"Two hundred eighty-two pieces of coal!"
"There's actually this much!"
"This mine is unbelievably rich!"
Overjoyed, Ningguang and the two others seemed to have completely forgotten their identities. Deep within the mine, the three women looked at each other with beaming faces, as if they had rediscovered the simple joy of chasing their dreams before ascending to their high positions.
However, Cloud Retainer shot them a peculiar look and shook her head slightly, saying, "How petty... To be so flustered by a mere two hundred eighty-odd pieces of coal? Such a harvest is not even comparable to the Cor Lapis this Adeptus gathers in Jueyun Karst."
Hearing Cloud Retainer's rather proud remark, Keqing's expression soured. She was about to argue, but Ningguang subtly tugged on Keqing's sleeve. Smiling at Cloud Retainer, Ningguang elegantly said, "Cloud Retainer, you may not know this, but this is the special characteristic of Jiang Xuan's world. Don't underestimate these small coal deposits, even if there are only a couple hundred of them."
"However, this is an unimaginable harvest!"
Upon hearing this, Cloud Retainer instinctively wanted to deny and rebuke, but then she had a change of thought. She had already seen the endless stones on the Sky Island and just witnessed the chain mining.
Everything in this world was strange, and making hasty conclusions might lead to Ningguang and the others laughing at her. After a moment of thought, Cloud Retainer's expression softened slightly, and she softly asked, "Then, Tianquan, what is so special about this coal?"
Seeing Cloud Retainer's polite inquiry, Ningguang inwardly chastised the informants who provided intelligence on the Adepti. Who said Cloud Retainer was arrogant, easily angered, and quick to fall for tricks?
She was an Adeptus who had lived for thousands of years, fought alongside the Geo Archon, Rex Lapis on battlefields, and witnessed more schemes and tricks than they had eaten meals. If she were a thoughtless and impulsive hothead who fell for every provocation, she would have died in the Archon War long ago.
Ningguang felt a pang of regret. She had originally wanted to provoke Cloud Retainer slightly, to make her bet, so that Cloud Retainer would be completely bound to the side of humanity. However, it was also fortunate that their Adeptus was cautious and not reckless.
Ningguang's mind was racing with thoughts, but she unhurriedly pointed to the coal deposits and chuckled, "In fact, when I first heard about the special characteristic of this coal, I was also very shocked, but Ganyu proved with facts, using a scale to repeatedly measure the results, that we must believe it."
She handed a piece of coal to Cloud Retainer, and the moment it touched her hand, Cloud Retainer's expression changed dramatically. Ningguang smiled faintly. "That's right, one piece of coal weighs over one hundred sixty kilograms..."
Cloud Retainer was speechless, repeatedly examining the piece of coal in her hand, which was smaller than her palm. Such a small piece, over one hundred sixty kilograms. It was absolutely absurd! If anyone had told her this before, Cloud Retainer would have thought they were crazy. After all, even the highest quality Cor Lapis and Crystal Ores, of this small size, would at most weigh a mere ten kilograms. This was just a piece of coal!
But the heavy feedback in her hand told Cloud Retainer that it was true. This piece of coal really weighed over one hundred sixty kilograms... Cloud Retainer's gaze behind her red half-rimmed glasses became incredibly complex.
She didn't mind the coal being dirty. She held it in her hand, examining it repeatedly, even channeling Adeptal energy into it. But the feedback from this object was that it was just an ordinary piece of coal, simply of better quality.
Cloud Retainer took a deep breath and looked up at Ningguang. "So, two hundred eighty-two pieces of coal, that's..."
"Forty-six thousand eight hundred kilograms! Nearly forty-seven tons of coal." Keqing quietly finished Cloud Retainer's sentence, her tone devoid of any significant emotional fluctuation. "In Teyvat, that's about half a day's output of a small coal mine."
"And we..." Cloud Retainer's eyes grew brighter, and her voice became somewhat hurried. "Took less than five minutes, and the miners were you, who are completely unfamiliar with mining work."
"The cost... merely a few pickaxes that can be crafted anywhere?"
Ningguang could barely suppress her smile. She nodded gracefully and softly said, "This batch of coal, with zero cost, considering its quality, if we were to sell it to Snezhnaya and Fontaine, two nations in desperate need of coal..."
"The net profit would be thirty million Mora!"
Everyone fell silent. Don't think thirty million Mora is a small amount; in Liyue, it's enough to buy a good mansion in Liyue Harbor. Moreover... did Ningguang and the others put in a lot of effort? Did they incur many costs? From start to finish, they just used zero-cost pickaxes and mined for a while with chain mining.
In just that short time, thirty million Mora entered their accounts. Even Ningguang, whose business acumen had reached such a pinnacle, might earn this much Mora in half a day. But to say she earned thirty million in a few minutes... that was a first in her life.
Cloud Retainer lowered her head quietly, seemingly unresponsive to everything Ningguang had said. After a long while, Cloud Retainer suddenly gave Zhongli a strange look, her tone hinting at a hint of complexity. "Mr. Zhongli, the Vigilant Yaksha once said that you are well-versed in ancient and modern knowledge, and your erudition is something he has never seen in his life."
"I wonder, what are your thoughts on this small coal mine?"
Keqing and Ganyu didn't understand why Cloud Retainer suddenly asked Zhongli such a question. After all, Zhongli's presence among this group of people was quite subtle. However, Zhongli was indeed very knowledgeable, so perhaps Cloud Retainer was simply asking for his insights on the coal mine.
