Simulation becomes reality, have I ever looked down upon the eternity?

Chapter 646 Opening the Mountain House: A Large Dormitory and a Cave!

[La Shiwu waved his hands repeatedly, beaming, and said, "Great! Grandpa, you've chosen a wonderful name!"]

As the saying goes, "You can dodge the first day of the month, but you can't dodge the fifteenth."

"Grandpa, why don't you let Chu Yi recognize me as his older brother? I'll protect him from now on!"

[Old Fei raised his hand and tapped him with his pipe: "How old are you? How old is he?"]

[“Hehe, missed!” La Shiwu nimbly dodged.]

Old Fei turned to look at Chu Yi, whose eyes were vacant, and sighed softly, "You kid... you're just unlucky."

Although the He family employed many long-term laborers and enslaved servants, this "Kaishanfang" was ultimately not a charitable institution.

If you're not shrewd enough and don't have anyone to look after you, you'll probably be devoured until there's nothing left.

[As if reading his grandfather's expression, the fifteenth of the month leaned closer and whispered, "Grandpa, the money from before has been received..."]

"We should go our separate ways. Don't you always say, 'It's the rule of the game'? You go your way, and I'll go mine."

Old Fei silently took a drag of his cigarette, pondered for a moment, and finally waved his hand: "Let's go, let's go!"

[Only on the fifteenth of the twelfth lunar month did he feel relieved. He was most afraid that his grandfather would have a change of heart and suffer the consequences.]

The two left.

As the boy was leaving, he glanced back at the young man sitting on the bed. The boy seemed to react and looked up at him.

Sunlight streamed into the room, illuminating the boy's handsome features and slender figure; it was a pity that his eyes were empty and lifeless.

What a pity!

["Grandpa, weren't we leaving? Why are we going back?"]

[When the fifteenth of the month saw that Old Fei had suddenly turned around and returned to the house, he hurriedly grabbed his sleeve: "Grandpa, what are you doing?"]

[Old Fei remained silent, but walked straight to the stove, scraped some soot from the bottom of the pot, and picked up a piece of charcoal.]

He returned to the boy on the bed, smeared the black ash on the boy's cheeks, and then ruffled his once neat hair into a mess.

In the blink of an eye, a handsome face was hidden beneath a cloud of black charcoal ash.

[He then stripped the boy of his clothes and dressed him in his own hempen garments before nodding.]

"Here you go!"

"Forget it, Grandpa, you can put it on after you're in your coffin."

"Can't you hope for something better?"

After the boy was brought back from his coma, the He family maid prepared a new set of clothes for him; since it was the second young lady's clothing, it was naturally not cheap.

[On the fifteenth of the twelfth lunar month, during the New Year's Day harvest, someone said, "Grandpa, aren't we being a bit too greedy? They even took our clothes on the first day of the new year!"]

"You know nothing!"

Old Fei neatly rolled up his clothes and said in a low voice, "I'm saving him."

Seeing that no one was inside, he lowered his voice further: "What kind of place is the He residence? A place that eats people alive!"

"Given his appearance at the beginning of the semester, and his seemingly dull and dazed demeanor... not to mention those maids from a few days ago, even the stewards and servants in the manor are all troublesome."

"Have you thought about what will happen to him if he just stays here cleanly and without any consequences?"

[La Shiwu looked bewildered: "But...aren't the managers all men?"]

Old Fei took a drag of his cigarette, exhaling a cloud of smoke, and said, "You silly boy, you'll understand when you grow up. In this world, for both men and women, to be born too well yet be powerless to protect oneself is a sin."

"Let's go, let's go."

Old Fei glanced at the boy on the bed, shook his head, and said, "Alright, alright, wealth and status are predestined."

【The next day.】

The steward of the He family's "Kaishanfang" led you to the Kaishanfang, located above the mine shaft by the sea.

The so-called "opening the mountain retreat" actually involves venturing deep into the heart of a volcano to harvest "Yang Fire Fungus." Although this is a low-grade spiritual herb, it is an auxiliary ingredient for cultivating the "Pure Yang Technique" of the Taihua Sect.

Yanghuozhi is in extremely high demand and short supply in the cultivation world, especially for lower sects, where it is a scarce resource year-round.

[With volcanoes dotting the area around Xia City, and the second young lady of the He family's intention to promote its cultivation, the Yanghuozhi has gradually become a pillar of the He family's business.]

This is why "Kaishanfang" recruited the largest number of laborers, and the number of people who died there was equally staggering.

The volcano's interior is shrouded in smoke and ash, and spiritual energy is scarce. Even more dangerous is the unpredictable nature of the subterranean fires within the mine, which can erupt suddenly at any time.

