When Wren arrived at the site, it was already thirty minutes past eight. The sun beat down on her as she gazed out at the vast expanse of the mine. She had heard rumors that many had died and others barely survived when they ventured into the cave. Although it was a valuable site, the risk of investment was very high. Losing half of manpower over a small mineral was not profitable for any business company.
As she approached the site, Wren noticed the auction sign prominently displayed. The price tag of 100 million and above made her pause. She thought about the possibility of acquiring the site, but she didn't have the liquidity to make it happen. Before she arrived at the site, curiosity got the better of her, and she asked the system, "Bilharzia, can academy points be converted into money or cash?"
The system responded after a brief pause, "Yes, one point in real life equates to 1000 money cash in any currency." Wren's eyes widened at the realization. If she could convert her points into cash right away, she could get her laptop with ease.
"Where can I get my points converted into cash, Bilharzia?" Wren asked, her voice filled with excitement.
The system responded, "Master, although points can be converted into cash, it is only available to certain levels and stats points in the academy. Those who can use the money converter in Nova Class are the A levelers and S ranked levelers. But a student with approximately 5 million stats and not in the A rank can use the academy converter."
Wren laughed sarcastically, shaking her head. She had forgotten that nothing went easy in the academy. 5 million stats? Were the academy crazy? Just gaining 100,000 stats was a challenge; how more 5 million at that? It seemed the academy was benefiting more from the profits than the students.
"Sigh! The academy is nothing but thieves," Wren muttered under her breath, before continuing her journey to the site.
Meanwhile, behind her, the strange man followed intently. He had been tracking Wren, and his eyes narrowed as he watched her approach the mine. He was hesitant to follow the small girl in, having heard the rumors speculating about the mine's dangers. But he had a plan.
When Wren got the mineral he wanted, he would take her out. That way, no one would figure it out. After all, she would be an easy target, and it would be beneficial to him if he traded the goods in the black market. The man's eyes gleamed with anticipation as he watched Wren disappear into the mine.
As Wren ventured deeper into the mine, she couldn't shake off the feeling that she was being watched. She glanced around, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. Shrugging it off, she continued on her mission to explore the mine and potentially find the valuable mineral. Little did she know, her life was about to take a drastic turn.
...
When Wren arrived at the center of the cave, it was already darker and even the headlights she used couldn't brighten enough. The faint glow of her lights struggled to penetrate the thick darkness, making her feel like she was walking into an abyss. It was cold, and the pungent smell lingering in the air made her feel bile rising in her throat. The stench was overwhelming, a mix of decaying earth and something metallic. But she didn't stop, as she had to find the mineral before dawn. The urgency drove her forward, her determination fueled by the promise of reward.
Ever since she entered the academy, her sense of smell and hearing had significantly improved, and she was very good at detecting things even from a mile away. Her enhanced senses were a blessing and a curse, allowing her to pick up on subtle cues but also making her more aware of the unpleasant surroundings.
"The mineral is just a mile to go," her system informed Wren as she lowered her rope down the deep hole of the cave. The system's voice was calm and detached, a stark contrast to Wren's growing excitement. She had stumbled upon the hole earlier, and easily guessed the mineral was below since her metal detector was going crazy. The device had been beeping wildly, its insistent tone growing louder as she approached the hole.
She had gotten all her supplies from the academy warehouse at a convenience price of 1000 points, which although was expensive but really helpful. All her equipment was high-tech and futuristic, designed to make her exploration safer and more efficient. The gear was sleek and lightweight, its advanced materials and design making it a pleasure to use.
Finally, Wren came below, hitting jackpots as when she stared beneath her, minerals resembling rubies glowed beneath her. They were of colors Wren couldn't recognize in world history, strange yet beautiful. The minerals seemed to pulse with an otherworldly energy, their deep red hue glowing softly in the dim light. The flower-like liquid yet they were hard and strong like metal. Wren's eyes widened as she gazed at the minerals, her mind racing with the possibilities.
Wren lowered her rope, but it couldn't go further as it had reached its limit. Hanging in the air, Wren felt completely frustrated. How was she going to get the mineral at this rate? She tugged on the rope, testing its tension, but it wouldn't budge. Wren's frustration turned to desperation as she realized she was so close, yet so far from her goal.