Chapter 75: Mining Career, Crystal Lung Disease
Su Ning turned to look at Andy, who gave her a gentle smile and gestured for her to follow.
“Come on, don’t just stand there like that. We’ll have plenty of time to get to know each other later. But if you keep standing around like this, those cyborgs won’t let you off easily.”
As she spoke, Andy pulled Su Ning toward the mine shaft they were assigned to enter.
Su Ning followed her in, but the moment she stepped into the mine, her brow furrowed.
It wasn’t because of anything she saw—it was the smell.
Andy noticed her expression and explained, “Feel that? This smell isn’t the worst, but it really irritates the lungs.”
As she spoke, Andy pulled a respirator mask from her pocket and handed it to Su Ning, reminding her to put it on quickly.
Su Ning reacted immediately, but instead of taking Andy’s, she pulled out the mask provided in her own gear and put it on.
Even with the mask, the acrid smell still occasionally seeped in, making her feel extremely uncomfortable.
Around her, coughs could be heard echoing through the tunnel.
Andy walked beside Su Ning, quietly observing her every move.
But Su Ning had the Scavenger’s Eye, which allowed her to immediately pick up useful information from her surroundings.
After some observation and reflection, the truth dawned on her.
She said thoughtfully, “I see now… So this ‘Crystal Lung Disease’ is caused by long-term mining work underground?”
Andy chuckled. “Ding ding ding, we have a winner.”
She hoisted her mining pickaxe onto her shoulder, her expression turning somewhat somber.
“That’s why, newbie, if you want to survive here, you can’t catch Crystal Lung Disease.”
What exactly is Crystal Lung Disease?
Su Ning used her Scavenger’s Eye on a gaunt man passing by. His face was pale, and he kept coughing quietly into his hand.
[Native: Delier | Miner No. 1-0711]
Gender: Male
Status: Early-stage Crystal Lung Disease
Crystal Lung Disease: Caused by prolonged inhalation of crystal dust, leading to toxic infection of the lungs.
Early symptoms: Lung inflammation and coughing.
Late symptoms: Crystallization of the lungs, leading to full-body crystallization.
“Crystallization?!” Su Ning was shocked.
She suddenly recalled seeing a miner earlier whose left arm sparkled unnaturally, like something shining beneath his skin.
She had assumed it was some kind of fashion accessory—
Now she realized: it was a crystallized arm.
She hadn’t imagined mining could come with such deadly risks.
Turning back to Andy, Su Ning asked bluntly, “So why are you telling me all this? What do you want?”
Andy smiled again, “Just making a friend. I have a pretty good eye for people, you know. The moment I saw you, I knew you were different from the others.”
Su Ning didn’t believe a word of it.
So she turned her Scavenger’s Eye on Andy:
[Native: Andy | Miner No. 1-3334]
Gender: Female
New Human
Ability: Hyper Intuition – Possesses heightened perception, able to sense unusual phenomena and individuals.
Su Ning tensed up.
“New Human? Another unknown concept.”
She glanced around at the other miners—none of them had the “New Human” label.
Yet Andy had some kind of extraordinary ability, like a gift.
“New Humans = gifted individuals?”
Su Ning didn’t let on. She stayed calm and casually introduced herself, “Su Ning, No. 1008.”
Her expression was natural, as if Andy’s special status meant nothing to her.
Andy grew more serious, “Your number is your ID here. On this Crystal Mine Planet, time is money.”
She gave Su Ning a light pat on the shoulder, “Come on, you’ll understand all of this eventually.”
Su Ning followed Andy into a vast mining cavern.
The space was dim, filled with dust and the smell of stone and ore.
Inside, miners swung tools tirelessly, digging crystal ore from the walls.
Su Ning saw their faces: dirt-smeared, sweat-drenched, full of silent determination.
She was stunned by the scale of the mine.
The interior was wide and deep, with glimmering crystals embedded all over the walls, casting a faint glow.
Chunks of ore littered the ground—some already mined, some still buried deep below.
Miners wielded pickaxes and shovels, striking with sharp, rhythmic clinks.
Each impact sent fragments flying in all directions, the sound ringing through the chamber.
Their movements were fast and practiced, every swing full of force.
Su Ning noticed some miners using specialized mechanical equipment that could auto-mine and transport the crystals more efficiently.
It was a stunning mix of gritty labor and sci-fi tech—a world driven by desperate extraction of resources.
But alongside the backbreaking work, there were always unseen dangers.
Yet the miners endured, unwavering, silently sacrificing for a shot at survival… or wealth.
Andy nudged her, “Better start working. Those cyborgs won’t let you just stand around.”
Su Ning nodded and joined the ranks.
She grabbed a pickaxe and began to dig, but both she and Andy were clearly hiding their own thoughts.
Su Ning wanted to extract more info from Andy, but it wasn’t easy.
Andy’s intuition was sharp.
Whenever Su Ning got close to a key question, Andy would immediately change the subject—derailing the conversation entirely.
But Su Ning wasn’t one to give up easily.
If Andy liked to deflect, she’d just go with the flow.
So, the next time Andy changed the topic, Su Ning let her—shifting to something else: the Crystal Lung Disease.
She pointed out a young boy, whose arms and legs had undergone a strange transformation—glassy and translucent, almost beautiful like crystal.
But Su Ning knew it was a horrifying illness.
From the looks of pity people gave the boy, Su Ning felt a bitter sadness rise in her chest.
Andy sighed, “That’s one of the late-stage symptoms of Crystal Lung Disease. The body crystallizes from the inside out. There’s no real cure yet—unless you get an energy crystal…”
Su Ning was stunned, “They’re still forced to mine even when they’re sick? Can’t they get treatment?”
Andy gave a bitter laugh, “Treatment? Around here, we have only one identity—miners. Once you get sick, there’s only one outcome: wait to die.”
Su Ning: …
She asked carefully, “So there’s no way to cure it?”
Andy hesitated ever so slightly—just a flicker—but quickly masked it and shook her head.
“Crystal Lung is basically a death sentence.”
But Su Ning had noticed that brief flash of emotion.
Andy was hiding something.
(End of Chapter)
