Forty years old, awakening attribute panel

Chapter 291 Extra 015
Deep in the mine tunnel, which is as bright as day, rows of bright lights penetrate the darkness and shine on the miners wearing safety helmets and coarse work clothes. They are like hardworking ants, waving their pickaxes, and every powerful blow is accompanied by a fierce collision between metal and rock, sparks flying, like a galaxy falling into the mortal world, lighting up this deep underground world.

In this monotonous but powerful rhythm, a sudden but joyful laugh broke the tranquility of the mine. "Hahaha, I dug up a medium-grade spiritual stone..." This sudden cheer, like an electric current, instantly stirred the hearts of every miner.

Upon hearing this unexpected good news, the miners who had been concentrating on their work stopped what they were doing. They looked at each other in surprise, envy, or emotion and began to whisper to each other.

"Hey, Old Xu's luck is incredible! It's only the middle of the month, and he has already dug up a mid-grade spirit stone for the second time." A big man with a beard tapped the ground with a pickaxe, his tone mixed with admiration and self-mockery.

"Yeah, we've been working so hard, but we haven't even seen the shadow of a medium-quality piece in half a year." Another miner nearby echoed, revealing a hint of helplessness in his words.

"But then again, the situation at Old Xu's home is really not easy. His wife's uremia has high treatment costs, with dialysis alone costing thousands of dollars a month, and they still owe a lot of debt." An older-looking miner shook his head, his tone full of sympathy.

"Alas, in this world, there is gain and loss. Uremia has indeed made their family suffer." The people around nodded and sighed.

"Don't just envy others, let's work hard on our own! Maybe you and I will be the next one to dig up a spirit stone. When the time comes, go to Royal No. 1 and enjoy yourself, and let those young ladies serve you well. It will be worthwhile to live in vain!" Another miner joked with a smile, trying to dispel the clouds of sorrow around him, causing everyone to laugh.

The sounds of laughter and conversation intertwined and gradually merged with the renewed sound of pickaxes striking, echoing in the mine tunnel, adding a touch of warm humanity to this hard work.

In the midst of the hustle and bustle, Jiang Sheng, wearing a yellow helmet, slowly straightened his back and wiped the sweat from his forehead. The sweat slid down his face and mixed with the mud and sand on his face, leaving mottled traces, just like the wind, frost, rain and snow he had experienced over the years. Jiang Sheng's eyes were deep, hiding his expectations for the future and his helplessness in reality.

When asked why Jiang Sheng was here, the answer was simple and true. He was not fantasizing about the unattainable life of a young model in a club, but for a more basic and urgent need - to make money to support his family. In this new era of spiritual revival and drastic changes in the world, he shoulders the weight of his family.

With the rapid development of science and technology and the continuous breakthroughs in the exploration of outer space, the ancient earth has ushered in unexpected changes - the return of spiritual energy, the revival of all things, the energy of nature seems to be reactivated, and the volume of the earth has expanded by more than ten times. This mutation not only reshaped the face of nature, but also brought about earth-shaking changes in the structure of human society.

Under the nourishment of aura, some people have awakened their superpowers, such as perspective, invisibility, wall penetration, and element manipulation... These abilities that once existed only in fantasy have now become reality. What's more, even if one has not awakened, one can pass on the superpower gene to the next generation, allowing new life to be born with extraordinary abilities. These people with superpowers have become the new elites of the post-civilization era, leading the trend and direction of society. However, Jiang Sheng was born in a slum in the post-civilization era with extremely limited family conditions. His parents were ordinary people who could not be more ordinary. Unfortunately, they died in a sudden mining accident, leaving him and his young sister to depend on each other. In this era of advocating ability, he, who has no superpowers, can only rely on the most primitive way-physical labor-to maintain their lives. Facing the injustice of fate, he has never complained, but just silently wrote his own story with sweat.

In this context, Jiang Sheng fights against fate every day, and every swing of the pickaxe is a hope and persistence for the future. Although the road ahead is unknown, he firmly believes that as long as there is light in his heart, the darkest mine tunnel can be illuminated, and no matter how difficult life is, there will be a dawn.

There is no compensation, no comfort. On this road of risk and opportunity, every miner is a gambler who knows it all. They use courage and sweat to make the most direct deal with the earth. Every time they go deep into the mine, it is a brave adventure into the unknown. Under the ore, in addition to precious resources, there are dangers that may come at any time. Therefore, the exemption agreement has become the only contract they sign with the world. It is cold and naked, but it is also a helpless guarantee in this cruel reality.

Jiang Sheng's path to growth was paved with the meager assistance of the Social Welfare Department. His coming-of-age ceremony at the age of 18 was not a celebration, but a test of "initial awakening" in the college entrance examination, a threshold that determines his fate. In this new world, awakening means opportunity, and the possibility of escaping the fate of the bottom, but for him who failed the test, everything seemed to be back to the starting point. He had to accept that his life would be dug out by himself, pickaxe by pickaxe, rather than relying on any supernatural power.

"Why am I not selected?" This question lingered in Jiang Sheng's mind, like an invisible sword, stabbing him from time to time. He envied those awakened people who could enter higher education institutions and receive professional training. They had the support of the country and a bright future, while he could only continue to look for a gap in the mine to survive. But this is life, it never favors or explains.

Just as Jiang Sheng was indulging in self-reflection, a familiar figure interrupted his thoughts. Liu Yier, a boy with a seemingly simple but profound name, is just like his existence. Although inconspicuous, he always gives warmth when Jiang Sheng needs it most. The two were connected by similar experiences, and their common fate made them more like brothers than friends. Their awakening test also ended in failure, which made the bond between them stronger. They struggled together in the mine and became each other's support.

"Brother, how are you today?" Liu Yier's voice was clear, with a barely perceptible hint of anticipation.

Jiang Sheng patted him on the shoulder and said in an almost comforting tone: "It's not bad. We dug up two low-quality pieces." There was an imperceptible satisfaction and optimism hidden in his words.

Spirit Stone, the miraculous product of the changes in the world, has become the hard currency of the new world. It is not only the key to the awakeners' ability improvement, but also an indispensable resource in modern industry, science and technology, and even the military. They are mostly hidden in conventional minerals. The occasional pure Spirit Stone mine is as scarce as a dream, making people yearn for it but difficult to reach.

(End of this chapter)