Family Camp

Qin Yao stood alone in the queue bound for the Family Camp amid Little Liuzi and the others' farewells.

"Hmm? A new face. You just got here?"

A burly man with phoenix eyes and a full beard scrutinized Qin Yao with a gaze like blazing torches. "What's your name?"

"Qin Yao."

"Who's your overseer?"

"Li Gang, Foreman Li."

The bearded man turned and shouted, "Gangzi, come over here."

"Hey, Brother Yang, wait a moment! I'm coming right away!"

Hearing this, Qin Yao silently mused, Foreman Li has always looked down his nose at the mine slaves. Yet now he's lowering himself to call this man 'Brother Yang'?

It seems this Captain Yang is probably even stronger than Li Gang!

Having transmigrated here three years ago, Qin Yao knew perfectly well that this was a fantastical world where martial arts could reach the divine. Without realizing it, he had already ingrained the four words "the strong are revered" into every aspect of his life.

This man is stronger than Li Gang...

Then, if I ever want to run away on the way to or from the Family Camp, I'll have to account for this enormous obstacle.

While Qin Yao's thoughts churned, Captain Yang had already begun speaking with Li Gang.

He pointed at Qin Yao. "This one from your Number Three mine shaft?"

"Yes, Brother Yang."

"Did this kid exceed today's quota by more than thirty percent?"

The bearded man asked again.

According to the Ding Mine Pit's rules, mine slaves could only return to the Family Camp after completing at least thirty percent more than their daily quota.

One had to know that the quotas assigned to mine slaves by the Black Iron Mining Area were anything but small.

Even experienced hands who had endured for some time found it difficult to meet their quotas exactly every day, much less exceed them by thirty percent!

That was why Captain Yang had to question Qin Yao upon spotting this unfamiliar face.

"He did."

Li Gang nodded. "Don't let that tender skin fool you. This brat is damn good at the work!"

In Li Gang's eyes, a mine slave like Qin Yao—one with zero martial potential, obedient and hardworking, and even capable of helping other mine slaves finish their quotas at critical moments—was simply too useful!

Naturally, he would not deliberately block the man's chance to go home.

"I see..."

Still somewhat doubtful, Captain Yang reached out and pressed Qin Yao's shoulders and arms.

After a moment, he nodded. "He really is pretty sturdy. Fine, then!"

With that, Captain Yang waved his hand, signaling that Li Gang could leave.

He then turned to Qin Yao. "Kid, listen carefully. If you choose to go home, the extra thirty percent of work you did today will be wiped clean on the spot.

"But if you stay in the mine pit instead of going back, the extra work you did today will be halved and counted toward tomorrow's quota.

"In other words, tomorrow will be easier for you.

"What's your choice?"

"I choose to go home!"

Qin Yao answered without hesitation.

"Fine."

Captain Yang crooked a finger behind him, and two attendants immediately scampered forward carrying shackles and hemp rope.

Using hemp rope as thick as a baby's arm, they bound Qin Yao's hands and fitted iron shackles around his ankles.

To prevent mine slaves from escaping on their way home, the mine owners used a thick, long rope to tie everyone together in a single chain from beginning to end.

That way, even if one or two mine slaves cut through the rope and escaped midway, everyone else would remain tied together and find it difficult to break free.

If it was only one or two mine slaves, Captain Yang and the two accompanying overseers could catch them again in the time it took to drink a cup of tea!

Even more viciously, aside from the thick hemp rope, mine slaves returning home also had to wear ankle shackles.

Walking in iron shackles, forget running—you could not even take a slightly larger step!

After walking several li there and back, hardly anyone's ankles would not be rubbed raw and bloody!

That was also why so many mine slaves, despite exceeding their quotas and earning the chance to go home, still chose to save today's extra work for tomorrow rather than return to reunite with their families...

Qin Yao secretly frowned. Damn, security really is watertight!

But now that I've awakened the Grind Emperor System, there's no need to be too anxious.

As long as I can make sure Grandpa and my little sister eat their fill every meal and no longer suffer or toil, then lying low in the Iron Mountain Mining Area and grinding hard for a while longer may not be a bad thing.

After all, with my current status, I only have to deal with relatively predictable factors in the Iron Mountain Mining Area: mine slaves, overseers, and stewards.

Once I leave, I'll have to face a far more complicated environment as a fugitive, and Grandpa and my little sister will be forced to drift from place to place with me...

Before I have enough strength to protect myself, staying hidden in the mine shaft and quietly leveling up is the safest path.

Before long, dozens of mine slaves bound by ropes set out under Captain Yang's escort.

They had not even walked half a li before cries of pain began to ring through the group. "Hiss, it hurts, it hurts!"

"Ow... ow..."

"Captain, I-I can't bear the pain in my ankles anymore. I'm not going home. I want to go back to the mine pit and sleep."

"Get lost!"

The captain kicked the middle-aged mine slave straight to the ground.

The people tied to the same rope before and behind him were dragged down as well.

"You think you can go back just because you say you want to go back? You think you can stay just because you say you want to stay?!"

Captain Yang said viciously, "Walk properly. Spout any more nonsense, and I'll whip your mouth to pieces!"

Everyone fell silent as cicadas in winter.

Qin Yao did the same.

Except he was Acting!

The moment the mine slaves began crying out in pain after walking only a short distance, the youth had already begun Acting.

After all, with the physique granted by his Mining skill at the Greater Achievement Realm, and with trousers covering his legs, the weight of the shackles and the chafing against his skin were both exceedingly slight.

Skill "Acting" proficiency +2

Skill "Acting" proficiency +3

Skill "Acting"...

They had only walked a little under half a li, yet Qin Yao's Acting proficiency had already soared to "Novice Realm (98/100)"!

Smack!

Captain Yang fiercely cracked his whip against the ground. "Walk faster, all of you!!"

The mine slaves no longer dared to dawdle. One after another, they gritted their teeth and struggled forward.

Qin Yao followed suit, with one word standing out above all else: "Acting"!

At a certain moment—

Skill "Acting" proficiency +2, current proficiency: 100/100

Ding! Skill "Acting" has advanced to the Entry Realm (0/500)

Ha, leveled up!

Qin Yao rejoiced inwardly.

Acting at the Entry Realm made Qin Yao's performance even more lifelike.

Even without the cover of night, Qin Yao believed that his portrayal of pain at this moment would be enough to deceive the vast majority of overseers.

He opened his attribute panel to take a look—

Host: Qin Yao

Realm: None. However, compared to ordinary people, the body is already extremely robust and only one step away from the first level of the Body Tempering Realm, the initial stage of martial cultivation.

Cultivation Method: None

Skills: Mining (Greater Achievement Realm, 4/20000); Eating (Entry Realm, 239/300); Acting (Entry Realm, 0/500)

Available Tokens: 6

But although both are at the Entry Realm, Acting requires 200 more experience to advance to the next level than Mining...

It seems the proficiency required to grind the levels of the skills I possess is not fixed and unchanging.

Mm, keep working hard, keep grinding!

Skill "Acting" proficiency +4

Skill "Acting" proficiency +3

Skill "Acting"...

After an unknown amount of time, Qin Yao could finally see a village town lit by the faint glow of lanterns and candles.

This was the Family Camp where Grandpa Qin Dashan had temporarily settled with Qin Yao's younger sister, Qin Lan, so he could conveniently look after Qin Yao—Tang Family Village.