After about seven hours of work, John had collected ten spirit stones. As he was about to hammer more, a bell suddenly rang.
It signaled that the daily duty was over. Every day, prisoners had to work for seven hours before they could return to their cells.
They also needed to collect at least five spirit stones each to avoid a beating.
John heard the bell and sat down with an exhausted expression. He looked around and saw that the other inmates were equally drained. Some, like him, sat on the ground, while others were eager to leave the area as quickly as possible.
A few had distressed expressions, clearly having failed to collect the minimum five spirit stones. They were certain to be beaten today.
It was prohibited to share spirit stones, so there was no hope for them. They would definitely receive a beating.
It's good that I managed to meet my quota today, John thought with a smile, opening his system panel.
[Name: John Coral
Age: 23
Cultivation: None
Upgrade Slot: Breathing level 1 (43/100) (upgrading at one point per 10 minutes)]
His breathing was almost halfway to level two. Breathing should be upgraded by midnight tonight, he thought, wondering what changes level two breathing would bring.
After a few minutes of rest, he stood up and saw a long line of prisoners submitting their spirit stones. John sighed and joined the line.
At the front, prisoners handed their spirit stones to Fatmaster Spit Man, who also searched their bodies to check for hidden stones.
The punishment for sneaking a spirit stone was even harsher than a regular beating.
Fatmaster's hands moved over the prisoners' clothes, but as no one was foolish enough to hide stones, he found nothing.
Soon, a frail boy, about John's age, stood before Fatmaster, his face revealing his distress.
It was clear at a glance that he hadn't collected the minimum five spirit stones.
Fatmaster counted the boy's stones—only three—and a smile spread across his face. Licking his lips, he picked up his stick.
"You leeching dog! Eating our food and water but not doing enough work? Looks like you're not grateful enough!" He kicked the boy to the ground and raised his baton.
"Master, please forgive me! I'll make it up tomorrow, please... I beg you!" The boy placed both hands over his head, begging, but his words fell on deaf ears.
"Hahaha... You pathetic cockroach, yell as much as you want!"
Fatmaster's baton struck the boy's stomach.
"Ahhh..." The boy screamed in pain as tears streamed from his eyes. "Please, Master, forgive me!"
But with a sadistic grin, Fatmaster continued beating him until he was unconscious.
Once the boy was out cold, Fatmaster spat on him and kicked him aside. "Take this piece of crap away!" he barked, turning to the next prisoner.
Some prisoners who had already submitted their stones picked up the boy and carried him toward the cells.
Those in line saw the boy's condition, and shivers ran down their spines. Even John felt a bitter taste in his mouth.
I have to increase my power as soon as possible if I want to get out of here, he thought.
The next prisoner was a girl. Though male and female prisoners had separate cells, they shared the same work site and answered to Fatmaster.
She was about twenty-seven but looked closer to her mid-thirties due to the torment she had endured.
Her frame was as thin as a stick, her eyes haggard. She placed her basket on the table and counted her spirit stones for Fatmaster.
Though her body was frail, her face was beautiful. John could tell that, cleaned up and properly fed, she would be stunning.
She had ten spirit stones in total.
Fatmaster looked at the stones, then at the girl. A depraved grin spread across his face.
He pushed the stones aside and stepped closer. "You're not sneaking any spirit stones, are you?" he asked, raising his nearly nonexistent brows.
The girl shivered and quickly shook her head. "No, Master," she replied softly.
The others looked at Fatmaster with disgust. They could tell where this was going; they had seen it happen multiple times before.
"How can I believe the words of slaves like you? Come, let me check," Fatmaster said with a smile.
The girl swallowed hard, tears forming in her eyes, but as a prisoner, she had no choice but to comply.
Fatmaster chuckled, and his fat hands roamed over her clothes, lingering far longer than necessary on her chest and crotch.
The girl trembled in disgust but could only endure.
After the "examination," Fatmaster nodded and stepped back. Everyone could see the flush on his face and the lust in his eyes.
