This Is Where I Start…

Heian Ciemnosc walked for a few days, taking large strides with his sudden increase in speed, not alerting a single ant. With his cultivation base, not even the lazy Spirit Sense of existences would find him, let alone in an abandoned Region like the Vrida Region is. Even though he still senses curious and cautious Spirit Senses near the Vrida Region, belonging to those who always suspected something and were paranoid.

Of the 5 pieces of land preferred by the organizations in the Vrida Region, spread throughout them, the largest was in the central west. Most of its territory belonged to a third of the western forest. It is shared between 4 organizations who are also rivaling each other.

The second largest was situated in the east, taking much more terrain from the eastern forest than the largest territory from the western forest. This one has 3 organizations sharing its abundant resources.

Right next to it was a territory that was 60% its size. This territory had half of its territory in the thick forest, but they still managed to face the larger territory alone, and reach a stalemate. It had 3 organizations sharing the territory, with 2 of them bordering the other territory.

To the west of the largest territory, 1 of the 2 smallest territories was situated. It only had about ⅛ of the western forest for itself, indicating how difficult it was to gain and maintain any territory within the forest. It only has 2 organizations and is meek yet friendly with the largest territory.

Finally, in the central south, the other of the 2 smallest territories was far from the forest, just a little short of 10,000 kilometers. However, this one had some connections with the eastern forest’s organizations, which reached a consensus to trade the materials in the forest to the central south territory. This one had 2 organizations.

There were villages, towns, and cities everywhere else besides the territories. Even in the forests, although most cities in the forests were abandoned and old. Yet, the civilians living in the forest were both tribal and somewhat savage, yet civilized and full of wisdom. Even though the territories have always dominated the Region’s law, it is the forest people who have made the greatest gains by cutting trees and harvesting other resources for them.

The rewarding price was small, but not out of hand. After all, the forest people knew their land the best, and they kept most of those things to themselves while selling the rest to the organizations. Although the organizations could just send someone to the forests and do the same, the dangers in the forests only applied to foreigners, not the inhabitants of the forests.

The trees had eyes, hive-like intelligence, and heart. The people living in the forests have been doing so for hundreds of years since the new Change. Even before the new Change, they were already renowned for their connection to nature. However, there was no actual nature affinity.

This somehow reminded Heian Ciemnosc of his relationship with the Elements, even at the First Step, or before he even began his cultivation path.

Each territory also has settlements and a Small City. As a 1* Region, in a Divine Kingdom, its resources could even surpass an Upper Kingdom’s 3* Region. Of course, those richer than regular aren’t counted.

Although the territories have their few tens of billions of inhabitants at the very least, the majority of the Region’s population still lives in the ‘wilderness’, which travel through the roads and board transporting vehicles to work for the organizations. They were a little cheap.

… After traveling for a few days, Heian Ciemnosc decided to stop near the northeastern organization in the largest territory. It was a little over 10,000 kilometers away from the western forest, and was the farthest away from the other organizations but one of the 2 closest to the Small City.

Heian Ciemnosc simply walked into one of its mines, where tens of thousands of Powerful Stones were being carried out by civilians every few seconds, who only needed to tap with their hands to move the carts. Those carts had technology, and the rails were enough for 4 people to walk at spread arms’ length. Any person could comfortably walk through them, and there were 2 ways so the coming and leaving carts, empty and full, didn’t crash.

The rails were already in the air when coming up from the mine, showcasing just how easy it was to move them. However, the civilian in charge of this task might feel at ease, but their full pay was only secured if nothing went wrong. At least they were paid per cart moved, and each civilian with similar tasks had their designated tools or devices, ensuring no stealing happened.

As Heian Ciemnosc walked to the mine’s entrance, a large and well-organized camp appeared in his immediate field of view. Some people in charge spotted him and one of them sent a citizen to go talk to him. Heian Ciemnosc’s different appearance was still eye-catching.

He looked like a young, slightly tall man with a fit, slender body, and pale skin. His skin seemed fair, but his movements were stable, and he carried a 20 kg pickaxe made from solidified dirt alone. Everyone’s pickaxes in the Region, were inlaid with a forged tip to penetrate and efficiently mine the ores. Heian Ciemnosc’s wasn’t, and it seemed like he knew how to work his body.

“Hello, fella. Came to apply?” The citizen looked at him and stopped in front of him. Heian Ciemnosc also stopped as he heard the 40 year old youngish man take a clipboard from his back and a pen from his left ear. Before responding, Heian Ciemnosc curiously asked in a calm, soothing voice. “Are citizens used a lot?”

