Inside The Black Mist

Tianyang parked his vehicle on the roadside, raised his head, and looked at the guard standing on the ten-meter gate. He said, "I’m Night Walker Lieutenant Tianyang! I command you to open the gate!"

The guard was momentarily stunned, then burst into laughter, "Don't make me laugh, kid. Does a Night Walker Lieutenant come to the Black Mine in the middle of the night? Do you think I'm a fool? Just because you're wearing a black coat doesn't mean you can impersonate a Night Walker. Get lost, and get lost quickly!"

After saying that, the guard let out a belch from the cheap alcohol he had been drinking. The minefield's security was quite lax, and a couple of bottles of subpar alcohol had left his head somewhat fuzzy. As a result, he didn't notice Tianyang's electromagnetic motorcycle, which indicated it wasn't just anyone who could ride such a vehicle outside.

In the light of the searchlights, the guard saw Tianyang turning to leave and thought, "That's right, kid."

However, Tianyang walked a few steps, then suddenly turned around, raising his hand, which now held a uniquely shaped rifle. This rifle emitted blue energy beams that pierced through the heavy door bolts of the steel gate, melting the components and parts inside.

After a moment, the entire door bolt fell to the ground with a resounding crash, creating a cloud of dust. What should have been opened by machinery now laid on the ground, allowing the gate to slowly slide open, revealing the minefield beyond.

It was only then that Tianyang raised his head, looking at the guard. He said, "I'm not asking you; I'm ordering you. Now, I'm giving you another order, take me to meet the person in charge of your minefield!"

The guard, taken aback, quickly climbed down from the gate. Now, without the influence of alcohol, he guided Tianyang into the minefield.

At that moment, the person in charge of the minefield happened to be leaving his office, planning to return to the fortress. Suddenly, he heard someone calling his name, "Mr. Yingqi, Mr. Yingqi..."

Turning around, he saw that it was the gate guard. He frowned and asked, "What's the matter?"

Before the guard could answer, he was pushed aside by Tianyang, who was growing impatient.

Yingqi jumped in surprise, for Tianyang was holding a gun. He exclaimed, "Who are you? What do you want?"

"I'm Night Walker Lieutenant Tianyang. You're in charge of the minefield, right? Very well, I command you to check if a female worker named Nanfei was sent from the fortress a few days ago."

Yingqi took a step back and said, "There are so many workers in the mine. How can I..."

The rifle's barrel pointed towards the person in charge as Tianyang's voice, filled with restrained anger, interrupted him, "That's why I told you to check!"

Yingqi swallowed hard and said, "Even if you're a Night Walker Lieutenant, what you're doing is illegal. If you want to check the identity of the mine workers, please provide an internal affairs permit issued by the Iron Wall Legion."

Tianyang suddenly lowered the barrel and shot it at Yingqi's knee, creating a blue energy beam that pierced through it.

The guard let out a miserable scream, and the energy beam's high heat even caused the wound's edges to char, leaving no blood, only a finger-wide hole.

In pain, the guard fell to the ground. Tianyang looked at him, his rage apparent in his voice. "Shut up. Do that again, and next time I'll aim for your head."

Seeing the ground perforated by the energy beam, the person in charge had nothing more to say and quickly opened the office door, taking out an information tablet. With quick fingers, he started searching for information about the minefield workers.

A moment later...

"I found it, Nanfei. She was brought from the fortress four days ago. Let me see... she's working in the Number 3 work area of the mine."

Tianyang gestured with the gun, "Lead the way."

Yingqi shivered, not daring to resist. They entered the minefield together.

They arrived at the workers' accommodation area, which was extremely grim. Sewage covered the corridors, and the air was filled with a nauseating stench. Life's garbage and food remnants were haphazardly strewn in the corners, attracting numerous flies.

Tianyang's face darkened. Compared to this place, the Lower District was like heaven.

"The female worker's room is just ahead." The plump woman walking in front pointed to an open door not far away.

At that moment, a shadow emerged from the room. It was a burly man with a scar on his face, dragging something with him while cursing, "You damn prisoner, why pretend to be noble? You're just a lowly bitch from the Lower District. Do you think you're some delicate high-class citizen? Don't play dead; you've been lying there for a whole day. Get back to work in the mine, and don't you dare slack off. I might give you a few lashes."

He pulled out a frail arm, and the owner of the arm was weakly dragged out.

With a wave of his hand, the man tossed the woman into the corner, into a pile of garbage.

The woman's right shoulder looked dislocated, and it was highly likely she had a broken bone. However, there wasn't a bandage in sight on her shoulder, indicating that the minefield had no medical care. Her clothes were tattered, and her back was covered in bloodstains, some already dried and others fresh.

She laid motionless on the ground, appearing lifeless. Only her shoulder moved occasionally, indicating a faint sign of life.

"Still pretending to be dead." The man who seemed like a supervisor walked over, and with his foot, he was about to kick the woman on the ground.

A blue beam of light pierced through his knee.

The man paused for a moment, then let out a scream of pain and he fell to the ground. Tianyang, with a swift kick to the man's face, caused a sound like he broke his nose.

Tianyang pulled the woman onto her back. He gently brushed away the strands of hair from her face, revealing her pale, lifeless features.

"Mom... Mom, it's me, Tianyang."

The boy's words fell on Yingqi's ears, causing the person in charge's heart to constrict into a tight knot.

He could hardly believe his own ears.

The woman sent to the minefield as a prisoner—was she really the mother of a Night Walker Lieutenant?

The person in charge knew very well that anyone holding the rank of Night Walker Lieutenant had to be an Ascender!

How could the mother of an Ascender be a prisoner?

In an instant, the person in charge seemed to smell the scent of a conspiracy. A conspiracy related to the Ascenders, and it was likely to bury him, a lowly minefield manager, right here.