However, to their surprise, the Rock-Backed Beast showed no fear whatsoever.
It looked coldly at the Steel-Mane Bear and said:
"And then what? As you said, I'll give you some reward? What kind of reward do you want? Let you go? Or let you join them and become one of them? Or maybe you won't have to mine anymore?"
The questions came one after another, and the more they were asked, the stronger the sarcasm in his voice became.
The surrounding Calamity Beast remained silent.
None of what the Rock-Backed Beast just said is likely to happen.
Clearly, the Steel-Mane Bear was aware of this as well.
It said, somewhat angrily:
"Even if none of that works, at least we should be able to get a full meal! You probably know how difficult it is for us to get a full meal, right?!"
"Ah, of course I know, but," the Rock-Backed Beast paused slightly, looking at it coldly, "And then?"
"Then, then..."
Steel-Mane Bear opened his mouth, but didn't know how to continue.
The Rock-Backed Beast opened its mouth directly to catch it:
"Then you go back to mining. If you mine too much, you get killed; if you mine too little, you go hungry. Then the next day, because you're too weak, you can't mine enough ore. And so it goes, day after day, until finally you're killed because you've mined too little ore that day, becoming food for those Black Rat!"
There was no response.
The silence inside the mine was eerily profound.
If it were before, things would be alright. Life might be tough, but at least we could survive. But now...
The ore requirement for each Calamity Beast to mine has been increased by 20% since the last increase, and this has been going on for more than ten days.
The number of Calamity Beast at the Dull Star Stone Mine has also decreased from over a thousand at the beginning to six or seven hundred now.
Most importantly, so far, not a single one of the Calamity Beast has sensed that the Black Rat Lords intend to reduce their daily mining output.
And if this policy continues...
"So what?" came a strained voice.
All the beasts focused their attention on the figure who was still carrying the Rock-Backed Beast, but whose head was lowered and who was not making any other movements.
"Didn't you guys realize? Those Black Rat actually wanted to kill us all this time. The reason they're acting this way is just because they're worried that if they kill us directly, we'll rebel and cause them trouble, and at the same time, they'll squeeze the last bit of value out of us," the Rock-Backed Beast replied.
"I know that. I'm asking you, what should we do if we don't continue?" The Steel-Mane Bear raised its head, its gaze fixed on the Rock-Backed Beast.
The surrounding Calamity Beast also turned their gazes toward the Rock-Backed Beast.
The Rock-Backed Beast stared directly at the Steel-Mane Bear, meeting their gaze directly.
"Like I said, rebellion!"
"We only have this one path left to take: rebellion!!"
The surroundings were quiet, just as quiet as when the Rock-Backed Beast first uttered the word "rebellion."
But, things are different now.
One after another, the Calamity Beast stared at that spot, at the Rock-Backed Beast being dragged along by the Steel-Mane Bear.
"Bang!"
A sound rang out.
The Steel-Mane Bear released its paws and put down the Rock-Backed Beast.
It asked heavily, "Can... it succeed?"
"I don't know. I only know that many Calamity Beast will definitely perish in this process, many, many, perhaps even all of them, but..."
After a pause, the Rock-Backed Beast looked up at the Calamity Beast in the mine tunnel and said in a deep voice:
"This is the only way we can go!"
Silence fell once more within the mine shaft.
a long time.
"That's right. Since staying or rebelling both mean death, why don't we just rebel?!"
A roar of anger, as if ignited, echoed through the mine tunnel.
Then, like a wildfire, one voice after another rang out:
"That's right, damn it, I've been fed up with those Black Rat for a long time. If I could beat them, I would have done it already!"
"Yeah, actually I've been waiting for a Calamity Beast to stand up and rebel..."
"Yes, kill them, kill them..."
Voices echoed through the mine.
The Scalearmor Lizard trembled slightly as it looked at the scene before it.
It opened its mouth:
"Fuck them, fuck them to death, fuck them to death, fuck them to death..."
