20: Nankang Golden Valley

Just as the American Soldiers were turning their muzzles, several vines quietly coiled around them from behind, and Wei He was not spared either.

The remaining Giant Sun Bears circled Wei He and the others as if they had received an order, showing no intention of attacking yet.

Moments later, a young girl in a lotus-green dress emerged riding a Giant Sun Bear, followed by a squad of soldiers in white armor.

"You're their leader, aren't you? You ordered them to kill the Giant Sun Bear I just tamed today, as well as the very rare Vermilion-Winged Ants. They are more precious than magic crystals!" Lin Xixue's snow-white face was full of arrogance, her cherry-red lips parting as she spoke. "I won't kill you. Hand over everything you have, and then obediently become my slave!"

"Your bear attacked me. You should compensate me for my losses!" Having just been driven out by Carlos like a stray dog, Wei He had nothing on him. Now, he truly felt like a dragon stranded in the shallows.

"What a joke. This is the Nankang Lin Family. Once you're here, you belong to the Lin Family. Take them back and send them to my cousin's mine, and bring those strange weapons back too!" After saying this, Lin Xixue tossed her flowing long hair and rode away on the Giant Sun Bear.

"As you command, Eldest Miss!" The guards behind her responded with fawning expressions, then picked up the M60 general-purpose machine guns from the ground. It was a pity that the big iron bird had been burned; otherwise, they would have definitely hauled it back too.

Bound hand and foot, Wei He and the others were dragged by the Giant Sun Bears toward Nankang Golden Valley.

"Where are you from? How dare you operate around Nankang Golden Valley? Falling into Eldest Miss Lin's hands, you're finished!" a guard close to Wei He remarked.

"You aren't from the Lingshu Kingdom, are you? Everyone knows the Nankang Lin Family. They'd pluck feathers from a passing goose—Lin Zhian is the lord here, and no one dares to offend them!" another person chimed in.

Wei He was speechless. It seemed they were the ones who rushed out and caught him; he hadn't done anything.

Wei He looked down at the stones on the ground. These stones were as rough and irregular as those in a quarry. At this moment, he already had a mining tool in his hand and was swinging it with all his might.

Standing behind him were fat-bellied, thick-necked men with full beards, resembling Li Kui from Liangshan Marsh. They held sturdy clubs and would strike any lazy laborer, making them spit blood. Consequently, no one here dared to slack off for a single moment.

By noon, the sun hung high in the sky, leaving everyone parched, and Wei He's stomach had long been growling.

"Stop, everyone stop! Come over and line up!" a brute with a face full of flesh and sharp eyes shouted. "Line up properly. No taking extra, or I'll break your legs!"

After saying this, the thugs began to head up to the second floor one after another, where a feast of meat and fish was already laid out. Meanwhile, the laborers lined up in the mine's clearing to receive a boiled mush.

Each laborer had only a tiny bit of food in their bowl. After eating, they could find a cool place to rest. This wasn't because the thugs were kind, but because they were too busy drinking and eating meat to bother with them.

After a morning of hard labor, Wei He was in pain all over. He missed that world of equality, freedom, and happiness more than ever. How did he end up transmigrating into this miserable world?

Thinking this, Wei He knew he couldn't just wait for death. He had to go back, back to that Blue Planet. He still had to confess to Su Qinglei, be with her, and have three children.

The next second, Wei He propped himself up against a rock and stood up with difficulty, dragging his aching body to the center of the gathered laborers.

"Brothers, how did you end up in this hellhole?" Wei He asked with a determined look.

"I was on my way home from business, got lost, and accidentally entered the Lin Family's territory. I was captured!"

"I was going to take the imperial examinations. As soon as I arrived in Nankang, I was kidnapped and brought here!"

"I'm a native of Nankang. They just forcibly took us because the Lin Family's mine was short of people!" ... The people shared their origins, their hardships, and what had happened to them since arriving.

"Have you never thought about getting out of here?" Wei He asked seriously.

"We've thought about it, but no one has ever made it out. Those who tried to sneak away were caught and had their heads cut off in front of everyone. We just take it one day at a time!" a white-bearded old man murmured.

"We can cooperate and break out of here. There aren't as many thugs as there are of us. We have a chance!" Wei He said excitedly.

"This is the Nankang Lin Family, Lin Zhian's territory. Even if you leave this mine, you're still on his turf. You can't escape!" The old man said with a sigh of lament.

"Lin Zhian is known for plucking feathers from a passing goose. Everyone who comes to Nankang must offer a gift; otherwise, they'll be dragged here. So many heroes have fallen at his hands. You'd better not go looking for trouble!" a sturdy man said in a gruff voice.

"I don't believe it. I must get out!" Wei He said in disbelief, while thinking to himself, "I must go back. I don't want to stay in this world!"

"Sure, try walking out then! Hahahaha!" The thug leader, Liu San, who had been drinking and eating meat on the second floor, had appeared behind Wei He at some point.

"Give him a lesson so he'll work here honestly!" Liu San laughed wildly. "Just accept your fate. Once you're here, not even a god can save you, hahahaha!"

A group of thugs began to swing their clubs, surrounding Wei He.

"Ah! Ah! Whoosh! Crack!" A series of screams rang out as the two thugs on the outermost edge fell to the ground in pain, wailing incessantly.

Although the four American Soldiers had no weapons, they were game characters after all, so they were still stronger than average people. At this moment, they had only one goal: to protect the Commander.

Under the scorching sun, the thugs glared angrily, sweat pouring from their foreheads. The next second, clubs rained down on the soldiers. As the soldiers dodged and moved, several more thugs were knocked to the ground. One soldier snatched a club, gripped it with both hands, and with a slight exertion, the club snapped.

Seeing this, the remaining thugs didn't dare to step forward. Liu San suddenly didn't know what to do.

While he was hesitating, a man covered in mud leaped out from the ground and placed a hand on one soldier's shoulder. The soldier immediately wailed in agony. Seeing this, the other three soldiers rushed to help, but their punches and kicks had no effect on him.

Moreover, the mud on his body seemed as hard as steel. Even when a soldier snatched a thug's club and struck him, the club shattered from the impact.

Seeing that the soldiers were out of options, the Mud Man exerted a little force, and the soldier's shoulder was crushed raw. Bone and flesh were gripped in his hand as the soldier fell to the ground in pain.

With just one kick, the head of the soldier who was still wailing on the ground was stomped into an explosion of red and white.

Despite this shocking scene, the three soldiers did not retreat a single step. In their hearts, they would rather sacrifice themselves to protect the Commander.

The three made their final attack on the Mud Man. The Mud Man, having lost all patience, casually plucked off the head of the soldier on the left, kicked through the chest of the soldier in front, and finally tore the soldier on the right to pieces.