Wizard: My career panel has no upper limit

Chapter 665 The furnace is out, but the fire is still burning.
The ancestral home of the Wang Guan clan, and the clan head's study.

Cassandra sat behind that familiar desk, her fingers gently tracing the marks on the surface.

Some of those marks were left by her own hands, while others were left by the previous clan chiefs from much earlier times.

Every trace tells a story of history.

Diaz and Vivian stood to the side, their expressions respectful.

Even Reginald, who hadn't appeared until now, was standing in a corner, his face no longer showing any arrogance.

“Reginald”.

Cassandra suddenly spoke, her tone playful:

"I've heard you've been quite critical of my daughter lately?"

Reginald froze, his back soaked with cold sweat.

"No...I wouldn't dare..." He quickly lowered his head.
"It was my fault for being blind and failing to recognize Princess Eve's abilities. Please punish me, clan leader."

These words were spoken with extreme humility, a stark contrast to his previous attitude of "Why should you lead me?"

“Oh?” Cassandra raised an eyebrow.
“I remember just a few days ago, you were questioning Eve’s qualifications and even refused to attend the clan meeting.”

"Why are you changing your tune now?"

Reginald's face turned bright red, his lips trembled, but he couldn't utter a single word.

He wanted to explain, to say that he was just "testing" Eve, to say that he had always supported the clan...

But saying these words in front of Cassandra would only make them seem more ridiculous.

"never mind."

Cassandra waved her hand, seemingly losing interest in the topic.

"You've lived for so many years, you know when to say what and when to do what."

"Just remember one thing..." Her voice suddenly turned cold:
“Eve is my chosen successor and the future patriarch of the Crown Clan.”

“You can question her abilities, test her character, and even criticize her when she makes a mistake.”

"But if you dare to betray her, dare to stab her in the back like Adeline did..."

A cold glint flashed in Cassandra's eyes: "Your fate will only be worse than Adeline's."

Reginald shuddered and immediately knelt on one knee:

"My subordinate understands!"

"Your subordinate swears that he will never betray the clan, and will never betray Princess Eve!"

He spoke with utmost sincerity because he knew it was not an empty promise.

After witnessing firsthand how Cassandra ruthlessly executed Adeline, he finally understood one thing:
In the face of absolute power, all clever tricks are a joke.

Instead of resorting to scheming, it's better to honestly pledge allegiance.

At least this way, I can still survive.

"very good."

Cassandra nodded in satisfaction:

"You may all leave. I have something to say to Eve alone."

Diaz and the others bowed respectfully and left the study.

After everyone left, only the two of them remained in the study.

Cassandra and Eve, a mother and daughter.

However, the atmosphere was not as warm as I had imagined.

"You noticed, didn't you?"

Cassandra spoke first: "I'm not the real Cassandra."

These words were like a bombshell, but Eve simply nodded slightly:

“I knew it the moment you entered the hall.”

Her voice was soft: "Because my mother would never stand up for me."

"She would just stand by and watch me struggle and get back up from my failures."

"She will only act when I am really about to die or when things are about to get completely out of control."

“And you…” Eve looked up, gazing into her “mother’s” eyes:

"You solved all my problems the moment you appeared, without even giving me a chance to prove myself."

“This is not like a mother.”

Cassandra was silent for a moment, then smiled.

That smile held a mixture of relief and a certain helplessness:

“You’ve really grown up, Eve.”

"I've grown up to the point where... I can even spot this 'fake' at a glance."

Her figure suddenly became ethereal, like a reflection in water, as if it might vanish at any moment.

"So, what is the truth?"

Eve asked, though she already had a guess in her mind.

"The truth is, it was just a 'historical projection'."

An aged voice suddenly came from the corner of the study.

Eve turned her head and saw a semi-transparent figure slowly emerging from the shadows.

Professor Yutel, or rather, Professor Yutel's remaining consciousness within the illusory remains.

"professor……"

Eve's eyes were a little red.

Even after his passing, this old man continued to use his last strength to protect his younger disciples.

“Don’t cry, child,” Professor Yutel said with a smile. “This is my choice.”

He pointed to the gradually fading "Cassandra":
"This projection preserves some of Cassandra's memories, personality, and... power from her lifetime."

"Although it can only exist for a very short time, it is enough to deter those petty villains."

Eve then realized what was happening.

No wonder "Mother" was able to execute Adeline so easily, demonstrating the terrifying power of the "Abyss of Greed".

This projection itself is taken from the history of Cassandra's "golden age".

At that time, she was at her peak, and her strength was terrifying.

"Ron, you're there, aren't you?"