Even those who have embarked on a path of cultivation must proceed with caution upon entering this place.

However, for cultivators, the rewards from harvesting Yang Fire Fungus are so meager that they would not even bother with such a task.

Only mortals are considered expendable resources, used to fill this fiery hell.

Because of the numerous dangers involved, Kaishanfang became the branch of the He family that paid the highest wages among the seven branches.

[Old Fei is also here now, but he's a seasoned veteran and no longer ventures into the volcano's interior; he now only does the easy work of storing the Yanghuozhi.]

He gained fame here precisely because very few people in the Kaishanfang family lived past thirty.

Let alone twenty years, even those who have endured ten years are extremely rare.

Volcanic activity is frequent, and once you enter the mine, you may never return; the entrance also often collapses without warning, cutting off any chance of survival.

In addition, the cave was filled with smoke and dust, and those who lived there for a long time either contracted tuberculosis or other serious illnesses.

Many older miners suddenly experience urinary retention and numbness in their legs, followed by a rapid deterioration of their overall health, ultimately leading to a painful death within months.

The He family consulted a doctor who diagnosed that the dust had invaded their lungs and then spread throughout their body, calling the illness "rock disease," and stating that there was no cure.

What's even more alarming is that the number of people suffering from this disease is not small.

Almost every five or six years, three or four out of twenty workers working on the mountain die from diseases caused by rock erosion.

After that, many miners tried to transfer away from the mountain dwellings.

Left with no other option, the He family had to raise the wages again.

[But Mr. Fei was an extraordinary person among them. He worked as a mountain clearing worker here for thirty years without suffering from tuberculosis or rock-related diseases; he was always lively and energetic.]

[After a few interactions, not only did Mr. Fei receive commendation from the He family, but he was also transferred out of the mountain clearing work.]

The other miners all held him in high regard, hoping to emerge alive and have something to look forward to.

You've also been assigned to the Kaishanfang (opening house).

[No wages for the first month; according to regulations, a month's wages must be held back.]

The monthly salary will not be paid until the 20th of the following month.

The steward led you to a maid in green, who respectfully said, "Miss Rong, this is the new girl, named Chu Yi."

The He family has seven branches: the Mountain Opening Branch, the Sea Diving Branch, the Pearl Diving Branch, etc., all under the jurisdiction of the Second Miss. In addition to the heads of each branch, the Second Miss also assigns a maid in purple to handle accounts and assist with other matters.

[Below the purple-clad maids are blue-clad maids, and further down the ranks, assigned to the various teams within the mountain retreat, are the green-clad maids.] [These maids are not only the Second Miss's eyes and ears, but also represent her reputation; no one dares to offend them easily.]

The maid in green before us is named Furong, and she belongs to the same branch of the Fei family as Master Fei.

It was she who relayed a message to Elder Fei last month, which saved you.

[Furong glanced at the boy behind her, her face expressionless, her eyes vacant, and she walked without swinging her arms.]

The foreman quickly stepped in and whispered, "This man isn't very bright... it's about wages."

He said in a fawning tone, "How about reducing it a bit? It would save Miss some money. It's entirely up to you, Miss."

[Furong certainly understood the implications. Since this young man was mentally challenged, his wages didn't need to be paid regularly anyway; who would care if he perished in the volcano one day?]

The amount of wages only needs to be marked on the register, then recorded by the He family, and the money can be withdrawn.

As for where this money ultimately went, no one inquired.

[Furong has been running the mountain retreat for several years and is already very familiar with its ins and outs.]

She glanced at the grime on the boy's face and his disheveled hair, hesitated for a moment, and said, "After all, this person was personally rescued by the Second Miss."

As he spoke, he began to write down the normal labor cost in the ledger.

Upon hearing this, Steward Chang froze, cold sweat beading on his forehead. He stammered, "This... Second Miss... I truly don't know..."

Furong, however, seemed unconcerned, simply stating, "The Second Miss rescued me personally when I went out to sea, and even instructed me to take good care of myself."

She sighed softly, "It's a pity he's a fool; otherwise, this opportunity could have led to a very promising future."

Her previous concern for this matter was naturally for another reason—there was a precedent in the He family where those rescued by the Second Miss were often assigned to the inner palace guards.

Moreover, the young man she rescued this time was exceptionally handsome, his refined appearance far surpassing that of the rough men in the mountain retreat. She couldn't help but have some thoughts, after all, she was not yet married.

