding. "According to their families, the miners had mentioned that they were about to strike it rich and would no longer have to endure hard times before they left one night, never to return."
"So they were afraid that if the Lu family found out, they wouldn't be compensated with spirit stones, which is why they dared not speak up?" Mo Hua surmised.
"Exactly," Situ Fang said, sounding resigned.
She feared that the Lu family would not only refuse to compensate but also demand reparations from the families of the missing miners.
After all, stealing from the mines was a serious offense in the mining community.
Nominally, the stolen minerals belonged to the Lu family.
"No wonder..." Mo Hua murmured in understanding.
That explained the families' belligerent behavior and their initial reluctance to tell the truth. Of course, their behavior could also be partially attributed to seeing Situ Fang's soft-hearted nature and trying to take advantage of it.
"Sister Situ, what do you plan to do now?" Mo Hua inquired.
Si Tu Fang furrowed her brows in thought. "I can keep the matter of theft quiet for now... The most important thing is to find these missing miners, dead or alive, and get some closure."
She let out another sigh. "And if these miners are indeed dead, we'll need to figure out a way to get some form of compensation from the Lu family. Otherwise, their families will have no means of supporting themselves."
Mo Hua couldn't help but feel a sense of dismay as well, prompting her to ask, "Do you think the Lu family will compensate them?"
"I've already inquired. The Lu family said they won't pay unless the bodies of the missing miners are found in the mines," replied Situ Fang.
Mo Hua's brows knitted together as she asked, "Has the Lu family always handled things this way?"
"Yes," Situ Fang confirmed with a nod. "No body, no spirit stones."
She offered further explanation: "While the Lu family's approach may seem harsh, we can't fault them entirely. There have been cases in the past where miners faked their deaths to claim compensation."
After a moment's thought, Mo Hua asked, "Are there any leads on the missing miners?"
"Yes," Situ Fang replied, taking out a map and handing it to Mo Hua. "I've marked on the map the times these miners left their homes and the mountain paths they took to enter the mines."
Steward Fang sighed again. "The families were initially reluctant to share these details, but they eventually caved out of fear."
"After all, once this information is out, the Lu family will have leverage over them. These miners may have died for nothing, as their families won't receive any compensation," she added.
"Then let's investigate discreetly so the Lu family doesn't find out," Mo Hua suggested in a hushed tone.
Situfang nodded in agreement, but halfway through the nod, she paused, realizing something. "No, not 'we.' This is too dangerous for a child like you. I'll handle it alone."
Mo Hua's eyes sparkled as she smiled and said, "Sister Situ, you've been so kind to me, and I want to help you too."
Steward Fang's heart warmed at Mo Hua's words, but then she grew suspicious. "Really?"
"Really!" Mo Hua nodded earnestly.
Still, Situ Fang refused. "No, I can't involve you in this. It's too strange, and I won't put you at risk."
"Good fences make good neighbors, and a hero needs his helpers," Mo Hua countered.
"I have my senior brother and sister to help me, and besides, there are formations in the mines that you might not be able to navigate..."
Si Tu Fang's brows furrowed as she considered the problem of the formations.
Indeed, the mines were filled with various formations, and without knowledge of them, one could easily overlook crucial areas.
While she had some understanding of formations, it was limited, and she doubted she could decipher their intricacies.
Bringing in another formation master didn't seem like an option either.
The Lu family held significant influence in Nan Yue City and was well-connected with other formation masters. No formation master would assist her in her search.
However, Zhang Lan, who came from a prestigious background and had a keen eye, had praised Mo Hua's formation skills. That endorsement carried weight, and Situ Fang suspected that Mo Hua's formation abilities were indeed exceptional...
After much hesitation, Situ Fang finally relented. "Alright, but you must be careful. The mines are no trivial matter, and any carelessness could be disastrous."
"Don't worry, Sister Situ," Mo Hua assured her with a nod.
Si Tu Fang and her group, accompanied by the steward, entered the mine.
This was Mo Hua's first time entering a mine. Previously, he had only observed from a distance, hearing the clanging of tools and feeling the bustle of activity. Now, up close, he witnessed the harshness of a miner's life.
