A Win-Win Way!

"Is that it?!"

Qin Yao blinked.

Unexpectedly, that whip had barely any force behind it.

Qin Yao quickly realized it was not because Toad Mouth, the overseer, had gone easy on him.

It was because Qin Yao himself was no longer the same as before!

He tensed his muscles and took the whip head-on. It was not exactly painless, but it was nowhere near enough to make him grimace in agony.

"You lowly slave, why are you standing there daydreaming instead of working? Your skin itching for a beating?!"

Overseer Li Gang roared viciously.

As if jolted awake from a dream, Qin Yao hurriedly went with the flow and collapsed to the ground, putting on a show of unbearable pain.

Seeing this, Li Gang said in satisfaction, "If you dare slack off again, it will not be just one lash!"

Qin Yao grimaced for a while before picking up his iron pickaxe again and continuing to mine.

Most of the old mine slaves were gloating. "Hmph, so you have a day like this too? Serves you right!"

"Damn it, I've been sick of the sight of this pretty boy for ages. Now that feels good."

"Exactly. What newcomer does not get whipped on their first day?"

"If you ask me, this pretty boy has been huffing and puffing away for so long that his body has long since reached its limit.

"From now on, he'll be getting whipped plenty more times! Heh heh heh..."

The old mine slaves finally felt their hearts balance out.

Faced with those gloating gazes, Qin Yao looked embarrassed, but inwardly, he only found it amusing. What a bunch of pitiful, stupid people!

The mining continued.

With Qin Yao's steady performance, those old mine slaves waiting to see him run out of strength and get whipped again were destined for disappointment.

Time trickled by, second by second.

No one knew how long had passed when—"Ugh!"

A muffled cry of pain suddenly rang out from within the mine tunnel.

Everyone turned toward the sound.

They saw a young mine slave, two or three years younger than Qin Yao, crouching on the ground while clutching his foot.

The stones that had been loaded onto a wooden wheelbarrow had scattered across the ground after it tipped over.

The boy struggled to push away the stone crushing the top of his foot. His lips trembled, tears welled in his eyes, yet he bit down hard and did not dare make a sound.

Li Gang was already approaching with his whip in hand, his face filled with impatient savagery. "Little Liuzi, you useless trash!

"I told you to haul stones out of the mine, and you can't even push a wheelbarrow steadily?"

The overseer raised his hand and swung his whip, about to bring it down.

"Foreman, please show mercy!"

Qin Yao suddenly spoke up.

Under normal circumstances, Qin Yao might not have been willing to meddle in someone else's business.

But at that moment, seeing the desperate, helpless eyes of that boy who was two or three years younger than himself, he could not help thinking of his younger sister, Qin Lan.

In this man-eating mine tunnel, even the tiniest accident could easily take a humble life!

"Hm?"

Li Gang's whip stopped in midair.

He narrowed his eyes and sized Qin Yao up with a teasing look, sneering, "Oh? Our 'top provincial scholar' is planning to stand up for someone and play the great philanthropist now?

"Do you need me to double the lash that should have landed on him and put it on your head instead?"

Li Gang bared his teeth in a smile that did not reach his eyes, his entire body radiating a suppressed and dangerous aura.

This little brat, still wet behind the ears, dared to speak up and stop him?

He was simply courting death!

"That's not what I mean."

Qin Yao rubbed his growling stomach and said, "I mean, since this kid injured his foot, he'll inevitably fall behind on his workload.

"Why not let me help him do it?

"I guarantee I won't delay my own workload, and I'll finish his as well!

"Afterward... could you give me some of his food?

"I... I wasn't full at noon."

Li Gang listened to Qin Yao's growling stomach. It did not sound fake.

The anger that had nearly erupted was extinguished by more than half.

To Li Gang, as long as the workload was completed on time, it did not matter in the slightest whose stomach Little Liuzi's portion of food ended up in!

So he smiled playfully. "Heh heh, sure!

"As long as you can finish Little Liuzi's workload, eat as much of his food as you want.

"But if you can't..."

Li Gang's gaze turned sharp as he said, word by word, "Then the lashes he was supposed to take will be recorded on your head fivefold, tenfold! Understand?!"

Qin Yao gave a perfunctory acknowledgment, then hurriedly began loading stones onto the wheelbarrow.

With his mastery of the Mining skill, he only felt that the stones before him were far lighter than he had imagined.

But to avoid arousing suspicion, Qin Yao still put on a strained appearance, panting so hard he seemed unable to catch his breath.

Only after the cart was filled with stones did Qin Yao let out a long breath and grab the handles, preparing to push it.

Nearby.

The boy whom the overseer had called Little Liuzi was biting his lip hard, his eyes filled with despair and panic.

It was because Li Gang had just said: as long as you can finish Little Liuzi's workload, eat as much of his food as you want.

Little Liuzi knew full well that in this lightless slave mine, once a mine slave lost the value of being able to work, only death awaited them—either starving to death or being beaten to death. There was no third path!

"What are you spacing out for? If you want something to eat, come lend a hand!"

Qin Yao suddenly said.

"Hm?"

Little Liuzi froze at those words.

Even one mouthful of food would be enough. At least he could keep living.

"Okay, okay, I'm coming..."

So he hurriedly answered and forced himself to his feet to push the cart.

After walking a dozen or so steps, Qin Yao suddenly lowered his voice. "No need to work so hard. Your foot is injured. Just hold onto the side of the cart and put on a show. Leave the rest to me."

"Huh?"

Little Liuzi looked at Qin Yao in astonishment, thinking he had misheard.

In this place that devoured people without even spitting out their bones, he was often bullied and oppressed because of his young age.

It had been far, far too long since he had felt kindness from a stranger.

Even if that kindness had to be exchanged for a portion of his own food, to him, it was like a candle in the darkness, driving away his fear and despair!

"I don't want to repeat myself.

"Don't worry. I won't withhold your food just because you're only putting on a show.

"We'll split dinner fifty-fifty. No problem, right?"

Qin Yao said it without dragging his feet.

"No problem, no problem... Oh, no, there is a problem."

Little Liuzi was overjoyed, but he quickly felt that this was inappropriate.

He lowered his voice and replied, "This kid hurt his foot and can't help with anything. I'm just freeloading for food. How could I deserve half from you, big brother?"

"If big brother can spare me two or three bites, this kid will be completely satisfied!"

"..."

Qin Yao said nothing more. There were too many eyes and ears here, after all.

Little Liuzi held onto the cart and followed along, hopping on one foot. He looked rather comical.

After Qin Yao had pushed the cart several dozen steps—

"Ding! Mining proficiency +2"

"As expected, transporting stone also falls within the scope of the Mining skill and can increase proficiency!"

Qin Yao's heart settled.

Under these circumstances, helping those mine slaves would not delay the growth of his Mining proficiency, and he could earn more food as well.

A win-win!

The youth had already made up his mind. *I'll help others mine and earn more food.

"I'll keep part of it for myself, and bring the rest back for Grandpa and Xiao Lan!*

Ever since Qin Yao had been convicted, his grandfather and younger sister had scarcely eaten a full meal!

Now, Qin Yao had at least managed to grind out a tiny, insignificant accomplishment.

Though he still could not take his grandfather and sister out of this sea of suffering.

Getting his family a full meal was no longer difficult!