Chu Mu's brow furrowed. Previously, the idea that long-term oppression would lead to an uprising was just his own speculation.
But now, the records in this copy of the *Nanshan Wild Chronicles* had undoubtedly confirmed his speculation.
The countless tattered, numb, zombie-like laborers in the mines really would rise up.
This wasn't something that existed only in the history of his past life; it was real, and it was happening right next to him.
And… strictly speaking, he was one of the oppressors.
After a moment, however, Chu Mu suddenly shook his head and smiled.
He was an Inspector, and his interests were at stake. Naturally, he wanted the men on Forced Labor to work honestly and remain docile and obedient.
'But if I weren't wearing this Inspector's uniform, if I were the one being oppressed like this, would I just endure it?'
'When the situation isn't in my favor, I can only endure it. But if a single spark were to appear, I would definitely fight back without hesitation. Even in death, I'd have to take one or two of them with me.'
As his thoughts ran wild, Chu Mu couldn't help but think of He Ergou, that Big Mouth who never stopped flapping his gums.
But in all this time, he'd never heard him speak about a potential uprising. He hadn't even brought it up.
And in his idle chats with other Inspectors, the topic was nowhere to be found…
Clearly, the subject of an uprising was taboo.
'I'll be on rotation in town next month. I'll probably get more information then…'
Chu Mu pursed his lips. According to the Inspection Office's system, Guardian shifts rotated monthly. If he remembered correctly, his squad would be rotated to serve as Guardians in town next month.
For Chu Mu, life in the mines—where everyone stuck to their own post—was comfortable and leisurely, but it was also undeniably isolating, with almost no contact with the outside world.
But serving as a Guardian in town, with the authority of an Inspector, he would be exposed to all sorts of things. This would allow him to more thoroughly understand this era and, more importantly, the public sentiment he was so worried about…
"Hurry up!"
"Stop dawdling! If you don't make it in time for the meal, you'll get nothing to eat!"
As he was lost in thought, faint shouts reached his ears.
Looking in the direction of the voices, he saw a familiar scene outside the open courtyard gate.
Forced Laborers, Inspectors.
Clearly, a new batch of men for Forced Labor had been brought in.
In the past half a month, Chu Mu had lost count of how many times he'd seen such a scene.
With Qinghe County's fifteen towns and fifty-three villages groaning under the heavy burden of years of Forced Labor, conscripting more men could not be accomplished with a simple paper decree.
It usually required fully armed Inspectors from the county to go to each town and village to enforce the conscription, and violent resistance was not uncommon.
Chu Mu had already heard talk of such things at the Inspection Office.
Thus, the conscription could not be completed in one fell swoop. The process was drawn out, and there was no telling when it would finally end.
Although he had yet to leave Nanshan Town, it wasn't hard to imagine the current state of Qinghe County.
Chu Mu silently watched the procession pass his gate, his expression betraying little emotion.
Only after the line of laborers had completely passed did Chu Mu step forward and close the courtyard gate.
The noise from outside was completely shut out.
Chu Mu stood in the courtyard, Sword in hand.
His gaze lingered for a moment on the Light Curtain Panel in his field of vision before shifting to the Long Saber in his hand.
From Beginner's Practice to Initial Glimpse, his Sword Technique had unquestionably ascended to a new level.
In a way, however, it didn't make much of a difference.
After all, he didn't have a single shred of actual combat experience.
The improvement in his Sword Technique lay in his mastery of Power.
But whether a downward strike hit the head or the neck, the difference obviously wasn't that great.
And if he were struck in a vital spot, his own life would be in just as much danger.
Until he accumulated enough combat experience, he clearly wouldn't be able to convert his progress in Sword Technique into true strength. This would remain true even if his technique rose another level.
'Actual combat experience…'
Chu Mu pursed his lips, and the image of his team leader instantly flashed through his mind.
But he quickly pushed the thought aside. His relationship with the team leader wasn't that good.
Then, Chu Mu looked down at the ground, which was covered in a blanket of white snow. He crouched, fumbled for a moment, and picked up a few snow-dusted pebbles.
He tossed them sharply into the air. The pebbles shot upward, and once their momentum was spent, they plummeted toward the ground like tiny meteors.
Chu Mu gripped his hilt, his eyes fixed on the falling pebbles.
In an instant, with a series of crisp cracks, some pebbles shattered while others fell to the ground untouched.
He had only managed to strike two of the six pebbles. In other words, if he were attacked by hidden weapons, or if several blades came at him at once, he would be a dead man.
Chu Mu mulled it over. He had no master to guide him in his Sword Technique.
No one had taught him how to practice, or how to turn his practice into actual Combat Power. He had to figure it all out himself.
'Perhaps I should focus on my reaction time…'
Chu Mu pursed his lips. He subconsciously recalled the training methods from the kung fu movies of his past life. Though some were exaggerated, they weren't entirely without merit.
Chu Mu had always believed that martial arts, like academics, must be learned for practical application.
A student who only knows rote memorization will not get far, and the same is true for a martial artist.
The forms of the Sword Technique required hard practice, but how to apply what he had practiced so hard also required thought and training.
This point was made perfectly clear while under the state of Spiritual Radiance Blessing.
The improvement in his Sword Technique stemmed from his own personal progress.
The heightened intellect granted by the Spiritual Radiance Blessing merely allowed Chu Mu to better contemplate the questions he had about his training and to more quickly digest his accumulated knowledge.
It didn't improve his Sword Technique or his knowledge out of thin air. Everything had to originate from his own accumulated efforts, whether in martial arts or his studies.
'A Sandbag Array, or maybe a wooden man target…'
Chu Mu mused to himself. He glanced around the small courtyard, then walked briskly back into his room.
He ground the ink and picked up a brush.
The tip of the brush slowly sketched across the paper. The control over his Power, gained from his martial arts practice, was clearly evident in the way he held the brush.
The brush was held perfectly upright, as steady and unmoving as a mountain.
Though he had never learned to draw, with such fine control over his Power, the brush moved as he willed. Soon, the rough outline of a wooden man target from his memory was sketched out.
Then, as if he'd thought of something, he grabbed his Sword and made a few practice swings before picking up the brush to continue sketching.
This seemingly comical routine repeated itself in his room.
After more than an hour, Chu Mu held two completed sketches in his hands.
Holding the drawings, Chu Mu felt the thick wad of Paper Currency inside his robe. Without pausing, he strode out of the room, walked hurriedly onto the street, and disappeared into the crowd.
…