The actions of the three miners in storing up the Purple Sale Ore had not escaped Tian Xiao's notice. Though they had secretly extracted the raw ore, Tian Xiao had his own plans. Not only did he intend to seize this batch of Purple Sale Ore, but he also planned to leak this information early to prevent the miners from meeting the same tragic fate as before—dying under mysterious circumstances.
However, the mere two million worth of Purple Sale Ore was not enough to spur immediate action. After some careful consideration, Tian Xiao decided to wait for twenty-five more days. He would let the three miners continue working for him for the time being, and when the time was right, he would act without leaving a trace.
With the decision made, Tian Xiao piloted his flying vehicle, continuing to scout the deep pits of Zone G46 with his drone. At first glance, mining might seem like a dull job, but in reality, it was an art. Tian Xiao, like many new miners, had once driven his mining machine aimlessly, hoping for a stroke of luck. But after a whole day's work, he had exhausted all his energy, found nothing, and even had to pay for repairing the drill.
But Tian Xiao was a quick learner. He soon figured out the key to mining: first, one must analyze the rock layers and predict where the raw ores are most likely to be found. This way, the chances of a successful dig were higher. By doing so, he not only completed his daily tasks efficiently but also earned extra allowances from the newer miners. After a month, he was able to save eight to ten thousand, which placed him among the better off in the mining community.
Although Tian Xiao was technically a "newcomer," his mining experience was not inferior to that of the veteran miners in the 099 team. He chose not to disturb them for now and focused on completing his daily tasks—mining was paid by the day in Cloud Group, and the wages were used to buy meals and maintain the mining equipment.
His plan was simple: first, earn the small amounts, then consider the bigger gains.
Inside the cockpit of his flying vehicle, Tian Xiao focused entirely on his work, slipping back into the mindset of an experienced miner. With the real-time data provided by his "Qinglong" system and his accumulated knowledge, he began to carefully mark the rock layers, identifying potential ore veins.
"Qinglong," Tian Xiao commanded, "mark this rock layer. The outer shell is tough, and there's a resonance within, a typical ore vein."
"Shall we start digging?" Qinglong asked.
Tian Xiao shook his head slightly. "Not yet. First, analyze the rock structure to make sure the support won't be compromised."
He knew that the stability of the deep pit in Zone G46 was poor, and a month from now, the entire pit would be buried, abandoned. To avoid causing any problems, he was extra cautious.
After a period of analysis, Qinglong confirmed the stability of the structure: "The support is fine. As long as the digging area and depth stay within a hundred meters, there will be no danger."
Tian Xiao nodded and immediately activated the drill. The mining machine emitted a low vibration, and the drill spun rapidly, tearing through the rock, releasing large amounts of dust. The temperature of the drill started rising, and Tian Xiao smiled faintly.
The toughness of the rock suggested that valuable ores might be hidden inside. Among miners, there was an unspoken understanding: when the drill met tough rock, it often indicated a major find.
As the drill continued to work, Tian Xiao sensed an unusual vibration.
"Qinglong," he murmured, "carefully grind around it to uncover the ore."
After a few minutes of precise operation, the true nature of the ore was finally revealed—a solid chunk of black raw ore, about two meters in diameter, perfectly shaped and hard.
Qinglong's voice came through the earpiece: "This is H4-grade scale iron ore. It's mainly used for manufacturing outer shells of H4-level flying vehicles. Its value isn't high, but the size is considerable. This single piece of ore could sell for at least three thousand."
Tian Xiao smiled faintly. Three thousand wasn't much, especially compared to the pile of Purple Sale Ore worth tens of millions nearby. However, this was his first real mining success since his rebirth, marking the beginning of a new chapter.
He carefully shattered the scale iron ore and placed it into the storage compartment of the mining machine.
At that moment, the communication system of the flying vehicle suddenly buzzed.
"It's a call from Zhu Xiaotian," Qinglong reminded him.
Tian Xiao paused. Zhu Xiaotian—he knew her well. She was a classmate of Wang Jingyi, who had later joined the Earth Defense Force and risen to the rank of battalion commander. Tian Xiao figured that the call was likely due to Wang Jingyi not receiving his birthday wishes, prompting Zhu Xiaotian to inquire.
He glanced at the time—9:30 AM. The whole day had passed in a blur, and he suddenly realized he hadn't sent Wang Jingyi his birthday greetings yet.
Originally, he hadn't intended to engage with Wang Jingyi any further, but since Zhu Xiaotian was her close friend, he felt obligated to answer the call.
"Tian Xiao, where are you?" Zhu Xiaotian's face appeared on the screen, her large eyes wide in surprise. "Do you know what day it is? Have you forgotten?"
Tian Xiao chuckled. "I won't be going to Jingyi's birthday party. I've got a mountain of work to catch up on. The time I missed will count as my gift to her. From today onwards, I'm going to focus entirely on making money."
Zhu Xiaotian furrowed her brows. "Tian Xiao, are you on bad terms with Jingyi?"
Tian Xiao smiled lightly, his tone casual. "There's nothing going on between me and Jingyi. We're just classmates. All those rumors outside are nonsense. You know as well as I do—she's too excellent to ever end up with someone like me."
There was a brief silence on the other end of the line before Zhu Xiaotian spoke again. "You really think so?"
Tian Xiao's gaze grew intense. "How could I possibly give up on conquering the stars and the vast seas just for a vase?"
Zhu Xiaotian was stunned, a look of shock flickering in her eyes. This single sentence made her realize something.
Suddenly, she understood: the man in front of her was no longer the ordinary, unnoticed figure he once was. He was slowly stepping into a world that was grand and boundless.
"Who am I? Where am I?" A wave of intense emotion surged through Zhu Xiaotian's heart."Xiaotian."
"Did Tian Xiao's call go through?"
"Where is he now?"
When Wang Jingyi walked over with her bag in hand, Zhu Xiaotian hurriedly turned off the video function on her wrist device.
I have to admit, Wang Jingyi had her advantages—she was tall, beautiful, and had a great presence. As she walked, she had already caught the attention of many miners at the base headquarters, their gazes filled with admiration.