CHAPTER 136: CHAPTER 131: COMPROMISE! READY

"Before the red rain, our family had a yellow-haired mongrel. That dog was usually pretty unruly, and there wasn’t much anyone could do about it."

"Until I took matters into my own hands and solved the problem effortlessly. Do you know how I did it? Every time it misbehaved, I would break one of its legs to keep it from barking. It just wouldn’t stop, and eventually, all that was left were some unidentifiable bones."

"And just like that, the problem was solved."

"Big Beard, don’t you think that’s funny?"

As Li Laoqi spoke, he laughed exaggeratedly. The sound reverberated through the air, particularly harsh, as if he were deliberately provoking Wang Yujie and getting on his nerves. His brawny men followed his lead and burst into laughter, making Wang Yujie’s expression darken even further.

This time, Nightingale didn’t swallow her anger as she had before. Instead, electric arcs crackled to life in her hands as she said sharply, "Li Laoqi! If you don’t want today to be your death anniversary next year, you’d better shut your mouth."

"Now. Immediately. Arrange accommodations for my team members. They’ve been on the move for several days and need to rest."

Nightingale’s rebuke left Li Laoqi in an awkward position. His expression stiffened, and his once-smug smile froze on his face. He watched the arcs of electricity flash in Nightingale’s hands. The leaping blue light was like a lethal poison, emanating a heart-stopping pulse of energy.

A chill shot through him. He knew all too well the formidable power that arc represented—a force he could never hope to defy.

Li Laoqi had to compromise. As someone who had clawed his way up from the bottom, he had learned how to navigate the world through his struggles. To him, the recent conflict was just a minor incident; as long as he didn’t cross the other party’s bottom line, it wasn’t a big deal. On the contrary, if he angered the woman before him, all of his worthless cronies at the mine probably wouldn’t be enough for her to kill to her heart’s content.

So, Li Laoqi composed himself. His stiff face gradually softened, and he put on a seemingly sincere expression. Facing Wang Yujie, he said solemnly, "Brother Big Beard, I’m really sorry about earlier. You know we’re all rough folk who enjoy a good joke. You’re not mad about that, are you?"

After his apology to Wang Yujie, Li Laoqi shouted to the men behind him, "Put away your weapons and take the comrades from the combat team to their lodgings! Notify the kitchen to prepare extra for lunch! Bring out the good meat and wine, and don’t let our brothers go hungry!"

With that, Li Laoqi bowed slightly and gestured invitingly with his hand.

"Captain Nightingale, this way, please."

And so, the large group bustled toward the mine’s dormitory area.

Along the way, the team of six huddled together again, whispering in voices too low for anyone else to hear.

"We’re done for, Brother Feng. I have a bad feeling about this. The people here don’t seem to be on the same side as the combat team that brought us," Li Qiang said.

"Yeah, I feel it too," added Zhang Lei. "Why were things so tense the moment we met? And what was that request the scar-faced man was talking about? The higher-ups denied it, so how could there not be bad blood between them?"

Li Qiang and Zhang Lei were undoubtedly the most pessimistic of the two. They frowned heavily, their eyes filled with worry. Their words, steeped in negativity and unease, persistently expressed their concerns, as if trying to spread their pessimistic mood to the others.

Seeing their timid behavior, Feng Jiaqi couldn’t help but get angry. "What nonsense are you two sprouting? Since Sister Nightingale brought us here, it must be safe. Besides, didn’t you hear her say she’ll be back to pick us up after a while?"

"Jiaqi... uh... Classmate Feng, can you ask Sister Nightingale for me if I can drop out of this mission?" Liu Haofeng asked. "To be honest, I have a chronic heart condition that requires regular medication, but I left my meds at home."

At that moment, Liu Haofeng was consumed by a single, powerful urge: to get out of this place immediately. In his desperation to escape, he started fabricating excuses, hoping to find a reason to leave right away.

"Hmph! If you want to ask, ask her yourself. I’m not doing it for you."

After casting a cautious glance at Chen Pingchuan, Feng Jiaqi flatly rejected Liu Haofeng’s request. This Liu Haofeng is so annoying, she grumbled inwardly. He’s always talking to me. It’d be so easy for Chuanchuan to get the wrong idea.

Ye Luo, standing to the side, maintained her usual aloof and indifferent attitude.

Only Chen Pingchuan remained silent, walking with his head down as he pondered something. The others might not have noticed how strange the mine was, but he had already discerned a few clues.

The expressions of the miners he saw earlier were just like those of the 996 employees from his previous life—desperate and numb. Such a demeanor couldn’t have been cultivated overnight.

As his brain raced, Chen Pingchuan instantly deduced several possibilities. But no matter the scenario, it was clear that the secrets hidden within the mine were even more troublesome than what appeared on the surface.

But what does that have to do with me? I’m just here to pick up some goods, Chen Pingchuan soon dismissed the idea. Whatever secrets this mine is hiding, I can’t be bothered to investigate. I just need to gain enough simulation points during this time and get myself back into peak condition. That’s all that matters.

The group first passed by the mine’s dining hall, where the enticing aroma of preheating ingredients wafted through the air. Soon after, they were led to the employee dormitory area. There were no female dormitories, so Ye Luo and Feng Jiaqi occupied a four-person room as their temporary dorm.

When the bald Li Laoqi saw Feng Jiaqi and Ye Luo remove their headscarves, he was stunned by their beauty. His eyes widened involuntarily, and his mouth fell slightly agape. He had never seen such beautiful women. Their exquisite faces were like celestial beings from a dream, and their fair skin seemed to glow under the sunlight.

Ye Luo’s beauty had a cold charm, like the bright moon in a night sky, inspiring a sense of awe that made it difficult to look away. Feng Jiaqi, on the other hand, possessed a lively and vibrant beauty. Her smile seemed capable of dispelling all the world’s gloom, making her irresistibly attractive.

Li Laoqi stood dazed for several seconds, inwardly comparing them to the women he had captured in the Nest of Comfort to satisfy his lust. After a few moments, he gave a subtle, lecherous smile, his mind already hatching some foul plan.

After a brief rest, the group received a notification from Wang Yujie: they were to assemble in front of the small building by the mine entrance before 2 PM to discuss their specific internship tasks. This included a test of courage and their ability to endure hardship: going down into the pits to mine.