Chapter Four: Exploring the Mountains in Search of Treasure

Five days later, in the afternoon.

Jiang Taichu continued flying close to the ground as usual, with the spiritual particle radar constantly scanning the surroundings. Various images flashed through his mind—on the desolate land, aside from the endless dust and sand, there was no sign of any other living creature.

“This is just sickening. No matter where you look, it’s all the same. Can’t we get a change of scenery?” Tang Yu complained over the communication channel.

“Quit whining. Save up your salary for a year and you can buy a mech. Then you can go to whatever star you like,” Zhang Jing replied irritably.

“You think you can just wander wherever you want once you have a mech? There’s no profit on stars already contracted by others, and for unfamiliar stars, you need to apply. Without a team, you can’t send a basic mech alone,” Tang Yu grumbled.

Jiang Taichu listened silently to their conversation. What Tang Yu said was true—unknown stars were fraught with danger. Without a team or a company to lead them, Heaven’s Way would never allow them to go off and get themselves killed.

Otherwise, his former self would have already found a way to apply for permission and gone to Star 10977 to investigate his parents’ deaths.

Suddenly, his vision blurred. On the mountain ahead, strange patterns appeared, crisscrossing in intricate ways. At each intersection was a faintly yellow stone.

His eyes were filled with those mysterious lines, which extended into the earth and vanished from sight.

“What is that?” Jiang Taichu wondered. Suddenly, the Creation Jade Disc in his mind vibrated, flooding him with information: “Mountain Sight!”

Mountain Sight: Observe the mountains formed by gold and earth particles; follow the earth veins within the mountain to seek treasures.

Patrol Mountain Mech: Progress: 10%. Defense, True Qi +10%. Skill: Mountain Sight!

Mech skill!

The Patrol Mountain Mech was a basic magical tool; as proficiency increased, one could gain enhancements and awaken corresponding skills.

This Mountain Sight skill was precisely an awakened ability of the Patrol Mountain Mech!

“Treasure-seeking by observing mountain veins... those lines must be earth veins, and that faint yellow stone must be... a treasure!” Joy flashed in Jiang Taichu’s eyes.

The Earth Company also paid bonuses for resource collection. The entire Earth Star No. 10 was under Heaven’s Way’s surveillance. Unless one possessed a Particle Shield, there was no hiding from its detection.

He didn’t intend to keep this a secret anyway. He had always planned to follow in his parents’ footsteps and use the Earth Company as a way to visit Star 10977.

Of course, he also wanted to see whether the Earth Company had anything to do with his parents’ deaths.

If he could board the Earth Company’s mothership mentioned in his parents’ will, that would be even better.

But all this required sufficient cultivation as a foundation.

Only Earth Company employees and honored guests could enter the mothership.

He could never become an honored guest, so he had to become an employee first.

As he pondered, Jiang Taichu arrived at the foot of the mountain, found the spot where the faint yellow stone was, and pressed his hand to the mountainside.

Buzz—

The surface of the mountain rippled like water. With the mech shielding his body, he entered the mountain.

Inside, soil and rock piled up to form the mountain. A fist-sized, pale yellow gemstone emanated a dense aura of gold and earth.

Earth Vein Origin Stone!

A gem nurtured by the energy of earth veins, filled with gold and earth spiritual power—ideal as an energy source for the Patrol Mountain Mech.

Unfortunately, its grade was too low and it contained too many impurities.

Beep beep—

The radar sounded.

“Strange. Why didn’t the radar detect this stone before?” Jiang Taichu wondered.

Normally, the Earth Vein Origin Stone couldn’t escape the Patrol Mountain Spiritual Particle Radar. But now, only when he picked it up did the radar react.

Was the radar broken? Or was there something special about this environment that could shield it from detection?

He put the Earth Vein Origin Stone away. Then a rough voice came through the communication channel: “This is the Supervision Department. Unit 109, your radar showed an anomaly. Did you encounter a terrestrial beast or a treasure?”

The spiritual particle radar was connected to the Supervision Department. Any anomaly, and they would know immediately.

