Vikram gripped his pickaxe tightly and turned slowly toward the old man. A murderous intent gleamed in his eyes. If this old man exposed his secret, surviving in this new world would become incredibly difficult for Vikram.
"What did you see, old man?" Vikram asked in a voice that was barely a whisper but laced with danger.
The old laborer didn't flinch. He simply smiled, a strange glint appearing on his dirty, wrinkled face. He continued his work and, without looking at Vikram, said, "I saw a 'Newborn' swallow 'Violent Origin Energy' raw. If it were anyone else in your place, their blood would have boiled into steam by now. Your 'Jade Body' foundation is quite strong, boy."
Vikram's tension eased slightly, but his guard remained up. "You are no ordinary laborer. A common laborer wouldn't know about the 'Jade Body'."
The old man took a deep breath and set down his pickaxe. Exhausted, he slumped onto a nearby stone.
"My name is Master Yu," the old man said, wiping his forehead with his tattered sleeve. "I was once a 'Noble' of 'Iron-Cliff City'. I taught Gene Techniques. But... politics and betrayal landed me here."
Vikram's interest was piqued. "So, what does a former noble want with me?"
"A deal," Master Yu looked straight into Vikram's eyes. "My body is failing me. I cannot complete my 'Daily Quota,' and I fear that next week I will be sent to 'Waste Disposal,' which is essentially a death sentence. You are young, strong, and possess amazing potential."
"Help me complete my quota," the old man proposed, "and in return, I will teach you something no one else in this mine can—'Origin Arts'."
Vikram thought for a moment. He didn't need money or stones; he needed knowledge. He needed to understand how energy functioned in this world.
"Agreed," Vikram said, picking up his pickaxe. "But if you betray me..."
"Then you can kill me," Master Yu interrupted with a laugh. "I have nothing left to lose anyway."
Over the next few hours, Vikram worked at double speed. With the help of his newfound strength and the 'Heavy Energy Manipulation' technique, he quickly completed not only his own quota but Master Yu's as well.
In the evening, when the laborers were given their meal (which was little more than bitter soup), Vikram and Master Yu sat in a dark corner.
"Listen," Master Yu whispered. "What you were doing—forcefully drawing in energy—is suicide. 'Origin Energy' is not water; it is fire. You do not need to make it 'Flow'; you need to 'Breathe' it."
Master Yu sketched a strange diagram on the ground. It was a map of the human body, but the network of veins was unlike anything Vikram had learned in his 'Hyper Geno Arts'.
"This is called 'The Low-Breathing'," Master Yu explained. "It is the lowest tier of Origin Arts, but it will help you draw energy from the environment without consuming stones. Focus on the center below your navel... and imagine that your skin is breathing through its pores."
Vikram tried it immediately. He abandoned his old habits and focused on Master Yu's instructions. At first, nothing happened, but then... he felt a strange sensation.
The heaviness in the air was no longer crushing him; instead, it was slowly seeping into his body.
Ding!
[New Gene Art Learned: 'Low-Breathing' - Level 1]
[Absorption rate of Origin Energy from environment: +5%]
Vikram opened his eyes. It felt as if he had breathed fresh air for the first time. His fatigue was vanishing.
"This is just the beginning," Master Yu said, seeing Vikram's surprised face. "I possess knowledge of a technique that even the Lord of 'Iron-Cliff City' does not have. It is called the 'Blood-Crystal Sutra'. But to learn it, we will need some materials... which are in the deepest part of the mine."
Vikram smiled. "It seems our journey is about to get exciting, Master."
Just then, there was a commotion at the mine's entrance. Several guards entered carrying torches. They were looking for someone.
"All laborers, get in line!" a guard shouted. "An 'Origin Stone' was stolen today. We will search everyone."
Vikram's heart began to race. He had completely drained that stone, but could their system detect it?