"Can I go, Master?" the girl asked, her voice stuttering.
Fatmaster looked at her and smiled. "I'm not satisfied yet. You've collected ten spirit stones, which is high for a girl like you. I need to thoroughly investigate your body. Go to my room and wait for me. I'll come and personally check every part of you," he said, chuckling.
John heard his words, and a disgusted expression crossed his face. He felt a spark of anger but was powerless to act.
The other prisoners shared John's thoughts, but the girl slumped in defeat.
"Please, Master, I'm not hiding anything. I've given you every last stone. Please believe me," she begged, tears streaming down her face.
Fatmaster's sadistic grin widened. "I'll be the judge of that. Now go to my room and wait. If you stay here any longer, you'll get a beating!" he yelled, kicking her away.
She sobbed for a moment before giving up. Standing, she walked toward Fatmaster's room, her fate all too clear.
After that, Fatmaster harassed every girl who submitted her spirit stones but didn't send anyone else to his room. He also beat several prisoners who hadn't collected enough stones.
John left the area unscathed, being a male with enough spirit stones. Back in his cell, he reflected on the day's events.
"I have to escape this place, or one day it'll be my turn to get beaten," he thought, a determined expression on his face.
Soon, food and water arrived at his cell: a small loaf of bread and some boiled vegetables, no meat.
John looked at the meal and sighed. "One more reason to escape," he murmured. They only got one meal a day, and even that was pitiful. "No wonder every prisoner here is as thin as a stick."
After eating, John lay back on the straw mat. With nothing else to do, he opened his system panel.
[Name: John Coral
Age: 23
Cultivation: None
Upgrade Slot: Breathing level 1 (48/100) (upgrading at one point per 10 minutes)]
His breathing points had risen from 43 to 48.
A satisfied smile formed on his face as he wondered what changes would occur when his breathing reached level two that night.
Lost in thought, he fell asleep. The next time he opened his eyes, a ding resounded in his mind.
His eyes snapped open, and he wiped the drool from his face.
[Breathing has reached level 2 - Better Air Flow, Better Impurity Expulsion]
John looked at the panel, an excited expression on his face. He took a deep breath and noticed that each breath energized him more. The suffocating feeling of the cave was gone.
It felt like he was breathing in nature. His mood lifted, and he checked his info with a smile.
[Name: John Coral
Age: 23
Cultivation: None
Upgrade Slot: Breathing level 2 (1/200) (upgrading at one point per 10 minutes)]
[Breathing efficiency has increased, reducing the time for upgrade points.]
[Calculating new time.]
[Name: John Coral
Age: 23
Cultivation: None
Upgrade Slot: Breathing level 2 (1/200) (upgrading at one point per 9 minutes and 30 seconds)]
John saw the improved time, and his brows twitched. Only a thirty-second reduction—barely noticeable.
"At least it's better than nothing," he sighed. "By tomorrow midnight, my breathing should reach level three. I wonder what changes that will bring."
He was in high spirits. Level two breathing had already brought noticeable benefits. His mind felt clearer, his body calmer, and even his hunger pangs had lessened. He was pleased with his progress.
After some time, John went back to sleep. The next day, he woke up before Fatmaster could bang on his cell and spit on him again.
Standing, he cleaned himself with a small towel and a water bucket provided to every prisoner.
After washing his clothes, he put on his second set. Every prisoner was given two sets of clothes.
Feeling refreshed, he took a deep breath and smiled. For some reason, he was excited about today's mining work. He wanted to test how much his endurance had improved with level two breathing.
After idling for an hour, Fatmaster finally arrived and was slightly shocked to see John already sitting and awake.
Usually, he had to wake every prisoner.
Due to the meager food and overwork, most prisoners slept as much as possible to conserve strength.
Fatmaster glanced at John but didn't dwell on it. "Mining area in half an hour," he barked, giving strict instructions before moving to the next cell.
John nodded with a smile.