Chapter 42: Chapter 42: This Mountain is a Huge Silver Mine!
 

In the dark passageway, even with fire torches burning, it still remained ominously terrifying.

The three pitch-black cave entrances seemed like gates to hell, ready to swallow everyone at any moment.

The members of the Zhao Family each ate some dried meat, rested for a bit, and then the elder twin Zhang Qifeng woke up, fussing for milk.

Cong Zhonglan held him and went into the darkness to feed him; at that moment, his younger brother Zhang Qiyun also awoke.

Qi Yue handed him a Luminous Pearl to play with and, seeing that he seemed to have grown a bit, with his small feet and hands quite energetic, she felt joyful inside.

The adorable human infant had an unimaginable healing power, and Qi Yue instantly felt filled with energy.

Although she did not plan to concern herself with the others, she also did not want to stay in this passageway indefinitely.

Besides, there were the Zhao Family members and these two children—they needed to see the sun soon.

She intended to explore the three passages in depth.

She had just stood up when she heard Zhao Xiyan calling her.

“Yueyue,”

She turned around and saw a face deeply etched with concern.

“Be careful,”

“Okay.”

Qi Yue nodded in response and walked toward the passageway on the far right.

Zhao Xiyan, however, called out to Zhao Yonglian, “Uncle San.”

Zhao Yonglian gave an “oh” and followed after Qi Yue.

“Daughter-in-law, I’ll come with you. If there’s any danger, I’ll block it for you,”

Qi Yue wanted to say it wasn’t necessary, but seeing the Zhao Family members looking at her with concern, she could only nod in agreement.

“Thank you, Uncle San.”

Zhao Yonglian waved his hands nonchalantly, leading the way ahead.

Seeing that Qi Yue got up to search for the way out, everyone stretched their necks in anticipation, and the atmosphere grew livelier.

“I really hope Miss Qi can find us a good way out.”

“She should be able to. All we have to do is wait.”

“I’m really worried. After all, there are three paths, and if we choose the wrong one, won’t we all be following her to our deaths?”

“Wouldn’t she be dying as well?”

“How is that the same? I don’t want to die!”

“…”

In the faint light of the flickering fire, Zhao Xiyan’s sharp gaze took on a tricky hue.

He coldly watched those who were whispering in the shadows, the corners of his mouth curling into a mischievous smile.

Qi Yue, who had entered the passageway on the far right, quickly returned, and without saying a word, proceeded to the middle passageway.

After repeating this three times, she had explored each of the three passageways.

Just as she emerged from the leftmost passageway, everyone crowded around her.

“Miss Qi, how did it go? Have you figured it out? Which passageway should we take?”

“Miss Qi, if you find us a good way out this time, everyone will thank you!”

“Miss Qi, if we can get out, it will all be thanks to you!”

“…”

Hearing these remarks—whether sincere or not—Qi Yue felt like laughing!

She snorted coldly and said indifferently, “I don’t know which passageway to take!”

The crowd was stunned and just about to question her when Qi Fengzhang suddenly appeared.

Ever since the last time Qi Yue reprimanded him, Qi Fengzhang had kept his distance, but now he put on an air as if he was the decision-maker for everyone.

“Niece, just tell everyone which way you’re going, so we can all follow you,”

“We, the Qi Family, always consider everyone’s interest. Don’t just care about yourself!”

Qi Yue raised an eyebrow and couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

“Uncle Er is right. Since you’re so keen on making decisions for everyone, then go and find out, tell everyone which way we should take. If you don’t want to search, then shut up,”

Saying this, she coldly glanced at the crowd.

“If any of you want to take a certain passageway, go pick one for yourself. Whether you live or die has nothing to do with me. Likewise, whichever passageway I take, it has nothing to do with you either!”

Upon hearing this, the crowd let out surprised exclamations and resumed their buzzing discussions.

Some said that they had long seen that Qi Yue was malicious at heart, indifferent to the life and death of others.

Others said that they originally thought she changed for the better after she saved Cong Zhonglan and the two children, but it turned out she was still the same as before.

Qi Yue didn’t care what they said.

She also knew that as long as these people weren’t foolish, no matter which path she chose, they would follow, but her intention was to sever ties with these people.

Just as she had expected, no sooner had she led the Zhao Family into the passage on the far left than the crowd bustled after them, without needing Guan Yidao’s whip.

Seeing everyone catching up, Shen Yu started to feel uneasy.

“Yueyue, is the journey long this time? If we can’t get out for a while, I’m worried they’ll cause a commotion again.”

Qi Yue reassuringly held her hand.

“Don’t worry, Mother, we will be able to get out very soon, I can hear the sound of water.”

Zhao Yongzhe and the others had been in the dark for several days, and at these words, they were instantly invigorated.

“Yueyue, are you saying that the exit leads to a river?”

Qi Yue felt the moisture in the tunnel and said lightly, “It could be a waterfall.”

Only a waterfall, with its force and the wind in the air, could carry the moisture so far.

Zhao Shuanghua hadn’t washed for several days, and the thought of water instantly sparked a series of imaginations in her mind.

“Elder sister-in-law, really? If there is water, that would be so good, I want to wash my face!”

Qi Yue was infected by her exuberant joy and also smiled.

“Not just washing faces, but washing clothes is possible too.”

Hearing this, Zhao Shuanghua and the others laughed happily, quickening their steps.

Less than a shichen had passed when most people heard the sound of water.

“Did you hear that, there’s really the sound of water.”

“This Miss Qi is truly incredible, how did she know there would be water on this road?”

“She’s skilled, the Great General is a capable man.”

“Exactly, it’s just that her temperament is too peculiar!”

“Indeed, she clearly found the way, yet refused to tell!”

“…”

The peculiarly tempered Qi Yue was responding to Zhao Yongzhe’s questions.

“Father, at first I actually didn’t hear the sound of water, I just felt the air was damp; now that I’ve heard it, I can confirm that there’s definitely water.”

As they spoke, they took another turn.

Everyone caught sight of the light at the exit, and even the sound of water cascading down grew louder.

“Look, there’s light ahead, we’ve really made it out!”

“We’re saved! We’ve truly been saved!”

“…”

The excited crowd forgot their status as exiles and rushed out together.

The tunnel was already narrow, and as a crowd squeezed through, they almost knocked Zhao Xiyan off the stretcher.

Qi Yue had been prepared, however, and supported him.

So, she simply asked Zhao Yonglian and Zhang Zhao to put down the stretcher and let those who were anxious go ahead.

But this delay of a few minutes gave Qi Yue a significant discovery.

Near the entrance to the tunnel, there were a few pebbles flashing with the bright light of silver.

At first, she didn’t think much of it, assuming they were just white stones.

But, when she saw the familiar little button not far from the exit, her heart began to race.

To confirm her suspicion, she pretended to adjust her clothes and quickly picked up the pebbles from the ground.

Facing the light, the silver flakes within the pebbles almost blinded her!

Silver Ore!

It really was Silver Ore!

She should have realized earlier.

The intricately designed tunnel, the water source so close at hand…

This mountain was a massive silver mine!