Lord of Solva: Players as My Pawns

The hum of the drill reverberated in the air, vibrating the ground beneath Shaoran's feet as he stood in the center of the mining area. The rock surrounding him had already started to fragment, revealing dark, jagged cracks in the earth. The Ruston stone—that red, ruby-like stone—was just beyond his reach, buried deep in the heart of Ena Mine.

Shaoran watched the drilling process with an intensity that matched the hum of the machinery. His eyes were fixed on the drill head, spinning and tearing through the thick layers of rock. Slowly, steadily, it was creating a path to the precious stone he had come here to find.

With a small tap on the system interface, Shaoran checked the drilling status.

[System (Mining): Drilling Progress: 68%. Depth: 14 meters.]

He nodded, the data confirming his observation. The depth was steadily increasing, and the drill bit was doing its job. He stepped aside, allowing the drill to work, his eyes scanning the surrounding area for any signs of trouble. The air was thick with the smell of earth and the metallic tang of rock dust as the machinery continued to grind and scrape.

Minutes turned into hours. Shaoran kept a careful eye on the process, adjusting settings, checking the drill's progress, and consulting the system to ensure everything was running smoothly. His mind wasn't just focused on the mining equipment; he was also planning the next steps in his journey. The Ruston stone was only the beginning, and he knew it would require more than just physical tools to extract and transport it.

The drill finally slowed to a halt. A low mechanical whir indicated that it had hit its target. The earth beneath Shaoran's boots trembled slightly as the drill bit lodged itself deep in the bedrock.

[System (Mining): Drill bit reached target depth. Commencing stone extraction.]

Shaoran stepped closer to the drill, examining the exposed stone. The Ruston stone glowed faintly, even in the dim light of the mine. Its deep red hue stood out against the gray, rocky surroundings, as if it held some hidden, otherworldly power within.

He moved cautiously, aware that the stone was not just any ordinary mineral. The system had informed him that Ruston had unique properties. It had the ability to store energy, a form of power that might be useful later on. The stone was more than just valuable—it could change everything.

With his gloves on, Shaoran picked up a pickaxe and approached the exposed Ruston stone. The tool in his hands felt heavy, but it was necessary to break free the stone from its confines. The first strike was soft—just testing the surface. The stone didn't respond, not yet.

A few more swings and the stone began to crack, the surface giving way to the power locked within. Shaoran's heart raced as he prepared for the moment he'd been waiting for. With each swing, the stone splintered more and more, revealing its true shape beneath the layers of rock. Finally, with one powerful strike, the last layer of rock crumbled away, revealing the full size of the Ruston stone.

It was much larger than he expected. The red stone was roughly the size of a basketball, but its shape was irregular, jagged at the edges, with faint glowing veins running through its surface. It almost pulsed with an internal rhythm, like it had a heartbeat of its own. The more he stared at it, the more he could sense the energy radiating from it. It was like a hidden force waiting to be unleashed.

Shaoran stepped back and wiped the sweat from his brow. His gloves were coated in dust, and his hands ached from the effort of breaking through the stone. But the work wasn't over yet. Now came the hardest part—transporting the stone.

He activated the system interface, sending a signal to the transportation module to materialize nearby. The system didn't disappoint. A compact, portable transportation crate appeared next to him, perfectly sized for the Ruston stone. He moved over to the stone and crouched down, lifting it carefully. The weight was heavy, but the stone didn't feel unmanageable. It was solid, dense, and incredibly heavy. His muscles strained as he lifted it, using his knees to avoid overloading his back.

With the stone secured in his arms, he placed it gently into the transportation crate. The system immediately sealed the crate, and Shaoran could feel a surge of energy as the stone was safely secured. He took a step back, surveying the mine once more.

[System (Mining): Extraction Complete. Ruston Stone Secure.]

Note: You can use ruston to update system. After updating it new functions may unlocked.