“Supervisor, I found an Earth Vein Origin Stone,” Jiang Taichu replied.

“Continue your investigation. Someone will meet you at tonight’s rest point.”

“Understood.”

He stowed the gemstone in his backpack, heart pounding with excitement, and looked toward another nearby mountain.

Earth vein lines appeared within the mountain, but unfortunately, no treasure.

He could only keep searching. By dusk, he still hadn’t found anything new.

Jiang Taichu returned to the rest point. After being bathed in sterilizing light, he entered the building.

A young man approached with a smile. “Unit 109, Jiang Taichu?”

“Yes,” Jiang Taichu nodded, handing over his backpack.

Everyone nearby glanced over. Tang Yu and Zhang Jing came closer, concern on their faces. “What’s going on?”

“Good news,” the young man said with a laugh. “Jiang Taichu found a gemstone—a basic Earth Vein Origin Stone. Would you prefer a medicinal pill or a cash reward?”

“A pill,” Jiang Taichu replied.

“One Five-Mystery Vitality Pill.” The young man produced a pill and handed it to Jiang Taichu. “My name is Yang Xuan. I’m responsible for this star. If you need anything, just let me know.”

“Thank you,” Jiang Taichu said, accepting the pill.

The Five-Mystery Vitality Pill was specifically for internal cultivation, nourishing the five viscera and six bowels, and boosting vitality.

A single Vitality Pill cost four thousand Blue Star Coins—almost equivalent to their monthly salary!

“I have other matters to attend to. Wishing you continued good luck.” Yang Xuan smiled, left the building, covered himself in his mech, and soared into the sky.

“You found an Earth Vein Origin Stone?”

A crowd quickly gathered around, exclaiming, “What luck! Where did you find it?”

“In a mountain. The radar detected it,” Jiang Taichu answered honestly.

In truth, the radar hadn’t reacted at all. It was entirely thanks to the Mountain Sight skill.

There were countless mountains on this star—he didn’t even know which ones held treasures, much less anyone else.

Even if they scoured every mountain, it would be impossible to find them unless they dug into each, inch by inch.

But that would take far too much time. How would they get any work done?

“Tomorrow we should focus on searching the mountains,” someone muttered.

“Little Jiang’s really lucky. Only two months on the job and he’s already found a treasure.”

Everyone offered congratulations, envious of his fortune.

Tang Yu and Zhang Jing were envious too, but genuinely happy for him.

After getting his meal, Jiang Taichu ate heartily.

More people chatted with him today, and he responded to each, attributing his success to luck.

“You’re a lucky one. If you were on a star rich in resources, you’d probably find even more,” Tao Zhong said with a broad grin, revealing his large yellow teeth. “Some things really do come down to luck. Even the radar can’t always find them.”

“There are things the radar can’t detect?” Jiang Taichu asked at once.

Lu Fang raised his eyebrows. “Uncle Zhong, is that true? Are there treasures that can fool the radar?”

Everyone looked over, full of curiosity.

“You’re all inexperienced. This is something Supervisor Yang mentioned. The Patrol Mountain Radar mainly detects gold and earth attribute particles and signs of life,” Tao Zhong explained, holding his head high. “It takes time for treasures to form. During their maturation period, treasures don’t absorb spiritual energy, so there’s little particle fluctuation.”

“In that case, with minimal particle changes, the radar doesn’t react.”

Jiang Taichu suddenly understood. This wasn’t something they’d learned in school. Back then, all their training focused on radar sensing and observing particle changes to make judgments.

“Is that true?” someone questioned skeptically. “Does that mean there might still be plenty of treasures on this star?”

Tao Zhong rolled his eyes. “Even if there were, after centuries of searching, most have already been found. The rest really do depend on luck. Do you think everyone’s as lucky as Little Jiang?”

Everyone had to agree—after hundreds of years, even the treasures in their dormant period would have eventually given off signals and been taken.

Jiang Taichu had simply been fortunate this time, stumbling upon a treasure in its dormant phase.