Wolves Caged in the Mines, a Domain of Law Revealed in the Depths

"Work hard and you will have food. The more work you do, the more you can eat. Our Commander is the fairest of men—even to slaves, he is fair..."

Inside the mine, where daylight never reached, there was a set of rules. The slaves labored, handed over what they produced, and only after the supervising fire chief had inspected it could they receive something to eat.

"This method is to seize the means of production, take all the value produced for oneself, then divide off a few scraps—just enough to maintain the slaves' basic ability to work."

Qiu Yan followed Bian Shu as several Western Army soldiers brought them to the mine and threw them into its depths. Seeing all this, he naturally understood that this was the very state merchants had dreamed of in his previous life. Only, in those days, there had been many restraints, forcing merchants to share part of what they gained in order to placate their hired hands and preserve their loyalty, while using public opinion to spread it as righteous principle.

Once Bian Shu entered this place, he was branded with a Slave Seal. The supervising fire chief repeatedly explained the taboos, then sent him into grueling labor. Mining already drained one's strength and required nourishment, yet the mine's meals were poor. They would not starve one to death, but the taste was easy enough to imagine.

The slaves worked during the day and ate simple food. At night, they had to sleep in cages. This was precisely when Qiu Yan expanded the Heart Demon's cover. Along with their conversations and words, the Heart Demon spread through their hearts like a ghost.

Slaves who had only just arrived were often filled with rage and fury, emotions that most strengthened the Heart Demon. But after