Chapter 25 : Chapter 25
Chapter 25: The Rebellion Is Fully Suppressed
By the time Li Xingge reached the mine, the riot there had already entered its final stage.
Those mine slaves—most of whom had not even possessed weapons—had finally had their last surge of hot blood extinguished amid merciless slaughter.
The surviving slaves knelt on the ground with their hands over their heads, trembling in fear.
When the Li family cultivators saw their own Family Head arrive, they all bent themselves respectfully.
As for the mine guards, they dropped to one knee.
In one voice, they shouted, “We greet the Family Head!”
Their cry rang throughout the mine.
The subdued slaves, meanwhile, began trembling even more violently. They flattened themselves against the ground, not daring to move in the slightest.
Because their fate rested in the hands of that young man.
Hearing the cries rising across the mountains, Li Xingge remained completely unmoved. He had long since grown used to such things.
With his hands clasped behind his back, he walked forward at an unhurried pace.
Everywhere his gaze fell, heads lowered.
No one dared meet his eyes.
When he finally reached the high ground and slowly turned around, the entire scene fell into deathly silence.
His face was calm, showing neither joy nor anger.
“You rebelled,” he said slowly. “I am very displeased.”
At those words, every slave shuddered, their eyes turning ashen.
So this was it.
Today, none of them would escape death.
But what Li Xingge said next rekindled hope for life in them almost instantly.
“Originally, I had intended to execute all of you. But even Heaven cherishes life, and I am no exception. I can give you one more chance.”
Under the slaves’ expectant gaze, Li Xingge smiled.
“Next, I will play a very interesting game with you.”
“The rules of this game are simple. You will divide yourselves into groups of five and each draw lots.”
“There will be five lots. Four red lots and one black lot.”
“If you draw a red lot, then as long as you kill the one who drew the black lot, you will become the victors of this game and live.”
“Of course, the one who draws the black lot should not despair either. If you have the ability to kill the other four in return, then you too may live. In fact, I may even remove your status as slaves.”
“Do not ask me why. Because this is a world where the weak are prey to the strong.”
“The strong have the right to live.”
When Li Xingge finished speaking, every slave began breathing heavily.
Those who had been fighting side by side just moments ago now looked at one another with wariness, scrutiny, and ill intent.
An elderly slave widened his eyes. Looking up at the elegant young noble on the high platform, he seemed to be staring at a monstrous demon. Thinking of the terrible consequences, he rose and roared, “Do not believe his lies! If we really do as he says, we will never again have any chance of leaving this place!”
Two Li family cultivators, enraged, rushed forward and drew their blades, preparing to execute this slave who had dared insult the Family Head.
Yet Li Xingge simply waved a hand.
Though puzzled, the two cultivators stopped their blades.
But the way they looked at that elderly slave remained vicious.
“So it seems you do not want this opportunity.”
Li Xingge did not appear angry at all. He merely shook his head and spoke with indifference.
“No!”
The other slaves, seeing the single thread of life they had just been offered about to be snuffed out by this old man, all turned on him in fury.
“If you want to die, don’t drag us down with you!”
“I still want to live! I don’t want to die!”
“It’s all this old fool’s fault! He’s trying to get us all killed!”
“Kill him! Only then do we have a chance to live!”
“Kill him!”
“Kill him!”
In the elderly slave’s disbelieving eyes, one slave after another charged at him.
They knocked him to the ground without mercy.
Then, with fists and feet, they vented all the fury in their hearts.
Under the group beating, the old slave neither fought back nor cried out.
He simply let their blows fall upon him.
Only despair filled his clouded eyes.
Before long, he was beaten to his last breath.
“You people... will never... stand up again in your lives...”
The old slave looked at them mockingly and slowly breathed his last.
Watching the entire scene coldly, Li Xingge’s lips curled slightly.
“You have done very well. I am very satisfied. I now announce that the game officially begins.”
Li Xingge smiled, harmless and gentle.
The moment his words fell, the mine’s stewards hurried to work.
Following Li Xingge’s rules, they organized the mine slaves in orderly groups and began the drawing of lots.
Those who drew red lots glowed with excitement and joy, as though they could already see the dawn of survival.
Those who drew black lots looked as if their parents had just died.
Of course, those who drew red still had to kill the one who drew black before the game would truly end.
And those who drew black naturally had no intention of waiting meekly for death.
Thus, the cruel slaughter began again.
Former companions had become enemies of life and death.
In the flashing clash of blades and bodies, the fragility of life and the complexity of human nature were displayed to the fullest.
At the side, the Fifth Elder watched the slaves kill one another by every means imaginable, and the respect and admiration in his gaze toward Li Xingge only deepened.
“Family Head, this move of yours is brilliant. Truly brilliant.”
He raised a thumb in heartfelt praise.
Li Xingge shook his head. “Only a petty trick.”
The Fifth Elder laughed loudly.
...
“Family Head, that slave seems somewhat unusual.”
The Fifth Elder, who had been watching the slaves’ fighting all along, suddenly pointed into the distance in surprise.
Li Xingge followed the direction of his finger.
There, a frail slave who had drawn the black lot was actually gaining the upper hand while being attacked by four other slaves.
Only moments earlier, he had sent a sturdy slave flying with a single punch.
Blood poured from that man’s mouth in great gulps. It looked like he would not live.
If he had been a cultivator, Li Xingge would not have found it remarkable.
After all, a cultivator crushing ordinary people was completely normal.
But in Li Xingge’s senses, this slave was an utterly ordinary person. There was not the slightest fluctuation of spiritual power in his body. In fact, because the Li family had exploited him year after year, his body was exceptionally weak.
Yet this weak body was somehow exploding with abnormal strength.
Li Xingge raised a brow, intrigued.
He focused his thoughts on that frail slave.
