Chapter 63: Cannibals VS cannibals (1)
As the academic evaluation entered its final phase, there was one unexpected industry that saw a boom—none other than the quarry business. The climax of the final test of the term, The Battle with the Stone Troll, required an enormous amount of high-quality marble and sturdy rocks, which the academy purchased in bulk from the quarries.
However, while the noble owners and merchants managing these quarries enjoyed this prosperous period, the laborers saw no such benefits. In fact, this time of year marked an increase in overwork and exhaustion for them.
Boom! Boom!
The quarry was a basic, under-equipped facility with only pickaxes, massive hammers, and large iron spikes scattered around. Workers were ceaselessly chipping away at a massive stone mountain, cutting it down bit by bit.
"Hit it in order! Don't slack off on your form!"
"Hey, you idiot! Stop screwing around! You moron!"
"Don't let your guard down! One mistake, and you'll be the next one crushed!"
The foreman's shouts filled the air. In a job where one wrong move could mean death, tempers were understandably short. The workers weren't bad people—they were just focused on their survival and getting paid.
Suddenly—
Crack!
"That idiot!"
One of the new workers had made a mistake. He had struck the stone the wrong way, causing a fissure that began to spread dangerously across the rock face.