His friend was indeed mining for gold in Beimang, but he wasn't there to strike it rich from panning; instead, he had been kidnapped and forced into labor. In the mines, there was a rule: anyone who could bring in strong men would not only receive extra food and meat, but with enough people, they could even become a foreman, supervising others' work.
Thus, most of the slaves in the mines had been deceived into coming by their own friends or even relatives. Once they were on the mountain, they could never leave again.
