People in Terra, governing a bizarre little country

Nian, Ling, and Xi, who, although not often seen in paintings, is actually quite adorable, are all His friends!

The other agents of the Year Beast are also her potential friends!

Especially Shu, He felt a familiar aura from her, and He was certain that He and Shu would get along!

He had finally made a few friends, how could he let this [Sui], who had been lying on the ground for who knows how long, steal the peach?

Ya'er suddenly realized that she had made the right choice in selecting the [Enya] skin to prevent Ernst from noticing anything amiss!

Because Enya often used the Holy Bell to hit her brother Ensiodes on the head!

So, in a way, isn't what He's doing now quite true to the original?

Thinking this, Ya'er gritted her teeth and smashed the huge bell in her hand down towards Sui's head!

"clang--!"

"clang--!"

"clang--!"

Sounds good!

That's a great head!

P.S.: On my first day sleeping at school, I got a terrible stiff neck. I also experienced my roommate's legendary snoring for the first time in ages, and I didn't sleep well for most of the night.

Thankfully, I don't need to stay here too long; I just need to get things done. The rest is just internship and writing my graduation thesis. Are there any guys still in school? I asked some friends up north, and they said school doesn't start until March? Is that true?

PS2: Monster Hunter Wilds is coming out soon, and I heard this generation is really good. I really want to play it, but it's so expensive!

Chapter 976 In the deepest depths, there lies me.

Great Flame, Hundred Stove, Underground.

The concrete arch was riddled with cracks, and the rough steel frame pierced through the peeling reinforcement layers, like the rusted and brittle ribs of a giant beast. Giant ventilation pipes, left over from the overexploitation of Originium in the early Crystallization Era in pursuit of industrialization, hung from the tunnel sidewalls. The moss-like rust on their surfaces was cut open by newly installed carbon fiber pipes, and judging from the latter's still-unfurled shell, there was no doubt that this was the work of the Great Yan Industrial Department.

With a hint of embarrassment on his face, Wan Qincheng, the Vice Minister of Works, apologized to Ernst:

"This mine tunnel has been abandoned for some time. Due to time constraints, the Ministry of Works could only take extreme measures to dredge and repair the internal structure. Therefore, it is difficult to guarantee comfort."

As he spoke, he patted his chest, making a rather serious promise:

"But rest assured, safety is definitely guaranteed."

Ernst followed his words and looked into the tunnel.

Every five meters, there are craters left by the explosives used in the past for prospecting, now embedded with hissing Originium battery packs. Tangled cables emerge from bullet-hole-shaped access ports, snaking across the entire concrete wall, clearly showing the workers' urgency to finish the job. Under the mercury-like explosion-proof lights, the remnants of conveyor belts have been welded into temporary trestle bridges, spanning the seemingly unsecured fractured layers. Deep inside the tunnel, one can vaguely see the old tracks used to transport Originium crystals—that area is now cordoned off by the Ministry of Works, where several semi-intelligent robots wait, each connected to a small mining cart.

It's clear that the Ministry of Works has truly put in their best efforts. From Ernst's request to the True Dragon for a tunnel leading deep into the main mine of Jingyu, to the True Dragon's order for the Ministry of Works to select a tunnel, and now to the Ministry of Works clearing this abandoned tunnel to ensure Ernst and his group's passage, all of this actually happened in just one night.

To be honest, Ernst found it somewhat unbelievable that night.

Perhaps this is the speed of the Great Yan Dynasty?

He even arranged a track and a mine cart specifically for the three of them for convenient transportation.

To be honest, Ernst was a little embarrassed by it all.

Seemingly noticing Ernst's surprise, or perhaps having long been prepared to fight for the Great Yan, Wan Qincheng smiled and said:

"Mr. Ernst, there is no need to be surprised. Great Yan has its own capabilities. Only when you can go to Shangshu City one day will you truly see the ambition of us Great Yan people."

His tone carried a hint of undisguised pride, but it wasn't off-putting.

Ernst had heard many people mention Shangshu City.

It is said that there, the Ministry of Works of the Great Yan Dynasty, together with the Civil Engineering Master of the Celestial Master's Mansion, moved all three mountains and seventeen peaks of the Shangshu region onto the mobile city!

