Chapter 284: Chapter 284: Hidden Agendas, Forced Labor in the Mines


    ?


    "Hmph, I could ask you the same thing." The Shadow God snapped, his tone icy with


    irritation. "It was Sea King''s interference that led to the deaths of several of my subordinates, including Blood Moon. I''m beginning to suspect that you and your Sea n are in league with that human."


    "Sea King is dead!" the Sea God interrupted, his aura filled with killing intent. "Don''t tell me that this has nothing to do with the Shadow n."


    The Shadow God, genuinely surprised, shook his head. "This incident really has nothing to do with the Shadow n."


    "Could it be the work of the Godyer?" the God of Nature spected from the side.


    "Impossible. Sea King had reached the pinnacle of one-star Overseer. Even if that human had refined the Heart of Skyline Continent, he still wouldn''t be a match for Sea King." The Sea God''s gaze remained locked coldly on the Shadow God.


    He had once ordered Sea King to target the Shadow n''s Overseer, Heidern.


    And now suspected that Heidern had killed Sea King, possibly with assistance from the Shadow n.


    The Shadow God''s brows knitted tightly as his gaze flickered-he genuinely had no knowledge of this development.


    If Sea King was indeed dead, it was certainly tied to that Godyer.


    And if Heidern had also met a grim fate, it meant that human likely held three Hearts of the Continent.


    If the human seeded in merging them all, his power would skyrocket beyond expectation. "Well, everyone, I''ve delivered the news. How you respond is up to you." With that, the Shadow God cast a final nce over the group before dispersing, disappearing entirely.


    The remaining seven gods stood in silence, each absorbed in their thoughts.


    Finally, the Witch God broke the silence, "Are you really nning to get involved? If our races descend onto Shadow Star, the Gods'' Game will connect to our home worlds. That human broke the Shadow Star''s passage-he might be able to open connections to our worlds too, putting him beyond our control."


    "Hmph, just kill him, and the problem''s solved. Let me warn you all-don''t even think about Sea King''s Heart of the Continent," the Sea God warned with a menacing look before vanishing.


    "The Gods'' Game seems to be getting more interesting," the Sky God murmured with a cold smile, his figure disappearing as well.


    The others exchanged nces, each one disappearing shortly afterward.


    It was clear they all nned to descend upon Shadow Star.


    It wasn''t just the Godyer-they were enticed by Shadow Star''s Heart of the Continent.


    Though the Lord Gods seemed powerful, they had long hit a ceiling in their strength. Their only means of furthering their powers was to devour the energies of other worlds.


    Especially the Hearts of the Continent, which provided the greatest enhancement.


    ...


    Shadow Star, Starter Vige


    The next day, John was jolted awake by a series of angry roars-it was the hunters'' brood mother, its criesced with faint soul attacks.


    "Sir, time to assemble!" Dumas''s voice called from outside.


    John frowned, his dislike for the Shadow n growing. He blocked out the brood mother''s furious howls and finally opened the wooden door of his hut.


    "Hurry, sir! If we''rete, there''ll be punishment," Dumas insisted, grabbing John and pulling him towards the vige square.


    Around them, other powerful beings also hurried towards the square, moving quickly to avoid any dy.


    John rolled his eyes. These people were really acting like they''d fully embraced the role of ves.


    Before long, everyone was assembled. After a while, the vige chief finally arrived, strolling in at a leisurely pace.


    Looking over the crowd, he gave a pleased nod and said, "Good. Everyone assembled in under three minutes, but I expect you all to be even faster next time."


    As he spoke, he cast a pointed nce at John, who stood at the back of the group.


    John remained calm, his expression impassive, giving nothing away.


    The vige chief continued, "Today, I''ll be assigning tasks. Those who perform well will be moved to better work positions."


    He gestured, summoning a teleportation array in front of him. "Proceed through the portal in an orderly manner. You''ll be received on the other side and given instructions-just follow orders."


    "Yes, sir!" The crowd replied in unison, proceeding through the portal in an orderly line.


    John and Dumas were at the back of the line.


    "Dumas, do you know where this portal leads?" John asked quietly.


    Dumas shook his head, whispering back, "No, sir, it''s my first time leaving the vige as well."


    John said nothing further and followed the others through the portal, disappearing a momentter.


    "That human is far too arrogant!" the vige chief muttered coldly once John was gone.


    If it weren''t for the Shadow God''s orders, he would have killed John already.


    It seemed keeping this human around was part of a n to draw out other strong warriors from different races.


    The vige chief wasn''t sure of the Shadow God''s full intentions but didn''t dare question them and followed orders to the letter.


    ...n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    With a ripple of spatial energy, John and the others appeared in a mining field.


    They stood at the edge of a massive pit, so deep it seemed bottomless, with echoes of harsh orders and pained screams rising from within.


    Everyone fell silent, quickly forming their previous lines as instructed by the vige chief,


    waiting for further orders.


    It is the vige chief order.


    "Sir, this ce gives me the creeps!" Dumas whispered, noticing the numerous Shadow n guards patrolling the area. He edged closer to John for reassurance.


