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Chapter 160 Accidents in the Mining Area

They successfully rented a carriage from the carriage shop. With Zhongli driving, Yu Qi and the other two calmly set out on their journey.

The speed of a carriage is naturally faster than that of a human. In addition, the animals in Teyvat are infected by elemental forces all year round and are much stronger than animals on Earth.

Therefore, in just one day, Yu Qi and the other two completed the journey that had taken Yu Qi and Xiang Ling ten days or half a month to complete.

Following the official road, they arrived directly near Qingxu Pu, which was not too far from the place where Yu Qi had traveled through.

"It's here. Long time no see~" Standing on a towering rock at the foot of the mountain, Yu Qi looked up, his eyes patrolling the edge of the cliff.

Soon, Yu Qi's gaze fixed on a protruding rock on the edge of the cliff. Standing at the foot of the mountain, he could vaguely see an exceptionally lush fruit tree there. The tilted crown was lush and green, and full of huge fruits.

Of course he recognized this place. More than half a month ago, it was here that he talked to Xiangling and the others about his idea of ​​opening a shop and completed his first forging.

However, the weapon that he had forged was destroyed by himself two days ago...

Recalling how weak, powerless and confused he was at that time, and comparing it with everything he has now, it seemed as if several years had passed even though less than a month had passed.

Gazing quietly at the old place, Yu Qi's eyes couldn't help but become a little dazed, as if he was lost in memories.

After a long time, Yu Qi came back to his senses. He turned his head to look at Zhongli and Kunjun who were holding a stone and whispering about something not far away, and couldn't help but smile.

"Mr. Zhongli, it's getting late. Why don't we rest here for the night?"

“Hmm…” Zhongli looked up at the sky and shook his head. “It looks like it might rain tonight. It’s not a good idea to camp in the wild. If we go a little further, we’ll reach the outskirts of the Layered Rock Chasm.”

"There are miners' homes over there. Maybe we can stay there for the night."

"Okay." Yu Qi also looked at the sky and nodded indifferently.

It wouldn't matter if they traveled a little further today; after all, they still had a long way to go.

Go around Qingxupu, pass through the outer edge of the layered rock abyss, then take the Lingju Pass, wade through Dunyuling, and finally go to Nantianmen from Tianqiu Valley.

It may seem like a detour, but it is actually the most suitable route.

After all, from Qingxupu to the Layered Rock Abyss, the traces of various monsters have become much less due to the Thousand Rocks Army's recent fierce clearing and counterattack.

Although Lingju Pass and Dunyu Mausoleum were not cleared by the Qianyan Army, there were many relics there, so there were many people from all walks of life mixed in.

Treasure-stealing groups, archaeologists, adventurers, mountain folk, miners, and the Fatui of the Kingdom of Winter... Overall, there aren't that many monsters.

As long as they are careful about the attacks of the treasure-stealing group, it won't be too dangerous for Yu Qi and the others.

The last one is Tianqiu Valley, which is a sparsely populated place with many monsters. But according to Zhongli, most of the monsters are rock dragon lizards, and his methods are enough to deal with those big guys.

——The above statements were explained to Kunjun by Zhongli during their conversation.

Yu Qi was not clear about the actual reason, but considering that Emperor Yan must have his reasons for doing so, he did not object.

Kunjun also did not object. In fact, he was so happy that he couldn't contain himself.

because……

“It is said that the Layered Rock Chasm has been the largest mine in Liyue since ancient times. Any rare minerals can be found there. I don’t know whether it is true or not.” Sitting in the carriage, Kunjun looked at the towering mountains approaching in the distance with an inexplicable expression.

"Oh? Brother Kun, are you looking for some rare minerals? Why don't you tell me? Maybe I can give you some clues."

"Well, that's fine. I heard that Mr. Zhongli is very knowledgeable. I wonder if you have ever heard of a jade called "Dragon-Suppressing Stone"?"

"Dragon Stone?" Frowning, Zhongli looked up at Kunjun again, nodded after a moment, and then shook his head: "Dragon Stone is generally used in the forging industry. It is a relatively rare ore. Even I don't have any clues about it. What's the point of you looking for this?"

"I... I don't know." The confusion on his face became even more intense, and Kunjun smiled bitterly: "Sorry, I can't explain the reason... I have been in a daze these past few days. Apart from the name and the knowledge of the ore, I can't remember anything."

"To be honest, I've been feeling anxious. It seems like there's something I haven't done yet but I've forgotten. It also seems like there's something I shouldn't have done but I've already done it, but I can't remember it. It's so uncomfortable..."

With eyes full of pain, Kunjun suddenly raised his hands and hugged his head. A deep blood light that no one could see flashed in his lowered eyes. The aura on his body seemed to become chaotic and violent. The momentum that spread in an instant made Yu Qi's expression change.

"Brother Kun!" Seeing his condition, Zhongli suddenly raised his hand and pressed his shoulder.

"Don't be impatient!"

