Red Gold Pickaxe

Red Gold Ore. This place was much larger in scale than the Fire Crystal Ore mine.

Countless miners were digging Red Gold in the open-pit veins with great enthusiasm.

The clanging of metal rang out without end.

As soon as Xu Qing's carriage arrived, he saw twelve figures already standing at the entrance to Miner Village.

"The news travels fast. There were informants all along the road."

Xu Qing lifted the curtain, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"We pay our respects to Senior Brother Xu!"

The leader stepped forward first and cupped his hands in greeting.

"You are?"

Xu Qing asked blandly.

"I am Fang Qingyang, the steward dispatched by the Mountains and Rivers Sect."

Fang Qingyang spoke neither humbly nor arrogantly.

By then, Yang Ling had also gotten out of the carriage with Chen Xu and Chen Guoqing.

He was dressed in a Constable's official uniform, something Xu Qing had specifically required.

Thus, when Fang Qingyang and the other eleven stewards saw this, a trace of surprise flashed through their eyes.

"Oh."

Xu Qing nodded lightly. "You are all the stewards here, correct?"

"That is correct."

Everyone replied.

"Perfect. Let me introduce you. This is the new inspector I have appointed."

Xu Qing introduced Yang Ling.

"Inspector Yang Ling is a Constable from Green Mountain City and holds an official post. I happened to hear that there are quite a few mine bandits at the Red Gold Ore mine, leaving many miners full of complaints.

Since the previous inspector could not resolve these problems,

Inspector Yang Ling's identity is particularly suitable. You should all cooperate with him from now on."

A Constable was the new inspector?

Fang Qingyang and the others froze slightly, their expressions somewhat strange.

They truly had not expected Xu Qing to pull such a move and bring in a Constable as the inspector of the Red Gold Ore mine.

"We greet Inspector Yang."

Without betraying any emotion, they offered polite greetings.

"You are all too courteous."

Yang Ling smiled and returned the gesture.

From a refugee to this day,

he could now be considered someone of minor status.

However, neither being a Constable nor an inspector was his true trump card.

"You've only just arrived and don't know this place well yet. For the next few days, let Fang Qingyang show you around."

Xu Qing smiled faintly. "I'll stay here for a few days as well. After that, I'll return to the sect to handle Wu Que's matter."

Wu Que?

Fang Qingyang and the others' eyes shifted.

"Steward Fang, no problem, right?"

Xu Qing asked with a faint smile.

"No problem at all. Senior Brother Xu, Inspector Yang, please come inside."

Fang Qingyang nodded with a smile.

Yang Ling's residence was a private courtyard estate.

With Xu Qing present, the master bedroom naturally went to him.

Even so, Yang Ling and the other two each had their own room.

"At last, no more wooden shacks that leaked when it rained and let in wind when it blew."

Yang Ling looked around, then quietly sensed the activity in the other rooms.

Then he began cultivating the Vajra Wisdom King Art.

This was a first-rate cultivation technique.

After learning from Xu Qing about the strength of first-rate sects and the scarcity of cultivation techniques, he had become certain that the Vajra Wisdom King Art would be the foundation he relied on in the future. He could not afford to neglect it!

After filling up all 13 experience points, Yang Ling began practicing the Bandit-Catching Saber Technique.

The room was spacious enough for him to use it freely.

After practicing through the entire night, Yang Ling cultivated the Vajra Wisdom King Art again, and his energy was immediately replenished.

Half an hour later, he took Chen Xu and Chen Guoqing with him as Fang Qingyang led them on an inspection of the Red Gold Ore mine.

Yang Ling had only one goal: first, count the number of players in the Red Gold Ore mine.

He could see players' Attribute Panels, and that advantage was now being put to full use.

As his gaze swept over the area, he memorized name after name.

"Inspector Yang, our Red Gold Ore mine has actually been operating for many years."

"In the early years, production was steadily three thousand jin per month."

"But in recent years, Ore Worms in the mine tunnels have increased, collapses have become frequent, and mine bandits occasionally kill people and rob shipments.

As a result, the miners are unwilling to go down into the tunnels, and production has continued to decline."

As Fang Qingyang explained, he secretly observed Yang Ling's expression from the corner of his eye.

"Steward Fang, what is our monthly output now?"

Yang Ling asked casually.

"Ah, only two thousand jin."

Fang Qingyang sighed.

Down by one-third?