The projection of "Cassandra" suddenly turned towards someone who had just quietly entered:

As Eve's mother, even if she is just a projection, her feelings for Ron are still conflicted.

On the one hand, she knew that Ron was an outstanding young man, capable, talented, and responsible.

Eve should be happy to have found such a partner.

on the other hand……

"You little bastard, you kidnapped my daughter while I was away?"

Her tone sounded somewhat dangerous:
"They're engaged?"

"Hmm? You've got guts."

Under this pressure, Ron could only smile helplessly.
"Yes, Tower Master, Eve and I are engaged."

“And…” he paused:
"I will spend my whole life taking care of her and making her happy. This is my promise."

Cassandra stared at him for a long time, so long that Ron almost thought she was about to explode.

In the end, she just sighed:
"never mind."

"What's done is done anyway."

"and……"

She looked at Eve, her face showing only the tenderness unique to a mother:

"Now that my daughter has grown up and can stand on her own, I should learn to let go."

Cassandra walked up to Eve, reached out, and wanted to touch her daughter's cheek.

But his hand passed right through Eve's face and couldn't touch anything.

“I’m sorry, Eve, I’m not a good mother.”

"I always put the clan first, conquest first, and power first..."

"But you were the only one I put last."

Eve shook her head, and tears finally streamed down her face.
"No... Mother..."

"Don't cry."

Cassandra smiled, a smile filled with relief:

“You’ve done very well, much better than I was when I was young.”

"I wasn't as smart or as shrewd as you back then."

She turned to Ron: "Kid, I'm leaving my daughter to you."

"If you dare to betray her..."

"Even if I really die, I will crawl out of hell and settle the score with you."

Her figure grew increasingly ethereal, almost vanishing completely.

“Eve, remember this.”

With her last strength, she said:

"This move can only be used once."

"Next, you can announce to the public that although I have returned, I am seriously injured and need a long period of recuperation."

"This way, you can at least keep those petty scoundrels in check for a long time, enough for you to truly gain a foothold."

"Until then……"

Her voice grew softer and softer:

“Even if I never come back, you can support the Crown Clan on your own.”

"Mother……"

Eve tried to reach out and grab something, but her hand only grasped air.

The projection of "Cassandra" completely disappeared.

In the study, only Ron and Eve remained, along with the now dim and lifeless remains of the skeleton.

"Professor, you too..."

After Cassandra vanished, Eve looked with some concern at Professor Yutel's increasingly ethereal figure:
"It's okay, kid."

Professor Utter waved his hand:

"I am a dying man anyway, and I can help you one last time before I dissipate..."

"I'm very satisfied."

His figure grew fainter and fainter, almost disappearing completely.

"By the way, Ron, I removed some bad things when I summoned this historical projection."

The old man blinked and made a joke:

“If Cassandra herself knew that you got engaged while she was ‘out of contact,’ she wouldn’t be as easy to talk to as the projection when she comes back.”

After saying this, Professor Yutel's projection completely disappeared.

Only a silver-gray skeletal remains remained, silently suspended in the air, its surface luster mostly dimmed.

Ron reached out and caught the remains, carefully putting them away.

This remnant has very little energy left.

After forcibly summoning Cassandra's historical projection, it almost exhausted all its power.

Perhaps it will never be used a second time.

After a long silence, Eve finally broke it:

"So... is Mother really not coming back?"

Ron was silent for a moment:
"I do not know."

"But what I do know is..."

He walked to Eve and gently embraced her:
"Whether your mother comes back or not, you are no longer alone."

Eve leaned on the man's shoulder, tears silently streaming down her face.

………………

The next day, the Crown Clan issued a public announcement:

"Chief Cassandra Saint Manzhi has returned from the Vital Starfield, but was seriously injured on the way back and is currently in seclusion to recuperate."

"The recuperation period is expected to last for several years or even decades."

"During this period, clan affairs were fully managed by the heir, Eve Saint-Mange."

“Any challenge to the Crown Clan’s right of succession will be considered a provocation against Cassandra herself.”

This announcement was like a bombshell, causing a huge uproar in the wizarding world.

Those forces that were initially observing the situation have all abandoned the idea of ​​continuing to exert pressure.

Those ambitious individuals who had already placed their bets and were trying to divide up the Crown Clan were devastated and destroyed all evidence related to the matter overnight.

Because they all knew—Cassandra was back.

Even though he was seriously injured, even though he needed to stay in seclusion to recuperate.

But a living, top-tier archmage, even if he's on his last breath, is far more terrifying than any Dark Sun-level archmage.