In the scorching heat of Xiaohuang State, the sun baked the mountains, making the stones scorching hot. The miners, their skin darkened by the sun, worked with bare arms, their backs bent, their bodies bearing the scars of whips, as they toiled under the steward's watchful eye to extract the ore.
This particular mine produced a type of iron ore known as Qingshi iron, which was inexpensive and extremely hard, requiring a great deal of effort to mine.
These miners toiled for an entire day to earn just one spirit stone. Only those with strong physical constitutions could endure this arduous labor. Even then, not all of them could continue for long.
And this was just the outer mountain; the deeper mine shafts were dark, damp, and filled with foul air, making the work not only arduous but also dangerous. One wrong step could cost a miner their life.
Mo Hua couldn't help but feel disturbed by what he saw. Bai Zi Sheng and Bai Zi Xi, standing beside him, furrowed their brows as well.
"These miners... their lives are truly miserable," Bai Zi Sheng said to Mo Hua.
The accompanying Lu family steward snorted coldly. "What do you mean by miserable? People are born with different statuses. This is their lot in life, and they should accept it."
"On the contrary, they should be grateful to our Lu family. Without us, they wouldn't even earn that one spirit stone for their hard work." The steward's tone was mocking.
"And let me remind you, young man, while you are in the Lu family's mine, watch your words."
Bai Zi Sheng shot him a cold glance. "I don't like your tone. Speak to me like that again, and I'll knock those teeth right out of your mouth."
The steward's face twisted with anger.
Bai Zi Sheng released his spiritual power, a peak Level 9 Refiner, causing the steward's face to drain of color. He fell silent, seething but unwilling to provoke Bai Zi Sheng further.
Si Tu Fang was also surprised by Bai Zi Sheng's display of power. She had not expected Mo Hua's junior brother to be so strong, despite appearing only a few years older than Mo Hua.
It seemed Mo Hua's master was indeed extraordinary. She wondered if Mo Hua's array skills were equally impressive.
"I hope he can discover something and find those missing miners," she thought to herself.
The group toured the outer mountain, questioning a few miners along the way, but their inquiries yielded no new information. They decided to venture deeper into the mine shafts.
The steward led the way, his expression unpleasant as he said, "You can go into the mine shafts, but don't say I didn't warn you. It's very dangerous down there, and outsiders like you might not make it out alive..."
Bai Zi Sheng shot him a sharp look, and the steward's words trailed off, knowing better than to continue.
The group proceeded into the mine shafts.
The mine shafts were a network of tunnels, caves, and stone chambers within the mountain. The air was damp and cold, with a suffocating atmosphere.
Array formations were inscribed on the stone walls, serving to reinforce the tunnels, provide illumination and ventilation, and dispel the foul air.
Mo Hua glanced at the formations and shook his head. These arrays were extremely crude, offering only minimal support to the tunnel's structure and a faint amount of light.
With the external walls unstable and the foul air accumulating, it was no wonder that accidents occurred frequently.
It seemed the Lu family did not value the lives of these miners.
"The lives of solitary cultivators are truly expendable," Mo Hua sighed inwardly.
As they made their way through the mine shafts, Mo Hua studied the formations, mentally reconstructing the layout of the mine.
These formations were simplistic and easily seen through. Mo Hua understood them at a glance, without needing to use spiritual sense to calculate their effects. A few quick observations were all he needed to comprehend them completely.
Having understood the formations, he now grasped the layout of the mine shafts.
While the tunnels could be deceiving, the formations never lied.
Initially, the Lu family steward had led the way, but soon Mo Hua was at the forefront of the group, navigating with confidence.
The steward frowned, confused as to how this young cultivator, who was here for the first time, seemed more familiar with the mine than he was. Si Tu Fang, too, wore a puzzled expression, surprised by Mo Hua's knowledge.
After walking for half a day, the group had still found no clues.
The steward grew impatient. "That's enough. The mine is huge, and no matter how much you search, you won't find anything..."
Before he could finish his sentence, Mo Hua stopped in front of a stone wall. His eyes narrowed as he took out his brush and ink, drawing several array patterns.
The array patterns glowed faintly before dissipating, and the stone wall trembled, shedding rocks and revealing a dark opening.
Si Tu Fang was momentarily stunned, and the Lu family steward's face went pale.
(End of Chapter)
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