“Hahah,” the citizen let out a hearty laugh before elaborating, pleased, “It’s all the Universal Lands’ fault. But here, we are mostly sent to do the miscellaneous tasks. See this mine? Of course, you do, haha. It used to make 30% less than now. With citizens working the field cultivators don’t want, and as we're highly paid for, the productivity increased by a lot.”

“Either way. We still need to go through the same tough requirements to become a citizen, but most of us are sent to places like these. So, if you want to try it, you better prepare. Maybe you can become a citizen after 30 years of mining. That’s how my grands became one and referred me.”

“Sure, let me apply,” Heian Ciemnosc nodded and leaned his left shoulder forth. The citizen gestured to Heian Ciemnosc’s strength before passing him the clipboard. Heian Ciemnosc noted his age, 27, and name, Hongliang He, among other things.

“Okay, just let me check real-quick…” The citizen immediately took a look at the cupboard and assessed Heian Ciemnosc’s situation. His pen traced a few times, rapidly and swiftly, before lifting his face to Heian Ciemnosc again. “Damn. This is fine. You can start now if you wish. You’ll be paid 20 cc’s a day, and 1 silver coin every year as long as you work the average minimum quota per day.”

“Or you can start with a 20/80 share, 20 for you, of the minerals you mine if you’d like. But you’ll only be paid the silver coin a year and have free lodging from the miners. It’s secured by the organization, so there won’t be poor conditions.” The citizen said, as per the procedures.

Heian Ciemnosc nodded and grabbed his pickaxe’s handle and shaft at the middle, “I’d like the latter. May I ask you to guide me in?”

“Don’t you want any of our pickaxes? You’ll have it better that way…” The citizen asked, nearly nodding at once. Heian Ciemnosc calmly said with a soothing tone, “No. Mine is good enough.”

“Alright, come. Let’s see how you do.” The citizen finally nodded at ease and turned around. He walked to a section beside the mine’s entrance, where many practiced mining motion with wooden pickaxes before trying the Powerful Stone ore placed at the center.

The ore was 30 meters in diameter and 2 meters tall, quite enough for hundreds of days’ worth of people trying out and practicing. The citizen gave Heian Ciemnosc some advice before standing at the side and gesturing to a spot on the ore.

“Alright, He. Show me what you got.”

Heian Ciemnosc nodded at the citizen’s words and looked at the ore. After a couple of seconds, with the citizen frowning a little at Heian Ciemnosc’s sudden pause, he finally moved. Heian Ciemnosc’s eyes blinked and darted about a little before sucking air into his lungs. Heian Ciemnosc lifted his arms as if he held the most precious objects in his stretched arms’ hands and swung down behind the ore’s bump with slightly shining, pale gray-white surface.

Cliiiing~!!

“… … …?” Suddenly, the miners around the entrance turned to look, and even the citizens were attracted by the sound. The citizen instructing Heian Ciemnosc nearly jumped 3 meters in the air. His feet kept tapping the ground as his legs spread like a crab’s.

“Ho- ho! Holy shit!” The citizen was exhilarated. He looked at Heian Ciemnosc and shook his head, “You’ll get a raise soon enough. Go on, you can work now. Haha. Good luck!”

With that, Heian Ciemnosc’s time as a miner began…

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

. . .

Over 3 years later.

The mines were for people from all over the Region. The organizations didn’t discriminate between south and north or east and west. They couldn’t. It would mean denying help and manpower when they most needed it. This way, they could expand their territories after preparing for a few hundred years, and to defend their actions when the other territories exclaimed.

Currently, the organizations were still halfway to that point in their Region’s history. As for the civilians, they were more than glad to always have this opportunity, but there was no free risk in the mines or harvesting resources in the wild.

Even then, there were many people with ordinary lives who came here to make a long-term gain, so their families could do better. They weren’t isolated in the mines, and they could always connect with them as long as they paid the citizens the feet to use their Universal Conveyance as proxy.

But it was impossible for desperation and poverty to not be abundant among the mines. In the one Heian Ciemnosc chose, it was just one of many in the organization, owning more than a dozen. Yet, he saw countless men and women of all Races working the mines in desperation.

Those people couldn’t be put in relaxing, moving, logistics positions as they were susceptible to mistakes that’ll cost more than failing to swing their pickaxe accurately. Thus, they were all sent to mine. They crawled out of the mines after working for nearly 18 hours a day, only spending half an hour for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The remaining 7 and a half hours were spent walking to not become too sore and resting to regain energy.

