[HEQrC]

55

This meant the place Old Nect wanted them to mine in wasn't normally somewhere puppets would go to mine.

Danger meant opportunity. Now that his arm was fixed, going to explore somewhere dangerous wasn't a bad idea.

Old Nect took out the map and pointed it for Xing Ye and Little Nect to look. "If you go outside the city and head southwards, you'll soon find a river. Follow it for 5-10 hours and you'll eventually find a mine. The mine's a bit far, so you won't be able to return during the day. It's pretty dangerous at night outside the city, so don't forget to bring weapons. I have three guns and 30 bullets here that you guys can take."

The puppet city would open its doors at dawn and close them at night. Almost all the puppets who went out to mine would return the same day. What mine was Old Nect talking about, that required them to go so far out?

Xing Ye looked at the map and shook his head, "That's not a mine."

He was supposed to know where the mines are, so it would be out of character if he wasn't skeptical about the location Old Nect pointed out on the map.

"Cough, cough," Old Nect let out an awkward cough, "I'm a master mechanic, so it's only natural I know mines that other people wouldn't know about. There are rules in the mines that everybody knows about, which stipulate each puppet may only take one piece of primary ore a day. If you go there, it'd take you forever to pay back your debt. It'd be much better to go to the mines without rules. You always go out with that big sack of yours, bringing back all sorts of junk, so the officials at the gate all know you already. When they see you come back with your bag full, they won't suspect you."

So it was actually like that. No wonder Old Nect wanted to trick him. He wanted to use Xing Ye's junk collecting identity as a cover.

For the time being, he didn't know why the city officials were limiting the amount of primary ore puppets could mine or what purpose primary ore served, to be used as a currency.

But right now, he could be sure of one thing. Unofficial mine sites were very dangerous. How many people die in the real world from mining accidents every day?

With his luck, it was impossible to not run into an accident.

But right now, he truly needed primary ore. Furthermore, there might be clues at the mining site.

"Alright." Xing Ye agreed.

"Then I'll also go." The big mirror hastily said.

His body was tall, strong, and made of metal, while Xing Ye's was frail and small. He could protect Xing Ye.

Xing Ye tacitly accepted. He wasn't reassured with leaving the mirror alone. If something happened, he was worried he wouldn't be able to bring the mirror back to the system space.

"I'll go too." Cao Qian, who had been silently listening this whole time, suddenly spoke up. "Old Nect, if you help weld metal along my body, I'll mine ore to pay you back."

"This..." Old Nect frowned, "It's not like I'm a philanthropist. Why should I help you?"

"Didn't you say that welding metal to my body parts would cost 30 primary ores? I'll pay 50 ores, with the extra twenty serving as interest. Once I can mine, I'll bring back one ore for you every day. After fifty days, I'll have cleared my debt. Anything's better than right now, where I don't even dare to go out." Cao Qian said firmly.

Xing Ye was a little surprised with how freely Cao Qian was spending money. What gave her such confidence?

Old Nect hesitated when he heard 50 primary ores. Who didn't love money?