Chapter 319: Deep into the mine
Old Arthur directly removed Leo's miner's helmet, took out the battery inside, and handed it to the girl. Leo didn't resist. He understood clearly that if he didn't cooperate, the other three would likely kill him or trade him to other miners.
"Very good. Only small mining rats are edible in the mine shafts. Small mining rats gnaw on ores, but they can expel the harmful substances from their bodies. However, large mining rats cannot be eaten. If you encounter mining rats larger than humans, I suggest you run away immediately, because such rats have likely swallowed some kind of rare ore and are one of the dangerous factors in the mine shafts.
Water sources aren't uncommon in the mine shafts, but there aren't many that can be directly consumed. This test paper can detect whether a water source is safe to drink directly. If the test paper doesn't change color within five minutes of being immersed in water, the water source can be drunk directly."
The girl took out a stack of white test papers and handed them to Lin Ye.
"Thank you. What are those ores used for? What dangers are there deep in the mine shafts?"
Lin Ye continued asking questions.
"These two questions aren't worth exchanging for just one battery, and the information I know isn't complete either. How about this - three white ores. If you promise to give me three white ores later, I'll tell you what information I know."
The girl only looked at Lin Ye. She didn't think the others could survive returning from the depths of the mine shafts.
"Agreed."
Lin Ye agreed very decisively. After all, he also needed to go deep into the mine shafts to mine, so the difference between ten and thirteen pieces wasn't significant. "Ores of different colors have different functions. I only know that white ores can be used to make spiritual energy items. Items made with them have a high probability of developing some function related to energy.
As for the dangers deep in the mine shafts, I only travel through the mining areas using 'passageways'. Passageways are channels that cross between mining areas of different worlds. There are almost no valuable ores near passageways, so you won't encounter particularly dangerous things. I don't know much about the depths of mining areas.
First, don't get lost. Getting lost in mine shafts is very dangerous - you might never return. Then you need to watch out for those mutant creatures that have swallowed ores, and don't enter sealed mining areas that have been dug through. Finally, certain special ores can affect entire mining areas. Such special mining areas are extremely dangerous. That's all I know."
The girl told Lin Ye all the information she knew.
"Can I ask how to leave this place?"
Neil asked the question he had been wanting to ask.
"Every mining area has an elevator that can take you out of the mining area, but using the elevator requires paying a certain amount of ores. This amount varies for each mining area.
Alright, I have things to attend to. I'll come back later for the ores."
After answering the questions, the girl pushed Leo aside and walked toward another mine shaft, then disappeared into the depths of the mine shaft.
"What do we do now? We can't keep mining here until we've collected a hundred thousand ores."
Neil leaned on his mining pickaxe. After just this short time of mining, he was already somewhat tired. Mining was physically demanding work.
"Of course we go deep into the mine shafts to mine. You don't want to settle down permanently in a place like this, do you?"
Lin Ye picked up his mining pickaxe, turned on his headlamp, and walked directly toward the depths of the mine shaft. He wanted to quickly mine ten ores to complete the mission.
Neil and Old Arthur hurriedly followed behind Lin Ye. Leo hesitated for a moment, but ultimately followed as well. He didn't want to stay alone - those miners seemed quite interested in him.
Lin Ye quickly advanced deep into the mine shaft, constructing a mental map of the mining areas they passed through in his mind while paying attention to the distance they were penetrating into the mining area.
The shadow that had been moving in the mine shaft earlier hadn't attacked them, perhaps because they weren't deep enough yet. They hadn't encountered any mutant creatures.
"It doesn't seem as dangerous here as she said."
Leo kept scanning the surroundings. Forget mutant creatures - there wasn't even a single moving thing here.
Lin Ye continued forward. The terrain of the mine shaft was very complex, making it difficult to penetrate a thousand meters deep.
"Do you guys remember the route we took earlier? I'm already having trouble remembering."
Leo tried to memorize the paths they passed as he walked, but before long he couldn't remember anymore.
"I can remember the route we've taken, but you'd better not rely completely on me. If we get separated later, you might get lost in the mine shafts."
Lin Ye didn't know what kind of strange things they might encounter later either.
"That's great. I'll stick close to you."
Old Arthur couldn't remember such complex things at all. He had been worrying earlier about how they would get back.
Lin Ye didn't respond. He noticed something seemed to be moving in the shadows ahead.
He stopped, raised his mining pickaxe, and assumed a combat-ready stance.
Right now he was just an ordinary person who had to rely on his physical body and the weapon in his hand to fight.
Seeing this, the other three also picked up their weapons and prepared for battle. Old Arthur moved to Lin Ye's side - he was clearly more skilled in combat than the other two.
Neil raised his mining pickaxe to guard their rear, while Leo stood beside Neil. The reason he didn't run was because someone was taking the front, and also because he didn't know which direction to run.
Lin Ye approached the shadow step by step. As his headlamp swept over it, the shadow revealed a pile of flesh composed of ore and flesh curled together. The pile trembled as if breathing, and when illuminated by the headlamp, it emitted a sharp screeching sound and sprayed large amounts of ore fragments from within its body.
The fragments moved very fast. Lin Ye shifted his feet and swung his mining pickaxe to knock away the ore fragments he couldn't dodge, then quickly advanced and struck the flesh pile with his pickaxe.
The tip of the mining pickaxe pierced into the flesh pile's body. The flesh pile let out a sharp scream and swung a piece of ore connected to flesh and blood at Lin Ye's head.
Lin Ye abandoned his pickaxe and retreated. At that moment, Old Arthur also advanced and struck the flesh pile with his pickaxe.
"Give me a mining pickaxe!"
Lin Ye took Leo's mining pickaxe, advanced, and struck the flesh pile again. With this strike, the flesh pile completely stopped moving.
"What kind of monster is this?"
Old Arthur pulled his mining pickaxe out of the flesh pile's body. This was his first time seeing such a moving flesh pile.
"It should be an individual separated from a miner's body."
Lin Ye retrieved his own mining pickaxe and returned the borrowed one to Leo.
"Such a large lump?"
Leo said with some disbelief.
"It should be many individuals fused together. It's hard for one person to separate this much flesh and blood."
Neil also came forward to take a look.
"Should we collect some of this meat?"
Leo was getting a bit hungry.
"You might as well just eat the ores directly."
Lin Ye picked up his mining pickaxe and continued forward.
Old Arthur had been hit in the side by ore fragments. Fortunately, he was physically robust and only suffered some bruises on his abdomen that didn't affect his movement.
But after this battle, they had all expended some physical energy. Even Lin Ye was getting a bit hungry.
Before mining, they needed to find food and water sources.
Lin Ye walked quickly at the front. This time he didn't just advance blindly, but used his five senses and analyzed the terrain to search for areas that might have groundwater. This wasn't particularly difficult for him.