Heian Ciemnosc helped some. But that was all he did. He and others offered them food, or cloth. But that was all they did. Nobody felt like becoming a knight in shining armor for random people. Besides, these came and went as the years passed. Heian Ciemnosc had only spent 3 years and a few months, but he saw hundreds of desperate workers collapse and sleep forever.

The mines weren’t completely safe, although the organization’s members always ensured the workers otherwise. The carts were operated by technology, but this type had failed thrice in Heian Ciemnosc’s mining time. He’d seen dozens becoming pulp from the overly large and heavy carts malfunctioning.

Furthermore, there’s some insane people within the mines, and citizens only stand at the gates of the exit and near the entrances to each mine’s section, far from the cart’s rails which elevate in the air. Murders and rapes were rare, but not nonexistent. They were heavily punished, but not as much as stealing from the mines.

The section Heian Ciemnosc worked in was far deep into the mine and to the right. There, he worked with the best miners. At first, his pay was 20/80, but after 3 weeks, it became 30/70. Now, he’s spent 8 months with a 40/60 share, of which his Powerful Stones ‘go’ to the Small City with a contact he made before coming here.

Naturally, all of those were lies. But they didn’t investigate it, as the Small City had many stores and trading systems belonging to the numerous organizations. All the miners’ shares who wished to exchange for opportunities, favors, or civilian property and riches were handled by said organizations of their respective mines.

Cling! Clang! Clang… munch, munch… Cling! Cling! …

Heian Ciemnosc mined with his left hand as he ate with his right hand. He was allowed to eat inside as his expertise, stamina, and strength were just that great. If it wasn’t because of Heian Ciemnosc’s lack of energy inside his body, they would’ve detained him as a cultivator who thinks they can fool the organizations.

To his right was a stout, small man, and to his left were 4 dwarves working their little arms but strong and efficient bodies. From the workers Heian Ciemnosc has seen, the majority were male, even when including those from the Myriad Races and not just Humans and Elves. Although there were some Fairies who mined a few days and helped in other ways the rest of the year.

Most of the females helped by treating other civilians, be it medication, cleaning or making new clothes, and food. The free lodging included the food made from other workers. Currently, Heian Ciemnosc was eating a large sandwich, the size of a kid’s head, whose freshness and smell remained even after being wrapped and under the mines for a few hours.

It had yellow, butter-colored white bread, large leaf pieces, and so many types of meat and add-ons from Fauna and flora that Heian Ciemnosc couldn’t help but exclaim to the stout, small man to his right. “Ooah, these have gotten better lately. Did the new cook learn after a few weeks? Oh, that’s a nice record. Yes.“

“Eh? Really?? I didn’t notice. I’ll try that out later, haha.” The man said before fully focusing on the ore before him. Heian Ciemnosc finished his sandwich and looked at his comrade who had mined beside him for 2 years now. This man, who murdered a fellow miner 2 weeks ago. But that’s fine, Heian Ciemnosc knew he did it because he discovered that said fellow miner assaulted his wife before killing her and burying her somewhere in an upper mine section.

Her mutilated corpse was found 2 days later by a silly goober who tripped over her husband’s feet, which the silly goober accidentally mistook for their respective mine section. Heian Ciemnosc didn’t know how his comrade knew who it was, but Heian Ciemnosc didn’t mind acting a small part in a little drama. They were the mine’s pampered workers, so a few winks was all that was necessary for citizens to let a corpse rot somewhere.

“I’m done. I’ll return first,” Heian Ciemnosc said after another hour. He picked his stuff and walked past the dwarves. Then, when he passed by a cutie, he brushed her right side with his dark tail, making her look in the direction of the stout, small man, whose determination to forget everything and sweat stole her breath away.

… Coming up the mountain after 25 minutes of walking through the safety road, one that was less safe than the ‘pampered miner’s safety road’ but which Heian Ciemnosc stubbornly treaded, he headed directly to the kitchen tents.

These were the reasons all tens of thousands of miners could live well despite the hidden dangers here and there as a miner. Heian Ciemnosc went to the one where his food comes from and walked inside. The taste of dedication and experience inched his instincts to meet this cook.

Rustle.

Heian Ciemnosc’s entrance startled the youthful, young woman, cute with average aesthetics, who was just closing a topper. She was startled, but when she saw who it was, her face smiled and she made a soundless gladdened exclamation.

The gesture was cute. Heian Ciemnosc smiled and titled his head to the right, appearing adorable, too. The young woman continued moving her stuff for a while under Heian Ciemnosc’s watchful gaze. She didn’t feel bothered. When she was near finishing, Heian Ciemnosc closed in and stood before the table where all the toppers lied.

