Big Old Black froze, his paw pausing mid-stroke against his whiskers.

He looked at Wu Yuan with a mournful face. “Me? Again?”

All he received in return was a cold, indifferent stare. Realizing there was no room for negotiation, the large rat slumped his shoulders and reluctantly squeezed his bulk into the dark tunnel.

Wu Yuan stood at the entrance, waiting in silence.

It didn’t take long. A series of excited squeaks echoed from the depths.

“Boss! Boss! You have to see this! There are treasures inside I’ve never seen before!”

Wu Yuan immediately perked up. “What’s the situation?”

Big Old Black scrambled out, his face beaming with the desire to claim credit. “It’s safe! Just some old spider silk and bones. I’ve already cleaned them up for you, Boss!”

…

Wu Yuan crawled through the tunnel, the journey taking about a cup of tea’s time.

The passage was narrow, dim, and rugged, but as he pushed through the final bend, his vision suddenly opened up.

He had arrived in a massive subterranean cavern.

A heavy, damp scent of earth and minerals washed over him. In the center lay a pool of water, still and cold, glowing a deep, eerie dark blue.

The cave itself was at least 10 zhang wide. Scattered across the floor were loose fragments of Spirit Copper, but the real prize was the walls. They were veined with exposed Spirit Copper ore, emitting a low, pulsating dark yellow halo.

Growing from the cracks in the rock face were strange, luminescent plants. They cast a soft white light that mingled with the copper’s yellow glow, creating a dreamlike, otherworldly atmosphere.

Wu Yuan took a deep breath, forcing himself to suppress the surge of excitement threatening to make him dizzy.

Based on the density… this isn’t just a stray deposit. This is a Spirit Copper vein. A micro-vein at the very least!

This is it. My new base.

“We’re living here from now on,” Wu Yuan decided instantly. “We’ll call this place the ‘Vein Cave’.”

He turned to his subordinate. “Big Old Black, take the swarm and survey the full extent of the vein. I need to know exactly how much ore we’re sitting on.”

Wu Yuan paused, narrowing his eyes at the fat rat. “And…”

“You need to hurry up and breed. We don’t have enough manpower. If you can’t produce enough mining rats soon, you’ll be digging the ore yourself!”

Big Old Black stiffened, but Wu Yuan didn’t wait for a reply. He brushed past him, heading straight for the deceased Spider Demon’s nest located in the corner of the cavern.

He knew Big Old Black needed constant pressure. The rat was loyal but lazy—if you didn’t hold a whip over him, he would find a way to slack off.

Wu Yuan stepped into the spider’s nest.

When he saw what lay inside, his breath hitched in his throat.

“I… I’ve struck it rich.”

His eyes skimmed over the worthless rat bones and loose copper scraps, locking onto a pile of jagged, glowing rocks in the center of the nest.

Spirit Stones.

There were over 100 of them. They were rough and unpolished—likely raw ore directly excavated from the vein—but the spiritual energy rolling off them was unmistakable.

Wu Yuan stared, unable to believe his luck.

In the battle just now, he had consumed his only Spirit Stone. He hadn’t regretted the tactical choice, but the loss of wealth had stung.

Now? He had a mountain of them.

This confirms it. Where there are Spirit Copper veins, there are often accompanying Spirit Stone deposits!

Wu Yuan couldn’t hold back. He threw himself onto the pile of stones, literally pouncing towards his own future.

With this wealth, his cultivation speed would skyrocket. The rat swarm could be evolved. His survivability in this dangerous world just increased tenfold.

The future looked promising!

It took a long time for Wu Yuan to calm down. He laid on the cool stones, letting the spiritual energy wash over him, before finally crawling out of the nest.

He summoned Big Old Black.

Wu Yuan held a raw Spirit Stone in one claw and a chunk of Spirit Copper ore in the other. He loomed over the fat rat, his eyes cold and dangerous.

“Listen to me clearly. From now on, everything dug up in this cave must be handed over to me. Every single stone. Every single scrap of metal.”

Wu Yuan leaned in, his voice dropping to a sinister hiss. “If I find even a single item missing… I will carve a piece of meat off your body to replace it.”

Big Old Black shuddered violently. He knew the Boss wasn’t joking.

He threw himself flat on the ground, trembling. “Boss, don’t worry! I swear on my life! If any of those little bastards dare to hide anything, I’ll eat them alive myself! I won’t spare them!”

