Am I going to be sacrificed too?

Chapter 22 is actually by a veteran!

Borrowing manpower, to put it bluntly, means using them as makeshift tools, since research inevitably requires some consumables.

Zong Yuanming came here to investigate an unusual fluctuation of divine power that suddenly appeared in a mine that was mining black stone. During the investigation, he inevitably encountered some dangers and lost a lot of manpower.

Zong Yuanming hadn't expected that none of the dozen or so gray coats he brought would be usable.

Although he was a Level 3 researcher, he was actually only a Level 1 superhuman, and his combat strength was even more pathetic.

The mine wasn't far from their location, only a few kilometers away. Zong Yuanming had originally planned to give up, but unexpectedly, they actually ran into someone.

On the way to the destination, Zong Yuanming explained: "There is a large ruin nearby. It used to be a city, but now it has been almost completely mined by scavengers, so the remaining people went to the mines."

That area was once a sideline industry of this ruined city, later buried during the transition between the old and new eras, until it was rediscovered by scavengers decades ago and put back into mining. In this desolate place where even vegetation and animals are scarce, it was one of their only two ways of obtaining resources besides exploring the ruins.

After the Blood Moon Church went mad two weeks ago, mining operations came to a standstill, and then we discovered a large amount of abnormal divine power within the mine.

The mineral vein is the lifeblood of Qishi City, so it cannot be given up easily. Therefore, a professional like Zong Yuanming was invited to investigate.

Speaking of this, Zong Yuanming got angry: "Those lunatics from the Blood Moon Church deserve to die."

If the Blood Moon cultists hadn't destroyed his experimental area, he wouldn't have had to do the arduous work of being sent on assignment, and he wouldn't even have had a bodyguard.

Although he didn't have bodyguards, his personal safety wasn't a concern. He had a detailed map showing the dangerous areas of the Strange Stone Province, and as long as he didn't recklessly venture into those places, he would be fine.

Even if they are accidentally caught by the Blood Moon Church, it doesn't matter. Although the Blood Moon believers act rather crazy, they haven't completely lost their minds. They dare not kill the members of the shelter directly, as that would be tantamount to directly starting a war against the shelter. However, they will demand a ransom.

Blackstone Mine.

Standing at the entrance of the mine, a scorching heat accompanied by a strong smell of sulfur hit you.

Blackstone is formed from cooled and solidified magma from underground. It is an excellent material for divine power. This mine is more than a thousand meters deep and has a stable magma zone, which is connected to the underground by two elevators.

Due to the occurrence of an unusual disaster, the terrain of the continent has changed, causing magma to rise hundreds of meters and become unstable, with tides rising and falling every ten days or so.

The surrounding metal walls were already riddled with cracks, with dirt and rubble falling out of the gaps, stubbornly holding them up, suggesting that the situation below was likely only worse.

In front of the elevator, the mottled and thick cables were piled up haphazardly on the ground, deeply buried in the collapsed soil and rocks, making it impossible to tell which cable led to which place. If it weren't for the fact that the magical device here was still working, they would have thought they had arrived at some abandoned mine.

"This elevator still works."

I went closer and saw that the control panel of the elevator was flashing a green light, which meant that it was still in operation.

One of the two elevators was completely destroyed, and the remaining one could barely be started. It is a miracle that it can still be used after hundreds of years.

Upon smelling the pungent odor, Chen Quan couldn't help but cough a few times, his mind already wavering: "Sir, are we really going down there?"

Although he was the leader of the settlement, he couldn't just send people down to their deaths for no reason.

As far as he knew, there was magma down there! And the strong smell of sulfur in the air indicated the presence of poisonous gases, not to mention the intense heat.

Without professional protective clothing and the corresponding mining knowledge, even if they went down there, their chances of survival would be slim.

Zong Yuanming wasn't an unreasonable person, so he understood the other party's predicament. He said, "We still have ten sets of protective suits left. We can select ten people to go down. I won't let you help us for nothing."

How about this? I'll give you ten permanent residency slots in the outer city and one permanent residency slot in the inner city. What do you think?

Upon hearing Zong Yuanming's promise, Chen Quan's eyes widened immediately. If it were someone else, he might have hesitated for a while, wondering if the other party was just making empty promises. But the shelter was known for its strict adherence to the rules (whoever made the rules is none of your business).

It seems Chen Quan is getting impatient and doesn't want to waste any more time. Although the gray coat is a material, it's not an unlimited supply; each one requires him to exchange his own contribution points.

In contrast, the latter promise, although seemingly much more valuable than the former, is a reimbursable expense related to the task.

The former is his own, while the latter is under the shelter's account. Zong Yuanming could still distinguish which was more important.

Ten spots were for those who scouted the way, while the spots for the inner city naturally fell into the hands of Chen Quan, the leader, and Zong Yuanming believed that he would agree.

As expected, Chen Quan agreed to the cooperation and even drafted a formal contract. Even if Zong Yuanming was unable to pay the compensation later, he could use this contract to demand it from the shelter.

Chen Quan was very satisfied and immediately went back to announce the news to everyone.

"What! A permanent spot in the outer city? I didn't expect to get a guarantee before even arriving in Strange Stone City."

"Sigh, this reward isn't so easy to get. Didn't you see how many of those people in gray coats have died? Do you think we're any better than them?"

"Are you going down? I'd like to give it a try."

Just as everyone was hesitating and discussing, an unexpected person stepped forward.

It was Cheng Feng.

Chen Quan asked in surprise, "What? You're planning to go down?"

Chen Quan knew about this traveler who had arrived not long ago, but he didn't pay too much attention to him. After all, they were just traveling together, and the other party couldn't stay in one place for long. After arriving in Qishi City, he left.

But now, the other side is vying for a permanent spot in the outer city?

Cheng Feng simply shook his head: "I don't need this spot. You can keep it for Chief Chen. I just want to go down and take a look. Didn't they say that Stone Core People have appeared in the mines of Qishi Province? I want to see this amazing race with my own eyes."

The person who first brought up the topic of the Stone Core Man exclaimed, "Are you crazy! That's just a rumor; I can't guarantee it's true!"

Cheng Feng said calmly, "My purpose in traveling is to witness every unique place in this world. As for the dangers I encounter along the way, they are nothing more than a little hardship. I happen to enjoy the breeze in my spare time."

After saying that, he took out something that looked like a badge from his pocket.

Chen Quan was puzzled, but Zong Yuanming, standing to the side, recognized the item as his pupils contracted.

"Level 5 Adventurer Badge!"