In an instant, lines of red text appeared above the slave’s head.
【Name: Huang Gou’er】
【Age: 17】
【Cultivation: None】
【Talent: Sixth Grade】
【Special Physique: Mad Demon Battle Body （Unawakened）】
“Hiss...”
Even with Li Xingge’s composure, when he saw Huang Gou’er’s status panel, he could not help drawing in a sharp breath.
Sixth-grade talent.
And at the same time, a rare special physique.
Either one of those alone, placed on an ordinary person, would make that person a heaven’s favored child.
And here they existed together.
This child’s future was immeasurable.
Even Li Xingge himself, in terms of natural talent, could not compare.
At that thought, Li Xingge began calculating inwardly.
As time passed, that bloody game gradually neared its end.
When the last black-lot slave was finally killed, the game officially ended.
In the entire game, only two people managed to overcome many with few.
As expected, Huang Gou’er was one of them.
Looking at the surviving slaves, looking at the mutual vigilance and hostility in their eyes, Li Xingge smiled.
Stepping forward, he said with a smile, “I am a man who keeps his word. Congratulations. You have survived this game.”
Hearing those words, the surviving slaves all let out breaths of relief. It was as if all the strength in their bodies had suddenly been sucked away, and they collapsed to the ground, gasping for air.
Only after one had faced death did one learn to fear it.
With his hands clasped behind his back, Li Xingge slowly walked over to Huang Gou’er and the other man who had survived after drawing the black lot.
He looked at them, and both immediately dropped to their knees, lowering their heads, not daring to meet his eyes.
“We greet honored sir.”
“Raise your heads.”
Li Xingge spoke lightly.
Only then did the two men lift their heads shakily.
Looking at the richly noble young man before them, both of them could not help but shudder.
“Tell me your names.”
A warm voice entered their ears.
“This lowly one is Huang Gou’er.”
“Honored sir, this one is called Heipi.”
Li Xingge nodded.
“I said before that the strong have the right to live. Of course, the strong also have the right to choose their own fate. So now I will give the two of you a chance to change your destiny. Are you willing to serve my Li family?”
Though his tone was calm, there was no room for refusal.
The wise submitted to circumstance. Truly unbending men would never have survived until now.
The two did not hesitate in the slightest.
They kowtowed and swore, “We are willing to serve honored sir unto death! We are willing to serve the Li family unto death!”
Li Xingge clapped and laughed.
“Good. Very good. I hope your future performance will satisfy me.”
Then he turned his head and said to the Fifth Elder, “Fifth Elder, since these two are willing to serve my Li family, then place them under your command as stewards.”
The Fifth Elder naturally would not defy Li Xingge in the slightest.
“Yes.”
Huang Gou’er and Heipi were overjoyed. They kowtowed again and again.
Compared to their former identity as mine slaves, they had truly risen in a single leap to Heaven.
Without wasting more time on the two of them, Li Xingge took the Fifth Elder and the mine’s upper management to the assembly hall.
Li Xingge, naturally and without modesty, sat in the main seat.
Then he said coldly, “Fifth Elder, what do you have to say for yourself?”
The Fifth Elder, Li Xuanqi, trembled in his heart.
He immediately cupped his fists and bowed. “Family Head, in this rebellion, this subordinate was negligent and failed in oversight. I am willing to bear all responsibility. I ask the Family Head to punish me.”
Though Li Xingge belonged to Li Xuanqi’s junior generation, Li Xuanqi did not dare act like an elder before him in the slightest.
It was not only because of Li Xingge’s status as Family Head.
It was even more because Li Xingge’s methods and strength were such that Li Xuanqi truly could not treat him as a mere junior.
Li Xingge closed his eyes and drew a deep breath.
Inside the hall, seeing even the chief steward being so cautious, the rest of the mine’s upper management hardly dared breathe. Each of them felt his heart lodged in his throat.
Time passed, second by second.
The atmosphere inside the hall grew unbearably oppressive.
At last, Li Xingge opened his mouth, waved a hand, and said, “We will waive punishment this time. But if there is a next time, then return to the clan lands and enter closed-door cultivation.”
A bead of cold sweat slid down the Fifth Elder’s forehead. He quickly replied, “Thank you, Family Head. If there is ever another mishap at the Silver Ridge mineral vein, this old man will bring you his head.”
Li Xingge nodded.
“The Silver Ridge mineral vein is the economic lifeline of my Li family. Though this rebellion was suppressed in time, the slaves suffered enormous casualties and the mine’s output has already been affected. You must restore production as quickly as possible.”
“Yes.”
“If there is nothing else, all of you may withdraw. Fifth Elder, stay behind.”
“This subordinate takes his leave.”
After the others had filed out one after another, only Li Xingge and the Fifth Elder remained in the hall.
“I wonder what further instructions the Family Head has?”
The Fifth Elder asked respectfully.
Li Xingge rubbed his forehead. He seemed to be making some kind of difficult decision.
After a long while, as though he had finally resolved himself, he said slowly,
“That Huang Gou’er—find a chance and deal with him.”
Though the Fifth Elder was puzzled and did not understand why the Family Head wanted a mere slave killed, he did not dare hesitate in the slightest when faced with Li Xingge’s order.
He immediately answered, “Yes.”
It was not that Li Xingge was jealous of Huang Gou’er’s talent.
At the beginning, Li Xingge had indeed wanted to take him into his service.
After all, his talent truly was terrifying.
If he were allowed to grow, he would be enough to dominate one region.
But the pity was this—
He did not bear the surname “Li.”
The Li family would not expend enormous resources to nurture an outsider as a key figure.
And besides, after being enslaved by the Li family for so many years, Huang Gou’er could hardly be said to bear no resentment toward them at all...
So then the only choice was to eliminate that hidden danger.