Chapter 18 Helping Da Liu Become a Supervisor (Begging for Follow-up Reads)

"Old Four, step back and let me handle this!"

Da Liu darted forward, covering the distance to appear in front of Tian Lin in just a couple of swift steps.

Tian Lin blocked Da Liu with his knife and declared loudly, "This is between Supervisor Wang and me; it has nothing to do with the Mine Slaves."

"Old Four, you're no match for him."

It was then that Da Liu had also walked over, but was quickly obstructed by a silhouette.

Six stood atop a stone, sneering down at Da Liu, "This is a matter between Supervisors. When did it become your place to intervene, Mine Slave?"

Da Liu clenched his fists, pondering how to seriously injure Six standing before him.

At this moment, Tian Lin said from the other side:

"Second Brother, you needn't bother. If I die, just bury me on the back mountain. This Wang guy has been pushing people too far these past few days. I've asked Manager Xu, and he said if you don't accept it, fight back. I have no choice but to follow Manager Xu's advice."

"Why talk so much?" Fatty Wang shined his knife sheath, saying, "Just come at me, I'll let you strike three times!"

No sooner had his words faded than Tian Lin leaped forward with his knife.

Fatty Wang's face shifted, hurriedly blocking Tian Lin's slashing knife with his sheath.

His sheath stopped Tian Lin's blade, and as the two passed each other at close quarters with their weapons, Fatty Wang clutched his belly where a dagger had struck, unable to help saying, "Weren't we just sparring?"

"Worldly society spars to determine winners and also life and death. Who spares their mortal enemy?"

With a flash of his knife, Tian Lin sent Fatty Wang's head rolling to the ground.

"You dare, young man!"

Five or six Supervisors rushed over with their knives, each drawing their blades and pointing them at Tian Lin.

It was then that Da Liu burst into laughter, flipping Wang's knife into his hand from the ground with his foot.

Da Liu, standing back to back with Tian Lin holding the knife, loudly said to the Supervisors, "Come on, let's have it out. Do you really think we brothers are afraid of you?"

The Supervisors were about to move in, when Six, facing off with Da Liu, spoke up, "Stop it all of you. Are we going to turn on each other while Manager Xu is away?"

After Six spoke, he turned to Tian Lin and said, "Well done, kid. I didn't expect your blade to be so swift. You must be a third-rate expert by now?"

Tian Lin remained silent, and Six did not question any further.

He glanced at the other Supervisors and said, "Take Fatty Wang's body back. We will deal with it when Manager Xu returns."

The Supervisors glared fiercely at Tian Lin and Da Liu, then they took Fatty Wang's corpse and left.

Six turned again, eyeing the surrounding Mine Slaves and barked, "What are you standing around for? Get back to work!"

Fearful of bringing trouble upon themselves, the Mine Slaves set to work with even more diligence than when Fatty Wang was alive.

Everyone busily got on with the work, while Da Liu approached Tian Lin and said, "Why did you suddenly make a move on Fatty Wang? Aren't you afraid of being held accountable by Manager Xu for killing him?"

Tian Lin replied, "I went to see Manager Xu several times, and it was he who told me to fight back. Though I killed a man, I did not disobey his orders. At most, he will punish me with a few lashes."

With a grin, Tian Lin added, "A few lashes in exchange for a Supervisor's position seems like a very good deal to me."

Da Liu realized, laughing, "That means my brother and I can be Supervisors?"

Tian Lin said, "The vacant Supervisor position will go to Second Brother first. Only when Second Brother becomes a Supervisor will all of us truly be safe."

Ever since Old Zhang had planned to leave, Tian Lin had considered the situation at the mine.

When Boss Zhang was around, he naturally didn't have to fear the group of people in the supervisors' dormitory.

But once Boss Zhang left, he would have to face the group in the supervisors' dormitory alone.

At the same time, Tian Lin also contemplated, what if Boss Zhang never came back?

Therefore, it was imperative that Da Liu became a supervisor.

With a second-tier expert like Da Liu in the supervisors' dormitory, he would be able to establish a footing there.

He had to carve out a supervisor position from within the dormitory, and for this, he was willing to endure Manager Xu's punishment.

"However, although Fatty Wang is dead, would Manager Xu give us the supervisor position?"

Da Liu frowned. Tian Lin said:

"Big Brother Zhang said that Manager Xu supported him to counterbalance Brother Bao. If Manager Xu really has such intentions, then he should naturally go with the flow and let you, Second Brother, take the position."

Little Liu chimed in from the side: "Yeah, who in the entire mining camp has better martial arts than you, Big Brother? If Manager Xu doesn't choose you, who else would he choose?"

Hearing this, Da Liu nodded.

The Liu brothers hardly focused on their work that afternoon, dragging their feet until nightfall.

When Manager Xu returned carrying wine and in high spirits, he cast his eyes on Tian Lin again.

He couldn't help but grimace and said: "What, got beaten up by someone again?"

Tian Lin said, "I killed Fatty Wang."

Manager Xu was stunned for a moment: "Fatty Wang killed you? No—a-are you saying you killed Fatty Wang?"

Manager Xu could hardly believe it, circling around Tian Lin.

His pincer-like hand pinched Tian Lin's arm brutally, causing Tian Lin to wince in pain.

Tian Lin scowled and grunted coldly, and Manager Xu withdrew his hand: "Good lad, when exactly did you become a third-rate expert?"

Manager Xu didn't seem to care at all about Fatty Wang's life or death. Tian Lin said, "With Fatty Wang dead, I want to push my Second Brother to become a supervisor."

Manager Xu laughed: "You kill someone out of the blue, and now you want me to help your Second Brother become a supervisor?"

"Fatty Wang wanted to kill me, and everyone else in the supervisors' dormitory is Brother Bao's people; they all want to avenge Yu's clan."

Tian Lin said: "I've been bullied by them these past two days, so I want my Second Brother to enter the dormitory to protect me."

Manager Xu frowned and didn't speak, then hesitated for a moment: "Go back first. I'll need to ask the others in the dormitory about this matter."

Manager Xu headed to the supervisors' dormitory alone and immediately saw a throng of people rushing up.

Chronometer said: "Manager Xu, that Tian Lin has killed two of our mining camp supervisors in a row, he's absolutely lawless and can't go unpunished."

Manager Xu, covering his nose, approached Fatty Wang's body, and cursed: "Damn it, the man's dead and you're still laying him out here. What are you planning, to smoke some cured meat for a meal?"

The group exchanged glances, with one of the supervisors saying, "Our brother Wang died unjustly; we few brothers would like to ask Manager Xu for justice."

Manager Xu said: "He's unjust? Why didn't he cry injustice when he was bullying others? Now that he's dead, you're crying injustice on his behalf."

The supervisors were left speechless by Manager Xu's words and all turned their gazes towards Chronometer.

Chronometer thought for a moment and then stepped forward: "Manager Xu, to win over Zhang's clan, you've been so generous to his brother. Now his brother has killed two of our brothers in a row, if Manager Xu does not punish him, the brothers probably won't accept it."

Manager Xu became completely furious: "Afraid you won't accept it? If you don't accept it, then come kill me! Wanting to learn how to overthrow authority? All of you get lost——"

He added: "Since Wang is dead, I've decided to let that Da Liu become a supervisor. You want to fight, don't you? Then wait until Liu comes to the dormitory, fight it out with him, and spare me the trouble."