The sound went from halting to clear, from hoarse to bright, from soft to loud.
The shouts converged into a river.
Before the shouts could grow any louder, the Rock-Backed Beast raised its claws and pressed down with all its might.
"Stop shouting! Do you intend to let the other Calamity Beast know what we're up to?"
The sound stopped abruptly.
One after another, the Calamity Beast stopped, looking at the Rock-Backed Beast with somewhat embarrassed expressions.
"Uh, so what should we do now? Just attack?" one of the Calamity Beast asked.
The Scalearmor Lizard glanced at the Calamity Beast, then turned its gaze to the Rock-Backed Beast.
"No, going straight up there would be no different from courting death," the Rock-Backed Beast replied, looking at the Calamity Beast.
"Then what should we do?" the Calamity Beast asked.
Without immediately responding to the question, the Rock-Backed Beast turned its head and surveyed the Calamity Beast within the mine tunnel:
"Before I begin, I'd like to ask: is there anyone who doesn't want to participate in this rebellion? If so, then feel free to report them. However, I hope you'll consider our shared fate as Calamity Beast and only report me, leaving the other Calamity Beast alone!"
this...
The Scalearmor Lizard stared at the Rock-Backed Beast with some shock.
Similarly, the surrounding Calamity Beast also looked at the Rock-Backed Beast with some shock.
A moment later, they turned their gaze to the other beasts.
Fortunately, everything was quiet, and no Calamity Beast actually went so far as to report it.
"Can you speak now?" Lord Steel-Mane Bear looked at the Rock-Backed Beast again.
"Um,"
The Rock-Backed Beast responded, but did not speak immediately. Instead, it looked at them and said:
"I was a little worried at first, but seeing how everyone was just now, I have some hope now!"
After saying that, it didn't stop, and immediately continued:
"If they wanted to rebel, it would be almost impossible for us alone, so we need to find as many other Calamity Beast Calamity Beast as possible and get them to join our ranks."
"You can start by approaching people you know and have talked to, tentatively bringing it up to see if they're interested."
"If you've offered support, remained silent, or received a reminder, then you may continue..."
"If it's outright opposition, then..."
One sentence after another came from the mouth of the Rock-Backed Beast.
The words were spoken very quickly.
The Scalearmor Lizard only saw the Rock-Backed Beast pause for a moment, then look at the Steel-Mane Bear and the other Third Tier Calamity Beast besides itself, and say:
"Then, we'd better have a commander to lead us; only then will our chances of escaping be much greater!"
Below, the Scalearmor Lizard also looked at the two Calamity Beast.
Indeed, without a unified voice, even if everyone gets together, they will all go their separate ways!
The other Calamity Beast also looked at the Steel-Mane Bear and the other Third Tier Calamity Beast.
Under their watchful gaze, the two Third Tier Calamity Beast stared at each other.
Suddenly, the Steel-Mane Bear turned its head to look at the Rock-Backed Beast, and said with a slight bow:
"You were the one who proposed the rebellion, and you were also the one who initially planned the operation. Add to that what you just said... I propose that you, Lord Rock-Backed Beast, be appointed as the commander!"
The mine tunnel was quiet, and the beasts stared in astonishment at the scene before them.
They truly did not expect this situation to arise.
The Steel-Mane Bear, a Third Tier Calamity Beast, actually gave up competing for the position of commander?!
Instinctively, they shifted their gaze to another Third Tier Calamity Beast.
The Third Tier Calamity Beast paused for a moment, then turned to face the Rock-Backed Beast and bowed its head, saying:
"I support Lord Rock-Backed Beast as commander!"
"Me too, I support it!"
I support it too!
"I support it too..."
Shouts and calls rang out from below.
The Rock-Backed Beast looked at them, opened its mouth,
"I didn't say I would definitely take you out, but if it's a matter of death, then I will definitely sacrifice myself before you..."