He picked his, surprising the woman in good graces, and asked her as he hid it behind his back. “You’ve become good after failing so many times. Ah, don’t put that face. I’m glad. Thank you,” Heian Ciemnosc humorously said, making the young woman open her mouth in protest and put her backhands on her hips. Heian Ciemnosc grinned with his charm still working, “I wanted to thank you. You’re a mute, considerate, ripe woman; but also wife of somebody. If I don’t ask first, I’d feel I’m seducing you. When it’s you provoking me instead.”

The young woman finally blushed, lowering her head as her left cheek dropped on her lifted left shoulder. Her left ring finger was hugged by an ordinary ring, which she never took off. Heian Ciemnosc’s food became more abundant and detailed to strike his bud tastes. How could he not see through this naughty wife?

“Are you sure you want to proceed? As you know, I’m leaving in 2 days. Don’t think I don’t know how many stomachs you’ve conquered the past week.” Heian Ciemnosc commented, closing in with both hands on the table. The young woman blushed a darker shade of red.

She bit her lips and made some hand signs before pointing to the back of the kitchen tent. Heian Ciemnosc nodded and shrugged, offering her a charming, little, devious smile. “Okay. But let’s go together. I want to disrobe you myself.”

The young wife, who had turned around, stopped and looked at Heian Ciemnosc over her left shoulder. Her eyes were mesmerizing, and her blush enhanced her exotic freckles. Her short, slightly wild, black hair rustled slightly in the air as Heian Ciemnosc jumped over the table and stuck his member on her rear. Then, he slowly guided her to the back of the tent as they passionately kissed.

“… Yes, I also know hand language… Don’t believe me? Alright. Ask me anything…” In the tent, after a few rounds, the young wife made some hand signs and waited for Heian Ciemnosc to reply with her arms crossed over her small mounds. Heian Ciemnosc’s darkest eyes darted and trembled for a second before he replied with her hand language.

Then, the naughty wife grandly smiled before throwing her married body to his tremendous body with a perfect size for her body. When they were amidst yet another round of insemination, a male entered with an anxious face.

“Hon- ah! Sorry for interrupting. I just need to talk to her quick…” The husband entered, crouching beside his wife’s head, and spoke to her as Heian Ciemnosc remained deep inside her cunt. “It’s our boy, his medicine has arrived… Do you have this week’s payment?”

The naughty wife looked at her husband and did some hand signs before pointing at Heian Ciemnosc in a panic. Heian Ciemnosc understood, but the husband didn’t. He looked at Heian Ciemnosc apologetically and said before leaving.

Heian Ciemnosc’s gaze departed from the husband’s back as something tightened and loosened his manhood. He looked at the naughty young woman’s apologetic face before lowering his body towards her. The naughty wife felt his heaviness before it left her needy body. When she wanted to say sorry to him, she felt something much larger of yet the same girth and shape that has been sending her to heaven since yesterday all over from her torso to her forehead.

“Shhh,” Heian Ciemnosc calmed her with intense, quick, pecking lips as she became overly excited. His hoarse voice made her want to experience it without hearing him out first, “You’ll make your husband disappointed if I don’t have money for you. But we can make an exchange. Fret not, I know how to not harm you… At least not physically. In return…”

The naughty wife felt every inch of her being’s fiber thrill with expectation. She heard some roughened spherical things falling in her purse, along a bag filled with tiny clanking noises. But the enormously lengthy object somehow fully going into her vulva confused her before she began throwing her head back and forth in delirium. Heian Ciemnosc had to softly hold her with his Vocón Link around her neck as their Souls touched.

Her lips were slowly, lovingly tasted and kissed as his hips heavily impaled her at his pace before the slow and arduously, impossibly, overly, heavenly pleasure was accustomed to her body. From then on, she cooperated, sending insane pleasure to their bodies in great harmony.

The lovely mute beauty thought the sensation of something coursing through her veins into the rest of her body was because of the pleasure, not knowing she was being given gratitude. Besides all the money Heian Ciemnosc gained as a tip from the organization’s citizens in silver coins, hidden by an array formation that only existences would find to be filled with such. It also had a small space room for Covert Space bags which citizens could utilize.

… 2 days later. Heian Ciemnosc walked out of the kitchen tent and slowly walked southwards. The citizens watched until he was far from their eyesight. As for the mute and her family, that would be their own change-of-destiny-like tale to live.

Another 2 days later, after meditating, Heian Ciemnosc used his 6 meter dark tail to appear where he had landed his feet first on, at the beginning. The very center of the Vrida Region. Between the central western and eastern forests.

…