“Hu…” Kunjun’s emotions seemed to quickly stabilize after Zhongli’s hand gently pressed on his shoulder. He put down his hand tremblingly and couldn’t help but breathe heavily…

"I'm sorry, I've been like this these days. Whenever I think about my past, I get an inexplicable headache and irritability. Occasionally, I can hear another voice of myself echoing in my ears."

Kunjun looked strangely pale, gasped for breath several times, leaned against the carriage with his whole body weak, and his forehead was covered with cold sweat: "Sometimes, I can't help but wonder if I have symptoms of split personality."

"Those memories that I felt were lost were actually just things that happened to my body controlled by another personality and have nothing to do with me?!"

"..." Kunjun was silent, his expression was a little dazed. After a moment, he slowly calmed down and smiled bitterly: "Sorry, I made you two laugh!"

"It's nothing. When you encounter a situation beyond your understanding, you will feel panic and fear. This is human nature, and even we are no exception."

"Haha, thank you Mr. Zhongli for your understanding." Kunjun forced a smile, took a breath and continued, "As for the "Dragon-Suppressing Stone", I was walking on the street and overheard someone talking. Someone vaguely mentioned it the day before yesterday."

"These three words sound very familiar, and they seem particularly important to me, as if the things I wanted to do but forgot, and the things I shouldn't have done but have already done, are all related to that kind of stone..."

"So, I want to find a piece and take a look. Maybe if I hold the stone in my hand, I can remember what I have forgotten."

"I see... If there is a chance during this trip, I will also help find this kind of stone."

"Really? Thank you, Mr. Zhongli, you are so nice!" Kunjun looked at Zhongli with gratitude. Although they had only been together for one day, he had a feeling - as long as Zhongli said so, he would definitely help him find the "Dragon-Suppressing Stone"!

This feeling came somewhat inexplicably, but Kunjun believed it firmly.

"It's just a small favor, not worth mentioning." Shaking his head, Zhongli did not look at Kunjun, but kept staring into the distance: "Okay, we have arrived at the Layered Rock Abyss, let's go find the miners and ask if we can stay for the night."

As the carriage entered the mining area, the surrounding scenery changed dramatically. There were all kinds of steep rocks on the roadside, and scattered minerals of various colors could be seen everywhere. Occasionally, even valuable minerals such as crystal stones and amber could be seen.

Dazzling.

But as they went deeper, Zhongli and Kunjun couldn't help but frown. Yu Qi, who was originally looking around, also had some vague doubts in his heart.

There were several boxes filled with ore placed randomly on the roadside. Not far away, there were several tall mining machines, as if they had been bitten in half by a giant beast, with half of the machines lying on the ground in ruins.

Occasionally, messy marks can be seen on the ground, as well as some black and red marks that have not yet completely dried up.

If nothing unexpected happens, it should be something like blood.

The most important thing is, from the time Yu Qi and his team entered the mine, they haven't seen a single person yet? !

"Here..." Hesitantly, Yu Qi looked at Zhongli: "Could it be that it was attacked by a monster?"

“…Not sure!” His expression seemed to sink. Zhongli shook his head and slowly stopped the carriage next to a collapsed miner’s shed: “Not only humans, there are no monsters here either!”

The three of them got out of the car and looked around.

As the sky gradually darkened, the dark mining area was silent, with only the faint sounds of the three people's breathing and heartbeats ringing in Yu Qi's ears.

"Huh~ Obviously, something unexpected must have happened here, otherwise such a large mining area would not have been abandoned like this."

Exhaling lightly, Kunjun took two steps forward, squatted down, casually pushed aside the grass, and picked up a crystal ore.

"Look!"

"This crystal stone is pure in color and high-quality in texture. It also has water patterns. Although it cannot be called a rare treasure, it is undoubtedly a piece of top-quality material and is worth a fortune."

Kunjun handed the crystal to Zhongli and pushed his glasses, his eyes slightly dazed. “Under normal circumstances, the miners would never have dumped it here casually.”

Some vague images appeared in my mind: panicked miners, dark fog, hazy figures...

The scene Kunjun saw finally froze on the neatly arranged teams that looked like zombies...

Then, a seemingly delicate foot stepped out of the mist and disappeared without a trace!

"What is that?" Kunjun raised his hand and pressed his forehead, with some confusion in his eyes: "Why do I feel so familiar?"

"If nothing unexpected happens, an extremely dangerous accident must have happened here." Zhongli weighed the crystal stone in his hand and his expression was somewhat profound: "That's why they didn't even have time to pack up their surroundings and fled the mining area in a panic."

"It's also possible..." After hesitating for a while, Yu Qi still gave the not-so-good guess: "They were completely wiped out!"

"..."

The atmosphere was silent for a moment, and at this moment, the expressions of the three people moved at the same time, and they turned to look at the shack not far away.

"Who?!" With a frown, Yu Qi stepped forward. A flash of grass elemental power flashed across his fingertips. Then, clusters of green vines rose from the ground and entwined themselves around the surrounding rocks.