    John didn''t seem particrly concerned; most of these guards were lower- and mid-tier gods. Even without hunting down their brood mother, he could simply pull them into his World-in-Hand, severing their connection to her and taking them out with ease.


    "Is everyone here?" A middle-aged Shadow n man appeared, holding a long whip and scanning the crowd with a steely gaze.


    He looked them over coldly. "Here are your tasks: demigods must mine 100 cubic meters of ore daily, lower-tier gods 200 cubic meters, mid-tier gods 500 cubic meters, and upper-tier gods 1000 cubic meters. Any peak upper-tier gods should report to me; I have a separate


    assignment for you."


    Everyone nodded,mitting the orders to memory.


    John frowned, realizing they were indeed being treated as nothing more than forcedbor.


    To find Cand-Dragon and the others, however, he had no choice but to endure it for now. Since Cand-Dragon was a peak upper-tier god, he was likely assigned elsewhere.


    The overseer continued, "Alright, head into the mine and get to work. Anyone who doesn''t meet their quota will be punished."


    An elevator appeared, and a powerful restraining force around the mine prevented anyone


    from flying.


    Several people looked reluctant but didn''t dare resist, obediently stepping onto the elevator


    to descend deep into the mine.


    "Let''s stick together, sir," Dumas said, joining John on another elevator. Once a hundred workers had boarded, the lift began its slow descent.


    The pit was dark and endless. The elevator creaked as it lowered them, and after a full five minutes, they finally reached the mine''s base.


    Below, an unknown mineral emitted a soft glow, illuminating the sprawling,byrinthinework of tunnels.


    All around, powerful figures from various races were toiling away, hauling massive stones, struggling with each step, their faces dripping with sweat.


    The strange minerals seemed unusually heavy.


    Crack!


    The sharp snap of a whip echoed as it struck flesh.


    "Don''t just stand there! Get to work!" barked a hulking Shadow n enforcer, his eyes


    scanning the new arrivals with a cold gaze.


    Nobody hesitated, moving promptly into the mine.


    "Dumas, keep an eye out for any of my people around here," John murmured.


    "Understood." Dumas replied, casting a curious look at the surroundingborers.


    The workers were bent over, barely managing to carry their burdensome stones. Their expressions were vacant, worn down by relentlessbor.


    Boom!


    Suddenly, there was a loud thud as an old, frail man copsed under the weight of his load, blood trickling from his mouth as hey pinned by the stone.


    The surrounding workers showed no reaction, their faces devoid of emotion.


    "Youzy scum! Who told you to ck off?" a Shadow n guard roared, bringing down his


    whip with a brutal crack.


    Crack!


    The old man''s back split open.


    He cried out in pain, pleading, "Sir, please... let me rest. I can''t carry it anymore." "Shut up and get back up!" the guard shouted, raising the whip again, though it didn''t strike.


    At some point, John had stepped forward, his hand catching the whip mid-swing. He looked


    at the guard with cold disdain. "He''s at his limit. What''s wrong with letting him rest for a moment? Do you really intend to beat him to death?"


    The guard eyed John, sizing him up with a sneer. "Neer, huh? Looks like someone needs


    a lesson in the rules around here."


    He raised a hand, and a hunters'' brood mother appeared, roaring as it unleashed a soul attack.


    "Back off!" John roared, releasing a powerful Soul Impact that sent the hunters'' brood mother staggering back. Then, he summoned Golden Lotus Hellfire, engulfing both the hunters'' brood mother and the Shadow n enforcer.


    "Aagh..." the enforcer screamed in agony, and the hunters'' brood mother let out its own


    shrieks of pain.


    "Human, stop this!" amanding voice called out as a squad of Shadow n soldiers rushed over, led by an upper-tier gods peak-level warrior.


    Ignoring them, John lifted the massive stone crushing the old man.


    So heavy!


    John''s expression shifted. The stone, less than a cubic meter, weighed over seven hundred


    tons-pushing the very limits of a demigod''s strength.


    The old man scrambled to his feet, frantic. "Young man, you shouldn''t have stepped in for


    me. Put out those mes, or they''ll punish everyone."


    Then, turning to the Shadow n soldiers, he fell to his knees, pleading, "Sirs, it''s all my


    fault. Please, let this young man go. I''ll carry double the stone load every day from now on."


    "Hmph, mistakes must be punished!" one of the soldiers snapped, raising his whip. But the upper-tier gods peak warrior stopped him.


    Looking coldly at John, he said, "I''ll pretend this never happened. Now, put out the mes." John frowned, sensing they seemed keen to avoid a direct conflict with him. Deciding not to escte the situation for now, he dispelled the Golden Lotus Hellfire with a


    thought. Both the enforcer and his hunters'' brood mother let out a collective sigh of relief.


    Especially the hunters'' brood mother, who nced at John in terror, its body trembling


    slightly.


    John smirked with disdain. He recalled a time when a hunters'' brood mother had boasted


    about being able to even kill a Lord God.


    Yet here it was, cowering.


    Crack!


    The whip snapped through the air as the upper-tier gods peak warrior barked, "No cking-


    get back to work, now."