Waking from a dream, the ceiling of the rental house came into view. A warm breath brushed his ear. Xing Chen turned his head, and the slight movement woke Theresa from her sleep.
“Good morning, Xing Chen.” Theresa glanced at the morning light filtering through the gap in the curtains and smiled at Xing Chen, “Was your dream good last night?”
“It was alright,” It was time to get up, but he seemed to have forgotten something. He remembered giving a Cattus girl a blood transfusion and then dying from excessive blood loss. The girl should have been saved, but… “Theresa, can you use that Originium Arts on me again that you used last night?”
“I can, but…” Theresa hesitated. Even with her high precision, Sarkaz witchcraft, after all, caused more or less damage to life. “It’s almost dawn, are you still going to sleep, Xing Chen?”
“If I don’t continue, there will be big trouble.” Xing Chen said, holding Theresa’s shoulder, “Think about it, what would those Sarkaz in the town do if a Sarkaz died from excessive blood loss after giving blood to a Cattus?”
“Nothing should happen, after all, I, who gave the blood, am also a Sarkaz.”
“The thoughts of those ordinary Sarkaz don’t matter. What matters is, what will that Assassin do when his Demon King is lost and found, only to be lost again?”
“Alright then, come closer to me.” Xing Chen did as Theresa said. As her arm wrapped around his neck, he immediately lost consciousness… “Mr. Camel, please calm down.” Charlotte raised her hammer. The Assassin’s blade had immense power, making the Cattus’s arm tingle.
Behind her, several Sarkaz and Cattus were bandaging their arms. No one expected that a simple blood transfusion would result in one death and one disappearance.
Camel did not speak. Ever since he became an Assassin and began training, his habit of being taciturn had formed. Behind him, Xing Chen’s lifeless body leaned against the wall. He knew he might lose his monarch once again.
He didn't care about the lives of so-called outsiders; in fact, he was quite willing to let outsiders also experience the hardships that Oripathy brought to the Sarkaz.
Xiao Pa Cai was not skilled in fighting, but seeing the Royal Princess disappear before her, she couldn't help but activate her Blood Originium Arts.
Seeing the two Sarkaz lose their minds and unable to stop, despite their own guilt, the people present couldn't help but draw their weapons.
A battle was about to erupt when suddenly, space twisted, and an Originium Arts very familiar to the Sarkaz present was activated.
“Cocoon Cage.”
Xing Chen’s body appeared between the two groups, and Theresa’s shadow emerged with him. The situation was urgent; she had prepared the skill in advance but hadn't had time to disguise herself.
“Everyone, stop!”
The surface of their bodies seemed to be covered by some kind of fabric, trapping the people who couldn't move. Those behind tried to destroy the Originium Arts, but as they released others, they themselves became trapped.
As Theresa exerted her power, the situation was quickly brought under control.
“My apologies for the trouble.” After Xing Chen apologized, Theresa also pressed the heads of the other two to do the same.
“It’s alright, as long as you’re okay.” After Theresa released the Cocoon Cage, Charlotte stepped forward and said, “After all, you saved her life. Is there anything we can do?”
“It was just a small favor. I once adopted a Cattus infected with Oripathy, so I understand your feelings.”
“What a coincidence, I’ve encountered that too,” Charlotte said with a smile, “but that’s a different matter. Is there anything within our capabilities that we can do?”
Theresa hadn’t thought about repayment at all, but it seemed inconvenient for her to refuse.
Otherwise, should she ask them to send some supplies to Kazdel? But these supplies would be a drop in the ocean for the city’s situation, and if they transported too much, they wouldn’t be able to handle it.
Theresa looked at Xing Chen with a pleading gaze, and Xing Chen immediately understood.
“How about this, can you establish a mining company and employ Sarkaz as miners? What do you think?”
“But the Originium veins here are depleted, and we lack both registered capital and management talent.” Charlotte knew the most among this group, and the task of communication was quickly handed over to her.
“We’ll provide the registered capital, and we’ll find the technical personnel. You just need to be the legal entity, take the dividends, and help us put in a good word in Leimbieta. How does that sound?”
After hearing Xing Chen’s proposal, the Cattus began to whisper among themselves. Who wouldn’t want to get paid for doing nothing? The only question was whether employing Sarkaz miners would be safe.
“Alright, if you can solve the funding and technical issues, we can help with a shell company, no problem,” Charlotte said.
Every morning, Sarkaz wake up, eat breakfast, and then go dig for Originium clusters. If there’s no breakfast, they dig on an empty stomach. Their quality of life might not even be as good as rabbit miners, whose income, though small, is at least stable and sufficient for living… “Let those Sarkaz from Kazdel be miners. Just provide food and lodging. No compensation is needed if they die. With labor costs compressed, the extra profits will surely attract covetous eyes.”
“A relationship based on interests, as long as the interests are sufficient, the relationship will be strong enough.”
Theresa was somewhat displeased with Xing Chen’s use of Sarkaz as free miners, so Xing Chen had to explain to her.
“Sarkaz are discriminated against everywhere. Without paying a greater price, they won’t even have a chance to start changing—you’ve traded your witchcraft with Columbia, you know that very well.”
The primitive accumulation of capital is full of bloodshed; even if she hadn't read sociological classics like *Das Kapital*, two centuries of experience would tell her that.
Theresa nodded; she understood Xing Chen’s thoughts. Due to Theresis’s activities, Kazdel’s situation would only become more difficult. Letting Sarkaz go out to work as laborers would at least allow them to get a full meal.
“Okay, I understand, but where will the money come from, and where do we find technical personnel?”
“You know that very well, don’t you? But I suggest you don’t ask like you’re asking a girlfriend for a favor; you need to act like a Demon King.”
“This isn’t within the scope of the civil war anymore. She was neutral in the civil war, but now it’s for the Sarkaz of Kazdel.”
Theresa nodded, “I understand. I will prepare the relevant letters before I leave tomorrow.”
“Actually, there’s no need to rush. You’re already very tired today.” Xing Chen saw Theresa’s weary look and his heart softened.
“No, my compatriots are still starving; I cannot rest yet.” Theresa shook her head, and Xing Chen had no choice.
Although the two had no intention of staying in this small town for long, they needed to stay for a while to sort out their past burdens.
However, from the bandit invasion to treating Oripathy, and finally stepping in to resolve the standoff, more and more Sarkaz began to suspect Theresa’s identity.
Once their true identities were exposed, their activities on Terra would be constrained. Even if the Military Commission didn’t act, trouble would come knocking.
After much thought, to hide their identities, it was better to hit the road early, lest unforeseen complications arise.
As for this mining company, it was a less-than-perfect path Theresa left for her Kazdel compatriots.
What happened after that, the two of them might not care about for a very long time.
