Otherworld Bone Dragon Operation Guide

Chapter 146 The Old Miner

While the sugar was boiling, Su Ming returned to the library. He remembered that Zi Jin had in-depth research materials on high-ranking undead creatures, but he couldn't find a single one no matter how hard he looked.

Returning to his workspace from the library, Su Ming saw the unicorn using the "Flame Cage" to speed up the juice-reducing process, with bright flames enveloping the large stainless steel vat.

"Wait!" He rushed over to stop it, only to find that the soup had shrunk to the perfect consistency, and the unicorn had displayed amazing magical control.

Foodies are truly invincible! Su Ming couldn't help but give her a thumbs up.

He cast a heat-resistant spell on his hands, pinched a small piece from the pot, and tasted it. The rice was fragrant and sweet—not bad!
Su Ming took out the shelled peanuts, crushed them into peanut crumbs, mixed them with malt syrup, added cooked glutinous rice flour, shaped them, and cut them into slices.

Su Ming cut a slice, and Qi Luo immediately popped a slice into her mouth. Su Ming's slices couldn't keep up with her eating speed.

"Take it easy. Half is yours, but I have a use for the rest," Su Ming said.

"Why!" Qiluo asked, her cheeks puffed out, her voice muffled.

Su Ming tapped her head. "You've been given so much, be content! Also, the candies that have already been eaten are part of your share!"

"Stingy and petty!"

After the distribution method was determined, Qiluo stopped eating and instead packed away her share.

Su Ming cut out a plateful and had his skeleton servant divide it into small paper bags. Then he divided out another portion of syrup, stretched it out, and this time added sesame seeds. He took out some pills, ground them into powder, and mixed them in.

After calculating the dosage, he cut the maltose into pieces, weighed and repackaged it, and then put it in red paper bags.

Qi Luo picked up the medicine bottle curiously. "What's this? If it's an aphrodisiac for Bei Anqi, I can pretend I didn't see it." She gestured with her hand in a circle. "But you have to make me just as much maltose!"

Su Ming was speechless. "You've been bribed with just a little candy?"

"Huh, it really is?" Qi Luo's eyes widened.

"Of course not, this is for the children in the mining area," Su Ming said irritably, interrupting her before she could continue, "I don't smelt copper, this is insect repellent!"

Qi Luo gave her a look that said, "You're so boring."

"How many times do I need to take this medicine?" she asked seriously. She had indeed used the deworming spell on the children, but one spell wasn't enough to completely solve the problem. Considering the children's tolerance, the next spell would have to wait at least half a month.

Qiluo won't stay here for that long.

“I increased the dosage, and combined with the effects of your spell, it should kill the parasites in one go,” Su Ming replied. He packed the prepared maltose into a cloth bag and handed it to Qi Luo, “Miss Ruishou, use your charm to become the leader of the children and go hand out the candy!”

Qi Luo didn't refuse, but as she took the bag, she also grabbed Su Ming's hand. The unicorn's clothes transformed into a princess dress, a red bow appeared in its hair, and white leather shoes appeared on its feet. The simple bag turned into a pink handbag, making it look exactly like an innocent and wealthy young lady.

“I can play the role of a kind, wealthy young lady,” Kira said. “But it would be strange for me to appear alone in the mining area like this! Shouldn’t I have guards with me?”

Su Ming thought the unicorn's appearance was too exaggerated. Nevertheless, he put on the magic-forbidden cloak, casually found a flashy-looking sword in the Violet Warehouse, hung it on his body, and disembarked with Qi Luo.

Before leaving, he left a dish of malt sugar on the table. He hadn't seen Zijin and Bei Anqi, so he guessed they were busy with something.

****
There was a stone-paved area in the residential area where many children played. Qiluo easily gathered them together and distributed the corresponding candies.

She invited everyone to play some games, and all the children obediently lined up and sat down, holding malt candy in their hands and munching on it. Many adults also gathered around, watching Qiluo with delighted expressions.

This is the first time a unicorn has broken free of its ignore spell and appeared here; the auspicious beast's affinity is irresistible to ordinary people.

Su Ming sat to the side, playing the role of a taciturn guard. He observed the crowd and found that the adults in this other world were generally physically strong, and only the children were trapped by the parasites.

He noticed that the girl named Little Cuckoo, whom he had met the day before, was not there. So he called over an older child and, as a reward, gave him an extra piece of malt candy to fetch the missing child.

Soon, seven or eight children darted out from all over the residential area, chattering as they lined up in front of Qiluo, including Little Cuckoo.

Su Ming didn't do much, just gave her an extra piece of candy as a thank you for the glass of water she'd given him that day. Qi Luo also gave her an extra piece.

“The piece of dried sweet potato you gave her was compensation,” Su Ming said. “It will be deducted from your share.”

