Endless Winter: My Camp Upgrades Infinitely

After two years in the Hive, Luo Ming hadn't achieved elite status, but his living conditions were already quite good. He had not only secured an independent residence in the Hive's main district for himself, but the eleven others who had come with him initially were also living with him.

Leaving the Hive's main building, Luo Ming and Shang Ping walked home in silence.

"Father, Uncle Ping, you're back!"

Seeing his youngest son, Luo Cheng, Luo Ming's face immediately lit up with a smile.

Ten-year-old Luo Cheng was already as sturdy as a young calf. He wore thick, coarse clothing that was even better than what Luo Ming and Shang Ping had on. Plus, he was holding that ten-tempered small knife. Clearly, life in the Hive was comfortable for him.

"Father, Uncle Ping, my base strength is already at four thousand eight hundred! I reckon I'll break through to the Lumbering Realm in a few days!"

Hearing Luo Cheng's words, Luo Ming immediately rushed forward, grabbed his arm, and squeezed it for a while. The smile on his face grew even brighter.

"Good, good, good! All that beast meat I gave you wasn't wasted. Keep it up, and strive to break through to the Lumbering Realm before you turn eleven. That marriage arrangement with the Duan family will be even more secure."

Hearing about the marriage, Luo Cheng subconsciously revealed a hint of resistance, but seeing the look of excitement on his father's face, he forced a smile and nodded.

Shang Ping, who was standing to the side, noticed the resistance on Luo Cheng's face, but he didn't say much. He stepped forward, patted him on the shoulder, and said with a smile, "Xiao Cheng, go inside and play. I need to talk to your dad about something."

Luo Cheng nodded and walked towards the inner room. Luo Ming seemed to have a premonition. He led Shang Ping to the main hall of the house, sat down, and said directly, "You want to ask why I didn't take that Hong Yu into the team, right?"

Shang Ping nodded first, then sighed and said, "I know you're wary of Cheng Ping, but he's a newcomer. If we don't take him, other teams will be even more reluctant to do so. Right now, he's been sent to the iron mine. Given Cheng Ping's vengeful nature, he'll definitely find a way to make trouble for him later. Who knows what will happen then? If Yue Feng finds out about this, won't it be difficult to explain?"

Hearing the last sentence, Luo Ming's brow furrowed, but his expression quickly returned to normal. He said, "It's true that Hong Yu has some strength, but he's just a sickly fellow with a stubborn temper. He offended Cheng Ping as soon as he arrived. Taking him in would definitely not be a good thing for us. When Yue Feng asked us for help, he only said to bring him into the Hive. Everything else is up to him. Even if he finds out, he can't say anything."

Hearing this, Shang Ping remembered what Yue Feng had said before and nodded slightly.

"Big Brother, where's that Hong Yu?"

Luo Ming was about to speak when Li Baihe suddenly rushed in from outside the door with a joyful expression, asking about Hong Yu's whereabouts.

Shang Ping immediately stepped forward and explained what had happened earlier, including how he had offended Cheng Ping upon entering, and how Luo Ming had not taken him into the team, allowing him to be assigned to the iron mine area... ... ... ...

The more Li Baihe listened, the worse his expression became. By the time Shang Ping finished speaking, he immediately said angrily to Luo Ming, "Big Brother, how could you do this?"

Luo Ming's brow furrowed, and he looked up at Li Baihe, remaining silent for a long time.

Luo Ming had anticipated Li Baihe's reaction.

Among the three Earth Burrowing Realm cultivators brought to the Hive, Li Baihe had the deepest feelings for Red Maple Ridge. He had even suggested several times that they return to Red Maple Ridge.

Learning that Jing Valley had returned to Great Xia, and that Great Xia's strength was now different from what it used to be, even capable of trading equally with the Hive, Li Baihe was the happiest. Li Baihe was also aware of Yue Feng's request for Luo Ming to help, which was why he was so happy when he brought Hong Yu back earlier.