But... Zhongli and Ningguang didn't think so. Cloud Retainer's question almost completely confirmed Zhongli's identity to Ningguang. If that was the case, then Cloud Retainer's question couldn't just be about coal. It was about...
Liyue, or rather, the future of Liyue! Zhongli, as the Geo Archon, Rex Lapis, had entrusted Ningguang with full responsibility for the cooperation with Jiang Xuan; Cloud Retainer also understood this. Cloud Retainer was very intelligent.
Now that she saw Zhongli exploring the world with everyone in human form, she more or less understood something. She just didn't want to admit it, but now... Cloud Retainer saw the truly terrifying value of this world.
She understood the outcome of letting Ningguang represent Liyue, represent humanity in Liyue, and cooperate with Jiang Xuan. The Liyue of the Adepti and the Geo Archon would fade, and from then on, a human-governed Liyue would enjoy sole glory. Cloud Retainer was asking Zhongli how he viewed the future.
Realizing this, Ningguang's hands suddenly became sweaty. She subtly glanced at Zhongli, who was leisurely chatting with Jiang Xuan about something. When Cloud Retainer suddenly called him, he was also taken aback for a moment. However, he quickly understood and calmly replied, "This coal is indeed a timeless marvel, but no matter what it is, as long as it can help Liyue develop, then nothing else matters..."
"So... this Adeptus understands." Cloud Retainer sighed, as if relieved and wistful, then a smile appeared on her face. Her gaze, which inadvertently swept over Keqing, was no longer as sharp, but rather, softer. Cloud Retainer paused, then quietly said, "Ningguang, may this Adeptus have a share of this coal mine? This Adeptus wishes to investigate its unique properties."
Hearing Cloud Retainer address her directly as Ningguang instead of Tianquan, Ningguang understood that Cloud Retainer had likely accepted the path Liyue was taking. She immediately said with a hint of joy, "Of course, True Monarch. Take as much as you like. However, if True Monarch truly gains any insights, please do not hesitate to enlighten us."
Cloud Retainer calmly nodded. "That is only right."
Keqing and Ganyu were unaware that such a significant conversation about Liyue's future had taken place in such a short time. But they could still sense that Cloud Retainer's attitude had softened somewhat.
However, Keqing clearly didn't care about these things. She hastily finished the apple in her hand, saw that her satiety had fully recovered, and then urged, "Jiang Xuan, let's keep going! This coal isn't enough, don't we still need a lot of iron ore? And all that Redstone you've been wanting."
Looking at the excited Keqing, Jiang Xuan was a little helpless. He spread his hands and said, "I know you're full of energy, but at least let everyone rest a bit."
"Hmm..." Ganyu weakly raised her hand and whispered, "Actually, from the moment we came in until now, including mining and resting, less than an hour has passed."
"Jiang Xuan, we are all Adepti and Vision holders, our physiques are very strong. Plus, with your physical sharing, we won't get tired so easily."
Hearing this, Jiang Xuan playfully pinched Ganyu's horn. "I'm worried about you and want you to rest more, and you're not grateful? Fine, don't be grateful then!"
Jiang Xuan stood up and stretched. "Xiao! Lead the way. Zhongli, bring up the rear. Let's continue!"
Everyone chatted and laughed as they got up, holding their weapons and torches, their peripheral vision scanning for any movement. Unfortunately... no one noticed that Ganyu, with her head down, was blushing from her ears to her neck.
"Wor... worried about me..." The darkness became Ganyu's perfect disguise, so much so that even though everyone was close by, no one saw Ganyu's blissful smile.
In fact, Jiang Xuan hadn't given much thought to what he said. After all, Ganyu was one of his most important friends! Currently, Jiang Xuan's mind was completely focused on the mine. Logically speaking, such a rich and deep mine, and one so close to the village, should have a abandoned mine shaft.
Jiang Xuan was quite eager to find an abandoned mine shaft, as it contained important resources like minecarts with rails and cobwebs. Having ready-made rails would save a lot of materials and were essential for many automated mechanisms.
As for cobwebs... string could be used to make bows and arrows. Moreover, if Jiang Xuan found a chest in an abandoned mine shaft, he might even get an enchanted book or an enchanted tool.
But given the current situation, this mine shaft might not have an abandoned mine. So... "Would there be an abandoned mine on the side with a bunch of monsters?"
"Forget it, I'll go check it out after I get some defensive gear." Jiang Xuan sighed, temporarily casting aside these thoughts, intending to just focus on clearing out this mine shaft first. The group continued forward, placing torches as they went, and soon completely left the area with the depleted coal resources. The dim torchlight made the mine appear even more gloomy.
After an unknown amount of time, a completely black figure appeared out of nowhere, as if teleporting. Specks of purple starlight scattered as he appeared. Long arms and legs, with only his eyes not black. He tilted his head, watching the direction Jiang Xuan and the others had left for a while, emitting some strange sounds.
Without any visible movement, he instantly appeared next to the wooden steps they had left behind and picked them up. Purple particles flickered, and the Enderman's figure disappeared without a trace once more. Only the gradually dissipating purple particles proved that a little blackie had once appeared here.
🚨 Note : Consider to Support this Story on Patreon.com/Flokixy to access +300 advance Chapters & 2 Chapters Daily and To Support The Daily Update