"However, the Superpower Stones you mine must be handed over to me. I will give you Points in exchange, which you can use to trade for food later."
"By the way, let me make something clear upfront: if I find out any of you are keeping stones privately or trading them with other shelters, don’t blame me for the consequences."
These words caused everyone to feel a pang of dread.
This man could kill Tian Wei; his strength was unquestionably terrifying.
How many in other shelters could even challenge Tian Wei?
Liao Tao couldn’t help but ask, "Mr. Liang, what are Points? How do we exchange them exactly?"
Liang Yuan smiled, "You can exchange them like the residents of my shelter do."
"When the time comes, if you don’t mine, the residents of my shelter will mine. I have no intention of forcing you to do anything."
Liao Tao was stunned; people would actually come to mine?
Meng Guangli was puzzled too. Who would want to be a Mine Slave?
Unless there’s profit involved.
The three exchanged glances, feeling that Mr. Liang was much more reasonable than Tian Wei.
At least he had strength but didn’t oppress people.
And he gave everyone the freedom to choose.
Liang Yuan smiled, "You don’t need to rush to decide. Discuss it among yourselves first. Oh, in two days, the Sea Tide is coming. How did Tian Wei’s people deal with it?"
Niu Daming replied, "I know. Tian Wei’s people dug out shelters beneath the mines. When the Sea Tide comes, everyone hides in the shelters and seals the entrance."
Liang Yuan was surprised and asked, "Where’s the entrance?"
"I’ll show you." Liao Tao immediately said.
He then took the initiative to lead Liang Yuan to the mine. Deep underground, they turned a corner and found a large mine cavern.
Inside, there were many Light Stones for illumination and some cooking pots and pans.
Nearby, water trickled down the walls, forming a pool.
Additionally, there were piles of stones mixed with red fragments.
Liang Yuan asked in confusion, "Are these Superpower Stones?"
Liao Tao hurriedly replied, "Yes, but they are impure Fire Attribute Superpower Stones."
"What are these used for? Why are they piled here?"
"Mr. Liang, these impure Fire Attribute Superpower Stones can be used as fuel."
"A small amount of fragments can burn all day without producing smoke. It’s excellent fuel."
Liang Yuan was astonished, "Fuel? Fire Attribute Superpower Stones won’t explode?"
Liao Tao explained, "Fire Attribute Superpower Stones that can explode are very pure and require runes to activate their internal energy."
"Typically, regular Fire Attribute Superpower Stones have stable internal energy; even if shattered, they won’t explode."
"Otherwise, we would have died mining these stones long ago."
Liang Yuan understood and became interested. He grabbed some fragments to examine them.
Just as Liao Tao said, the fragments were full of impurities and had low purity.
Seeing Liang Yuan interested, Liao Tao quickly added, "I saw Tian Wei’s Superpower Users using these fragments to cook, light fires, and dry clothes."
"Moreover, placing high-purity Fire Attribute Superpower Stones in the cave improves the environment, making it dry and repelling insects."
"Yes, insects prefer dark, damp places. Areas with Fire Attribute Superpower Stones are dry and hot, so they avoid them."
Liang Yuan couldn’t help but marvel, not realizing how extensively Fire Attribute Superpower Stones were utilized in the mines.
Indeed, having many stones provided opportunities to explore their uses.
Liang Yuan felt he learned something new.
After circling the cavern, he realized it wasn’t artificially created but naturally formed.
"This is naturally formed, right?"
Liao Tao quickly nodded, "Yes, we accidentally opened it while mining."
"It then became our shelter from the Sea Tide."
Liang Yuan nodded, "You can keep using this place as your shelter from the Sea Tide."
"Squeak, squeak, squeak—"
Before Liao Tao finished, he suddenly froze, hearing something.
Liang Yuan also turned sharply, looking toward the sound.
In a distant corner, they saw a brownish-yellow creature gnawing on a brownish-yellow stone.
Liang Yuan and Liao Tao exchanged glances.
Liao Tao shook his head quickly, "No idea, looks like a rat."
Liang Yuan was speechless; couldn’t he see it was a rat?
But whose rat eats stones?
This was clearly a Mutant Beast.
He signaled Liao Tao to stay quiet.
Then, he tip-toed closer to the rat.
The rat was sizable, roughly as big as a newborn baby.
Its fur was brownish-yellow and crystalline, with round, ink-black eyes.
Its short front limbs held a piece of Earth Attribute Superpower Stone as it gnawed.
Oddly, the stone seemed like malt to it, making crispy sounds as it chewed.
Its two front teeth seemed incredibly sharp, easily biting into the Superpower Stone. Follow current ɴᴏᴠᴇʟs on novel~fire~net
As it chewed, many stone fragments fell, forming a small puddle on the ground.
Suddenly, its large ears perked up, its chewing paused, and it turned its head.
Liang Yuan promptly held his breath and stopped moving, remaining over fifty meters away.
This range rendered Spiritual Power attacks unusable.
Alert, the brownish-yellow rat detected something amiss and quickly hopped away.
Seeing this, Liang Yuan swiftly pursued.
As Liang Yuan appeared, the rat was startled, emitting a brownish-yellow haze.
The next moment, it fiercely dashed into the stone wall!
Liang Yuan halted, raising his eyebrows, "Earth Escape?"