This level of engineering feat is nothing short of a modern myth. In ancient mythology, the story of Yu Gong moving mountains was merely about carving a path to the outside world, and ultimately, the Wangwu and Taihang mountains were moved by the mountain gods.

What's the difference between those civil engineering masters and mountain gods who can move mountains and fill seas?

Ernst nodded admiringly at Wan Qincheng and walked into the tunnel.

The air was filled with industrial dust that had not yet been cleaned up, which made their vision a little blurry. Fortunately, Wan Qincheng seemed to have realized this as well, and he had prepared the corresponding gas masks in the mine cart.

Ernst put on the mask, and the three of them boarded the minecart. The robot quickly started up, activating the Originium power supply to the track. The minecart slowly began to accelerate, heading deeper into the earth.

The surrounding yellow and black danger signs had long been charred brown by the geothermal heat and were now laser-engraved with brand-new skull and crossbones symbols. Water dripped along the safety slogans "Safe Construction, No Accidents" and "Seize the Day, Make History." Temporary fiber pipes for lighting were laid on both sides, haphazardly pasted on the walls without any level alignment, like glowing mycelium growing in the dark underground.

The doctor felt somewhat uncomfortable.

Ernst noticed his unusual behavior and asked him a question out of concern.

"I just have a bit of OCD."

He replied.

Ernst glanced at Kal'tsit, who checked the Doctor's condition and then gave Ernst an OK sign, reassuring him.

"If you feel unwell, don't hold it in, just tell me directly."

Ernst comforted him.

In theory, a PhD student shouldn't feel particularly uncomfortable in this environment.

After all, the biggest threat in this area is actually the Originium crystal dust that is not cleaned up and remains in the air.

These dust particles are ubiquitous and can enter the lungs through respiration, causing acute Oripathy infection. Such infection can lead to respiratory failure, and the Originium crystals that grow there can even pierce through the lung lobes. Without proper protective measures, entering this environment will, at the very least, leave you weighing two pounds more!

Of the three present, the Doctor was not afraid of Originium at all.

Originium does not harm its creator. The Doctor directly inserted Originium into his own brain, and his cause of death must have been a brain hemorrhage rather than Oripathy.

Ernst hadn't tried to see if Originium would infect him, but just in case, he had already put on a filter mask and gloves, and Kal'tsit had prepared Oripathy inhibitors.

If all else fails, he can even perform a bloodletting act for the doctor on the spot!

Cough cough, this sounds a bit scary, but it's 100% effective.

As for Kal'tsit herself, she is a patient with Oripathy and a professional doctor, so she has plenty of experience in dealing with such highly polluted environments.

Therefore, strictly speaking, the degree of resistance of the three to this environment should be attributed to Dr. Kelsenster.

But for some reason, the order seems to have been reversed.

Ernst seemed unaffected, Kal'tsit remained stable, but the Doctor looked somewhat pale.

Of course, it's also possible that he's always been this fair-skinned.

Ernst seemed to have thought of something and asked:

"Did you sense something?"

The doctor looked up at Ernst with some surprise, then nodded with a hint of disbelief.

He wasn't really sure why he suddenly felt unwell, and the closer he got to the depths underground, the more severe the discomfort became.

But Ernst's words suddenly touched him.

It seemed as if something was indeed waiting for him ahead.

Kal'tsit's face showed a hint of confusion.

Ernst had actually told her why he brought the Doctor to the bottom of Jingyu's main mine, the place closest to the [original Originium].

Because the Doctor's very existence has the effect of controlling Originium, theoretically speaking, relying on the Doctor's [Originium Creator] characteristics, as long as he holds that Originium in his arms, according to the ironclad rule that Originium cannot harm its creator, this Originium will absolutely not be able to break through the Doctor's restraint and activate the entire Jingyu main mine.

Of course, finding the original Originium hidden in the vein directly is quite difficult, so Ernst and Kal'tsit prefer to use the Doctor as an anchor point here.

It's alright that the [Originium] has been activated. As long as the Doctor is here, the riot range of it and the entire Jingyu main mineral vein will be greatly limited.

The Great Yan will still face losses, but at least those losses will be much smaller.

