Did He Run into a Deadbeat?

"Clang, clang, clatter..."

In the dim mine tunnel, the sound of iron picks striking the walls rose and fell, as if it would never end.

The mine slaves lived lives whose end they could see at a glance, either numb-faced or burdened with sorrow.

Only one person was an exception—Qin Yao, who possessed the "Grind Emperor System"!

"Mining proficiency +15"

"Mining proficiency +16"

"Mining..."

Watching the steadily rising skill proficiency on the system panel, the youth was full of drive.

Who knew how much time passed? The fifth mine slave Qin Yao had helped complete his daily quota was thanking him profusely.

At the same time—

"Mining proficiency +15. Current proficiency: 5004/5000"

"Ding! Skill 'Mining' has advanced to the Greater Achievement Realm (4/20000)."

"Buzz!"

In an instant, a powerful warm current surged from deep within Qin Yao's dantian and flooded through his limbs and bones!

The profound fatigue from working at high intensity ever since lunch also dissipated by more than half at that moment.

His mind felt as though someone had poured enlightenment straight into it, forcibly stuffing it with an immense amount of knowledge about mining, ores, mineral veins, and more.

But that was not all—"Crack, crack..."

As a series of crisp cracks rang from his sinews and bones, Qin Yao's physique changed as well.

It was not that he had suddenly become broad-backed and bear-waisted.

Rather, the strength of his sinews and bones had grown greater!

Judging by appearance alone, he now resembled the pinnacle of the "lean-muscle" physique he had seen in films in his previous life: the kung fu superstar Li Xiaolong!

That unceasing, vigorous sense of power welling up from within left his entire body somewhat exhilarated.

From the Elite Realm to the Greater Achievement Realm, Qin Yao had clearly undergone a transformation...

"Huh? Brother Yao, why do I feel like you suddenly got a bit taller?"

Wang Wu asked in disbelief.

"Huh? Must be an illusion, right?"

Qin Yao said without so much as a blush, "Even if I did suddenly get taller, that would be normal. I'm at the age where boys shoot up like bamboo after rain!"

"That's true..."

Wang Wu scratched his head with a foolish grin.

"Ah, I'm exhausted. I need to rest for a while."

Feigning fatigue, Qin Yao sat down against the wall and panted heavily.

In truth, he was secretly focusing on the system panel—

"Host: Qin Yao"

"Realm: None. However, among ordinary people, this body is already exceptionally robust and only one step away from the first layer of the Body Tempering Realm, the first step into martial cultivation."

"Technique: None"

"Skills: Mining (Greater Achievement Realm, 4/20000); Eating (Entry Realm, 3/300)"

"Available points: 5"

Qin Yao's spirits rose. "So I'm only one step away from the first layer of the Body Tempering Realm, from taking my first step into martial cultivation?

"Then if things continue at this rate...

"As long as I grind the Mining skill up to its next realm, I'll definitely become a martial artist?!"

Martial artist!

Those two words held an immense temptation for Qin Yao.

According to the memories of the body's original owner, this was a world where martial arts reached the divine!

For martial artists, flying over eaves and walking up walls, or lifting cauldrons with sheer strength, was merely the beginning.

Plucking leaves and scattering flowers as weapons, treading snow without leaving a trace—such things were equally commonplace.

Only those with skin of bronze and bones of iron, impervious to blades and spears, untouched by water and fire, could be said to have truly begun glimpsing the flourishing splendor of martial arts!

There were even masters whose Sword Qi stretched ten zhang, who could tear down cities and uproot fortresses, cross rivers on a single reed, and ride the wind through empty air...

And then there were the legendary innate experts, who opened the "Bridge of Heaven and Earth," drew the spiritual energy of heaven and earth into their bodies, and transformed their inner force into "innate true qi." One person could stand against an army of thousands, and every move could summon wind and rain, call forth thunder and lightning!

Everyone in the world yearned for it!

The words martial artist represented power itself.

There was no need to speak of distant things. Just look at Ding Mine Pit before them.

Over a hundred mine slaves under overseer Li Gang were all kept from lifting their heads by his whip alone!

The mine slaves ate coarse pancakes and thin porridge.

Li Gang, meanwhile, had meat whenever he wanted meat and wine whenever he wanted wine!

He spent every day eating rich food and drinking fine liquor. Whenever he chatted nonsense with the other overseers, he would boast about how much spare money he had saved and how many brothel girls he had sought out for pleasure...

