Forty years old, awakening attribute panel

Chapter 292 Extra 016
The value of spiritual stones lies not only in their wide range of uses, but also in their classification. Low, medium, and high grades, each level of leap means a geometric increase in value. Although low-grade spiritual stones are common, each stone with a purity between 1% and 10% can be exchanged for 50 to 200 Chinese yuan on the black market; medium-grade spiritual stones, with a purity of 11% to 30%, have soared in price to 200 to 2000 Chinese yuan; as for high-grade spiritual stones, with a purity of 31% to 50%, the price is as high as 2000 to 10000 Chinese yuan. As for the legendary top-grade spiritual stones, their value can probably only be estimated in myths. After all, they are like the farthest stars in the night sky, which have been heard of but no one has ever really touched.

Jiang Sheng and Liu Yier, two young men who are looking for hope in the mines, understand that every swing of the pickaxe is both a game with fate and a step closer to their dreams. In this new era with spiritual stones as the medium, they interpret the meaning of hard work in their own way. Even the smallest gain is enough to keep them moving forward on this road full of uncertainty and find their own light.

In this world, the purchasing power of money is incredibly strong. The monthly living expenses of an ordinary family of three are no more than 500 or 600 Chinese yuan. In this context, digging for spiritual stones has undoubtedly become an adventurous and extremely tempting business. It means a considerable income, enough to improve the quality of life of a family, and even completely change their fate.

However, there are always huge risks behind high returns, just as the old saying goes: "Fortune is found in danger." Miners work in dark and narrow mines every day, facing the threat of collapse, poisoning, suffocation, and even attacks by unknown creatures. Every time they go down the mine, it may be a gamble on their lives.

Jiang Sheng looked at the middle-grade spirit stone that Liu Yier quietly took out of his pocket, and his excitement was beyond words. The appearance of this spirit stone was not only a huge material gain, but also a small comfort for the two suffering brothers. Jiang Sheng's cautious movements, vigilance and tension reflected the difficulty of their survival in this world where the weak are preyed upon by the strong. He knew that this luck must be carefully protected and not let anyone know, otherwise, they might face endless troubles.

Liu Yier's smile is pure and brilliant, as if it is the best reward for his brother's years of hard work. They have come a long way, through wind and rain, and behind every smile is the result of countless times of perseverance. At the bottom of this society, they have learned to cherish every bit of their gains, whether material or emotional, which are all particularly precious.

The ringing of the off-get off work bell marks the end of a hard day. The miners walk towards the mine ladder tired but full of hope. The unique "DuangDuang" sound in the mine gradually fades away, replaced by the relaxation and joy of returning home. In this daily repetition, everyone is silently looking forward to it, maybe tomorrow will be the moment to change their destiny.

When they walked out of the mine tunnel, they were greeted by the magnificent view of the blood-red sunset. The ingenious work of nature dyed the sky into a gorgeous color, and the mountains in the distance were even more mysterious under the reflection of the sunset. Those towering trees seemed to be witnesses of time, silently telling ancient and eternal stories, which made people sigh at the majesty of nature and the insignificance of human life.

As for the monsters in the mines and the delicate balance between humans and unknown creatures, these news spread among the people, but they are always shrouded in mystery. People only know that the disappearances that happen from time to time remind them that they must abide by the rules to avoid becoming the next victim. As for the decisions and secrets of the top leaders, they are too far away for ordinary people like Jiang Sheng. They are more concerned about how to stand on the ground in good health when the sun rises tomorrow and continue to fight for their lives.

In this way, Jiang Sheng and Liu Yier set out on their way home with their day's harvest. Their backs stretched out in the sunset, looking both small and tough. In this world changed by the revival of spiritual energy, they write their own stories in their own way, looking forward to one day in the future, they can truly control their own destiny.

As the crowd slowly moved, Jiang Sheng and Liu Yier came to the three-story reinforced concrete building. This is where the miners traded spiritual stones every day, and it was also the moment they looked forward to most after a day of hard work. In the square, the miners lined up in a long line, and everyone's face was full of fatigue and expectation. These buildings seemed to be a bridge for the miners to exchange their results with the outside world, connecting their sweat with the food and clothing of their families.

Walking into the trading room, a depressing atmosphere hits you. In this space of less than 15 square meters, the titanium glass counter occupies most of the area, like a transparent barrier, separating the staff from the miners. Behind the counter, a dark and fat man with a fierce face and an old woman wearing glasses and with a serious expression sit side by side, their eyes revealing professional scrutiny and indifference. In this small space, the conversion of ore and currency is staged every day, which is a silent contest between interests and survival.

Jiang Sheng and Liu Yier cooperated tacitly and placed today's harvest on the counter. The appearance of the medium-quality spiritual stone instantly attracted the attention of the two staff members at the counter, especially the fat black man, who almost couldn't wait to grab the spiritual stone and use the PDA instrument in his hand to identify it. As the green light of the instrument gently passed over the surface of the spiritual stone, a mechanical reading broke the brief silence and announced their luck today - medium-quality, 24.5% purity, and a weight of 55 grams. This result made Jiang Sheng and Liu Yier's faces bloom with heartfelt joy.

The fat black man had a complex expression, with both envy and jealousy, as if what was in front of them was not a spiritual stone, but an opportunity he had missed. "You two guys are really lucky." There was a bit of bitterness in his words. Jiang Sheng just smiled slightly and did not respond. He knew that in this place where interests are paramount, words are sometimes redundant.

The following process seemed a bit boring. The fat black man routinely checked the remaining two low-grade spirit stones. The result was not ideal, and his face darkened. However, all this did not affect the speed of settlement. He quickly quoted the price: "1310 medium-grade spirit stones, 180 low-grade spirit stones in total, a total of 1490."

Jiang Sheng used his cleverness to try to squeeze a little warmth from this iron-faced rule. "Brother Kun, you are broad-minded, can you give me an integer?" He said with a smile. The fat black man replied bluntly: "You wish! My salary is not even as much as you earn in a day." Jiang Sheng cursed in his heart, but still smiled, and eased the atmosphere with a few well-placed flattery. Finally, "Brother Kun" nodded with satisfaction and waved for them to leave.

"Ah~" Jiang Sheng responded with a casual voice, turned around and came to the old woman's window, and took out a black bank card-like object from his arms, which was the voucher for them to receive their reward. At this moment, he felt mixed emotions, both the joy of harvest and the uncertainty of the future.

(End of this chapter)