Legend of Wyatt

Chapter 1963: Targeted

Wyatt Barnes now having received the ’extra-large basket’ isn’t due to luck.

It’s because the Vermilion Bird Altar’s Bronze Flame Elder is using his position for personal gain to provide him ’benefits’, since the elders of the Vermilion Bird Altar are hesitant to interfere, Wyatt, this newcomer to the Punishment Zone, is unaware.

He doesn’t even know the significance of the extra-large basket in this first mining area’s Punishment Zone.

"These pieces of clothing are designated uniforms for the disciples serving in the Four Symbols Altar in the Punishment Zone... Unlike regular disciples from the Four Symbols Altar, everyone in the Punishment Zone wears the same attire."

The Vermilion Bird Altar’s Bronze Flame Elder continued introducing the garments to Wyatt, "Therefore, unless you specifically say you’re a disciple of the Black Tortoise Altar, people who didn’t know you before wouldn’t recognize you as a disciple of the Black Tortoise Altar."

Wyatt nodded.

In fact, he’d already noticed this on his way here.

Those Four Symbols Altar disciples all wore identical clothing, which wasn’t exclusive to any of the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, or Black Tortoise Altars.

"Additionally, there’s a rule in the Punishment Zone that new disciples who register before noon must enter the mines that day to extract Holy Stones... There’s about an hour left until noon."

Upon saying this, the Bronze Flame Elder hesitated, then made a decision and said to Wyatt, "Maybe you should stay with me for an hour... then you can leave after one hour."

"Just as I have only recorded your name, not yet the arrival time... If I simply adjust your arrival time forward by an hour, you wouldn’t need to head into the mines to extract Holy Stones today and can find a place to rest, and head to the mines tomorrow."

It was evident that the Vermilion Bird Altar’s Bronze Flame Elder was intent on using his position for personal gain for Wyatt.

This evident gesture warmed Wyatt’s heart, as he thought to himself, "There are still many good people in this world!"

If those disciples from the Four Symbols Altar who registered just before noon and had to head to the mines heard him, they’d surely be infuriated.

Because they didn’t have the same privilege!

Wyatt didn’t know that the reason he received such treatment was due in part to the Bronze Flame Elder worrying about his ’background’.

To the Bronze Flame Elder, Wyatt seemed to be nothing but a mediocre talent with a ’yellow spiritual root’, and if he had the protection of the Holy Land’s Enforcement Hall, it surely must be due to a remarkable background.

For that reason, this Vermilion Bird Altar’s Bronze Flame Elder was so accommodating and courteous.

Had it been anyone else, even a second before noon, he would have sternly sent them off to mine the Holy Stones.

"Thank you, Elder, for your consideration... but, since it’s still early, I’d like to head into the mines to get acquainted with the environment first."

Wyatt expressed his gratitude and politely declined the kind offer of the Vermilion Bird Altar’s Bronze Flame Elder.

Since Wyatt declined, the Vermilion Bird Altar’s Bronze Flame Elder had no more to say, but reminded Wyatt, "You can ask others about the exact amount of Holy Stone you need to extract... The amount isn’t fixed daily. Also, you can follow the others to the location where you hand in the Holy Stones."

"Alright."

Wyatt nodded, bid farewell to the Bronze Flame Elder, and left.

After leaving the registration area, Wyatt changed into the exclusive clothing of the Four Symbols Altar disciples serving in the Punishment Zone, strapped on the extra-large basket, and melded into the crowd of people carrying empty baskets.

Wyatt’s joining, due to the conspicuous extra-large basket on his back, was quite noticeable.

In moments, Wyatt felt a number of gazes fixated on him.

"Do I look so much like a ’newbie’, a ’rookie’?"

Perceiving these gazes, Wyatt was puzzled, not realizing yet that it was the extra-large basket on his back causing the stir.

"I don’t recall seeing someone with such an extra-large basket before."

"Could they be new here?"

"Possibly, but not necessarily."

"But... if they’re new, how could they have an extra-large basket? Based on the last issuing of an extra-large basket, one probably won’t be released for another three months."

"No idea about that."

...

Wyatt wasn’t aware that many of the Four Symbols Altar disciples now staring were also communicating among themselves.

Over time, these disciples weren’t too sure Wyatt was a ’newcomer’.

Simply because the timing of the ’extra-large basket’ was off!

Maybe this person carrying the extra-large basket used to be someone with an ordinary basket as ’transparent as air’, and only today made a vast leap to snatch an extra-large basket?

After all, with over a thousand Four Symbols Altar disciples in the Punishment Zone, none could recall every face of those carrying ordinary baskets.

They could only barely remember the fewer than one hundred Four Symbols Altar disciples with extra-large baskets.