Now that he knew Luo Ming had not taken Hong Yu into the team to avoid antagonizing Cheng Ping, allowing him to be assigned to the iron mine, it was only natural that Li Baihe would be so angry.

"Hong Yu is sick, and he's the kind of sick that's incurable. Who knows what crazy things he'll do to survive? He offended Cheng Ping so badly. Taking him in wouldn't be beneficial to us in any way, so I can't... ..."

"Benefits, benefits! Do we only do things when there are benefits?"

Li Baihe suddenly interrupted Luo Ming's words and continued with a disappointed expression:

"Back in Red Maple Ridge, when you led us out hunting, you always said that if we didn't risk our lives, we wouldn't survive in the Ice Abyss. If we're afraid of wolves in front and tigers behind, we won't be able to do anything well. Have you forgotten that yourself?"

Hearing these words, Luo Ming's expression froze.

"If you want to talk about benefits, then let's talk about benefits. This Hong Yu is someone Yue Feng personally sent. Being able to get Yue Feng to help means that his status in Great Xia must not be low. Big Brother, can't you see that this Hong Yu is the best opportunity for us to re-establish contact with Great Xia? Maybe in the future, we can rely on him to return to Red Maple Ridge."

Li Baihe's emotions gradually became agitated, and he continued, "Even if we don't talk about benefits, and even if we don't consider Yue Feng's face, even if we just remember that this Hong Yu comes from the same Red Maple Ridge as us, Big Brother shouldn't have allowed him to be assigned to the iron mine like that. If Yue Feng finds out about this, if the people of Great Xia find out about this, what face will we have to return to Red Maple Ridge in the future?"

Luo Ming's expression gradually darkened, and he said in a deep voice, "Baihe, don't be impulsive. We're only one step away from being promoted to elites and gaining a firm foothold in the Hive camp. There's no need to offend Cheng Ping at this time."

"Elites, elites! Big Brother, haven't you realized that the so-called elite system in this Hive camp is just a means for the Chen family to raise slaves?

That Cheng Ping is only arrogant in front of us. Doesn't his sister have to obediently become Chen Yingba's concubine? Which of those elite families isn't a watchdog of the Chen family, racking their brains every day to send women and suck up to those two brothers? What kind of elites are these trash? I spit on them... ..."

Seeing that Li Baihe's voice was getting louder and louder, Shang Ping was terrified and quickly closed the door. He was just about to tell Li Baihe to lower his voice when he continued to speak.

"Do you really think that marrying Cheng'er to the Duan family will make that Duan Xing help persuade the other seven families to jointly recommend you? Don't be naive. Of the three elites who were promoted last year and the year before, wasn't every single one of them a descendant of those elite families?

Even if it's a marriage alliance, they'll wait one or two generations before giving the qualification for promotion. You should be clear in your own heart that even if Cheng'er marries into that Duan family, he'll have to work diligently for their Duan family for at least a dozen years before he really has a chance to be promoted, right?"

Luo Ming's silence was the best proof of Li Baihe's words.

Shang Ping, who was standing to the side, opened his mouth, but in the end, he didn't say a word.

What Li Baihe said was cruel, but it was all undeniable truth.

"Moreover, that woman the Duan family sent for the marriage alliance clearly looks down on Cheng'er and us. Have you asked Cheng'er if he's willing to marry her? Even if such a marriage is successful, we'll still have to live with our heads bowed. What's the point?"

"What exactly are you trying to say?"

Hearing Luo Ming's question, Li Baihe looked directly into his eyes and said:

"Big Brother should understand what I mean. The Hive is not a good place. Not to mention comparing it to Great Xia, it's not even as good as our Rogue Camp, except for its strength. Staying here, the best outcome for us is to become the Chen family's slaves. Returning to Red Maple Ridge, returning to Great Xia, is the best way out for us!"

Li Baihe said the last sentence with certainty, causing Luo Ming and Shang Ping to fall silent, unable to say a word for a long time.

