Chapter 28: Taking Office

Lin Yang escorted little Yunting to his senior sister before departing Yellow Maple Valley once more, heading for the Purple Gold Vein. This time, he made sure to ask for the exact location of the Purple Gold Vein before leaving the valley.

After traveling for an hour, Lin Yang arrived at the Purple Gold Vein and hovered above the mines. At that moment, a Foundation Establishment cultivator flew out from within. Upon recognizing Lin Yang’s attire, he confirmed that he, too, belonged to Yellow Maple Valley.

“My sentence isn’t over yet, is it? Why is there a new person?” This cultivator had been sent to supervise the Purple Gold Vein as punishment for transgressions committed within Yellow Maple Valley.

It was called a demotion because the spiritual energy in the Purple Gold Vein was far inferior to that in the Valley itself—a hardship almost unbearable for cultivators.

“This is my special request. I wasn’t sent here for any mistake,” Lin Yang explained, handing over a letter from the sect leader.

After glancing over it, the cultivator exclaimed with excitement, “Very well! The Purple Gold Vein is yours. I’m heading back!”

“That’s fine,” Lin Yang replied.

“Farewell, hahahaha!” The Foundation Establishment cultivator departed at once, not even bothering to pack his belongings.

“What’s the rush?” Lin Yang muttered as he descended. After explaining the situation to the disciples, he took over the duties.

“Do you know what my usual responsibilities here are? And what is your name?”

“Uncle-Master, I am the overseer here. My name is Mo Yang. There are three overseers for the entire Iron Gold Vein—myself, Chen Fei, and Ye Hui.”

“Your work is simply to ensure the quota is met. As long as the monthly amount of refined iron is handed in, there won’t be any issues,” Mo Yang explained.

Lin Yang processed the information. “Alright, let me see the account books.”

“Ah…” Mo Yang was dumbstruck.

“What’s wrong? Is there a problem?” Lin Yang suddenly suspected they might be embezzling and were unwilling to produce the records.

“No, it’s just that as long as we mine enough iron ore each time, that’s all that matters. We’ve never kept any books,” Mo Yang admitted.

“How can that be? If someone is skimming, how would we trace where the problem lies?” Lin Yang was speechless at their management style.

“How many people are in the mine altogether?”

“There are three chief overseers, twelve minor overseers, and over a hundred Qi Refining cultivators. More than fifty are disciples from Yellow Maple Valley; the rest are itinerant cultivators working here,” Mo Yang answered.

“With this number, they figure there’s no need for any management system,” he added.

“Do you have any time for cultivation?” Lin Yang inquired.

“These miners have to work at least five or six hours a day just to gather ten catties of iron ore,” Mo Yang replied.

“There’s almost no time for cultivation, and since we have to monitor the miners to prevent escapes, we have no time either.”

“So this is why it’s considered a place of exile. I see.” Lin Yang mused. “Have you ever considered how you might mine enough ore in less time?”

“That’s never occurred to us,” Mo Yang admitted, thrown by the question.

“Very well. Since I’m here, I’ll see to these matters properly. Take me to inspect the vein,” Lin Yang said, rising to his feet.

“Yes, Uncle-Master.” Mo Yang led the way, bowing respectfully.

At the entrance, Lin Yang saw the ground riddled with countless pits. Some tunnels led straight down forty or fifty meters.

“This is how you dig?” Lin Yang was speechless at the lack of any safety precautions—and at the fact that they dug straight down.

“Aren’t you afraid of foul air dozens of meters below?”

“We are, but we can come up to breathe, and there’s more ore below,” Mo Yang replied.

“Have you never considered clearing out the entire first layer before moving deeper?”

“We have, but since there’s no surface ore, no one wants to dig there,” Mo Yang explained.

Lin Yang shook his head at their inefficiency. “No wonder you only need to hand in ten catties of ore per day. At this rate, it’s little wonder.”

“Gather everyone here—I have an announcement.”

“Yes, Uncle-Master. Everyone, gather round! All gather round!”

“You two, go fetch all the overseers. Tell them to assemble before Uncle-Master,” Mo Yang instructed two miners.

It took a full quarter of an hour to assemble everyone. Lin Yang looked at the disorganized crowd. The miners seemed displeased, but said nothing.

“I’ve noticed a problem: because there’s no surface ore, you only dig downwards, which slows the overall progress. So, for the next ten days, you will clear all the surface rocks, then divide into teams for cooperative work.”

The miners were clearly baffled by his words.

“Master Foundation Cultivator, I understand you want us to clear the surface rocks these ten days, but what do you mean by the rest? Besides, we have to hand in ten kilos of iron ore every day—we have no time for anything else,” a freelance cultivator protested.

“For these ten days, you needn’t hand in any ore. Chief and minor overseers, come with me—I will explain how we’ll divide into groups.” Lin Yang led the overseers away from the site.

“You’re all dismissed for today—no need to mine ore.”

“Hurrah for the Foundation Master!” The miners cheered and quickly dispersed.

On a grassy patch, Lin Yang faced the fifteen overseers. “What do you usually do?”

“We just stand at the mine entrance, wait for miners to bring us ten catties of ore, collect it, and then let them leave,” Mo Yang replied.

“Don’t you think this is inefficient?” Lin Yang asked. “Besides, you never get any time for cultivation yourselves.”

“We’d like to cultivate, but we’re all here as punishment,” they replied.

“Never mind. Mo Yang, your team will be responsible for mining tomorrow. Who is Chen Fei?”

“Uncle-Master, that’s me,” a burly man stepped forward.

“Good physique. Tomorrow your team will haul up ore and waste rock separately.”

“Yes, Uncle-Master.”

“Who is Ye Hui?” Lin Yang asked.

A refined-looking man stepped out. “I am, Uncle-Master.”

“Very well. Your usual team will be responsible for sorting the iron ore, weighing it, and storing it in the warehouse. Also, you are to clear each stratum of the mine, layer by layer—the waste rock can be dumped anywhere you like.”

“As long as one hundred men gather a thousand catties of iron ore, that’s sufficient. For these first ten days, focus on coordination and clearing the topsoil and rocks—I’ll report to the sect.”

“Later, I’ll visit your quarters and set up a Spirit Gathering Array. Once you meet the quota of a thousand catties, you may rest.”

“But Uncle-Master, what if we can’t meet the quota?” The overseers were clearly uncertain about Lin Yang’s plan.

“Just do as I say, and you’ll see your speed increase,” Lin Yang said, not bothering to explain the concept of a production line. After all, he himself had once been just another cog in a production line.

“Yes, Uncle-Master.”

“All right, that’s settled. Go and explain my instructions to your teams,” Lin Yang concluded, then departed.

…