Chen Xu and Chen Guoqing's expressions darkened.

This was troublesome.

To raise production from two thousand jin to three thousand five hundred jin in three months—wasn't that a hell-level task?

It was simply impossible to accomplish!

"How many miners do we currently have?"

Yang Ling asked again.

"A little over ten thousand. You know how miners come and go, so the number is never fixed."

Fang Qingyang said.

"Too slow. Production must be raised to three thousand five hundred jin."

Yang Ling smiled. "Does Steward Fang have any ideas?"

A faint trace of mockery flashed through Fang Qingyang's eyes, though his face wore a bitter smile.

"Three thousand five hundred jin? That's impossible. There's less and less Red Gold Ore near the surface now. It's not that they aren't working hard—the main issue is that there's too little ore.

Unless they go down into the mine tunnels. But the tunnels are far too dangerous, and the miners simply don't want to go down.

There's nothing we can do about them either.

With more than ten thousand miners, if they start a riot, they could swallow all of us, along with the vein guards, without even leaving bones behind."

Yang Ling had a clear understanding now.

The other man was also very straightforward and did not hide anything.

Production had fallen because the mine tunnels were too dangerous, and the miners were unwilling to enter them.

Now that the problem had appeared, was there a solution?

For the time being, there was none.

What Fang Qingyang said was also true. If more than ten thousand miners started a riot, it would be disastrous.

He also believes I have no solution.

Yang Ling caught that trace of ridicule in Fang Qingyang's eyes.

The main problems in the mine tunnels are currently the Ore Worms and mine bandits.

There is indeed the risk of collapses, but there are also man-made risks.

I can't resolve this alone.

But... whether Ore Worms or mine bandits, they are all experience points.

To players, they are irresistible.

Yang Ling had roughly figured things out.

After wandering around for a while, he brought up another matter.

"Steward Fang, where is our blacksmith shop? I want to inspect the quality of the pickaxes."

"Oh? Please follow me."

Fang Qingyang paused in surprise, then smiled and led the way.

Clang! Clang! Flames surged!

The blacksmith shop was bustling.

There were also several more blacksmiths here than at the Fire Crystal Mine.

Their tasks mainly consisted of forging pickaxes and repairing them.

When they saw Yang Ling's group, they did not greet them, instead focusing on the work in their hands.

"The pickaxes here are generally of better quality than those at the Fire Crystal Mine."

Yang Ling glanced at the pickaxes piled in the corner.

"Steward Fang, bring out the best pickaxe here for me to inspect."

Yang Ling said with a faint smile.

As the inspector, it was time for him to exercise his authority.

"You aren't thinking of handing out better pickaxes to the miners, are you? That isn't realistic. We don't have that much money."

Fang Qingyang said thoughtfully.

"No. I want good pickaxes for the three of us."

Yang Ling smiled. "We come from mining backgrounds as well. To increase production, we should lead by example."

"All three of you are going down into the mine tunnels?"

Fang Qingyang was genuinely stunned this time.

But immediately afterward, his heart blossomed with delight, and he promptly said,

"Please come with me. Our blacksmith shop does indeed have some fine items!"

Like someone thoroughly familiar with the place, he led the three of them to a storeroom in the rear courtyard.

When the storeroom was opened, a dazzling array of pickaxes came into view.

Chen Xu and Chen Guoqing stared in astonishment, a surge of excitement rising in their hearts.

These pickaxes were clearly no ordinary tools!

"Inspector Yang, this Red Gold Pickaxe is forged entirely from Red Gold. It was left behind by the previous inspector."

Fang Qingyang smiled ambiguously. "See if it feels right in your hand. If it does, feel free to take it and use it."

Yang Ling looked at the Red Gold Pickaxe. A faint white glow radiated from it.

Red Gold Pickaxe, Grade: White

Strength +10, Attack Power 40

Skill: Crazy Ten-Strikes

"This is a treasure!"

Yang Ling suppressed the excitement in his heart and slowly stepped forward to pick it up.

A rush of heat surged through him, and his strength was instantly increased by 10 points, reaching 21!

White light means it is white-grade, very likely the same as treasure chests.

It also has a special skill, Crazy Ten-Strikes. Equipment with a grade may all come with their own skills.

Anticipation rose in Yang Ling's heart.

He could barely resist heading down into the mine tunnels on the spot to test the power of this Red Gold Pickaxe!