City of Time: Falling into the kill zone at the start

Chapter 012 The Resurrected!

The miner's words immediately made Lu Chen fall into deep thought.

The resurrected...

What can I do to help them?

Should we learn from yesterday's jade incident and offer them a glass of water?

Or should we package up the information we currently have and sell it to them?

Ok……

It's not that it's impossible?

The problem is that this is not a way to "definitely gain [time]".

As miner number 2 put it, it was purely a matter of luck.

"Really, is there really no other way?"

Seeing that Lu Chen was still not giving up, Miner No. 2 shook his head with a strange laugh.

"If you are a woman, there is another way."

"But you are a man."

"That method, for men, is also a matter of luck."

"And there are some 'risks'."

"The time gained using that method might all go towards medical expenses—and it might not even be enough."

Having roughly guessed what Miner No. 2 was referring to, Lu Chen's face darkened, and he said no more.

After a brief moment of deliberation, he finally nodded slowly.

There's no other way but to try our luck.

Are there ways to earn more "time" within the mining operation?

Taking a step towards the point of recovery in his memory, Lu Chen asked a question softly.

Clearly, Lu Chen is still trying to find a way to "gain more time".

But then Miner Number 2 smiled and glanced sideways: "Are you done asking?"

"It's my turn."

Lu Chen smiled helplessly and nodded slightly.

"Will Shimizu be just as expensive in 2025?"

Lu Chen pondered for a moment and shook his head slightly.

"Water is cheap."

"Even cheaper than food."

Even the poorest people can afford to drink water.

"The vast majority of people wash their bodies with water."

"Sometimes, when people can't get food, they will temporarily use water to stave off hunger."

"I've tried doing that, but it didn't work very well."

Upon hearing this, Miner No. 2's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Cheaper than food?!"

"Everyone can afford to drink water, and they can even use water to wash their bodies?!"

"—Even! Using water to stave off hunger?!"

In a moment of astonishment, Miner No. 2 swallowed hard, looking as if his worldview had been shaken.

Watching the No. 2 miner act this way, Lu Chen subconsciously touched his nose, feeling inexplicably ashamed.

Despite having water readily available, Lu Chen almost never cherished it, nor did he develop a habit of saving it.

When he was in school, Lu Chen saw countless mineral water bottles next to the stadium more than once, with most of the water in them being discarded.

Lu Chen was undoubtedly an accomplice in the disposal of that discarded water...

"It's your turn to answer my question."

Feeling guilty and ashamed, Lu Chen instinctively wanted to quickly change the subject.

Miner Number 2, still visibly shaken, muttered, "The chance to gain more [time]..."

"There isn't one at the mine."

"But the factory has it."

"The mine is only open from 7 a.m. to 19 p.m., but the factory is open all day."

"If you urgently need time, you can work at the factory from 7 PM today until 19 AM tomorrow."

"You can still get [1 day 30 minutes], and you can save [12 minutes] at the Rope Inn."

...

"But doing this is very risky."

"That means I'll be working from 7 a.m. this morning until 19 p.m. tomorrow night."

"Working continuously for 36 hours can easily cause health problems, or even accidents."

As Miner No. 2 was speaking, Lu Chen had already begun to work his brain at lightning speed, calculating the profits of this plan.

If Lu Chen had chosen to go to the factory instead of the mine this morning;

Therefore, if Lu Chen works continuously until 19 PM tomorrow night, he can receive wages for three shifts, totaling [3 days, 1 hour, and 30 minutes].

Compared to working at the mine for two days and earning 2 days and 4 hours, this is a full 21 hours and 30 minutes more!

Although the equipment will take an extra 2 hours, it will save 12 minutes at the Rope Inn tonight.

After comprehensive calculation, the difference in benefits for Lu Chen between the two plans is nearly 20 hours!

However, Lu Chen was only thinking about it.

I didn't regret choosing the mine today at all because of this calculation result.

— Miner No. 2 is right.

Working continuously for 36 hours, especially manual labor, carries a high risk and is extremely dangerous.

Today, after working 12 hours at the mine, Lu Chen was already exhausted and felt like he was about to fall apart.

Lu Chen did not believe that he could work 36 hours of high-intensity physical labor without sleep.

Therefore, even if he went to the factory first this morning, after learning about the differences between the mine and the factory, Lu Chen would definitely choose the mine.

Because for the same two days of work, the mine earns more and the equipment is cheaper—even if it's second-hand equipment.

What is a nation?

In the silence, Miner No. 2's sudden question pulled Lu Chen back to reality.

"You just mentioned the country you live in."

What is a nation?

After a moment's thought and organizing his thoughts, Lu Chen said, "Like the City of Time."

"At that time, there were many countries—like many cities of time."

Every country has its own unique laws...

Lu Chen quietly stopped speaking halfway through his sentence.

Furthermore, we must discuss the "mutual hostility and conquest between various countries," which ultimately led to nuclear war and the Genesis era after the war.

Miner No. 2, unsuspecting, nodded thoughtfully.

When it was Lu Chen's turn to ask a question, he was at a loss for what to ask.

Questions or misunderstandings?

Lu Chen could ask the No. 2 miner a whole night without repeating himself.

But most of these questions are about the City of Time.

Right now, what Lu Chen urgently needs to know is how to earn at least [1 hour and 12 minutes] before 20 PM tomorrow night—or rather, before tonight's curfew.

Only in this way can Lu Chen pass the test of the jade and get the opportunity to scavenge, thus barely being able to afford the bank interest of up to [300 days] per month.

Conversely, if one fails the test of jade, one will lose the opportunity to scavenge.

By the end of the month, Lu Chen, unable to repay the interest for the [300 days], would have no further need to learn about the City of Time...

...

"Why are you called parasites?"

With an increasingly heavy heart, Lu Chen finally mustered his spirits and casually asked a question.

The main problem is that there's nothing else to do.

At this moment, the two were walking towards the recovery point in Lu Chen's memory, just chatting casually.

This time, however, a hint of melancholy appeared on the face of the miner when he answered the question.

"Because the City of Time has no need for us."

"It is we who need to parasitize the City of Time in order to survive."

...

"Mines and factories are cities of time, giving us the opportunity to 'parasitize' them."

"The City of Time will not be affected even without us."

"It might even be better."

"But without the City of Time—without the mines and factories, we parasites..."

As he finished speaking, the voice of miner number 2 gradually faded.

Hearing this outrageous statement, Lu Chen was at a loss for how to comfort him.

Hesitating whether or not to raise his hand and pat miner number 2 on the shoulder;

But then Miner No. 2 suddenly raised his hand and pointed to a rusty red iron gate not far away, a gate that Lu Chen recognized all too well.

"Revived, resurrected!"

"There really are resurrected people!!"