Moreover, Cassandra's "abyss of greed" has already been demonstrated once during the interim council meeting.

The story of Adeline being devoured in public serves as the best warning.

Who dares to continue provoking us?

Who dares to continue coveting the Crown Clan's legacy?
Then just wait to be digested and turned into nutrients by the "abyss of greed".

For a time, the status of the Wangguan clan rose rather than fell.

Although everyone knew Cassandra was seriously injured, no one dared to gamble—gamble on how badly she was injured, or whether she could fight again.

If you lose the bet, the price is your life.

………………

late at night.

The smog of the planet Stoker shrouds the land, but in some corners, the true "dawn" is quietly approaching.

Entrance to Mine No. 7 in the eastern mining area.

A 12-man elite squad is currently hiding in an abandoned ventilation duct.

The team leader was a former miner known as "Stone Hammer".

He had worked in this mining area for fifteen years and knew every passage, every hidden sentry post, and every overseer's schedule like the back of his hand.

Six months ago, he was beaten so badly by the foreman that his left leg was broken for rescuing his companion in a mining accident but violating the rule of "not leaving his post without permission".

Before his injuries had healed, he was driven out of the mining area and left to wander the streets.

Until they met the "recruiter" sent by the West City Mining Area.

Now, he's back.

He has a prosthetic leg made of active metal attached to his left leg, which makes him more flexible than when he was healthy.

The numbness and desolation of yesteryear were gone from his eyes; in their place burned a flame called "belief."

"Old Shi".

The deputy captain, nicknamed "Iron Nail," was still somewhat unsure of what to do.

He was Shi Chui's old partner, they used to work together underground: "Do you think this time it can really work?"

Stonehammer didn't answer immediately, but instead glanced at the timer on his wrist.

That was equipment uniformly distributed by the Chengxi Mining Area, with an accuracy error of no more than one second.

“3:17 a.m.,” he said softly. “According to intelligence, the shift change time for the overseers is 3:30 a.m.

"That's not what I'm asking about," Iron Nail said somewhat anxiously.
“I mean… there are only twelve of us, while across from us is a mining area with twenty thousand workers, hundreds of supervisors, and even ‘Single Goldsmiths’ sent by nobles…”

“So we don’t rely on fighting.” Stone Hammer turned his head, his eyes shining brightly in the darkness: “We rely on the workers themselves.”

"But will they believe it?" a young soldier in the team couldn't help but ask.
"I mean, in their eyes, life in the western mining district might sound too... too unreal."

Shi Chui laughed, but the laugh was somewhat bitter: "Six months ago, I didn't believe it either."

He patted his metal prosthetic leg, making a soft "click" sound.

"Until I saw it with my own eyes, until I lived in those houses with windows, until I ate bread without sawdust for the first time..."

“Until they put this leg on me and told me that ‘every worker deserves to be respected.’”

The sound of a stone hammer has an indescribable power:
"That's when I realized that people don't really have to live like animals."

A brief silence fell over the ventilation ducts.

"Alright." Stonehammer broke the silence: "It's about time. Proceed according to plan, remember..."

He looked at each team member and said, "We're not here to fight tonight, we're here to start a fire."

"The seed has been planted; all we need is a match."

Two weeks ago, in the secret room of the propaganda department of the Chengxi mining area
"this one?"

Green picked up the thin flyer on the table, which had only one simple line of text printed on it.

Karen (Ron) sat in her chair, tapping her fingers on the table: "This is it."

"But... Governor, isn't this too simple?"

Green stared at the words in confusion: "'The furnace is out, but the fire is still burning'? What kind of slogan is that?"

“This isn’t a slogan,” Ron corrected. “It’s a fuse.”

He stood up and walked to the stoker's map on the wall:

"Green, what do you think the miners in those mines are most afraid of?"

“Starve to death? Die of illness? Be beaten to death by the overseer?” Green thought for a moment.

“None of those.” Ron shook his head. “What they fear most is the shattering of their hopes.”

He pointed to the densely packed mining area markers on the map:

"These people have lived in despair for so long that they don't even dare to think about the word 'change'."

If we directly tell them to 'rise up and resist,' their first reaction will only be fear.

“So we need a code.” Ron turned around. “A code that only they can understand.”

“‘The furnace is out, but the fire is still burning.’” He slowly recited this sentence:
"What is the furnace? It is the factory of the nobles, the order of the temple, and the entire old world that oppresses them."

"What is fire? It is the longing deep within their hearts for 'to live like a human being' that has never been completely extinguished."

Green nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite.

“Over the next two weeks,” Ron continued, “our people will spread this message in every possible way.”