Then, a large patch of bright light appeared on the emerald green leaves, gradually illuminating the dark surroundings.

With the help of the light from the plants, Yu Qi and the others could also see the tall and strong figure hiding in the corner of the shack.

"Who are you? Why are you here?"

"Wow~" As if frightened by the sudden light, the figure trembled and carefully poked his head out from the corner.

After seeing the appearance of Yu Qi and the others clearly, he breathed a sigh of relief and stood up.

"Ugh~ I was scared to death, I thought it was some kind of monster!" After brushing off the gravel on his body, the figure walked out of the shack and asked bluntly: "I was just about to ask you, who are you? Why are you in our mining area? Could it be that you are a group of treasure robbers who are planning to steal ore?"

Under the light, Yu Qi and the others could see the man's appearance clearly. He was a middle-aged man with a weathered face and a square face. He was wearing a common miner's uniform. His face was covered with dust and his broad palms were covered with thick calluses.

Staring at Yu Qi and the others with some annoyance and vigilance, the middle-aged man warned loudly: "Don't have any bad ideas. Not far from here, there are Thousand Rocks soldiers stationed at the main mine of the Layered Rock Abyss. They can hear me if I shout."

"Haha, this gentleman has misunderstood."

Shaking his head, Zhongli stepped forward and said in a calm tone, "We are not a group of treasure robbers. I am Zhongli, a guest official of the Wangsheng Hall. I was out on business today and passed by the Layered Rock Abyss. Since it was getting late, I wanted to come here to stay for the night."

"I didn't expect that when I arrived at the mining area, I would find it turned into this state. I was a little surprised for a while."

Hearing Zhongli announce his name, the middle-aged man looked a little suspicious. After looking Zhongli up and down, he asked, "Guest of the Wangsheng Hall? Are you the famous Mr. Zhongli?"

"It's not that I'm famous, it's just a little bit of fame."

"Ah, it turns out to be Mr. Zhongli!" He walked closer carefully. As if he had seen Zhongli clearly, the middle-aged man's expression suddenly relaxed: "I'm sorry, Mr. Zhongli, I misunderstood you just now, please forgive me."

“No problem.” Waving his hand, Zhongli looked at the surroundings and asked, “May I ask your name? Can you explain to us the situation around this mining area?”

"Haha, I don't have a real name. My last name is Dai. I'm the foreman of this mining area. Everyone calls me Old Dai."

"As for this mining area..."

Looking around at the mess, Old Dai seemed to recall something, with a hint of fear in his eyes: "This mining area..."

After a long silence, Old Dai sighed deeply, seemed to have sorted out his emotions, and slowly began to tell the story.

"As you can see, there have been some accidents in this mining area."

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Chapter 161: Relics from Fushe?

"Just over a day ago, my brothers and I had just returned from the mine. Halfway through, I suddenly remembered that I had left some of my belongings in the mine, so I returned alone."

"When I came back after finding the things, I just came out of the mine and suddenly saw a large black fog. I didn't know where it came from, and it submerged the entire mining area. The fog was particularly black, and there were some strange sounds in it, which made people feel sick."

"I was a little scared at the time. In addition, accidents often happen in the mining area. Many things sounded particularly bizarre. I was so scared that I didn't dare to show up."

"I waited in the mine for a long time, and only came out when there was no sound outside."

"The thick fog outside had already dissipated by then, but when I rushed back to the shed, the other brothers who were originally here were gone!"

"Not only me, but also miners from several surrounding mines were lost in that accident."

"We panicked at the time and reported the matter to the Thousand Rocks Army stationed in the Layered Abyss not far away. However, due to a shortage of manpower, the Thousand Rocks Army checked and found nothing, so they could only transfer the remaining personnel to the Layered Abyss."

"This mining area has been temporarily abandoned." After saying all these words in one breath, Old Dai seemed to have completely poured out the depression in his heart, and his originally tense expression relaxed a lot.

"So that's how it is!" After listening to Old Dai's explanation, Yu Qi, Zhongli and Kunjun all suddenly understood and nodded.

After this happened, due to the shortage of manpower, in order to prevent the unexplained disappearance of personnel, the Qianyan Army decided to abandon the mining area, which was a wise move.

In fact, if their arrival hadn't been too coincidental, reinforcements would have arrived from Liyue Port in the next two days to help deal with things here.

This place won't be empty like it is now.

"But in this case..." Yu Qi narrowed his eyes, turned his head and looked at Lao Dai, questioning: "Why are you here again? Logically speaking, you should be in the Layered Rock Abyss, receiving protection, right?"

On the side, Zhongli and Kunjun had no change in expression. It was obvious that they had thought of this a long time ago but just didn't say it out loud.

"This..." He showed obvious hesitation on his face. After struggling for a moment, Lao Dai suddenly smiled bitterly and said, "Forget it. It's like this now. There's no point in hiding it any longer."