Mine Rats

"Guys, there's been a change in the Divine Realm Rank List."

Yang Ling walked over with the Red Gold Crane Beak Hoe in hand and crouched beside Chen Xu and Chen Guoqing, who were resting.

The two hurriedly opened the list and took a look. They were both shocked.

"Hui Wu actually got pushed down? How is that Luo Kai leveling up so fast? He's already level 17?"

"Didn't Senior Brother Xu say Star Gazing Academy was just an academy, a place for studying? How can they level up too?"

Chen Xu muttered to himself.

Yang Ling smiled. "The Divine Domain is clearly a transcendent world. It makes sense that studying can help you level up."

Chen Guoqing nodded gravely.

"The key point is, a Player has already joined a First-rate Sect."

After hearing Xu Qing's account, they had developed a deep respect for First-rate Sects.

They were colossal forces, powerful enough to earn even the imperial court's deference.

And now a Player had joined one?

That meant there were more and more Players, which was why this could happen.

"Brother Yang, when the rescue team was formed, the number of missing people had already reached around three hundred thousand."

"At the time, the number was growing by nearly ten thousand a day."

"I suspect more and more Players will enter the game from now on. There might already be over a million."

Chen Guoqing's expression grew even more serious.

"Hasn't the government tried to control it and stop people from entering the game?"

Yang Ling asked curiously. "Now that we know the missing people are connected to the Divine Domain, there's no reason not to shut it down."

"They can't shut it down."

Chen Guoqing gave a bitter smile. "From what I've heard, this thing is downright bizarre. It's impossible to stop.

"And it's spreading everywhere, getting worse and worse."

As he spoke, a trace of worry appeared in his eyes.

"If this keeps up, I'm afraid the real world will fall into chaos..."

How could it not?

Yang Ling sighed inwardly.

Imagine your child being perfectly fine, then playing a game and vanishing. What would the family think?

Missing people had now been reported in every country and across every line of work. If this went on, something was bound to happen.

"There should be quite a few Players here at the Red Gold Mine. I've found some of them. Later, have them come to where I'm staying. We'll ask about the situation outside first."

Yang Ling pondered for a moment.

The two immediately nodded. They also wanted to know what was happening outside.

"Brother Yang, how much have you mined?"

Chen Xu looked at the pouch hanging from Yang Ling's waist, curious.

"About ten pounds."

Yang Ling hefted the pouch and smiled.

"I've noticed the pieces of Red Gold Mine here are pretty big, at least bigger than Fire Crystal Rock. So finding even one gives you a decent haul. They're just really hard and take a lot of effort to mine."

If not for the Attribute Points from the Red Gold Crane Beak Hoe, as well as its own hardness, Yang Ling estimated he could only mine four or five pounds a day.

Now he mined ten pounds a day, which came to three hundred pounds a month.

At first glance, that seemed about the same as when he mined Fire Crystal Rock Ore.

But Red Gold Mine gave more Experience Points, so he would level up faster!

"Awesome!"

Chen Xu gave him a thumbs-up.

He glanced at his own pouch.

Maybe he had three ounces or so?

"Officer Chen and I mined all day, and only got three or four ounces."

"You'll be slower at first. Your stamina isn't great yet, and Red Gold Mine is hard. Getting three or four ounces is already pretty good.

"If you were mining Fire Crystal Rock Ore, with Fine Steel Crane Beak Hoes like these, you could easily mine two or three pounds of Fire Crystal Rock in a day."

Yang Ling smiled.

Chen Xu and Chen Guoqing agreed wholeheartedly.

They had made significant progress.

"If every Player could mine three ounces of Red Gold Mine a day..."

Chen Guoqing did the math, his eyes lighting up.

"With a hundred Players, we could get thirty pounds a day. Add Brother Yang's ten pounds, and that's forty.

"That's twelve hundred pounds a month—not far from the target of three thousand five hundred."

"It probably won't be that easy, but it's definitely possible."

Yang Ling nodded slightly.

There was one thing he hadn't mentioned.

In two months, his Vajra Mingwang Technique would reach the second layer.

That would give him more Attribute Points, and to mine faster, he could put them into Strength.

"Mental Power speeds up the cultivation of Cultivation Methods and Martial Skills.

"But Strength can make me mine faster, and mining means leveling up. These hardcore grinders are clearly competing with each other to Level Up right now. I can't fall behind."

Yang Ling thought to himself.

He wasn't particularly competitive.

In fact, he preferred a comfortable, easygoing life.

Back when he farmed gold for a living, he hadn't worked that hard. Even after making money, he would take some time off.

But things were different now. People could die in this world.

If he didn't work hard, he would fall behind.

He was mainly trying to Level Up so he could make sure he got the rewards the game offered.

"When I reach level 20, I should get another reward. I hope it's a blue Random Treasure Chest."

"Brother Yang, something doesn't seem right. Did you hear that?"

Chen Xu's voice interrupted Yang Ling's thoughts.

Yang Ling listened carefully for a moment, then immediately stood up, his expression stern.

"Mine Worms!"

He didn't move away, but had Chen Xu and Chen Guoqing stand behind him.

With 27 points of Mental Power, his senses were exceptionally sharp.

He could tell which direction the Mine Worms were coming from.

Chen Xu and Chen Guoqing were nervous, but also a little excited. They tightened their grips on their Fine Steel Crane Beak Hoes.