"Big Brother, no matter what you think, this Hong Yu is the best opportunity for us to return to Great Xia. I must seize it. Given Cheng Ping's nature, he must have arranged how to target Hong Yu in the mining area. He might even find someone to deal with him as soon as the sun rises. I'm going to bring him back!"

After saying these words, Li Baihe immediately turned around and left, clearly going to find Hong Yu in the mining area.

Luo Ming got up and wanted to call him back, but he opened his mouth and didn't say anything.

Shang Ping, who was standing to the side, didn't know what to say either, and in the end, he just sighed.

"Uncle He, wait for me!"

Li Baihe had just left the house and hadn't even reached the entrance of the tunnel when someone called out to him.

"Xiao Cheng, what are you doing here?"

Turning his head back and seeing that it was his nephew, Luo Cheng, Li Baihe's expression froze.

Luo Cheng walked to Li Baihe's side and said with a hint of hesitation, "Uncle He, I want to go with you to find that Hong Yu."

Li Baihe was stunned when he heard this. Seeing the hesitation on Luo Cheng's face, he immediately realized that Luo Cheng must have heard his conversation with Luo Ming in the house.

"Xiao Cheng, this is a matter between me and your father. You don't need to worry about it."

A look of urgency appeared on Luo Cheng's face, and he said, "Uncle He, I don't want to marry into that Duan family, and I don't want to stay in the Hive camp. I want to go back to Great Xia."

Li Baihe's expression froze. Before he could speak, Luo Cheng continued.

"I remember that Xia Hong, the leader of the Great Xia camp, saved us during the Wooden Puppet Disaster two years ago. I remember that he was very strong and very kind. We will definitely be happier if we return to Red Maple Ridge than if we stay here."

Looking at Luo Cheng's still somewhat childish face, Li Baihe suddenly felt a little sorry for him.

He could imagine that Luo Cheng wouldn't dare to say these words to Luo Ming.

Li Baihe knew in his heart that Luo Ming's changes over the years were ultimately to pave the way for his youngest son, Luo Cheng, but he had never thought about what Luo Cheng really wanted.

However, Luo Cheng was a well-behaved child who understood his father's good intentions and never wanted to say these things to Luo Ming. He only knew to focus on cultivation so as not to disappoint Luo Ming.

"Okay, Xiao Cheng, I'll take you with me to find him!"

Thinking that Hong Yu's status in Great Xia wouldn't be too low, taking Luo Cheng to see him and leaving an impression on him wouldn't be a bad thing, Li Baihe nodded and pulled Luo Cheng out of the tunnel and walked towards the mining area.

... ... ... ... ... ...

"In our Hive, we have a total of four iron mines. After so many years of mining, and connected by underground tunnels, the four mining areas are basically adjacent to each other. It's just that the mining entrances are different, with a total of eight entrances.

You're new here, so you've been assigned to the eighth district. There are eight numbered tunnels there. It's almost dawn now, so go to sleep first. Someone will call you when it gets dark. Then, you can take a chisel and follow the team over."

After exiting Tunnel 19, there is a large space of about a hundred meters in radius.

Apart from a wooden house at the entrance, the stone walls in the southeast and west directions have hundreds of small caves next to each other, which should be for the miners to live in.

On the north side, there are eight tunnels, marked with numbers 1 to 8, which are obviously the entrances to the mining area.

Xia Hong was standing at the entrance of the wooden house. After the person in charge told him the things to pay attention to, he pointed to a small stone room on the west side, indicating that Cave 93 was where he would live.

"Why aren't there many people moving around in this Tunnel 8?"

It was almost dawn, and according to Bing Yuan's schedule, it was time to sleep, so many miners were returning one after another. However, after observing for a while, Xia Hong found that the vast majority of people were returning from the first seven tunnels, and very few people were returning from the eighth tunnel, so he asked curiously.

Upon hearing this, a look of sympathy appeared on the man's face. He said, "Brother, you're new here, have you offended someone? The No. 8 mining area is newly developed, and silver-backed rats often pop up inside, so it's not very safe. Apart from those who have committed crimes and foreign slaves, very few people are assigned to go there."

