Chapter 68

Chapter 68

The area ahead was brightly lit, making stealth impossible. Without hesitation, Qin Han quickly retreated to a secluded corner, changed into a guard’s uniform, and even smeared red pigment on his face for authenticity. Then, he swaggered boldly toward the mining area.

But he had only taken a few steps when the clanging of metal echoed from the mine, startling him. For a moment, he feared it was an alarm raised after the theft of the gold storage room had been discovered.

Just as he was puzzling over it, a guard holding a torch happened to walk by. Spotting Qin Han, the man greeted him, "Brother, heading to eat? I heard the last batch of gold will be gathered tonight, and then we’ll set off back. The Supervisor even added extra dishes for this meal!"

Qin Han grunted in response. "Then we’re in for a treat."

He felt slightly relieved—apparently, the so-called alarm was just a call to dinner. That made sense; the storage room was on the other side, so any alarm wouldn’t be sounded here in the mining area.

Setting his mind at ease, he walked side by side with the guard, leisurely making their way forward. After a few steps, the guard suddenly turned his head and gave Qin Han a scrutinizing look.

"Brother, you look unfamiliar. Are you new here?"

Qin Han replied indifferently, "Ma Xing and I are life-and-death friends."

Hearing this, the guard’s face immediately took on a fawning expression. "Ma Xing is the Supervisor’s son! So you’re close with the Supervisor too, huh? My name’s Li Yang, a guard temporarily assigned from Black Stronghold. And you are...?"

Qin Han narrowed his eyes slightly. "I’m Ma Chao."

Li Yang’s expression brightened. "Ah, so you’re also surnamed Ma! That must mean you’re related to the Supervisor. You’ll have to look out for me in the future."

"Of course."

Qin Han deliberately walked slowly, probing for information along the way. Li Yang answered every question without hesitation, and soon, Qin Han had gathered plenty of intel.

Most of it matched what Ma Xing had previously said. The High Priest was preparing for his grand wedding ceremony in two days at the main base, Black Stronghold. His fiancée, rumored to be a stunning woman he’d met during his travels, had one peculiar obsession—she adored gold. She had declared that her future residence must be made of gold, down to the toilet. The High Priest, utterly infatuated, had agreed to all her demands.

As a result, every gold mine on the island was working overtime. The High Priest had even mobilized countless guards from Black Stronghold to oversee gold transportation across various sites. Each mine refined and shipped gold in batches—meaning that aside from the small amount of gold ore left in the mine carts and the storage room Qin Han had previously raided, there was no more gold left in this mine.

In fact, the only place on the entire island with a substantial amount of gold now was the High Priest’s own stockpile!

Upon hearing this, Qin Han instantly lost motivation. He considered making an excuse to slip away, but by then, the two had already arrived at the mining area.

The place was packed with people. Two long tables stood in the center, laden with sumptuous dishes.

At the table, a burly middle-aged man dressed in white silk, holding a whip, listened haughtily as a gray-robed elder spoke beside him.

"Supervisor, those people in the ninth mining area are causing trouble again. They claim the monster's roar from the depths of the mine has returned and insist we send guards to investigate."

The Supervisor gripped his whip, slapping it repeatedly against his palm, his face filled with disdain.

"The depths of the mine are filled with ore—what kind of monster could be howling there? I think these people have truly lost their minds from being locked up."

The Gray-robed Elder said, "They've reported this several times now. It seems there might really be something unusual."

The Supervisor shook his head. "These people are nothing but trouble. If not for the High Priest's mercy and reluctance to kill, I would have executed them long ago."