"They were pasted on walls, carved on tools, and even written on the bottom of mine carts with coal ash..."

"Make it omnipresent, yet subtly visible."

"It makes everyone who sees it wonder—what does it mean?"

"Let them start communicating, start discussing, start...thinking."

"This sentence will become the spark when we officially launch our campaign."

"And those workers were already in the furnace, which was piled high with dry firewood."

Meanwhile, Stone Hammer's team moved in quietly.

Instead of heading straight to the management building, they dispersed to various corners of the mining area.

Portable projectors were quickly set up on the walls of the workers' dormitory area.

On the lampposts along the main road, small megaphones were activated.

Even the bulletin board at the mine entrance has been covered with brand-new posters.

Once everything was ready, Stone Hammer glanced at the timer.

It's 3:59, one minute to go.

He took a deep breath and pressed the start button.

At this time, in the workers' dormitory of the eastern mining area, the old miner "Dust"—no one remembers his real name anymore, everyone just calls him Dust—was curled up in his bunk.

He can't sleep.

This is not surprising, in this shack pieced together from scrap metal.

More than forty people were crammed together, the air thick with the smells of sweat and mildew, and no one could sleep well.

But the reason he can't sleep tonight is different.

Three days ago, he saw that sentence at the bottom of the mine cart: "The furnace is out, but the fire is still burning."

At first, he thought it was just some worker being bored and didn't pay any attention.

But the next day, he saw it again in the corner of the tool shed, and on the third day, it appeared behind the door of the public bathhouse.

It's as if an invisible hand is quietly leaving its mark throughout the entire mining area.

What's even stranger is that other workers also started discussing this statement.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Whatever it means, our lives are already over anyway."

"But it says 'the fire is still burning'..."

"Fire? Bullshit fire, my heart has long since turned cold."

But Dust noticed that the person who said those words had a different look in their eyes.

Just then, the entire dormitory area suddenly lit up.

This wasn't a dim kerosene lamp; it was the blinding light of runic lamps.

Everyone was awakened.

"what happened?"

"on fire?"

"No, look outside!"

Dust rose up as they rushed out of the shed with the others.

Then he saw the most shocking sight of his life:
A huge projection floats in the sky above the dormitory area.

It was a mining area he had never seen before.

Neat streets, bright streetlights, workers in uniform chatting and laughing as they leave work.

Children run on the school playground, and the teacher writes arithmetic problems on the blackboard.

At the medical station, nurses gently bandaged the wounds of injured workers.

In the cafeteria, steaming hot food filled the long tables, and each person's plate contained real meat and white bread...

"Where...where is this?" someone murmured.

"Heaven? It must be heaven..."

"Bullshit, how could there be miners in heaven?"

The dust just stared blankly, unable to utter a single word.

His eyes began to burn.

The projection suddenly switched.

An elderly man with a full head of white hair appeared in the picture.

The old man sat at his desk, his face covered in wrinkles, but his back was ramrod straight.

"Bros."

The old man's voice, amplified by phonographs, resonated throughout the entire dormitory area; aged yet powerful:

"I know what you're thinking."

"You're thinking these images are fake."

"You're all wondering which nobleman's new trick this is."

Dust shuddered.

Yes, that's what he thinks.

“I understand,” the old man continued, “because you’ve been scammed too many times.”

"The foreman said, 'If you work hard, you'll get extra food,' but all he got was a piece of moldy bread."

“The nobles say ‘good performance will make you a foreman,’ but in the end, it only makes you work harder to exploit your fellow workers.”

"The temple says 'piety brings salvation,' yet your children are still starving to death..."

Every word struck my dusty heart like a hammer blow.

Because this is his life, his bloody past.

“But…” the old man’s tone changed: “I want to tell you…”

"The mining area in the west of the city is real."

"There really is an eight-hour workday there."

“There really is free healthcare and education there.”

"They really treat workers like human beings there."

"why?"

The old man stood up, his gaze fixed on each viewer through the projection:
"Because we believe in a simple principle."

The scene suddenly switched.

What appeared was a flag with a clenched fist on a deep red background.

Below the flag, a line of large golden characters slowly emerged:
"The furnace may be extinguished, but the fire remains!"

At the same time, all the megaphones and texts sounded simultaneously, a chorus of voices from millions of workers:
"Workers, unite!"

Smash the shackles!

"Light the new furnace!"

Dust-covered legs began to tremble.

An indescribable emotion surged in his chest, like someone who hadn't cried in decades suddenly having their heart struck by something that touched the most tender part of their heart.

The surrounding workers were stunned.

Someone covered their mouth, their shoulders trembling violently.