But it is clear that Ernst never mentioned to Kal'tsit that "the Doctor would feel uncomfortable".

"Lord Ernst, are you hiding something?"

Kal'tsit frowned, a hint of suspicion in her eyes, her gaze fixed on Ernst as if she were about to breathe on him if he gave the wrong answer.

Seeing her like this, Ernst waved his hand, somewhat amused and exasperated.

If there was anything he was hiding, it was that he was hiding some things. For example, his conversation with Precys that night.

But to say that this has little to do with the doctor's discomfort is indeed not true.

He talked to Precyth about himself more.

To be precise, it's his [Originium Arts]!

Seeing that Kelsey was inexplicably doubting him, Ernst had no choice but to patiently explain:

"Kal'tsit, have you ever been to school? If you haven't studied properly for a whole semester, and the final exams are just around the corner, how would you feel as you watch the dates on the calendar getting closer and closer?"

Kal'tsit paused for a moment, then shook her head.

"Can't understand?" Ernst raised an eyebrow.

Kal'tsit stammered, "I think your analogy is not quite right. I have always had plenty of energy and a great interest in learning."

"Get to the point," Ernst interrupted her.

“I never went to school.” Kal’tsit’s face flushed slightly.

Ernst: "I'm sorry, it was my oversight."

He paused slightly, then patted the professor beside him: "No, it's his problem."

With such good conditions, he doesn't ride in a Maybach but instead drives a Starship, yet he doesn't send his kids to school and they rely entirely on the "university of life" for education. No wonder he's become a keycap that breathes on people!

The doctor gave him a somewhat helpless look.

Although he didn't remember that past, he could tell from Ernst's words that Kal'tsit seemed to have had an unusual relationship with him in the past, so much so that things related to her were somehow inextricably linked to him.

But when they were on Rhodes Island, Kal'tsit's attitude towards him was very cold, just like that of an ordinary colleague, or even worse.

The atmosphere on Rhodes Island was wonderful; everyone was a colleague and a friend. Amiya, in particular, treated him with the respect due to a father, yet also cared for him like a child. Only Kal'tsit, though responsible for all his examinations, felt more like "surveillance" than genuine concern.

Normally, the doctor might have been interested in this secret and asked Ernst to elaborate. But now, as the tunnel went deeper into the mine, the tension and discomfort he felt, the fear of seeing a certain scene, had caused his stomach to cramp.

He was speechless and could only express his dissatisfaction with his eyes.

Unfortunately, he was wearing a hood, and the lighting inside the tunnel was poor. The glare reflected off the hood, making it impossible to see the Doctor's face clearly. Neither Ernst nor Kelsey noticed this subtle glance.

Ernst thought for a moment and then changed the metaphor:

"When you were in Londinium, you knew you might encounter Precys when you entered the city, but you had no choice but to go to avoid the worst outcome. How did you feel at that time?"

Kal'tsit's expression changed instantly; her brows furrowed, and her lips pursed.

"Let's not talk about that, Lord Ernst, I'm feeling a little unwell."

"By the way, that's the situation with the doctor."

Kal'tsit blinked, seemingly understanding something, but while one question was answered, more questions arose.

What could make a PhD student subconsciously tense up to the point of feeling "uncomfortable"?

She looked at Ernst, who seemed to know everything, and suddenly felt like a green recruit in front of him, knowing nothing.

"What lies deep underground, Lord Ernst?"

“One of the original Originium,” Ernst replied matter-of-factly.

Kal'tsit nodded. Of course she knew that there was a First Originium in the main vein of Jingyu, but would the First Originium make the Doctor nervous?

Isn't that the "artificial amber" he created?

"anything else?"

She couldn't help but ask.

Ernst glanced at her and replied meaningfully:

"And I."

"You?" Kal'tsit clearly didn't understand what Ernst meant. "How did you get there? What special power does this original Originium possess? Is it able to replicate your existence?"

Kal'tsit made a guess that even she herself didn't believe.

She had heard Precys and the prophet emphasize the uniqueness of the "treasure" countless times, so how could the original Originium be replicated?

But this is the only possibility she can think of right now.

Ernst waved his hand, glanced at the silent doctor who seemed to have thought of something, and slowly said:

No, I'm not there.