I am a full-level celestial master, you let me enter the strange talk of rules?

Zhang Yangqing astutely gleaned the key information from this statement.

The other party thought he was new.

This means that my current body, at least in this cell, is a new face, and I may have just been imprisoned here not long ago.

Whether he had worked as a miner in other mining areas before is currently unknown.

He went along with it, nodding and saying, "That's right, I haven't been here long. Luckily you reacted quickly and caught me, otherwise you would probably be completely..."

He deliberately left things unsaid, leaving room for interpretation.

Upon hearing this, the old miner's face was filled with a mixture of guilt and gratitude. He thanked him again, saying, "Alas, I almost got you into trouble, and I almost got myself into trouble too. Thank goodness you remained calm. By the way, how did you know that the rat's ear was the antidote?"

His eyes were filled not only with gratitude, but also with surprise and curiosity.

In such a desperate situation, it's incredible that a newcomer could make an accurate judgment and find a cure so quickly.

Zhang Yangqing didn't try to sound profound. Instead, he simply and clearly explained his observations and deductions: from the relatively "normal" state of the rat carcass, he deduced that there might be inhibitors in its body; combining the missing ear and the part that the old miner had eaten, he identified the target; and based on his understanding of the logic of the conflict between pollution and antidote, he made an attempt.

These words were logically clear and logically sound, leaving the old miner stunned. The surprise in his eyes quickly turned into deep admiration.

If before it was merely gratitude for being saved, now it is heartfelt admiration for Zhang Yangqing's terrifying insight and calm thinking under such harsh conditions.

This is exactly the result Zhang Yangqing needs. He not only needs a partner who is grateful for saving his life, but also a "follower" who has almost complete faith in and recognition of his abilities and judgment.

Demonstrate your abilities and extraordinary composure, and you will undoubtedly be seen as a key player by intelligent human NPCs.

If an inexperienced chosen one chooses to 'please' the veteran miners at this stage, their status will not be as high.

From the moment Zhang Yangqing rescued the old miner, he had already begun planning for the "manpower" and "intelligence network" that might be needed later.

Next, Zhang Yangqing naturally steered the conversation toward deeper information.

"By the way, bro, I don't remember having this thing in my head before. Why do I feel so dizzy now, and it hurts terribly when I exert myself even a little?"

Upon hearing this, the old miner's face showed a bitter expression of empathy. He sighed and his eyes fell into reminiscence: "It probably didn't exist before. It was only after 'that person' inexplicably escaped from prison and caused quite a commotion that the higher-ups forcibly implanted this damn thing into all of us."

His tone was filled with awe and lingering fear: "They said it was to prevent anyone from stealing skills, accumulating strength, and escaping. But now life is even harder."

Zhang Yangqing's heart skipped a beat. The "that person" the old miner mentioned was most likely the beautiful woman with peach blossom eyes. The script was too similar.

It seems that many seemingly insignificant 'minor characters' in the Undying Mountain are actually top-tier figures from some other dimension.

Zhang Yangqing didn't interrupt, continuing to guide the conversation, using the newcomer's curiosity to extract more fragmented information about this world from the veteran miner. After some conversation, mainly the veteran miner recounting events, with Zhang Yangqing occasionally asking questions to guide the discussion, Zhang Yangqing confirmed his previous speculation: this place was indeed the "Nine Netherworld Profound Realm"!
A desperate world where humans and many weaker races are forced to eke out a living deep underground.

The mining area where these miners work is located extremely deep underground. The old miners described it in a vague way: it's probably tens of thousands of meters deep from the surface!
But what the old miner said next gave Zhang Yangqing a deeper understanding of the cruel operating logic of this "underground world".

This also confirms his understanding of human nature under certain extreme circumstances: humans seem to be a group that can never completely escape internal strife.

This vast underground world is not monolithic, nor is it ruled by a single regime or alliance.

Because there are "minerals" here.

Minerals are not only raw materials for maintaining basic survival and making tools, but more importantly, they contain rare and special minerals that can be used for "cultivation" and to enhance individual strength.

The struggle for resources, especially those that can lead to advancement in power, has become an eternal theme.

Different factions established their own fortresses and ruling systems around the rich mining areas.

The old miner described in fits and starts: some forces were centered around ancient families, passed down through bloodlines; others relied on the military strength and technology accumulated in the early days to form organizations similar to gangs or legions; and still others were settlements formed by different weak races banding together for mutual support.
Between them, for the sake of mineral veins, for the miners, for technology and cultivation resources, they wage war, annex, betray, and form alliances, staging a dark drama that never ends.

Zhang Yangqing could understand that when living space is compressed to the extreme, and although the strange pressure from the external ground exists, it is not always directly fatal, then the complex social nature and desires of mankind will turn inward and begin to compete for a larger piece of that limited "cake".

Everyone wants to prioritize developing their own power, consolidating their position, and gaining more say and resources, rather than considering how to unite all forces to challenge that seemingly unreachable and extremely dangerous ground.

After all, reaching the surface is a pipe dream, while seizing a rich mine in the neighboring mining area is a real and tangible benefit.

Unity is only forced when there is a common and imminent enemy; otherwise, each has its own agenda, with each having its own schemes and traditions, leading to endless infighting.

Zhang Yangqing understood this, but he didn't criticize it much. He simply accepted it calmly as the background rule of this world.

Such is human nature, or rather, such is the collective nature of intelligent beings.

According to veteran miners, the mining area where Zhang Yangqing is currently located belongs to the "Qingtong family".

This is a family that is said to have an ancient heritage and a powerful bloodline. Its members may be born with a certain talent and their cultivation speed is much faster than that of ordinary people. Therefore, they are considered a powerful force in this region.

The "that person" who successfully escaped from prison and triggered the subsequent chip implantation incident is rumored to have sought refuge with or infiltrated the territory of the "Bai Ying Family," which has a long-standing feud with the Qing Tong Family, after escaping.

Upon hearing the name Bai Ying's family, Zhang Yangqing's lips twitched slightly, and he asked, "Isn't there some kind of 'Golden Family' or something?"

The old miner nodded, his face showing a mixture of disdain and a little fear: "Yes, it's the 'Huang Jin Family,' but we usually call them 'Huang Bandits' in private. They are one of the earliest families to gain a foothold in this underground world. They rely on their early start and strong strength, but I heard that their core mining area has been almost completely mined out, and resources are very scarce."

Zhang Yangqing immediately grasped the key point and continued, "So they prefer to plunder everywhere, right?" (End of Chapter)