Qi Luo gave him a disapproving look, swallowed the candy she had hidden in her mouth, and said, "...People who are too calculating will get cavities!"

"This piece you stole counts too, that makes two pieces."

An old man walked over. He picked up a piece of candy from a child's hand, smelled it, and suddenly his expression changed drastically.

"Stop eating!" he shouted, his voice hoarse. The old man reached out and began to pluck the candy from the child's hands.

Su Ming tried to grab him, but was easily dodged.

Su Ming had no intention of hurting anyone and didn't plan to use weapons, but his opponent was no pushover either. The old man glanced at Su Ming's high-quality cloak and the magic sword Wind and Flame hanging at his waist, and didn't dare to attack.

But no standoff ensued; the old man quickly retreated and grabbed Qiluo.

Just as he was about to threaten Su Ming, the exquisitely beautiful little girl in front of him grabbed his arm and threw him to the ground with an over-the-shoulder throw.

A cloud of dust billowed up on the stone pavement. The old man lay there, bewildered, not quite understanding how this tiny girl could possess such terrifying strength.

"Calm down, we mean no harm." Su Ming stepped forward, took the malt candy from a child as he passed by, and popped it into his mouth in front of the old man.

The old man composed himself, squinted, and looked inside. "What's in it?"

“Albendazole, a drug you haven’t heard of, it’s used to expel parasites,” Su Ming explained.

Noticing that the old man had calmed down, Qiluo released her grip.

The unicorn regained control of the situation with just a smile, explaining to those around her that she and the old man were just sparring and playing around, and that the old man was deliberately letting her win.

The people around applauded. The two children whose candy had been taken away came forward, sobbing, and asked the young lady if she could give them replacements.

Qiluo fulfilled their request, and the two children immediately stopped crying and started laughing.

The old man scrambled to his feet. Despite being thrown hard by the unicorn, his movements showed no sign of hesitation. He immediately bowed deeply to the two men, "I have misunderstood you two, my utmost apologies!"

"It doesn't matter," Su Ming waved his hand. He noticed a scar on the old man's throat, which seemed to be related to his hoarse voice. The old man was also wearing work clothes, clearly a miner as well, but his clothes were completely different from the others.

"My lords, why don't you just say it directly?" The old man hesitated for a moment before finally asking the question that had been bothering him.

Su Ming couldn't answer that question. He was a wanted criminal, an evil necromancer in the eyes of ordinary people. If the trackers found him here, the news could spread and cause unnecessary misunderstandings and panic among the public.

So it's best to do this quietly.

However, when the old man straightened up, Su Ming saw the words on the chest of his work clothes: "Dome Coal Mine?" "Ah, sir, I used to work there." The old man didn't dare to ask any further questions and instead quickly answered Su Ming's question.

"Are there coal mines in the Dome Mountains?" Su Ming asked him.

"Yes, it supplies most of the heating needs of the Timbuk Glacier," the old man replied. "However, two years ago, due to glacier movement, the road from the coal mine to the outside became too rugged to transport goods, so the mine was forced to close. That's why I came here to make a living."

Su Ming waved to him, led him out of the crowd, and handed him several bags of candy.

“I can tell you’re not an ordinary person either. Don’t tell anyone about us distributing medicine today,” Su Ming said. “The red ones contain deworming medicine, and the other colors are just regular candy.”

The old man bowed again and said, "When I was young, I was a mercenary for more than ten years, so I have developed some insight. Today, it is entirely because the two of you have been kind enough to let me off the hook. I will not say anything that I should not say."

Su Ming took out a gold coin. "I'm very interested in the coal mine in the Dome Mountains. Can you tell me more? For example, the exact location of the coal mine, the structure and depth of the mine shafts, and the geological type?"

The old man was clearly interested in the gold coins. "Sir," he said, "I was the blaster, so I know the layout of the mine like the back of my hand. I still have the original blueprints; I'll get them for you when I get home!"

Blasting refers to using gunpowder to blast rocks or minerals, and blasters are considered highly skilled workers in the mining industry.

"Let's go together." Su Ming gestured for the old man to lead the way. "What's your name?"

"My name is Hansster, sir."

“No need for such formalities,” Su Ming said. “If we were truly the kind of noble lords, we wouldn’t be here distributing medicine.”

"Okay, okay."

Upon arriving at Hanster's house, he indeed found a file folder. Inside was a stack of documents, including topographical maps of the coal mine and various records.

“This is something I kept while I was working there; I kept it as a memento and couldn’t bear to throw it away,” Hansster explained.

Su Ming glanced through the records and found them to be very organized, with a fairly detailed tunnel map. "You're not just an ordinary blaster, are you?"

“I’m just a foreman,” Hansster replied, “so I have a lot to worry about.”