Why was he able to live so "comfortably"?

Was it not because he was a martial artist who had entered the path of martial cultivation?

Even if he was only at the first layer of the Body Tempering Realm, a martial artist's quality of life was far beyond that of ordinary people without cultivation.

Aside from the rare few who could rely on extraordinary intellect and learning to pursue the literary path, pass the imperial examinations, and carve out a fairly decent future for themselves—

Other ordinary people without martial cultivation either remained enslaved for life, struggling merely to survive, or suffered endless bullying, never knowing whether they would live to see tomorrow!

Every one of them had lives as cheap as ants...

Only martial artists who entered the path of martial cultivation received a ticket that allowed them to "live like a person."

And now, Qin Yao was about to touch that ticket himself.

How could he not be delighted?

Yet amid his excitement, he could not help but worry. "I just don't know whether this body can truly rely on the system's power to overcome the weakness of its 'innately crippled meridians' and grind its way into the gates of martial cultivation?"

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

Just as he was thinking, a rapid burst of gong strikes rang out. "Work's over! Food distribution!"

"Whew, it's finally time!"

The taut strings in the mine slaves' hearts finally had a chance to loosen.

When entering the mine tunnel, they dragged their feet as though mourning their parents.

When leaving it, each was more eager than the last.

"Big Brother Qin."

"Brother Yao."

"Brother Qin."

After greeting him, those mine slaves Qin Yao had helped faithfully followed behind him as agreed, moving forward with the crowd.

"Huh? Wait, where's Zhao Jian?"

When Qin Yao helped them work, they had inevitably chatted a little, so naturally he knew the names of those he had helped.

This Zhao Jian had clearly promised that he would give Qin Yao eighty percent of his food in exchange for Qin Yao taking over the huge pile of remaining work.

Yet now, he was nowhere to be seen.

"Did he go to the latrine?"

Qin Yao muttered, not giving it much more thought.

Once they reached the food distribution area, they would run into him eventually.

Before long, they arrived at the gravel plaza.

This time, quite a few mine slaves who had failed to complete their quotas were once again dragged from the food line by the overseers.

The sounds of beatings and curses never ceased.

Watching the mine slaves being tortured until they shrieked and wailed, Little Liuzi swallowed fearfully. "Good thing Big Brother Qin helped us.

"Otherwise, not only would I have gone without dinner tonight, I probably couldn't have escaped this vicious beating either..."

The others felt the same.

Not long after, they received their dinners one after another: as always, Coarse Pancakes accompanied by soup made from rotten vegetable leaves.

Things the overseer martial artists would not even glance at if they had gone sour were, to these wretched mine slaves, nothing less than delicacies from heaven.

"Big Brother Qin, here."

Little Liuzi swallowed instinctively, but he still held up the food he had just received with both hands and honestly offered it to Qin Yao.

The other three also broke apart their Coarse Pancakes according to the proportions they had agreed upon beforehand and respectfully presented them to Qin Yao.

"Brother Yao, shall we eat over there?"

"Mm, all right."

Soon, the group began wolfing down their food.

Little Liuzi truly took only two small bites of pancake and one tiny sip of soup before getting up and saying he was going back to sleep.

Even though his stomach was still growling.

"Wait."

Qin Yao broke off another small piece of pancake and pushed it, together with the remaining half bowl of soup, toward him. "Eat."

"Huh? But... I..."

Little Liuzi was at a loss.

Ever since he had crushed his foot, he believed he had not contributed even a shred of strength when it came to pushing the carts and transporting ore.

They had agreed that he would only eat a bite or two. How could he possibly have the nerve to take more now?

"If I tell you to eat, then eat!"

Qin Yao said sternly, "Your foot will probably need time to heal. Shall we keep working together tomorrow?"

"Mm!"

Little Liuzi nodded heavily, then dropped to his knees with tears in his eyes. "Little Liuzi will never forget Big Brother Qin's great kindness for as long as he lives!"

"All right, all right, get up already."

Qin Yao reached out to help him up.

"Huh? Isn't that Zhao Jian?"

Yao Heizi, sharp-eyed as ever, was the first to spot Zhao Jian squatting in the southwest corner, gnawing on a pancake. "When did that bastard collect his meal? He even sneaked off to hide and eat it all by himself?"

"Hm?"

Qin Yao frowned. "Did I run into a deadbeat?"