Chapter 27: The Rampage of the Earth Beasts!

Earth and stars, mountains stretching endlessly.

Jiang Taichu searched among the mountain peaks, gradually feeling something was off.

There were plenty of resources, but the quality was lacking.

After half a day, he had found four pieces of geovein essence stones, which was an abundant haul by any measure.

Yet the quality of these stones was mediocre, barely better than the first one he’d discovered.

“So this is the Earth Star, cultivated for years and restored? Are you kidding me?”

Jiang Taichu let out a soft sigh.

This was the richest area, Sector 6—what of the other, poorer regions? Surely they’d have even less.

He looked at the geoveins threading through the mountain peaks: thin, sparse.

“Double rewards are still better than nothing on Star 10,” he thought to himself.

He continued his search, this time flying at full speed—only two days allotted, so he had to find as much as possible.

Particle radar, mountain survey skills, every bit of his strength unleashed!

He swept from one mountain to another, marking resources with his locator and releasing particle beams.

Time passed swiftly; after a day, he had found thirteen geovein essence stones. Hungry, he made his way to a nearby rest point.

Tang Yu and Zhang Jing were there already, smiles dawning on their faces as they saw him. “How’s the harvest?” they asked.

“Not bad. What about you?” Jiang Taichu replied, glancing at the other staff members.

The seven employees ate in silence, unable to hide their smiles.

They looked up at the conversation.

“We did alright too,” Tang Yu and Zhang Jing said, grinning but not revealing specifics, since others were present.

The seven soon finished their meal and dashed out again, clearly intending to forgo rest.

“Let’s go,” Tang Yu said. “Make the most of today.”

“Right, I found four geovein essence stones—opportunities like this are rare,” Zhang Jing added.

Jiang Taichu nodded, eager to earn more.

Thirteen geovein essence stones, with double rewards—that meant twenty-six cultivation pills, worth one hundred and forty thousand credits.

He wouldn’t earn that much in a year.

The three piloted their mechs back to the collection point.

Returning to their previous survey site, Jiang Taichu activated the particle radar and began searching again.

It was midnight before he found another geovein essence stone atop a mountain, marking it with a particle beam.

“Are resources dwindling? Or am I searching the wrong place?” Jiang Taichu frowned.

Beep beep.

The radar suddenly detected something—a red dot moving rapidly toward him.

---

Jiang Taichu raised an eyebrow. Instead of searching for resources, someone was wandering around?

Half the allotted time was already gone—shouldn’t they hurry?

As he wondered, the red dot came to within a hundred meters, hovering in midair. “Jiang Taichu?”

“Who are you?” Jiang Taichu asked through the communication channel, puzzled. “Are you looking for me?”

“Thirty cultivation pills—quite a boon for you, aren’t they?” the newcomer said with a faint smile.

“Was it you who had Lu Fang target me?” Jiang Taichu’s gaze sharpened.

“No, he acted on his own. I never intended to trouble you—actually, I hoped to recruit you.

But the man is petty, and dared to steal the ‘Heavenly Dao Shield Device,’ truly infuriating.”

The newcomer continued, “Rest assured—I’ve sent him to the Great Thunderclap Monastery labor camp, where he’ll reform.”

“You’re ruthless—that’s a supreme prison,” Jiang Taichu was startled.

The Great Thunderclap Monastery prison was notorious, housing the most vicious criminals: traitors from Blue Star, cultivators from alien worlds.

Lu Fang entering there—he’d really been elevated.

“It’s only a projection, a branch prison,” the newcomer clarified. “Those thirty pills are my apology. Will you work for me?”

Jiang Taichu responded seriously, “What are you talking about? Those were Yang Supervisor’s reward, how are they your apology? I never accepted anything from you.”

The newcomer was silent for a moment.

“You’re shameless!”

“Soon, the company will reorganize. Captains will be appointed among the staff. If you join me, I’ll make you captain—salary up to eight thousand a month. That’s sincere, isn’t it?”

“Sorry, what happened with Lu Fang left me with psychological scars, and Tao Zhong and the others ostracize me. I’ll pass,” Jiang Taichu refused decisively.

He scoffed inwardly—Yang Xuanzi had promised him deputy manager; that was practically being half the boss. Now this offer was a downgrade to captain, touting it as sincerity?

Even a fool knew which to choose!

“Young man, don’t be too greedy,” the newcomer said, voice low.

“Must I spell it out even clearer?” Jiang Taichu said coldly.

“Fine, if we can’t cooperate, let’s at least be friends. My name is Yang Xuancheng. If you need anything, contact me. I’ll make sure Tao Zhong and the others won’t trouble you.”

Yang Xuancheng smiled, “Wish you a fruitful harvest.”

With that, he soared away and vanished into the horizon.

Yang Xuancheng?

Jiang Taichu recalled the relevant information: person in charge of Earth Star Sector 7, cousin to Yang Xuanzi.

“Feuding young masters? Claiming not to know Lu Fang targeted me? Who are you fooling?”

Jiang Taichu snorted. Lu Fang alone could never have known the location of the ‘Heavenly Dao Shield Device.’

The absurd thing was, he really did steal it.

If Yang Xuancheng hadn’t tipped him off, there’d be a problem.

---

Vigilant now, Jiang Taichu resumed his search.

Far off, Yang Xuancheng landed atop a mountain. “Well, failed to recruit him.”

“What did you offer?” Yang Xuanzi asked curiously.

“Captain position, eight thousand salary.”

“If it were me, I wouldn’t join you either. I promised deputy manager. Do you underestimate young people’s ambition?” Yang Xuanzi sneered.

“You’re crazy. Deputy manager is groomed as a gold team leader, sent to mine the stars, even face off against alien cultivators. Can he handle that?” Yang Xuancheng’s face darkened.

“I have no more reliable men—Tao Zhong and his lot, I dare not trust. Have you not found who set you up?” Yang Xuanzi frowned.

“No. What’s absurd is how they used soul recognition to impersonate me,” Yang Xuancheng’s expression was grim.

“They can’t impersonate you for long. Once they mapped the ‘Earth’ array spirit’s particle changes and learned a few aura-mimicking techniques, it’s not impossible to briefly fool the array spirit.”

Yang Xuanzi mused, “Anyway, it’s one of our siblings.”

“If anything else happens during this resource exploration, you must testify for me,” Yang Xuancheng said gravely. “I won’t take the blame again.”

“I’m afraid the arrangements were made long ago,” Yang Xuanzi said quietly.

“Hurry to the southern sector. If a ground beast appears, proceed at once,” a heavy voice sounded in the communication channel.

Yang Xuancheng raged, “Damn you, jinx. How could ground beasts appear on Star 1? What are the supervisors doing?”

Meanwhile, Jiang Taichu found another geovein essence stone. Suddenly, the particle radar flashed.

Beep beep.

A sharp, urgent alarm sounded. Red dots approached rapidly.

“This movement isn’t as fast as a mech—they’re underground…”

Jiang Taichu’s expression shifted. He shot into the sky.

Boom!

The earth shattered; massive ground beasts erupted from below.

“Wasn’t it said there were no ground beasts? How could so many appear at once?” Jiang Taichu’s gaze darkened. Was Earth Company’s survey work done with a dog on a leash?

Rumbles echoed from afar; the ground split, and more beasts burst forth.

Jiang Taichu wasted no time, changing direction and flying off to find Tang Yu and Zhang Jing.

Without weapons, they couldn’t handle the beasts.

On his way, more ground beasts tore through the soil—sand flying, yellow dust billowing, smoke obscuring the view.

“This is a ground beast outbreak? Even Earth Star 10 couldn’t have so many appear at once.”