One thing was certain, prior to today, among the eighty-nine people with extra-large baskets, none looked like this person.

Thus, only two possibilities remained:

One, this youth is a newcomer who was lucky enough to acquire an extra-large basket.

Two, this youth used to be an unnoticed figure with a standard basket and only today managed to claim an extra-large basket from someone else.

Between the two possibilities, the group of Four Symbols Altar disciples who were watching Wyatt leaned towards the latter.

Because the distribution of extra-large baskets follows a timing pattern, and they understood that pattern...

Precisely because of this, they could all ascertain:

Ordinarily, the next extra-large basket shouldn’t have appeared in a newcomer’s hands at this time.

However, these Four Symbols Altar disciples couldn’t possibly dream that Wyatt indeed was a newcomer, a rookie as freshly minted as possible, arriving today in the first mining area’s Punishment Zone!

As for the oversized basket on his back that defies the regulations of time, it was given to him at the registry by that Copper Flame Elder of the Vermilion Bird Altar, exploiting his position for personal gain.

All this was not for any other reason except that he was ’Wyatt Barnes’!

It was precisely the power of his name that led the Copper Flame Elder of the Vermilion Bird Altar to indulge him by granting him an ’oversized basket’ for personal gain!

"I really hope he’s just a newcomer and got this oversized basket purely out of luck."

Many disciples of the Four Symbols Altar stared at the oversized basket behind Wyatt Barnes with eyes aglow, almost drooling.

Oversized basket!

This is indeed an oversized basket!

Getting an oversized basket means they could cut their journey in half when turning in Holy Stones in the future.

Because, an oversized basket can hold twice as many Holy Stones as a regular basket!

On the road ahead, due to not being able to figure out Wyatt Barnes’ background, those disciples of the Four Symbols Altar who harbored greedy thoughts for Wyatt Barnes’ oversized basket did not rush to take action.

Thus, Wyatt Barnes followed the crowd and entered one of the mines within the Punishment Zone.

As Wyatt Barnes entered this mine, a spectacular scene unfolded:

This mine seemed to change into a ’favorite spot’ in an instant, as the disciples of the Four Symbols Altar entering this mine were more than three times the number in any other mine!

"Why are there so many people?"

So many people squeezed in together behind him, Wyatt Barnes naturally noticed.

When he turned around, he saw many greedy and fervent eyes fixed on the oversized basket on his back, and he was momentarily stunned, "These people... What are they staring at my basket for? Do they intend to steal my basket?"

Instinctively, Wyatt Barnes felt that the basket was a cheap object, even if it had a larger capacity, it shouldn’t be enough to warrant a scramble among disciples of the Fire Worship Sect from various altars of the Four Symbols Altar.

In fact, he had missed the most important point.

Perhaps, the basket outside is indeed a cheap object.

But in this first mining area of the Four Symbols Altar within the ’Punishment Zone’, the oversized basket represents cutting half the pointless journey when turning in Holy Stones.

Saving that half of the pointless journey means being able to complete tasks a bit earlier each day!

For this reason, who wouldn’t want the oversized basket within the Punishment Zone?

Wyatt Barnes casually glanced at a few people and found that the baskets on their backs were just ordinary baskets, with half the capacity of the basket on his back.

"A mere cheap basket shouldn’t be enough to cause a scramble among them... I seem to be overthinking this."

Shaking his head, without thinking further, Wyatt Barnes continued to follow the crowd deeper into the mine.

The deeper parts of the mine are indeed beneath the ground.

Where Wyatt Barnes passed now were all paths dug out leading underground.

The further he went inside, the wider the path became, with potholes scattered all over it, "These potholes... They look like traces left by someone who removed something forcibly."

"Could it be... There were Holy Stone mines here before?"

Contemplating, Wyatt Barnes couldn’t help but speculate.

Continuing to walk further inside, Wyatt Barnes heard some sounds coming from deeper underground passages ahead.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

...

Bam! Bam! Bam!

...

Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!

...

The sounds were varied, almost as if they were playing a special symphony.

Further in, Wyatt Barnes reached the source of these sounds and found that many disciples of the Four Symbols Altar were already mining Holy Stones.

Their various mining techniques displayed were an eye-opener for Wyatt Barnes.

Some were using their fists to smash.

Some were using swords and blades.

Some used palm knives.

Some used spears and staffs.

...

A myriad of methods beyond imagination could be seen.

"Holy Stone mines seem to be increasing more and more..."

Meanwhile, Wyatt Barnes also discovered that there were already many Holy Stone mines on all sides of the current passage.

The aura emanating from the Holy Stone mines was precisely the aura of ’Grade One Holy Stones.’