[I had planned to spend some money later to bribe the young lady in purple to pass on a message, saying that the person who was saved wanted to personally thank Miss for her kindness. Given the young man's appearance and character, the Second Miss might take a liking to him and give him an important position.]

Unfortunately... now he not only suffers from amnesia, but has also been sent to the "opening house" at the gates of the King of Hell.

"Manager Chang, take him away."

Furong glanced at the steward indifferently and said, "Since the Second Miss personally rescued this person, you should be careful not to misbehave. Otherwise, if the Second Miss asks about it later, others might spread rumors about it."

Though her tone was soft, it carried a warning: "Do you understand the consequences?"

Steward Chang bowed repeatedly, saying, "No, no, thank you so much for your guidance, Miss Rong."

The maid in green said nothing more and turned to leave.

Steward Chang led you to the back hall of the mountain retreat, where you received your clothes and toiletries. Looking back at the empty gaze of the boy behind you, and remembering how you had almost gotten into trouble because of him, a nameless anger rose within you.

He raised his leg to kick, but then suddenly remembered Furong's warning, and had to stop himself. He snorted coldly and snapped, "Follow me!"

The boy in the background slightly raised his head.

[After our journey, we've arrived at our lodgings.]

It's just a row of stone houses.

[Manager Chang pinched his nose and entered a room. It reeked of a foul stench and a pungent smell of sweat. The room was dimly lit and unbearably hot. It was a large communal sleeping area, large enough to sleep more than a dozen people.]

The men, mostly shirtless, were fast asleep, snoring loudly.

Several others huddled in a corner, smoking and playing cards.

Those who returned from the volcanic mines were mostly exhausted, too weak to muster any strength whatsoever, only able to fall into a deep sleep.

The few who were awake immediately got up when they saw the manager.

Unfortunately, Steward Chang had no desire to stay here at all. He pointed to an empty bed and said, "You'll sleep here from now on."

[He then covered his nose and said, "You little brats, don't bully him again."]

"Otherwise, don't blame me for not saying so."

Several more people woke up inside, their voices muffled as they said, "I know, Brother Chang."

[Manager Chang dragged out a naked, burly man who was still playing cards. "Li Biao, did you hear me?"]

The man called Li Biao was burly and broad-shouldered, with a black tiger tattooed on his back. He had a square face and fierce-looking features.

He reluctantly got up, then smiled and said, "Okay, Brother Chang."

Li Biao was the most powerful man in this room; he was strong, had a fiery temper, and no one was afraid of him.

Steward Chang nodded, then stepped out of the room. As soon as he did, he spat at the doorway, "This is no place for a human to stay."

The boy remained motionless, sitting on the bed that had just been shown to him.

Seeing this, Li Biao became somewhat curious and moved closer to examine it.

Seeing the boy's empty eyes and listless expression, he reached out and shoved him, shouting, "I'm talking to you! Didn't you hear me?"

The boy still didn't react. Li Biao raised his hand and waved it in front of his eyes again.

"Did he get this from frequent haircuts? Is he an idiot?"

[Manager Chang was nicknamed "Chang the Head-Barber," which reflected his ruthless and heartless nature.]

He grumbled, "They said some sucker would treat us to dinner tonight... What a disappointment!"

[A few people were awakened by the noise in the dim light. They peeked out a few times, then shrank back under the covers, muttering, "An idiot like that won't last long here..."]

Li Biao lost interest, threw down his cards, and crawled into bed.

The room soon filled with the sounds of snoring.

A glimmer of light seemed to flash in the boy's eyes, then he silently lay back down on the bed, gazing up at the dark ceiling.

The dormitory-style bed was divided into two levels, and every inch of space was crammed with people. It was so stuffy and hot that even turning over was difficult. If you wanted to get up at night, you had to wake the person next to you to barely make room.

The boy's eyes were empty; he simply opened and closed them silently, letting time flow by in the darkness.

The next day, it was still dark.

A loud clang rang out at the door, and the crowd scrambled to their feet in a flurry of activity.

"Let's get to work!"

"Let's get to work! Everyone, get up!"

The shouts startled everyone awake. A steward strode in, wielding a long whip. He glanced at the bed and saw someone still lying there, and immediately roared, "Don't you even know the rules of the mountain retreat? Who brought this person in?!"

Li Biao hurriedly stepped forward to explain, "Manager Qian, he's new here, and his mind... isn't quite right."

The steward, carrying the whip, approached and saw that the boy was still tightly clutching the blanket, lying stiffly and motionless.

"Turns out he's an idiot!"

His anger had subsided considerably, and he simply waved his hand: "Get it done, time to go down into the cave."

(End of this chapter)