Some people knelt on the ground, tears streaming down their faces.

Others simply stood there, stiffly, their eyes vacant yet seemingly burning.

Then a hunched old man, leaning on a cane, walked shakily to the center of the dormitory area.

His face was covered in scars, his right eye was blind, and he had only three fingers left on his left hand.

“I…” The old man’s voice was terribly hoarse: “I’ve been doing this for fifty years.”

"Fifty years..."

His voice suddenly choked up:

“I watched my father die in the well, I watched my wife starve to death on the kang (a heated brick bed), I watched my son be beaten to death by the overseer…”

"I've been enduring it, I've been waiting, I've been hoping that one day things will get better..."

"Is it ready yet?!"

The old man suddenly raised his head, a mad flame burning in his single eye:
"No! It's getting worse every day!"

"Because in the eyes of those lords, we are not even human!"

"We're just talking livestock, used and then thrown away!"

He slammed his cane down, making a thud: "Since I'm going to die anyway, why not live like a human being before I die?!"

Just then, Stone Hammer stepped out from the crowd.

He strode up to the abandoned water tower platform in the center of the dormitory area, and under the watchful eyes of the workers, took a rune gun from his bag and raised it high:

"Bros!"

His voice drowned out all the noise:
"My name is Stone Hammer! Six months ago, I was working in this mine when the foreman broke my leg and threw me out to die!"

"I'm back now!"

He patted his metal prosthetic leg: "This was given to me by the West City Mining Area!"

"They said that every worker deserves to be respected!"

"They said we're not livestock, we're human beings!"

"They say the world can be changed!"

Stonehammer looked around at the faces contorted with anger, excitement, and hope:

"We brought weapons!"

The other team members appeared and opened their backpacks.

It was filled with rune pistols, incendiary bombs, and basic protective gear.

"Everyone who is willing to fight can get a weapon!"

Stone Hammer continued shouting:

"We have only one goal."

He pointed in the direction of the mine management building:

"Take that place! Establish our own committee!"

"Let this mining area truly belong to us!"

"The furnace has gone out..."

"The fire is still going!" the workers responded in unison.

"Smash the shackles..."

"Reignite the furnace!"

The outcry grew louder and louder.

Dust found itself shouting too, its throat hoarse from shouting.

He didn't know where the strength came from; even though he was over fifty and couldn't straighten his back, he felt thirty years younger at that moment.

………………

Southern mining area cluster, third mining area.

The young telegraph operator slumped over the desk in the duty room, forcing himself not to fall asleep.

He is so sleepy.

I worked three consecutive night shifts and could only sleep three or four hours each day.

But there was no other way; there was a shortage of radio operators, and he was the only person in this small mining area who knew how to operate communication equipment.

"Whoo, whoo, whoo..."

A piercing electronic noise came from the radio.

The radio operator, frustrated, tried to turn it off, but his finger suddenly froze in mid-air.

The noise stopped, and a deep male voice rang out:

"The furnace... went out..."

The radio operator was stunned.

This frequency shouldn't be used by anyone; it's an emergency channel, unless...

"The fire... is still there..."

The sound was intermittent, as if the signal was unstable.

But the radio operator's drowsiness vanished completely.

He sat up abruptly and quickly adjusted the knobs on the radio.

"Workers... unite..."

"Smash...the shackles..."

"Reignite...the furnace..."

Each word was vague, but when put together, they struck the radio operator like a thunderclap.

He remembered the inscription he had seen a week earlier in the corner of the mine wall.

I recalled the whispers among my coworkers.

He remembered the crumpled flyer a stranger had handed him yesterday afternoon…

"It's true..." the telegraph operator murmured, "The mining area in the west of the city, it's true..."

He jumped up as if electrocuted, rushed to the door, and shouted at the workers still working outside:

"The furnace is out! But the fire is still burning!"

The workers stopped what they were doing.

"What did you say?" someone asked, bewildered.

The radio operator took a deep breath and shouted the words with all his might:

"The furnace may be extinguished, but the fire remains! Smash the shackles and reignite the furnace!"

Then he rushed back to the duty room and pulled the main broadcast switch.

The sound from the radio was amplified through the mine's public address system, reaching every corner.

The stationmaster abruptly pushed open the office door, his obese body swaying in the doorway:

"Are you crazy?!"

But the telegraph operator ignored him.

He looked out the window and watched the workers who had been working numbly stop using their tools one by one.

Someone looked up and headed towards the loudspeaker;

Someone turned around and made eye contact with the others;

Some people clenched their fists, veins bulging.

Then, the worker closest to the office building slowly picked up a shovel.

