Mine Conflict

In the wooden hut, Yang Ling began sorting through his belongings.

Four Detoxification Pills.

Four bottles of Healing Ointment.

Five flatbreads.

One Steel Pickaxe.

About fifteen taels of silver left.

He carried the silver close to his body and hung several cloth pouches from his waist to hold the Detoxification Pills, Healing Ointment, and flatbreads.

He then secured the Steel Pickaxe to his waist before leaving the wooden hut.

"Brother Yang!"

Chen Xu came searching for him, drenched in sweat.

"I finally found you."

"What happened?"

Yang Ling's expression shifted.

Chen Xu would never have been this anxious just because he was hungry.

"It's Chen... Officer Chen and the others are in trouble!"

Chen Xu smiled bitterly. "I know you have some influence in the Ore Vein. Can you help them?"

Yang Ling was silent for a moment before asking:

"Tell me on the way."

Chen Xu secretly relaxed. Since Yang Ling was willing to help, the matter should be easier to resolve.

On the way, after Chen Xu gave him a brief explanation, Yang Ling gained a general understanding of what had happened.

A conflict over the mine.

He had seen plenty of such incidents when he had first arrived.

They still happened from time to time afterward.

After all, Fire Crystal Rock meant Copper Coins. It meant food, drink, and shelter.

Whoever discovered Fire Crystal Rock first was the one who mined it. That was the accepted rule.

But this time, Lin Guoliang and his girlfriend had broken that rule.

The two of them and several other miners had discovered a piece of Fire Crystal Rock near the surface.

It looked quite large.

But if they were being strict, those several miners had seen it first.

Lin Guoliang and his girlfriend, Wu Meng, had incited the other West Position Players to join them in fighting over the Fire Crystal Rock.

In the end, a conflict had erupted. Most of the miners had stood by the rules.

They had naturally joined in to help, resulting in Lin Guoliang and the other five being beaten up by the crowd.

Their injuries varied in severity. Even the Mine Guards felt that they were in the wrong and ignored the matter.

Finally, Officer Chen had rushed over. While protecting Lin Guoliang and the others, he had been struck with a pickaxe amid the chaos, leaving his head battered and bleeding.

Chen Xu knew he could not handle this alone. The miners were furious, and without someone with enough standing to speak up, they would never calm down.

That was why he had come looking for Yang Ling.

"Your friend is named Lin Guoliang, right?"

Yang Ling asked.

Chen Xu nodded. "That's right."

"He really does have something wrong with his head. You'd better stay away from him in the future."

Yang Ling warned him.

Chen Xu seemed to think of something. A trace of anger flashed through his eyes before he slowly nodded.

"Brother Yang, I'll listen to you. After this, I won't associate with him anymore."

Yang Ling felt somewhat gratified.

The boy was willing to take advice. At least in a place like the Divine Domain, that should help him live a little longer.

He glanced at Chen Xu's Attribute Panel:

Character: Chen Xu

Class: Miner

Level: 4

Strength: 6

Agility: 3

Spirit: 2

Health Points: 60

"Level 4 already? Judging by how long they've been here, that means he's been mining very diligently. He knows that he can Level Up and improve his Strength Attribute, so he hasn't slacked off."

Yang Ling's thoughts stirred.

By then, the two of them had arrived at the entrance to the Ore Vein.

Steward Niu was sitting leisurely at the entrance. When he saw Yang Ling and Chen Xu, he raised his eyelids.

"Yang Ling, you're going to meddle in that business? Those newcomers broke the rules. They deserve whatever they get.

"It's good for them to suffer. Only then will they remember how to survive in the Fire Crystal Mine."

"Steward Niu, I know Lin Guoliang and the others were in the wrong. I'm just worried someone might get killed, so I'll go talk to them."

Yang Ling smiled as he stated his position.

Only then did Steward Niu give a slight nod.

He was afraid Yang Ling would anger the miners.

Not far away, the miners had formed several layers of spectators around the scene.

Many other miners stood nearby watching the commotion, taking the opportunity to rest.

Most of the miners, however, were working to earn money and did not want to be distracted.

"You bunch of bastards! You've only been here a few days, and you already dare to steal a mine!?"

A middle-aged miner pointed at Lin Guoliang and the others and cursed furiously.

Lin Guoliang and his girlfriend looked terrified, glancing around in panic.

The other four newcomers had also huddled together. Some were trembling, while others were crying.

Their bodies were covered in footprints. They were filthy and disheveled, with numerous abrasions and bruises on their faces. Clearly, they had been given a brutal beating.

Beside them, Officer Chen sat weakly on the ground, one hand covering his head.

Blood kept dripping from between his fingers.

Although he was extremely weak and blood had blurred his vision, he still forced himself to stay conscious and spoke in a gentle voice.

"Brothers, these children don't know any better. Please be a little more forgiving. They won't dare do it again."

"Won't dare again? Hah."

A lean, wiry young man held up a bloodstained pickaxe and sneered.

"If there's a first time, there'll be a second. If we don't teach you a proper lesson today, you'll dare to do it again next time!"

"You vagrants without even an identity card dare to steal our mine. I really don't know where you got the nerve!"

"Brothers, how about we dig a hole and bury them?"

He began inciting the nearby miners.

Many miners responded.

When the Mine Guards saw this, they exchanged glances but still refused to intervene.

At a time like this, even if the miners really buried these troublemakers, they would not stop them.

Otherwise, if the miners revolted, they could never bear the blame!

Some miners were already itching to act, searching for a place to dig the hole.

A look of shock flashed through Officer Chen's eyes.

Only at this moment did he become certain that this game world truly had no regard whatsoever for laws.