Wu Yuan nodded, satisfied with the terror he had instilled.

“Good. This main cavern is my private quarters. You and the swarm can dig your own burrows along the vein’s cracks. Just make sure you stay far away from me.”

Big Old Black breathed a sigh of relief, nodding repeatedly like a chicken pecking rice.

The Boss just scared the rat out of me, he thought, wiping cold sweat from his brow. Living far away is good. Less chance of accidentally offending him.

…

Wu Yuan returned to the surface, heading for his old base in the giant tree.

The camouflage outside was untouched. The secret markers he had left remained undisturbed. He entered the burrow with peace of mind.

Inside, the sound of rhythmic snoring filled the air.

Little Yellow was asleep, his butt sticking up in the air, twitching slightly.

Wu Yuan felt a wave of helplessness.

He walked over and kicked the chubby butt.

“Wake up.”

Little Yellow jolted awake, blinking his sleepy, beady eyes.

“I told you to cultivate diligently every day,” Wu Yuan scolded. “And here you are, sleeping the day away! You are at the prime of your life—how can you sleep so soundly?!”

Seeing it was the Boss, Little Yellow’s drowsiness vanished instantly. He squeaked excitedly, rubbing his head against Wu Yuan’s fur, expressing his profound longing and affection.

Wu Yuan sighed. Cultivation had increased Little Yellow’s intelligence, but his personality remained… simple.

“You really do remember food but not punishment.”

Little Yellow spun around in a circle, his tail wagging, before suddenly remembering something. He scurried over to his bedding and chirped urgently at Wu Yuan.

Wu Yuan smiled, amused. “What is it? Did you find another shiny rock?”

He walked over casually. But when he looked into the nest, his smile froze.

There, nestled in the dry grass, was a tender, glowing green sprout.

Moon Spirit Grass!

Wu Yuan’s mind raced. He had spent weeks trying to cultivate the seeds of the Moon Spirit Grass. He had tried everything—bathing them in Lunar Essence, burying them in spirit-rich soil, even using flesh and blood as fertilizer.

Nothing had worked.

When he gave up, Little Yellow had been obsessed with the seeds, circling them constantly. Thinking the dumb rat just wanted a chew toy, Wu Yuan had tossed them to him.

He never expected that, in just a few days, Little Yellow would successfully sprout one!

Wu Yuan looked at the little rat, who was standing on his hind legs, puffing out his chest and waiting for praise.

Wu Yuan reached out and vigorously rubbed Little Yellow’s head.

I thought him finding that first Spirit Stone was pure luck, Wu Yuan mused. But this? This isn’t luck. Little Yellow’s bloodline must be extraordinary.

No wonder he’s smarter than the average rat. No wonder he found my hidden cave so easily.

Wu Yuan watched Little Yellow, who was now happily chasing his own tail, and felt no envy, only satisfaction.

Little Yellow was harmless to him. In fact, he was a lucky charm.

“Alright, stop playing,” Wu Yuan said, pulling his tail out of Little Yellow’s grasp. “We’re moving. Pack your things.”

Little Yellow paused, confused. He looked around the cozy burrow, then scurried back to his nest, seemingly trying to figure out how to pack an entire hole.

Wu Yuan went to his storage pile.

He looked at his collection—snake fangs, dried bird meat, feathers.

“I haven’t lived here long, and I’m already moving again,” he sighed. “But it’s a move toward a better future.”

He bundled his belongings. When he turned back, he saw Little Yellow digging frantically at the earth around the Moon Spirit Grass.

Wu Yuan flinched. He had been debating how to transplant the delicate herb. He had almost decided to leave it behind, reasoning that an immature spirit herb looked like a weed and wouldn’t be stolen.

But seeing Little Yellow’s clumsy digging, he held his breath, hoping for a miracle.

A moment later, Little Yellow popped up, holding the Moon Spirit Grass aloft. The roots were intact, wrapped in a perfect ball of soil.

He waved it at Wu Yuan, his face smug. “Boss, am I awesome or what?”

Wu Yuan extended his senses.

The plant’s vitality was slightly shocked, but stable. It would survive.

“Not bad,” Wu Yuan praised, patting the rat’s head again. “You actually have some skill. From this day forth, I appoint you as the Logistics Manager!”

Little Yellow didn’t understand what a “Logistics Manager” was, but seeing the Boss happy made him happy. He wiggled his butt in a joyous dance.