He didn't say anything, but simply started walking towards the office building where the stationmaster was located.

The second person followed.

The third.

the fourth.

They didn't run, they didn't shout, they just silently moved forward step by step.

The stationmaster's face turned pale. He turned to run back to his office, but the workers had already rushed up, waving their tools.

Northern mining area cluster, Tieshan mining area
A middle-aged miner nicknamed "Iron Back" is digging in the mine.

His nickname comes from his strong back muscles; fifteen years of heavy physical labor had made his back as broad as an iron plate.

But even the strongest body can't withstand such a drain.

Ironback could feel his strength slipping away year by year.

In a few years, when he is no longer able to work, the foreman will throw him out of the mining area like garbage.

At that time, all that awaited him was starvation on the streets.

"Iron Back!"

Shouts came from above the well.

"What's wrong?" Ironback looked up.

"Come up here quickly! There's been an accident at the mine!"

Ironback threw down his pickaxe, grabbed the rope, and climbed up.

He froze as soon as he hit the ground.

All the workers in the mining area gathered in the square, a dense, dark mass.

In the center of the square, on a makeshift platform, stood several people he didn't recognize.

One of them was speaking through a megaphone:

"...The Chengxi mining area has proven over forty years that workers can manage themselves!"

"We need no overseer's whip, no noble's charity, and no temple's false salvation!"

"All we need is an opportunity."

"A chance to treat us like human beings!"

A huge cheer erupted from the audience.

Tiebei stood at the back of the crowd, listening to the speech on the stage and watching the excited expressions of the workers around him.

He remembered the inscription he had seen on the mine cart three days earlier.

"The furnace is out, but the fire is still burning."

He just gave a cold laugh.

Fire? His heart had long since turned cold.

But now... the person on stage raises a flag, the crimson fabric unfurling in the wind.

"Comrades!" the man shouted, "Today, we must make a choice!"

"To continue being treated like livestock, or to stand up and become a human being!"

"Should we continue to let others trample on us, or should we reclaim our dignity with our own hands?"

"The furnace has gone out..."

"The fire is still burning!" The crowd roared in unison.

Ironback's throat moved.

He found himself shouting, his voice hoarse yet full of power.

What he thought had long been extinguished was now burning fiercely in his chest.

At the same time, like dominoes, uprisings began to sweep across the entire Stoker Star from various mining areas.

In a small mining area on the southwestern border, workers silently put down their tools and walked towards the management building.

They didn't speak, they just walked.

The footsteps merged into one sound, heavy, firm, and unstoppable.

Along the mining areas of southeastern coast, red flags are being raised one after another in the dormitory area.

The workers held up various makeshift banners, on which the same sentence was written in coal ash, slag, and even blood:

"The furnace may be extinguished, but the fire remains!"

In the mining areas of the central plateau, the overseers were horrified to discover that the workers, who had previously been submissive, had suddenly become "abnormal."

In the border mining areas of the northern ice plains, the workers, almost isolated from the world, saw news of the outside world for the first time.

When the projection of the western mining area unfolded before them, many people knelt down and wept on the spot.

After they finished crying, they stood up, wiped away their tears, picked up their tools, and the foreman's office was surrounded.

One mining area after another, like torches being rekindled.

The flames leaped from one place to another, turning from scattered sparks into a vast sea of ​​fire.

In front of the management building in the eastern mining area.

Shi Chui led hundreds of workers, standing in the square in front of the building.

In the darkness, the building lights appeared particularly glaring.

Through the window, one could see the flustered figures of the supervisors.

"This is your last chance!"

Stone Hammer shouted through a megaphone:
"Put down your weapons and open the gate!"

"Otherwise, we'll attack!"

His response was a series of bullets fired from the window.

The bullets hit the ground, sending sparks flying.

"Damn it!" Iron Nail cursed, "These bastards actually dared to fire!"

Stone Hammer's face darkened, and he turned to the workers behind him:
"Brothers, did you see that?"

"They won't relinquish power on their own!"

"They would rather shoot us dead than treat us like human beings!"

"so……"

He raised the metal prosthetic limb high, its cold light gleaming in the night:

“We’ll let them know,”

"The workers' fists are harder than their bullets!"

"Come on!"

Workers surged toward the building like a tidal wave.

The people in the front row held up riot shields they had confiscated from the overseers to block the bullets.

People in the back row threw Molotov cocktails, blowing a hole in the main entrance of the building.

Shichui was at the forefront.

His metal prosthetic arm slammed into the deformed gate like a battering ram.

"boom!"

The gate collapsed completely, and the workers rushed in.

