Chapter 827: Chapter 825: Candle?
Hua Wen was withholding information from Didak and Bo Fei, but from their perspective, the information revealed was sufficient.
Didak looked at Hua Wen seriously and said, “Hua Wen, since you manage the mine… well, part of it, can you hire the two of us into the mine?”
“What, you two didn’t sign up?” Hua Wen asked in surprise.
“Uh, well, we arrived a bit late and didn’t get to sign up.” Didak explained, scratching his head in embarrassment.
“I see…” Hua Wen frowned, “Truth be told, I do have the authority to hire you both, but the problem is we’ve already filled the positions. Hiring you would mean exceeding the limit. And I can’t just erase someone else’s name to replace it with yours. Mine Owner Waltz is very strict about these things…”
As Hua Wen kept talking, Didak and Bo Fei looked up and asked, “Are you saying that although you manage the mine, you can’t help us?”
“Well…” Hua Wen waved his hand, “Don’t worry, let me think about it. There must be a way, yes, there’ll definitely be a way…”
For Hua Wen, gaining a higher status made him crave recognition from others. If he couldn’t help his friends, he’d feel both guilty and defeated. So he genuinely wanted to help resolve Didak and Bo Fei’s predicament.
Hua Wen pondered seriously for a moment, and suddenly his eyes lit up. He said to Didak and Bo Fei, “If you really want to work, I do have a way. But let me say first, the work you’ll do may be a bit unusual, so think it over carefully before deciding.”
“What, is the pay really low?” Didak asked, addressing their main concern.
“No.” Hua Wen shook his head, “Not only is it not low, but it’s actually quite high, double that of a miner. When I say miners, I mean those at No. 13 Mine. Compared to other mines, it’s three times as much.”
“So high!” Bo Fei exclaimed, “Isn’t that daily pay?”
“Yes, it’s daily pay,” Hua Wen replied.
“Then what’s so unusual about it?” Didak asked with a frown, puzzled.
“Well…” Hua Wen hesitated for a moment, without a direct answer, instead changing the subject, he asked Didak and Bo Fei, “Are you two fast runners?”
“Uh, we run… okay, I guess,” Didak replied vaguely.
“Faster than the average person,” Bo Fei said.
“Great, then you should give it a try. If it doesn’t work out, we’ll think of something else. Just remember one thing I say: stay safe,” Hua Wen said earnestly.
“What kind of job is it anyway?” Didak and Bo Fei asked, utterly baffled.
Hua Wen still didn’t answer but looked into the distance, waving his hand and called out, “Captain Shawn! Captain Shawn! Can you come over here for a moment?”
Accompanied by the sound of footsteps, a middle-aged man around forty years old approached.
The man had dark skin, his face marked by the years, with heavy bags under his eyes as if he’d never slept. His bloodshot eyes and the air around him exuded a certain pungent stench that hinted at unknown exposure.
What was particularly striking was his left hand, wrapped in thick white cloth, seemingly injured due to some mishap.
Walking up to Hua Wen, the man looked at him with a slightly distant gaze and asked, “Captain Hua Wen, is there something you need?”
“Well, it’s , Captain Shawn. I happen to have two guys here, physically fit and not slow runners. Can you see if they can try at your place?” Hua Wen asked.
The man named Shawn glanced at Didak and Bo Fei, “These two?”
“Let’s take a look first. After all, although the jobs on my side are well-paid, not just anyone can do them,” Shawn said, ceasing further conversation with Hua Wen and turning to look at Didak and Bo Fei. “You two run pretty fast, right? Let me test you first, okay?”
“No problem.” Didak and Bo Fei shook their heads.
“Good.” Shawn’s expression became serious. He raised his uninjured right hand and pointed at a rock about a hundred meters away, “See that rock? On my count of three, you both run there as fast as you can, then run back, so I can see your speed.”
“Alright.” Didak and Bo Fei nodded.
Shawn unceremoniously began counting, “One!”
Didak and Bo Fei immediately exerted themselves, sprinting towards the rock and then running back, nearly neck and neck—though famished, they managed not to embarrass themselves by giving their all.
After watching them, Shawn nodded, “It seems you both can run quite well. Although not particularly fast, as long as you’re nimble, it shouldn’t be a problem. Alright, follow me. I’ll take you to the second test. If you pass, you’ll stay, and you can start getting paid today, which is three times more than elsewhere. If you fail, or if it scares you, you’ll have to scram. No connections will help you!”
Having said that, Shawn turned and walked away without looking back.
Didak and Bo Fei turned to Hua Wen.
Hua Wen waved his hand, signaling them to follow, “Didak, Bo Fei, this is as far as I can help you. The rest is up to you. If you can’t make it, there’s nothing more I can do.”
“Don’t worry about us, Hua Wen, the two of us will work hard to stay,” Didak replied confidently.
“Yeah, don’t underestimate us,” Bo Fei agreed.
“Then I wish you good luck. I have things to take care of; we’ll talk later,” Hua Wen said.
The three waved to each other, Hua Wen left, and Didak and Bo Fei followed after Shawn.
About half an hour later, Didak and Bo Fei followed Shawn to the back of the hill where the No. 13 Mine was located.
There, about a dozen temporary tents stood, forming a simple camp.
The air in the camp was permeated with an indescribable pungent odor, identical to the one emanating from Shawn, causing involuntary frowns.
Shawn seemed accustomed to it, leading Didak and Bo Fei straight through the camp, turning a corner to a clearing two hundred meters away.
There, around a dozen people, who appeared to be testers like Didak and Bo Fei, waited excitedly and nervously.
Not far from them was a large pile of boulders, and further away, a makeshift simple barrier built like a half wall, the purpose of which was unclear.
Shawn first had Didak and Bo Fei join the lineup of those waiting, then called out, “Barry!”
A young chap appeared, handing two iron cases with handles to Shawn with great care.
Under the curious gaze of the crowd, Shawn gently placed the two cases on the ground and first opened the one on his left, taking out a candle as thick as a baby’s arm.
Wait, no, it wasn’t a candle.
Didak’s eyes widened.
He could tell that it wasn’t a candle because he had never seen a black candle—that was an object encased in a solid iron shell. Moreover, the object had a wick-like part that was far too long, extending over twenty centimeters, capable of wrapping several times around its surface.
What on earth was this?