Time quickly passed when one tries to live.

In the morning, I have quickly woken up Bao. I know she is a slow waker.

So in a moment, Bao stood up from her blanket. I immediately begin to dress her up, preparing to move.

To ordinary people, the cute appearance is something to boast or to be praised. But for us, it is something to hide or conceal as wherever we are adults or children. It is the same for us to be get kidnapped or sold by anyone.

That is why dressing up is no more than a way to conceal her appearance.

With that, we left our safe place and went towards the 13th mine to meet with Andrews and his group.

The 13th mine of Eustis city is own by two groups. First is the Yingpai medium sect the other one is the Desir Family, a noble family with the rank of Baron.

Every year they sponsor aptitude tests to discover and bring talents to their side.

If by chance the slave discovered, they immediately bought and status updates to a citizen or even higher if it is worth grooming.

It is the almost only chance for slaves like us to break our chain except being bought.

Not the test will happen next month, so I must increase my training to get chosen by them.

"Don't look, Bao."

While walking towards the meeting spot, I noticed the execution platform and immediately covered Bao's eyes.

"Okay."

Right now, people taking out the corpse of a person burned to death from the platform.

This is the platform where any offender gets executed by being burned alive while being chained to two pillars.

And every day there, are would be a new person chained on the platform, as nothing more easy to find a petty excuse against us.

It was both warning to us and a form of entertainment for guests.

*HHHnnnn!*

*Whistle!* *Whistle!*

"Attention! Get to your work immediately!"

"Any slackers and trouble makers will be placed in labor camp!"

Just in time, we arrived at a meeting spot as I heard a usual grim-sounding horn.

*Trrr!*

Following the familiar sound of an engine, I saw Andrews and his group followed by a giant miner.

A giant body surrounded by thick iron plates and supported by wide moving chains. Every movement leaves its mark on the ground showing its heavyweight that no ordinary human can hold.

Armed with a large drill that can do the work of hundreds of people and an unknown fire-spewing weapon that takes life in a blink of an eye.

And its flashing red eyes that show no sign of life.

This is an automaton.

It is something completely unknown to both cultivators and mages.

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

No one knows how those things work or understand human words.

One of few things they know is it is something made using dark technology in this world by our ancestors.

It is something made without using qi or mana or even alchemy.

They only know the surface knowledge and how to use it to some degree. But that is it as in the end automatons are works themselves.

"Heh, follow us."

Noticing us at the entrance, Andrews called us.

As usual, we went into the tunnel he got following the automaton he calls HM.

Following his command, HM has begun to dig a tunnel towards the direction he chose.

*HSSS!*

"Okay, time for the work."

It was sound where HM takes a break and sound for us to begun to work.

I heard from people that automation doesn't need to take a break unless it's a command. But after working with it seems it is just an empty rumor.

Or some reason, Andrews got the weird one that needs to rest from time to time.

The swift between us and HM continued until its night.

"Damn, I should just buy a pill."

Andrews said while taking a bite from a loaf of black bread. But seeing his expression looks like he got something no different than a pill.

"Boss, that is what you get for being a penny pitcher."

"Boss, you got at least 100 jade. It is enough to buy a decent meal. Why won't you spend some of it for a decent meal ?"

"Bastards, you know the pain of getting more money."

Said Andrews tried to take another bite from bread but seem his teeth couldn't handle it. So he was forced to drip in soup to make it edible.

While boss battling with the loaf of bread, we prepare to take the pill and take sleep.

Suddenly we heard a mechanical but cheerful sound.

"Time for the dinner! To restore your exhausted body and mind, please try our new meal in cups!."

"What the heck ?"

"What? Where is that coming from ?"

In mid of confusion, we saw a small box on the left and right sides of HM opens up.

It shows five lists of words with images besides of large image of the rock.

"Hey! HM, what the heck is that ?"

"It said dinner, right ?"

"Yeah, will it give us a dinner ?"

All of us stood in front of those images and buttons in curiosity.

Then we waited.

"To restore your exhausted body and mind, please try our new meal in cups!"

"Just place the required amount of yellow and dark ore inside the receiver, then choose your favorite flavor!"

"Yellow and dark ore ?"

After hearing the sentence immediately an image of a useless rock appeared in my mind.

"Brother, will HM give us dinner for a useless rock ?"

Seems, my little sister also got the same idea.

"Why not?"

Anything is better than fastening pills, also there are many of those useless rocks layin behind us.

Bao quickly took a rock similar to last time from the ground and walked towards the receiver.

"Hey, girl what are you holding that junk ?"

"HM said it wanted to exchange useless rock with a dinner."

"Oh."

With a simple response, Andrews and his group made way for Bao and me.

"HM, will this be enough ?"

Without knowing she was talking with a thing, Bao gently placed the useless rock in HM's receiver followed by me as well.

"Calculating the amount."

"Amount calculated! 2 ore with each weight over 3kg."

"Each of workers can choose one cup of the dinner of chosen flavor."

So 3kg ore is amount of one cup.

"Unn I don't know anything."

Bao randomly pressed the second button.

"Would you like to choose a milk-flavored one ?"

"WOA HOLY SHIT A MILK!"

"GIRL, CHOOSE MILK ONE!"

The milk was quite a luxurious item around here. No wonder everyone going nuts over it.

"Un, I want a sweet one."

Of course, my sweet loving sister wanted a sweet one. So she tried pressing 3rd one.

"Would you like to choose a coffee one ?"

"REALLY? A COFFEE!!"

"THAT THING !"

"What is a coffee ?"

"Girl, you don't know that coffee thing's each gram measured by refined jade!"

"So take it!"

"What is taste like ?"

"I heard is very bitter, but every riches likes to drink it must be something good."

This time Andrews tried to coax her to choose it.

"I don't like the bitter taste. I taste bitter one every day."

Said Bao pressed the first button.

"NOOO!"

Heh, Andrews looks like underestimated my sister's love for sweets.

"Would you like to choose a sweet chocolate one ?"

"Yes!"

Even chocolate that sweets were eaten by children nobles and elders of sects, one time I saw one in a display of store but the price was high as the sky.

To think we found that in price that no different than none.

"If you want, press it a second time to confirm."

"Okay."

After Bao pressing the button a second time on the left side of the box, a large cup with a tube at the top appeared. It was almost big as her head and it was decorated with colorful pictures.

"Please, return the cup after use."

"Brother, how do I use it ?"

It is completely different from any meal I have ever seen, but from the looks of it, one must suck from a tube connected to a cup.

"Try sucking from tube."

"Okay."

*Suuuuck~*

"So?"

"How does it is taste ?"

"OOOH!"

"IT IS SHOO GOOD!"

It was the first time I saw a sparkle in my little sister's eyes.