Unlike every other day in the miners party, today was significantly different for Kenji's group. The leading members had slain lower-rank monsters and mere wolves that might have come out from the cave to retrieve a substantial haul of raw essence and valuable crystals.
This was considered luck for Kenji. Working as a navigator, he was the lowest rank, an F-class. This designation was for mere humans... ordinary citizens with no abilities, signs, or magic and being a member classified him at the lowest rank. This system served to distinguish between normal citizens and Association members among districts.
Every other day Kenji was mocked, abused, and laughed at for his non-existent abilities and lack of attributes. Since childhood, he had struggled with these severe moments.
Humiliation had reached its extent, yet he was no longer ashamed to look back whenever mocking snickers passed from person to person. Though his private memories still hurt bitterly whenever he was alone, he groaned in pain, agony, and cursed himself with tears spilling from the corner of his eyes each night, unwillingly accepting fate.
And today, perhaps a mere word considered fortune found him, just as most of the party cursed aloud.
"Gather all the crystals, place them directly into the cart sack," Commander Lu Hang commanded. He was the head among the party members, a C-class rank. Beside him stood the Vice, Lyhan. Her brown hair cascaded, catching the cave light, and her strong, curvy silhouette drew silent, resentful sneers from the other party members.
Soon the party members stepped forward with their sharp axes—a miners' gait used in tearing down ice no matter what it took.
"Hahaha, this is much more than I imagined!" a man with a full-grown beard said.
"Yeah, you're right! Who could have thought him with no worth or ability could probably spot a good location for such crystals? Hah!" another sneered in mockery, scratching the back of his head.
One could guess it was sheer fortune today to retrieve crystals and essence they hadn't gathered in months. For a person like Kenji, tagging along with the members was usually difficult, and each day was a grief.
But today, the haul was something they may have never imagined.
The Commander's voice barked through the air, "Enough! Go to your mining position!"
Suddenly, he shifted his head toward Kenji, who was standing a few steps away. "Kenji."
"Uh...hh... sir!" Kenji replied in a trembling voice as he slowly walked close to the Commander. Even as the mockery and jeers washed through him, he motivated himself. At least he was gradually getting better at surviving among the party members he worked with.
"Hmmm... we're to set moving into the inner caves once evacuation is done here."
Suddenly, the humming sounds of axes against stone and crystals slowly faded.
Clack!
Clar...
Cl...
"Eh, Commander? Aren't these enough? This is more than we've gathered for three weeks now!" A healthy-built man replied, resting his axe across his shoulder.
Murmurs and whispers started to fill the air again as every member turned quiet, stunned for a moment regarding what Lu Hang had just said. This haul was actually more than they had seen so far. It was more than enough to last for months, a good gesture created by the mere chance of the F-rank navigator Kenji.
Lu Hang knew this, but since this was a rare case, all he could think of was himself. If it was a good day, what could one guess if an opportunity came but once? It was meant for him to go deeper, and as a Commander, he knew he could accomplish that, leading the rest of the members for this purpose.
He quickly came up with his decision and commanded where he stood:
"Yes, it actually seems enough, more than we earned for a long time. Just the same way, today might actually be our day of good fortune. So I will definitely lead the way, clearing monsters and wolves with every strength I have within me, while Kenji will lead us there by marking a good place within his map."
The Commander's voice brooked no argument. Greed, a primal hunger stronger than fear or common sense, made the Commander's hand twitch at his belt, and the cave crystals seemed to glitter only in his reflection.
The rest of the party, though initially stunned, soon caught the fever for the potential bounty. More money meant better gear, better food, and perhaps a higher rank.
"Get moving then, Kenji! Don't just stand there like a useless log! Show us where that lucky, useless map of yours points next!"
Lyhan hissed at the words coming from a blunt guy, as if today was the day he suddenly hits his jackpot.
Unlike every other member, Lyhan was cold, quiet, and hard to understand. Though she was a Vice Commander and a C-rank, with every reason to act or make her own decisions, her composure remained unwavering even after the whole conclusion to get more crystals and essence worth more prices. This usually impressed the rest of the party but also made them tense under her cold presence whenever she stared.
Even at that, Kenji stumbled forward, the weight of pressure and sting of words barely registering over the low, humming dread that had started in his stomach. The familiar feeling of being the scapegoat returned. If anything went wrong, it would be his fault.
He clutched the laminated map tightly. The inner caves were known to be unstable, dangerous, and rarely cleared. But still, he thought, in a case like this, having two high-rank members; the Commander and Vice... meant they could succeed in accomplishing this goal since they already came to the conclusion of going further.
He swallowed hard and pointed toward a newly cleared-out section of the wall—a narrow, muddy fissure barely wide enough for one person.
"The... the path is this way, Commander," Kenji whispered, his voice catching. "It's a new tunnel, recently exposed. My readings show a concentration of Essence... further in."
Lu Hang grinned, his eyes a predatory flash in the darkness. "Excellent. The little thing finally did something right. We're set to go further. The rest of you, follow me! We move fast. Kenji, stick close to my flank, and keep your eyes glued to that map. If we hit a dead end, your pay is forfeit. And worse, you'll be walking back alone through the deep tunnels."
Soon as the team was about to make a move, someone said, "Commander, but we already come up short of some cart sacks. The ones here will barely even be enough to store all the crystals."
"Hmm, you have a point," Lu Hang thought for a second as he raised his head again to protest.
"That won't be a problem to worry about. My Vice, Lyhan, will be able to bring some sacks for the evacuation."
Suddenly, he turned toward Lyhan, standing just beside him. Before he could talk further, Lyhan raised a finger up slightly. "Alright, I get it," rolling her eyes as she walked past the Commander and Kenji.
Her presence alone, a scent of flowers mixed with an immense aura, made the other party members nearly choke and stare longer, knowing she wasn't the sociable type.
Lu Hang felt almost embarrassed as his cheeks suddenly turned red. "Uh-hah...hah... Never mind that though."
After some moments, when she had walked past, the members turned their stare again to Commander Lu Hang.
Suddenly, without permission, the members burst into laughter.
After a while, Lu Hang soon stepped forward with a quiet, serious voice: "Alright, who's willing to protest my offer?"