In the end, Jiang Beiran survived and realized he'd been tricked. He came to terms with the fact that he'd been lured into a black-market mine with nothing but empty promises. He mocked himself for being foolish, but he refused to accept defeat—because he still had the System, and he could still turn the tables!
Though this utterly manual-less System was extremely unreliable, Jiang Beiran believed he'd already figured out its quirks. When choosing missions with good rewards, one had to be fully alert. Take the previous [Disciple Recruitment Mission] for example.
Though that black-robed Daoist was a fraud—probably not even a real priest from the Blazing Fire Sect—the System's mission objective had only required him to become the man's disciple. It never specified what he'd learn afterward. A master who taught martial arts was still a master, just as one who taught deception was still a master.
Realizing this, Jiang Beiran reflected bitterly. If he'd figured it out earlier, he should've acted smarter and tactfully exposed the black-robed Daoist's scam. Maybe then, instead of selling him to this black-market mine, the Daoist would've taken him along to swindle people across the land.
But instead, he'd acted like a complete fool, believing every word the black-robed Daoist said. He'd even told the man he was an orphan who'd run away from home—basically announcing, "Come scam me, I have no backup!" Every time he thought about it, Jiang Beiran wanted to slap himself.
The sweat he shed mining now was nothing but the water that had flooded his brain when facing that black-robed Daoist! But now he was different! He understood this System wasn't here to hand him benefits, so from now on, he'd be cautious! ...
The opportunity came faster than Jiang Beiran expected. During his second week of enduring inhuman abuse, when the pain no longer kept him awake at night, he began planning his escape. At the same time, four options appeared before him.
[Option 1: Use the overseers' lunch break when they're drinking and eating to escape down the mountain. Reward: Howling Moon Tyrant Finger (Mysterious Grade, Low Tier)] [Option 2: While working in the mine, secretly dig a tunnel leading outside the mountain.
Reward: Purple-Gold Tiger Head Hook (Yellow Grade, High Tier)] [Option 3: Rally fellow workers who wish to escape and discuss plans together. Reward: Lotus Armor (Yellow Grade, Low Tier)] [Option 4: Just go to sleep—you still have to move bricks tomorrow.
Reward: Random Basic Attribute Point +1] Feeling confident again, Jiang Beiran immediately ruled out Option 4 and analyzed the other three.
Option 1: The overseers did indeed get dead drunk during lunch, completely ignoring the workers like Jiang Beiran. It seemed like a viable path. But Jiang Beiran had now deeply understood that the reward was the most trustworthy indicator.
The words "Mysterious Grade, Low Tier" instantly made him reject this option. Through several choices, Jiang Beiran had discerned the System's ranking pattern—from highest to lowest, it should be Heaven, Earth, Mysterious, and Yellow grades. He'd seen Earth, Mysterious, and Yellow grades already, with each grade further divided into High, Mid, and Low tiers.
The previous option of becoming the black-robed Daoist's disciple had only offered a Yellow Grade, High Tier physique, yet it had nearly killed him. Now with a higher Mysterious Grade, Low Tier reward, he genuinely feared he might not survive to claim it.
Option 2's reward matched the difficulty of becoming the black-robed Daoist's disciple, but the content seemed utterly unreliable to Jiang Beiran. What kind of place was a mine? Every meter dug required multiple supports to prevent collapse—a dangerous environment.
Secretly digging an escape tunnel? Even if he avoided detection, he might still get crushed halfway. That left Option 3, which seemed the most feasible.
After a week of mining, Jiang Beiran knew nearly everyone there had been tricked like him, harboring immense resentment. Moreover, the overseers treated them worse than animals—the moment anyone paused, they'd kick them. On top of the grueling mining work, the overseers only fed them twice daily—watery porridge and rock-hard buns.
All the workers were already seething with anger. Besides, this option's reward was Yellow Grade, Low Tier—the absolute worst, meaning the easiest difficulty. If he couldn't handle a task this simple, what kind of transmigrator was he?
He might as well find some tofu to kill himself with. 'Option 3 it is!' Having made his choice and activated the escape mission, Jiang Beiran immediately began preparing his rebellion plan, leveraging every advantage of being a transmigrator.
A single declaration of "Are kings and nobles born to their status?" had his fellow workers bowing in admiration. Next, Jiang Beiran claimed that while drunk the previous night, he'd slain a giant white snake. That night, he dreamed of an old woman weeping, saying her son—the White Emperor's heir—had been killed by the Red Emperor's heir.
This wave of myth-making convinced the workers Jiang Beiran was an immortal reincarnated to save them, earning even greater reverence. As his worker army grew, Jiang Beiran laughed heartily over his watery porridge. Indeed, with proper preparation, a mere Yellow Grade, Low Tier mission was child's play!
Then the next day, someone reported him. The outcome went without saying. Had the overseers not wanted to make an example of Jiang Beiran to intimidate other would-be rebels, he might've been beaten to death that very night.
From then on, Jiang Beiran entered full self-preservation mode. Whenever the System presented options, he'd only pick the last one—the basic attribute point reward—not daring to touch the others. Thus, Jiang Beiran spent two extremely safe months—no illnesses, no disasters.
Aside from the backbreaking mining, nothing unexpected happened. And so, Jiang Beiran had another epiphany! This System wasn't so much for helping him grow as it was for warning him.
By always choosing the simplest attribute point option, he could avoid all kinds of calamities. This state continued until one sunny morning. Just as Jiang Beiran got up to head to the worksite, a massive explosion rang in his ears!
Simultaneously, three options appeared: [Option 1: Stay inside and don't move. Reward: Rolling Cloud Tyrant Palm (Yellow Grade, High Tier)] [Option 2: Help put out the fire. Reward: Mourning Gate Great Spear (Yellow Grade, Low Tier)] [Option 3: Take advantage of the chaos to escape.
Reward: Random Basic Skill Point +1] 'Huh? This time the options aren't following the usual pattern.' Normally, escaping during such chaos would be the least wise choice.
The overseers weren't stupid—they'd expect people to flee and would surely post guards halfway down or at the mountain's base. Getting caught would mean at least a brutal beating, if not death. But after two months of torment and hardship, Jiang Beiran knew that without the System's option prompts, he might've died long ago.
This time, he chose to trust it again!
"Option 3!"
(End of Chapter)