Chapter 19 What 2nd or 3rd Rate, After All Not As Good As a Dog

Tian Lin had thought that the matter of Da Liu becoming a Supervisor would not be settled until the next day, but he had hardly returned to the wooden hut when a Supervisor kicked open the door.

As Da Liu and Xiao Liu vigilantly watched the Supervisor, he swept his gaze over Tian Lin and Da Liu and said coldly, "Manager Xu is calling for you."

Tian Lin and Da Liu exchanged a glance, and Xiao Liu, looking excited, said to both, "Did it really happen?"

Da Liu remained silent and left the hut with Tian Lin.

When the two arrived at the Supervisors' quarters, they saw Manager Xu sitting on a stool, drinking.

"You like to fight, don't you? Fine, move over here tomorrow, and from then on, you can have a proper fight here."

While speaking, Manager Xu tossed clothing from the table to Da Liu, and then turned to Tian Lin, "I still stand by what I said—if someone hits you, hit them back. If you win, I won't punish you. If you lose, your brother can't blame me."

After finishing his words, he left the room, leaving a group of people looking at each other in bewilderment.

Liu Dian stepped out from the Supervisors and, chuckling, said to Tian Lin, "You little brat, what do you say now? We won't be pulling punches when we spar with you."

Tian Lin did not reply, but it was Da Liu who, holding the clothes, stepped forward and said to Liu Dian, "We in the worldly society who act as Huahua Lang, never thought of coming out alive. Who do you think you can scare with those threats?"

Liu Dian clapped and said, "Good, good, good! Then shall we cross swords after Manager Xu leaves tomorrow?"

Tian Lin didn't say anything and took the lead, knife in hand, out of the room.

Da Liu quickly followed, and on the way back, he said, "Is this Manager Xu using our lives to set Brother Da and Leopard against each other?"

Tian Lin replied, "Regardless of what Manager Xu is thinking, we have to move to the Supervisors' quarters tomorrow. We need to take action first; call Third Brother over."

The two returned to the hut and relayed everything to Xiao Liu.

Xiao Liu's face lit up with excitement as he said to Tian Lin, "Give me your dagger, I'll use it to kill someone tomorrow."

Tian Lin tossed the dagger to Xiao Liu and bluntly said to Da Liu, "Actually, there are a few third-rate experts up at the mine, but they never had a chance to rise due to the lack of positions amongst the Supervisors—why not pull them into our group?"

Da Liu was stunned for a moment, but smiled at Tian Lin.

Because tomorrow's battle was a matter of life and death to them, and it would also affect the future pattern of the mine, they didn't dare to take it lightly and couldn't sleep at all.

The two went to two barracks near the stream to gather three Mine Slaves, who were clearly hesitant; Tian Lin then asked them,

"Do you want to be Mine Slaves for the rest of your lives? Do you really think, by being Mine Slaves, you can win Merchant Lord's favor and be granted the Immortal Law?"

It was only then that the three Mine Slaves made up their minds, saying, "Fine, as soon as Manager Xu leaves tomorrow morning, we'll join you to settle the score with those Supervisors."

Da Liu laughed heartily and said, "People of the jianghu should be decisive. If you waver so much, why seek the Immortal?"

He and Tian Lin didn't stay longer but left the barracks.

On their way back, Da Liu suddenly turned his head and asked Tian Lin, "Do you hear anything?"

Tian Lin was taken aback and looked towards the mine by the creek.

The mine was dug in the early years and was rarely entered by anyone.

But now, there seemed to be the sound of a bell coming from within.

"Is it the sound of the stream?"

As he spoke, Tian Lin moved closer to the stream with Da Liu, only to hear the babbling water, as the sound of the bell had disappeared by then.

"Maybe it was a mistake, let's go back!"

It was getting dark, and the deep mine was pitch black, with only the cold wind blowing out.

Logically, who would want to stay there?

The two then walked back together, but halfway there, the bell rang again.

Tian Lin and Da Liu looked at each other, this time certain that the sound of the bell was not an illusion.

The ringing was intermittent, appearing and disappearing in the darkness of the mine.

"Forget it, we have our own things to do tomorrow."

After saying that, Tian Lin took the lead back to the barracks.

As soon as the day broke, the Mine Slaves ran out of the barracks at the sound of a Supervisor breaking a door and crowded towards the porridge distribution spot.

Three men lined up for porridge, nodding to Tian Lin and Da Liu.

A group crouched in various places, eating their porridge, their minds focused on Manager Xu.

Not only were they watching Manager Xu, but several Supervisors and Liu Dian were also waiting for Manager Xu to leave.

Finally, before a group had finished their hot porridge, Manager Xu hurried off.

'Clack, clack!'

The three Mine Slaves whom Tian Lin had arranged the night before slammed their bowls down and stood behind Da Liu.

'Clang, clang!'

At the same time, the Supervisors drew their knives and stood behind Liu Dian.

Sensing something amiss, the surrounding Mine Slaves moved away with their bowls, creating a clearing for the two groups.

"Heh, bringing three shrimps with iron picks, you think you can 'usurp the throne'?"

Liu Dian's gaze lingered on the three Mine Slaves standing behind Da Liu, who showed a hint of timidity in their eyes.

After all, in addition to Liu Dian, there were six third-rate experts on the other side.

On their side, even with Tian Lin included, there were only five third-rate experts.