Inside the building, the supervisors had already set up the final line of defense.

Three "single-gold warriors" stood at the top of the stairs, their metal armor gleaming coldly under the magic lamp.

"You bunch of good-for-nothings think you can rebel?"

The leader, Shan Jinshi, sneered and raised his Shan Jin sword:

"Today I will show you... the authority of the nobility is not to be challenged!"

He charged out, his single golden sword tracing a silver arc, aiming straight for Shi Chui's throat.

Stone Hammer also rushed forward, using his metal prosthetic arm to take the blow head-on.

"Qiang!"

The sound of metal clashing was extremely jarring.

The single golden sword left deep scratches on the prosthetic limb, but failed to sever it.

"What?!" Shan Jinshi was stunned.

"This is technology from the western mining area." Stone Hammer grinned, his smile brimming with satisfaction.

"Active metals are far superior to all of you outdated junk!"

He swung his prosthetic arm violently, smashing it down on Shan Jinshi's face like a heavy hammer.

"boom!"

Dan Jinshi was knocked backward by the impact, and his helmet was dented.

"on!"

Dozens of workers rushed up at the same time and surrounded the three goldsmiths.

Fists, iron bars, stones... they used everything they could.

Although Shan Jinshi was strong, he couldn't hold out for long against such a large-scale human wave tactic.

Ten minutes later, three twisted corpses lay in pools of blood.

"Go upstairs!"

The stone hammer did not stop, but continued upward.

The second floor, which housed the overseers' quarters and armory, was quickly captured.

The third floor houses the control center.

In the center of the room, the chief engineer, Darren, was trembling.

Stone Hammer walked towards him step by step:
"do you remember me?"

Six months ago, you broke my leg.

"You said I was 'ignorant of my own limitations,' and that I 'don't deserve to be called a human being'..."

He grabbed Darren by the collar and lifted him up:

"Now, do you still think I'm not worthy of being called a human being?"

Darren trembled all over: "I...I was just following orders, please..."

"Spare you?" Stone Hammer sneered. "Who spared the brothers you killed?"

He let go, and Darren collapsed to the ground like a rag doll.

“However…” Stonehammer took a deep breath, “I won’t kill you.”

"Because killing you would be too easy for you."

"You will be sent to a public trial so that everyone will know about your crimes."

He turned and walked toward the control panel.

When you place your hand on it, all the monitoring crystals light up simultaneously.

Each crystal displays scenes from different corners of the mining area:
The workers were cheering, hugging, and crying.

The overseers were bound and escorted away.

The children ran out of the dark shack, seeing a glimmer of hope for the first time...

"Bros!"

The sound of the hammer being struck echoed throughout the entire mining area via a loudspeaker system.

"I announce!"

"The eastern mining area is liberated today!"

"The furnace has gone out..."

"The fire is still burning!" came the thunderous reply.

"Smash the shackles..."

"Reignite the furnace!"

Cheers resounded through the sky.

A week later, the Governor's Mansion of the West City Mining Area

On the map, each liberated mining area was marked with a red flag.

Twenty-three flags, like stars, dotted the land of the Stoker Star.

"Reporting to the Governor." Green walked in, his face unable to hide his excitement:

"The 'Copper Mountain Mining Area' on the northwestern border has also announced its joining the alliance, becoming the twenty-fourth."

Ron planted another flag on the map.

“Workers’ committees have been established in all areas,” Green continued his report.
"Our technical advisors have all arrived, and the material transport teams are continuously delivering equipment to various locations."

Ron nodded, his finger gliding lightly across the map.

From the western mining area to the eastern mining area, to the south, to the north... lines connect these liberated mining areas, forming a huge network.

At the heart of this network is the Chengxi mining area.

"What's the situation in Hearth City?" he asked.

Green's expression turned strange:
"According to intelligence... things are completely chaotic there. The nobles are fleeing, the temple is preoccupied with its own problems, and a riot has broken out in the lower city..."

"Some people even saw several fully-golden soldiers secretly escape through a secret passage."

Ron remained silent for a moment.

The collapse of Hearthheart was faster than expected.

Perhaps this is the inevitable fate of a corrupt system—solid on the outside, but riddled with holes on the inside.

With just a gentle push, the entire building will collapse.

“Continue monitoring,” Ron finally said.
"Let the infighting in Hearth City continue. Our focus now is on consolidating the new regimes in various regions."

"Yes, sir!" Green saluted and left.

The room fell silent once more.

Ron stood alone in front of the map, his gaze fixed on the "island" surrounded by gold—Heartheart.

That place was once the center of power on this planet.

