Chapter 251: Rebellion Expert Raydell
Rupert quickly noticed the actions of these mining slaves. His expression turned grim, and he brandished his whip, striking one of them as he sternly reprimanded, "What are you looking at? Get back to work!"
The onlookers hesitated momentarily but then resumed their labor, lifting stones and continuing their excavation.
Rupert redirected his gaze, glaring menacingly at Raydell. If it weren't for the fact that Raydell had some medical skills that could save expenses for the Baron, a troublemaker like him would have been dealt with long ago.
After a brief moment of contemplation, Rupert soon had an idea, a playful smirk forming on his face.
"If you want me to spare him, that can be arranged. But the ore production for this week needs to increase by another ten percent!"
"It's your choice!" Rupert grinned sardonically.
Raydell clenched his teeth, seething with anger. But Ham was badly injured; his skin torn open and without proper treatment, he might not last. Reluctantly, Raydell nodded in agreement.
"Also, today's work for him will be covered by all of you. Otherwise, none of you will have dinner tonight!" Rupert declared loudly, ensuring every mining slave present could hear him.
The mining slaves who had initially stood with Raydell couldn't help but feel resentment. Many blamed Raydell for interfering.
The tasks assigned by Rupert previously were already extremely burdensome, and an additional ten percent in production meant risking their lives!
Raydell dared not meet the eyes of the others. He took some herbs from his pocket and tended to Ham's injuries briefly. The rest was left to fate. He then wasted no time, picking up his pickaxe and working harder than anyone else.
This mining area had over a thousand miners. Despite Ham's absence, with Raydell leading, everyone worked tirelessly, desperate to have dinner.
Rupert couldn't risk starving these people over such a trivial matter; otherwise, he'd face the consequences during tomorrow's ore extraction, receiving all the blame.
After a long day, most miners received dinner - a piece of dark bread and soup made from wheat grass.
It was barely nutritious and difficult to swallow, but each miner ate quickly. The strenuous physical work left them little concern for anything else; their only goal was to fill their stomachs. Anything edible was a rare delicacy to them.
However, Rupert was exceedingly stingy. The meager portions barely kept them from starving. Some miners, suffering from hunger pangs, even resorted to digging up roots from the ground.
Ham, who had slacked off earlier, naturally didn't receive any food. Reluctantly, Raydell shared his portion. When Raydell arrived at this mine, Ham had given him advice, and Raydell couldn't ignore it.
The coarse wheat grass mixed with the dark soup slowly entered Ham's mouth, slightly restoring his strength. However, when faced with the black bread Raydell offered, he shook his head in refusal.
"I'll manage with this." Raydell opened his bag, filled with an unknown herb. "This is Bellflower grass. It's much more palatable than that tough bread."
Ham accepted the small piece of black bread from Raydell and wolfed it down. If he didn't eat more, he might not survive the night.
While watching Ham eat, Raydell stuffed some Bellflower grass from his bag into his own mouth. The leaves were incredibly bitter, and he wasn't sure if they were edible. However, if they could heal wounds, they must be non-toxic - anything was better than starving.
Ham quickly devoured the black bread and licked clean the crumbs on his hands. Then, shakily, he grasped the wooden symbol of the Holy Light hanging from his chest and began devoutly praying. He prayed to the great Lord of the stars and the Goddess of the moon, Ella, confessing his sins and suffering, pleading for their blessings to endure the night.
"Uncle Ham, does praying really work?" Raydell couldn't help but ask.
Among the mining slaves, there were many believers in the Goddess Ella. Yet, many devout followers had perished in the last mine disaster, leaving Raydell deeply puzzled.
If that goddess truly existed, as people claimed, and was as holy and compassionate as described, why wouldn't she protect her followers?
"It does, it will!" Ham spoke as if in a dream. "These are trials from our great Lord. The suffering we endure in this life will elevate our souls and let them enter the kingdom of the Lord after death."
"Otherwise, we'll fall into an endless hell, eternally consumed by flames and boiling oil…" Ham spoke fearfully. He didn't know if his suffering was enough or if his devoutness could move the great Goddess Ella. But the instinct to survive was strong, and prayer was the only thing he could do.
For them, slaves who had lost their homes due to war and famine, captured and thrown into the mines with no future, they could only hope to enter the kingdom of gods after death, to enjoy eternal bliss.
Raydell looked bewildered. He had heard similar statements many times, but it only added to his confusion.
However, the mine guards didn't allow them to delve into deeper discussions. Each wielded their whips, urging the miners to sleep quickly. Conversing at such late hours was forbidden, and they only had five hours of rest.
Raydell had no choice but to bury his doubts and lie down on the bed made of grass. The exhaustion from a day of mining swiftly lulled him into a deep sleep.
About half an hour later, a guard holding a torch, taking advantage of the solitude, slipped a finely crafted ring onto Raydell's finger.
Simultaneously, at the Iyeta Harbor, in the office of the Dean, Lynn also received a message regarding Raydell.
A young lad with a bit of herb knowledge, a rebellious spirit, and some influence among the miners.
The issue was his age and limited experience; he might not stir up much trouble.
But people can be trained, Lynn pondered, rubbing his chin. Since the magical field can simulate small universes, recreating some classic historical scenes shouldn't be a problem according to the computational power of the AI brain.
Events like the Yellow Turban Rebellion, the Wanggang Uprising, and the Huang Chao Uprising, there were plenty to choose from, just like completing a game level. It could quickly turn someone into a professional rebel.
Lynn accessed information on various peasant army uprisings in history, considering a modified version of the Daze Township Uprising for him!
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