"Iron picks don't necessarily mean 'shrimp'; maybe you guys with knives are the 'rotten fish'."

Unwilling to be left behind in a war of words, Xiao Liu stood out with a dagger in his hand and arrogantly addressed the Supervisors across from him,

"Hey, do you guys even know how to use a sword? Looking at the way you're holding those blades, must've been taught by the mistress, right? Today, this old man will spar with you and show you how it's really done."

"What's with all the nonsense? Let's fight!"

Da Liu was the first to speak, swiftly removing the cape from his back and sweeping it toward Da Liu's side like a broom.

But his cape wasn't sweeping up leaves and dust; it sent several enormous boulders nearby flying.

The boulders, weighing hundreds of pounds, were propelled towards Tian Lin and the others like cannonballs with a single sweep and roll of his cape.

Fortunately, Da Liu was also a second-rate expert. He stepped forward, striking the incoming boulder with the hilt of his sword, not only breaking it into dust but also drawing his blade in one motion, charging towards Da Liu.

The Mine Slaves in the distance watched the battle of high-level masters amid flying dust and rocks, both frightened and thrilled.

In the world, while there are many high-level fighters in the mines, they are rarely seen outside.

Even a third-rate master can easily handle dozens of villagers with swords.

And now, there was a battle featuring a dozen third-rate masters and two second-rate masters!

'Dinglingling'

Just as the two groups clashed, a jingle of bells sounded.

Da Liu and Tian Lin were the first to react, their expressions changing as they hastily retreated.

"What's going on?"

Xiao Liu was eager to kill, but before his dagger could clash with his opponents' blades, he was dragged back by the neck by his brother out of the battle.

'Dinglingling'

The jingle belled again, and Da Liu said to Tian Lin: "It's the bell from the mine last night."

"What mine, what bell?"

Xiao Liu had barely finished speaking when he saw a black shadow emerge from nowhere.

The black shadow passed by, and the three Mine Slaves wielding iron picks and the black-clothed Supervisor collapsed on the ground, screaming.

"What kind of devilry is this?"

Startled, Xiao Liu, along with Tian Lin and Da Liu, kept retreating into the room to avoid the black shadow.

Screams one after the other continued outside the Supervisor's bedroom, and the three of them saw Supervisor stumbling in, looking battered and beaten.

"It's that dog!"

"Which dog?"

Everyone put aside their hostility, and when Da Liu asked, they heard Supervisor answer:

"It's the Merchant Young Master's dog kept in the mine—connected to the Heavenly Pit under the mountain. Manager Xu had us throw corpses down the mountain to feed that dog."

"A single dog has such abilities? That's nearly the level of a top-grade master."

Da Liu could hardly believe it, but he then truly saw a large black dog chewing on the head of a Supervisor outside the room.

Outside, all six Supervisors and three Mine Slaves lay dead on the ground.

They weren't killed by weapons, but by claws and teeth.

Some were still trembling and gasping on the ground; the unlucky ones had their throats directly bitten through.

'Dinglingling!'

The big black dog snapped the necks of the Supervisors one by one, and at last turned its gaze toward the four people inside the room.

Bench, who usually stayed out of conflicts, coughed while covering his mouth for a while. When his coughing finally stopped, he said, "Looks like the Merchant Young Master has returned. No wonder, Manager Xu ran off in such a hurry today."

Supervisor's face turned pale and said, "Even Manager Xu didn't mention a word about the Merchant Young Master's return in advance. Doesn't he know that as soon as the Merchant Young Master returns, the dog would sniff its way from the depths of the Heavenly Pit?"

"Woof!"

The big black dog outside couldn't hold back any longer and pounced towards the house.

Da Liu's expression changed. Holding a sword, he shielded Tian Lin and Xiao Liu behind him.

And just then, the voice of a young man sounded from outside: "Xiao Hei, come here."

The big black dog had charged into the room, but at that moment, it suddenly turned and ran away.

Relieved, Da Liu wiped his sweat and exchanged a glance with Supervisor.

At this moment, the two of them no longer harbored hatred wishing the other's death, instead feeling fortunate to have survived a disaster.

"Good grief, how can such a mess happen in the short time I step out?"

Manager Xu's voice bellowed from outside the room: "Liu's family, Supervisor, Bench, what are you doing inside? Come out and welcome the young master."

Da Liu and Supervisor quickly left the room, followed closely by Tian Lin and Xiao Liu.

Now outside the house, with the ground covered with corpses, Tian Lin couldn't imagine how these bodies used to be spirited living people, stalwarts of the worldly society—

And now, one of those masters was being disarmed by a young man, amusing the big black dog.

"It hasn't been that long since we last met, and Xiao Hei has lost weight."

The young man in green squatted in front of the big black dog, cut off a human ear with a dagger, and held it up to the big black dog's mouth.

The dog's tongue quickly rolled and swallowed the ear, then gingerly licked the young man's hand.

"Young Master, this servant has been wronged. I haven't shorted Xiao Hei's meat for a month. As soon as someone dies, they're immediately thrown down the mountain without delay."

Manager Xu pleaded fearfully to the young man, who replied with a smile:

"It seems that the meat of ordinary people isn't tasty enough; Xiao Hei prefers the flesh of worldly society's second and top-grade masters."

After speaking, the young man stood up and patted the head of the big black dog saying: "What do you think, Xiao Hei?"

The big black dog couldn't speak, only whined affectionately from its throat, its tail wagging constantly.