Su Ming put the documents back into the paper bag, then took out a gold coin. "Two gold coins to buy it, no problem, right?"

Hanster bowed again, "Sir, you don't need to pay me. You saved my life."

Su Ming glanced at him, thinking of what happened a few days ago, "Were you also trapped down the well back then?"

"Yes. If it weren't for your help, I would definitely not be alive to get out."

Su Ming nodded. He put away the paper bag and raised his fingertips to gather magic power. Despite the suppression of the forbidden magic cloak, a minor spell like memory erasure was still usable.

He flicked his finger, and the ball shot towards Hanster's head.

The old man dodged the ball with a speed far beyond his years, and for a moment the two looked at each other awkwardly.

"I suggest you endure this punishment; erasing your memory will be better for both you and us." Qi Luo appeared behind the old man.

"Don't worry, it's just erasing ten minutes of memory," Su Ming said calmly. "It won't cause any harm."

Or rather, it caused too much damage.

The old man suddenly knelt down with a thud and bowed to Su Ming, saying, "My lord, please don't make a move yet. Let me make a request."

"Stand up and speak," Su Ming said.

Hanster did not get up. "Please take me with you, sir. I'll do anything you need!"

"Why?" Su Ming asked, puzzled. "You're smart enough to guess that our identities can't be revealed. And stand up and talk!" His tone turned stern. "Otherwise, I'll erase your memory immediately and leave!"

Hanster quickly stood up, but instead of answering Su Ming's question immediately, he brought up another matter, "Sir, the coal mine in the Dome Mountains has been leased to the Temple of Light since last year, and is being mined by prisoners from the Holy Mountain Divine Prison."

Su Ming's eyes narrowed, and he waved his hand to release a soundproof barrier that enveloped the room. "Explain in detail!"

Realizing his judgment was correct—the other party was indeed interested in the Holy Mountain Divine Might Prison—Hansster quickly continued, “The priests of the Holy Mountain have always bought their coal from the mines, but after production stopped, they lost their source. So they leased the mines at low prices and converted the prisoners’ hard labor into coal mining, becoming self-sufficient, and even selling the surplus to the surrounding areas.”

"Is the coal mine very close to the Holy Mountain Divine Might Prison?"

“We’re in the same mountain range, with Divine Might Prison above us.” Hanster counted on his fingers, “The elevation difference is about seven hundred meters.”

Interesting! Su Ming spread out the documents in his hand, flipped to the topographic map of the mine, and sure enough, he saw something that could be used.

If that's the case, then it really is possible to go to the holy mountain to rescue them. He pondered, and a preliminary plan began to take shape in his mind. Although countless details needed to be added, it was already quite feasible.

“Sir, I worked there for over a decade and know far more than what's recorded in these documents,” Hanster continued. “I'm sure I can be of help!”

"You know we're heading for the Holy Mountain Divine Might Prison, and you want to join us—do you have a grudge against the Temple of Light?" Su Ming imagined a story of a cult priest preying on the people, bullying men and women.

“Ah, the priests of the Church may look down on us, but they don’t bother to make things difficult for us,” Hanster said, puzzled. “How could I possibly have anything to do with them?”

"...Then why?" Now it was Su Ming's turn to be puzzled.

“My lord, I have spent my whole life struggling to make a living, and I am still all alone in my old age,” Hanster replied. “A few days ago, I was trapped in the mine, and I suddenly felt that it was not worth dying like this. All I could think about was that if I could get out alive, I would definitely leave this place and continue to see the sights of this world. I would rather die on my journey, anywhere is fine.”

“But I don’t have much property. I’m a soft-hearted person, and I always help others with the little money I earn,” Hanster continued. “So if you two gentlemen have any use for me, this is a rare opportunity. My request is not high; just enough to eat, and if it’s convenient, I’ll bury you if I ever die.”

“You are good people, and you treat me kindly.” The old man directly revealed his true thoughts. “As for who I am enemies with, it doesn’t matter to this old man. Anyway, I’ll get some kind of illness in a few years, and when I can’t work anymore, I’ll just lie down and die.”

"Even if the enemy is the Temple of Light?" Su Ming asked.

A mocking smile appeared on Hanster's lips. "The holy light, high above, has never looked upon us mere dust."

Su Ming glanced at Qi Luo.

"It's been tested, and the assessment is 'chaotic goodness'," Qiluo replied. "Low sense of identification with order. As for goodness, it's a given, otherwise she wouldn't have rushed out to 'save' the child just now."

“Besides, he didn’t lie; he’s an honest old man,” she added.

“Miss, are you a mythical beast?” Hanster asked, looking at Qiluo.

"Hmm, he's a very knowledgeable and honest old man."

(End of this chapter)