Chapter 808: Chapter 500: Inspecting the Mine, Harold the Fool
The four Two-headed Hellhounds serve as the first line of defense inside the mine passage.
After calming the dogs, Zong Shen led everyone toward the right passage.
This leads to the warehouse in the mining area, which is also where the Kobolds reside.
It had been a long time since Zong Shen last came to the mine.
The last time was after the Burrow Challenge, when he personally came with Dutra to set up the Ore Refining Plant in the mine.
Moving along the passage, they soon left the right corridor and entered the warehouse area.
Here, there was finally some light from the fire.
As Burrow Creatures, the Kobolds do not rely heavily on illumination.
However, they had placed a few torches near the main intersections of the passages.
Zong Shen held a Magic Power Flashlight, turning it to high brightness, making it very noticeable in the mine.
Soon, it caught the attention of the patrolling Kobolds outside.
Upon realizing it was Zong Shen, they all started running back to their base, shouting excitedly.
Before Zong Shen and his group had gone far, Dogman Chief Dutra hurried over.
Though not human, Zong Shen could still sense its joy despite the long absence.
"Master!"
Dutra was still the same as always.
It kneeled down on one knee in front of Zong Shen to show its respect.
"I’ve taken care of everything."
"I also brought back the Burden-Bearer Mecha."
"From now on, the Wolf Cavalry Squad will escort the mine carts."
Zong Shen flipped his hand to take out the Burden-Bearer Mecha in the open space beside the passage.
Upon hearing this, Dutra quickly stood up and nodded repeatedly.
The Kobold Prophet, who had been rescued and brought back, also quickly stood behind Dutra.
At this moment, the Wolf Cavalry Fourth Squad also approached from behind.
They had arrived just over half an hour before Zong Shen.
"Master, the Wolf Cavalry Fourth Squad awaits your orders."
The leading cavalryman came up to pay respects to him.
Zong Shen looked at him but felt unfamiliar; he seemed like a warrior from the second batch.
Since the Third Wolf Cavalry Squad, most were appointed and managed by Korby, making it normal to feel unfamiliar.
As the number of members in the territory grows, there are some people whose names he cannot recall.
"From now on, your Fourth Squad will be responsible for protecting the mine carts."
"Of course, this is not a fixed task."
"Have Korby adjust your rotation time when escorting back to the territory next."
Zong Shen stood with his hands behind his back, casually instructing the leader of the Wolf Cavalry Fourth Squad.
Then he gestured to Dogman Chief Dutra.
"Dutra, come here."
"You must pay attention to all aspects of the situation in the mine."
He leaned down and spoke seriously to Dutra.
"I understand, Master."
"Starting tomorrow, I’ll deploy a few squads of young dogs."
"To establish outposts in the mine."
"They may not be strong in battle, but they can keep watch just fine."
Dutra quickly nodded, directly stating his plan.
Unexpectedly, Zong Shen stood up straight and gently shook his head.
"It’s not just outside."
"It also includes here."
Saying this, he gestured towards the ground, the implication clear.
"You mean underground?"
Dutra asked tentatively.
Zong Shen nodded then.
"Yes, underground."
"Limit the mining to known tunnels as much as possible."
"Do not blindly develop new tunnels or excavate the collapsed areas for now."
"This is a large ore vein area, though it has undergone extensive mining."
"However, what’s left is already sufficient for the territory’s development needs."
"There’s no need to expand the mining scale for now."
He spoke in a slightly stern tone.
Zong Shen was more concerned about the mine itself than external issues.
When Harold resupplied the mine yesterday, he had already relayed this once.
Now he had to state it again seriously.
Because kobolds have a natural penchant for digging and mining, their orderliness cannot compare to humans.
If there are any oversights and monsters sleeping deep within the mine are awakened, it will severely delay resource mining here.
Currently, the mine has become an indispensable asset for the territory.
Every day it contributes a large amount of ore to the territory.
These ore resources not only meet building needs but can also be hung for sale on the Market, serving as a stable economic source for the territory’s high-speed development.
Most importantly, it has tremendous potential here. Once the mine is cleared, he can increase manpower here, continuously increasing the daily mining volume.
Moreover, there’s a Gemstone Mine in the mountain forest waiting for his development.
These elements will be the lifeblood of the territory in the future, carrying the responsibility of delivering nutrients.
Upon hearing Zong Shen’s serious command, Dutra also paid more attention to it.
"Rest assured, Master."
"I will definitely restrain those young dogs."
"Before receiving your orders, I will ensure nothing will go wrong below."
Dutra bowed once more, almost bending to ninety degrees.
"Alright, continue with normal collection processes."
"Report any situation to me immediately."
"In emergencies, I allow you to apply for appropriate garrison forces from the territory."
"If you have any needs or suggestions, don’t hide them, inform the territory promptly."
Zong Shen added a few more sentences, glancing around the dim mine.
Dempsey’s issue has been resolved, so there’s no need to stay longer.
However, the fundamental ownership issue of the mine is still unresolved.
