Coal Mine.
"This is where you'll be working from now on," the black-clad bodyguard said coldly to Black Zetsu.
Black Zetsu stared at the smoke-filled surroundings and blurted out, "Can humans even work in a place like this?"
Looking at the workers hauling coal, all of them filthy and drenched in sweat, he instinctively covered his mouth. The entire environment was dirty, chaotic, and suffocating—he found it unbearable.
Despite his pitch-black appearance, Black Zetsu was actually a clean freak. The idea of getting dirty carrying coal was more torturous than death.
Hearing his complaint, the bodyguard's expression turned colder. "The boss already made it clear—if you don't want to work, you can get lost."
Black Zetsu sighed, recalling what Ah Fei told him before sending him off.
> "Brother, I forgot to mention—if you want me to help you save your mother... you need to successfully clock in at the company for two full years. That's 731 days."
Black Zetsu gritted his teeth and made up his mind.
So what if I suffer a little? If that's what it takes to save Mother... then I'll do it.
"Alright, alright," Black Zetsu said with forced cheer. "Shall I start transporting coal now?"
"Who told you that your job is to transport coal?" the bodyguard looked at him like he was an idiot.
Transporting coal was relatively easy work—they couldn't possibly let Black Zetsu off that lightly. The boss had given specific instructions:
> "Please take good care of Black Zetsu for me. Make sure he suffers. I can't bear to see him live an easy life…"
The bodyguard followed the order without hesitation. He waved toward the mine's supervisor in the distance.
The supervisor rushed over, speaking respectfully, "Sir, do you have any instructions?"
In Ah Fei's company, the hierarchy was strict. Only Ah Fei and his personal guards were allowed to wear black suits. Even regular suits were reserved for senior executives. So the moment this black-clad man showed up, the supervisor knew he was someone important.
Now that he was being summoned, the supervisor was on edge.
Why would someone of this level come to a lowly coal mine?
Could it be that the company discovered my secret coal smuggling?!
As he panicked silently, the bodyguard said, "What's the hardest and most exhausting job here?"
Relieved that it wasn't about the smuggling, the supervisor exhaled deeply and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
Whew! False alarm.
"Reporting, sir! The most difficult and dangerous job is underground mining. The work is extremely exhausting, and there's always the risk of a cave-in."
The bodyguard's eyes lit up, and he clapped his hands excitedly. "Perfect! Danger is good. Let's go with that."
Hearing this, Black Zetsu got a sinking feeling in his gut.
No way… they wouldn't really make me go mining, right?
"Register him for mining duty," the bodyguard instructed, pointing directly at Black Zetsu.
"Right away, sir!" the supervisor replied eagerly.
Black Zetsu stood frozen in place.
Damn it, they really are sending me down there! This is too much!
The supervisor approached Black Zetsu and looked him up and down curiously.
What did this thing do to deserve the attention of someone this high up?
"Come with me. I'll get you started," the supervisor said.
With no other choice, Black Zetsu followed him silently.
"Wait a second," the bodyguard called out just before they left.
The supervisor turned back with a fawning smile. "Do you have any other instructions, sir?"
The bodyguard leaned close and whispered, "Make sure you take good care of him. Try not to kill him. But if he does die… it's fine."
The supervisor's eyes widened in shock. He glanced at Black Zetsu in disbelief.
Looks like this guy committed a bigger offense than I thought…
Meanwhile, Black Zetsu was still thinking about how exhausting mining might be, completely unaware that the real nightmare had just begun.
"Don't worry, sir," the supervisor said, pounding his chest. "I'll handle it personally."
This kind of work was right up his alley. Nobody in the company was better at exploiting laborers than him.
"Follow me," he told Black Zetsu, leading him into the mine.
Inside, the workers were busy digging with shovels. The moment they saw the supervisor, they panicked and picked up the pace.
No one wanted to get whipped for slacking off.
Ding-dong! Ding-dong!
The sound of tools striking rock echoed throughout the mine.
The supervisor nodded in satisfaction.
"From today on, you'll work here," he said to Black Zetsu. "Let me lay down the rules."
"First, you must work eighteen hours a day."
"Second, we deduct accommodation fees from your salary whether you live in the dorms or not."
"Third, we don't provide meals. You'll have to buy your own food."
"Lastly, don't let me catch you slacking off—or you'll be punished."
As he finished speaking, the supervisor cracked a whip through the air.
Bang!
Ding-dang! Ding-dang!
Startled by the sound, the miners frantically redoubled their efforts.
"Alright, get to work," the supervisor barked.
But Black Zetsu didn't move. He stood there, stunned by the long list of outrageous conditions.
Eighteen hours a day? No food? Forced accommodation fees?!
Is this even a job meant for humans?!
Even Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama would be forced to flee on Nine Tails and a Wood Dragon if they were sent here!
This isn't work—they're treating me like a beast!
No, worse than a beast. At least animals didn't have to work eighteen hours a day.
Realizing this was his fate for the next 731 days, or 13,158 hours, Black Zetsu felt like the sky was falling.
"What are you standing there for?" the supervisor snarled, remembering the bodyguard's instructions. Without hesitation, he raised his whip and lashed Black Zetsu hard.
Bang!
"Ahhh!" Black Zetsu screamed like a pig being slaughtered.
"Go to work!" the supervisor ordered, striking him again.
"Alright, alright! I'm going!" Black Zetsu yelped, ignoring the pain as he scrambled to pick up a nearby shovel and start digging.
"Oh, by the way," the supervisor added with a grin, "you have to pay for that shovel. The cost will be deducted from your salary."
Black Zetsu: "…".
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