But now, it has become a tombstone of an old era.

Just then, the communication crystal suddenly lit up.

The projection unfolded, revealing a somewhat familiar face.

The man bowed slightly:

“Your Excellency, I am ‘Firefall’ Calvin. We met last time.”

Ron raised an eyebrow: "What brings you here?"

Calvin laughed: "Then I won't beat around the bush."

Lord 'Melting Lord' is paying close attention to the recent developments on the Stoker Star.

After careful consideration, we believe that... rather than letting this planet descend into chaos, it is better to establish a new order that benefits everyone.

He waved his hand, and a document appeared on the projector.

Ron's Quick Overview—Resource Sharing, Technology Exchange, Non-Aggression, Trade Cooperation...

Each one was carefully designed to protect the interests of the molten metal company while also leaving room for the development of the new mining area alliance.

“Interesting.” Ron put down the file. “Why would Lord Molten do this? With your strength, you could easily have intervened by force.”

Calvin smiled: "Because we're not stupid. The strength and background you've shown are enough to prove that if war really breaks out, even if we win, the cost will be extremely high."

"Moreover..." His expression turned serious:

“Our mentors are very interested in your ‘idea’.”

He believes that the systems you implemented on the stoker's planet—emphasizing equality, efficiency, and concern for the underprivileged—while radical, were indeed effective.

"Rather than viewing you as an enemy, I would rather see you as... a partner."

Ron was somewhat surprised, not expecting that a great wizard would be interested in his ideas.

"I need time to think about it."

“Of course.” Calvin nodded.

"I will formally send this agreement to you, and I hope to receive a reply in three days."

"Furthermore..." His words carried a hint of reminder:
"As far as I know, Archmage Vinard is also preparing a similar proposal, but they are a bit slower than us."

As for the 'forge builders'... they're very close to the high priest, and are probably still observing the situation.

After the call ended, Ron leaned back in his chair, lost in thought.

The proposal from the Molten Lord came sooner than expected.

They have clearly realized that this suddenly emerging "new mining alliance" is not a small force that can be easily manipulated.

This must be taken seriously, and we should even... seek cooperation.

This was exactly the result Ron wanted; he never intended to monopolize Stoker's Star.

That's neither realistic nor necessary.

His goal was clear—to acquire enough resources to support his development in the main world and Twilight City.

To perfect the industrial and military systems in preparation for future attacks on the Great Wizard.

To achieve these goals, establishing stable cooperative relationships with surrounding powers is the optimal solution.

“Notify Green,” Ron said into the communication crystal.

"We convened core members of the workers' committee, as well as representatives from various mining areas."

Tomorrow, we'll hold an alliance conference to discuss...our future.

Meanwhile, in Vinard's colony.

Ella was standing in the communications room, holding a newly drafted document in her hand.

It was a cooperation agreement similar to, yet significantly different from, the one proposed by Molten Core.

"teacher."

She spoke to Vinard in the projection:
"The agreement is ready."

“I suggest sending it to Associate Professor Ralph tomorrow.”

"We can't let Molten Fire get ahead too much."

In the projection, Vinard's mechanized body nodded slightly:
"very good."

"However, there is one thing to note... our relationship with Ron is different from that with the Molten Lord."

"We have a mentor-student relationship, academic exchanges, and long-term technical cooperation..."

"These are advantages that Molten Fire Lord does not have."

"so……"

Vinard's blue eyes flashed:

"The agreement should emphasize the concept of 'deepening existing cooperation'."

"Make Ralph understand that we are not strangers who suddenly appear to take a share of the pie."

"We have always been his allies."

Ella suddenly realized:

"I understand, teacher."

"I will amend the agreement to highlight this point."

"in addition……"

Vinard continued:
"The core technologies of many of the production equipment in the mining area come from here."

"This is something that Ralph should be reminded of."

"It's not a threat, it's just...emphasizing our interdependence."

"Yes."

Ella quickly jotted down notes on the document: "The teacher is so thoughtful."

“This is necessary.” Vinard’s voice was weary.

"Our investment in the Stoker Star has continued for hundreds of years."

"Now that the situation has finally become clear, of course we must seize the opportunity."

"not to mention……"

He paused for a moment:
"That young man's potential has exceeded everyone's imagination."

"To have grown from a novice formal wizard to where he is now in just a few decades..."

"This kind of person is worth investing in."

"we can even say……"

Vinard's voice became more resolute:

“It is more worthwhile to bet on him than on anyone else.”

Ella nodded and began modifying the agreement.

In the room, only the scratching of paper and pen and the low hum of mechanical gears could be heard.

(End of this chapter)