The convoy...

It's already here?

Wangchuan glanced at the basket at his feet, still not full, feeling a bit regretful.

Lin Dahai had already started giving orders:

"According to the rules, those of us near the entrance will carry the iron ore out first... Everyone stop working and head out! I'll go with Wangchuan in the first group, Heipi and Old Li in the second group, Zhang Kai and Wei Zhe, you stay here and watch the iron ore."

"Got it!"

Lin Dahai's basket also held nearly two hundred pounds of iron ore.

Heipi and Old Li quickly came over with two thick ropes, tying them to the baskets on Wangchuan and Lin Dahai:

"You haven't mined much iron ore, one trip should be enough! Come back to help after unloading..."

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"Let's go!"

"Lift!!"

With their help, Lin Dahai hoisted the two hundred-pound basket onto his back and began walking step by step toward the exit.

It was Wangchuan's turn.

Only then did he realize how important the basket was.

Wangchuan quickly assumed the horse stance, and with the help of Heipi and Old Li, lifted his own mined iron ore, feeling as though he was being crushed under the weight.

"The convoy is not far from the entrance, just bear with it, watch your step, it's okay to go slow, don't fall," Lin Dahai advised from the front.

Wangchuan gritted his teeth and followed behind, moving step by step toward the outside.

Two hundred pounds, very heavy!

It really tested one's core strength.

Fortunately, Wangchuan's stamina and strength were sufficient, and he quickly adapted, following Lin Dahai.

Then he heard Heipi and Old Li's voices from behind:

"Wangchuan, not bad."

"Adapted quickly."

"Wonder if I go back to working out now... if it's too late."

Heipi was quite the chatterbox, able to talk even at a time like this.

Wangchuan dared not lose his momentum, following Lin Dahai for about thirty meters, stepping off the gravel path, and seeing sturdy wooden mule carts parked by the mountain road.

Beside them stood a merchant and seven or eight young men.

Each young man had an iron weapon at his waist.

"Dahai."

"You're here?"

"Oh, a new face."

The merchant was tall and thin, with narrow eyes and a mustache, clearly a shrewd businessman.

Noticing Wangchuan following Lin Dahai, he couldn't help but ask.

Lin Dahai placed his basket on the cart, then helped Wangchuan unload, saying:

"Take out your Household Registration Certificate."

"Oh, okay."

Wangchuan quickly took out the wooden plaque.

The merchant glanced at it and handed it back, saying:

"Since you're from the village, we'll give you the village price, five pounds for one Copper Coin..."

"These two baskets are both two hundred pounds, forty Copper Coins each, here you go."

The merchant counted out eight Large Copper Coins and handed them to Lin Dahai and Wangchuan.

Wangchuan quickly secured the money and returned to the mine with Lin Dahai to help.

Lin Dahai still had another basket of iron ore;

Heipi and the others had mined iron ore all day, earning about one hundred and eighty Copper Coins.

The group was exhausted, eating pancakes by the roadside.

Wangchuan's hunger had reached 30 points, and he ate with great relish.

While eating, he watched other players transporting ore.

There were still dozens of people inside the mine.

Some were solo players;

Others seemed to be part of game studios like 'Warring States,' working in teams.

The ore transport lasted for over an hour before it ended.

Everyone received their wages.

"Let's go!"

Lin Dahai stood up and said:

"While there's still time, let's mine for another hour before heading back."

Everyone, having eaten and rested for over an hour, was mostly recovered and got up one after another.

Wangchuan naturally wanted to earn more money too.

Returning to their original 'workstation,' they cleared the nearby rocks in the mine, moved them outside, made space, and started mining again.

As they mined, Wangchuan learned from Lin Dahai and the others that:

The iron ore transported into the village could be sold to the Village Chief, but because of the long journey and mountain path, they couldn't carry too much.

Everyone agreed to only mine for an hour.

After resting, others gradually came in to continue mining.

An hour passed.

Around four-thirty in the afternoon.

Everyone began clearing the rock debris and then carried their half-filled baskets of iron ore outside.

Less than a hundred pounds of iron ore was much easier than before, but the journey was a hundred times longer.

A group of over forty people, like a small migration team, walked toward Blackstone Village under the setting sun.

Midway, Wangchuan, feeling hungry, ate another pancake.

After walking and stopping for over an hour, the sky gradually darkened.

Finally, before the sun completely set, they returned to Blackstone Village. The two guards at the gate, who had been eagerly waiting, quickly closed the village gate, as if something terrifying would come in after dark.

Wangchuan also noticed that besides these two guards, the village's earthen walls were surrounded by sharp-looking hunters fully armed, patrolling with a serious atmosphere.

Lin Dahai took the initiative to explain:

"After dark, it becomes very dangerous outside the village. Besides wild beasts, vagrants, and bandits, there seem to be some strange things. At night, don't linger outside the village!"

"Wangchuan, at night, just go back to your room and rest, don't come out unless necessary."

Heipi winked at Wangchuan and said:

"Sometimes, the village itself isn't safe. Old Li said that a month ago, Blackstone Village had more people than it does now."

"..." Wangchuan didn't quite understand what Heipi meant.

Everyone had already gathered at the Village Chief's courtyard entrance.

The Village Chief was purchasing iron ore.

Five pounds for one Copper Coin.

Everyone received about twenty Copper Coins.

A day's normal earnings could reach two hundred Copper Coins, and after deducting a day's food expenses, four pancakes, there would still be one hundred and ninety Copper Coins left.

Wangchuan calculated silently.

Lin Dahai turned his head, lowered his voice, and said:

"The iron ore the Village Chief buys eventually goes to the Blacksmith Shop... Wangchuan, didn't Blacksmith Sun want to take you as an apprentice? Take the iron ore over and see if you can sell it for a better price?"

Wangchuan's eyes lit up, and he left the group to find the Blacksmith Shop.

Blacksmith Sun was still forging at the entrance.

Seeing Wangchuan with a heavy basket, he grinned and said, "Have you made up your mind?"

"Master, I want to learn blacksmithing from you."

"Good, good, good!"

Blacksmith Sun looked very pleased:

"Just in time, a little later, the iron ore from the Village Chief will be sent over, and you can help me out and see how the iron is smelted."

"The iron ore the Village Chief sells to me is four pounds for one Copper Coin. Since you're my apprentice now, I can't let you suffer a loss. I'll also buy from you at four pounds per Copper Coin, but only for you... any more and the Village Chief won't be happy," Blacksmith Sun specifically reminded.

Wangchuan smiled:

"Thank you, Master."

Indeed, it's easier to negotiate with someone you know. One hundred pounds of iron ore earned him twenty-five Copper Coins at Blacksmith Sun's, enough to buy two more pancakes.

"Wangchuan, while Wang Dalang's pancake shop is still open, buy some more pancakes. We've got a busy night ahead."

Blacksmith Sun instructed.