Xia Hong's brows furrowed slightly, and he looked back at the three people sitting upright in the wooden house, who were looking at him with teasing expressions. He immediately knew what was going on.

This Cheng Ping, his actions are actually so fast.

"Kid, listen to my advice, the person who arranged for you to come here probably has a lot of influence. Quickly admit your mistake and lower your head. You've finally cultivated to the Earth Digging Realm, and it's bad enough to be trapped in the mining area, let alone going to the No. 8 mining area, a place where you could lose your life at any time. It's not worth it..."

"Thank you, I'm going back to sleep first!"

This person who led the way was just following orders, and Xia Hong didn't feel like talking to him much, so he cupped his fist and walked towards Cave 93.

Along the way, when passing by the entrances of other caves, Xia Hong sensed them slightly. Most of the caves in the front were single rooms, and it could be vaguely estimated that there were many facilities inside and the environment was not bad, which should be where the normal Earth Digging Realm miners from the Hive lived.

The caves from No. 80 onwards were not good. Not only were they multi-person rooms, but the facilities inside were simple and the environment was not good.

As expected, it was as the man had said, those who had committed crimes, foreign slaves, and people like himself who had offended important figures would be arranged to live in these caves at the back.

Cave 93.

As soon as Xia Hong walked in, he was stared at by seven pairs of eyes.

All seven people were wearing shackles on their feet. Five of them had unkind expressions, while the other two had some sympathy in their eyes, and soon turned their backs and continued to sleep.

"Even these slaves can be greeted, this Cheng Ping really has some ability. It seems that this person should also know a lot of things."

Xia Hong's expression was calm, and he walked to an empty wooden bed in the cave, took off the long ceremonial knife on his body, and placed it on the stone wall. Then, he put the horizontal knife on his knees, leaned against the wall, and began to close his eyes to rest.

He definitely couldn't lie down on this kind of bed, so he could only lean against the wall and close his eyes to rest.

"Kid, your knife looks good, let me take a look!"

Xia Hong had just closed his eyes when he was awakened by someone.

The five people who had had unkind expressions had all walked towards him. The leader had a scar on his left face and a very ferocious expression. He pointed directly at the ceremonial knife leaning against the wall, indicating that he wanted to see his knife.

"Look as you like, come and get it yourself!"

Hearing Xia Hong's words, the leader's expression suddenly froze.

Including the four people behind him, their expressions were also stunned.

Didn't the person who came just now say that this kid regarded his two knives as his lifeblood, and whoever wanted to see them, he would fight them to the death?

Letting them take it themselves, what's this supposed to mean?

Wang Hun thought for a long time, and finally could only attribute it to the fact that he was too ruthless, and the kid in front of him was intimidated by him, so he was so obedient.

"This kid is quite sensible, but a humiliation is inevitable. I'll tease him with the knife first, and then wait for Cheng Ping to bring people over!"

Wang Hun smiled secretly in his heart, walked to Xia Hong's bed, directly reached out and grasped the ceremonial knife leaning against the wall, trying to bring it in front of him.

However, at the moment when his arm exerted force, Wang Hun's expression instantly froze.

The slender ceremonial knife, which was only 1.7 meters long, was motionless against the wall.

In the next second, Wang Hun was a little unconvinced.

He exerted force with his arm, his face gradually turning red, and he even added another hand.

But the ceremonial knife was still motionless.

"Boss, what's wrong?"

"What's the situation, is the knife stuck by something?"

......

Seeing this, the four people behind him thought that something was wrong and asked questions. One of them even thought that the knife was stuck by something and went forward to check.

At this time, Wang Hun had obviously realized something. He looked down and met Xia Hong's cold eyes, and a layer of cold sweat suddenly appeared on his forehead.

"What, can't you move it? Let me help you."

Xia Hong stretched out a finger and gently dialed the ceremonial knife.

Bang...