Versatile Mage

Translated by XephiZ

Edited by Aelryinth

Prison Mountain used special cuffs to force the imprisoned Mages to work as laborers.

The main reason was that the resources spent to train a Mage were huge. It would be a waste if the Mages were locked up to rot or executed because of their crimes.

Prison Mountain had so many people at work that it was like a huge business.

Lehuo Town was established mainly because of Prison Mountain, as many people were making a living off the ‘enterprise’ here!

Mo Fan had lived in Lehuo Town for a year. Even if he was focusing on his cultivation, he should have heard of the prison factory.

It was likely that the government and the workers were keeping it secret from ordinary people.

—

“I’ve looked into it. The place is well-managed and isn’t involved in anything illegal on the surface. It’s like a model of what a business should be,” Lingling told him.

“Mm, it does seem that way on the surface.” Mo Fan was observing Prison Mountain from higher ground.

The workers were doing their jobs in an orderly manner. Even the guard in a remote corner was standing perfectly straight and keeping an eye on his surroundings.

Everyone, including the ordinary workers who were responsible for moving things around and the guards in charge of security, was doing their job perfectly.

Mo Fan did not think he could sneak in without alerting anyone if it weren’t for the Dark Noble Mantle.

A dozen workers were chanting together as they filled up a truck with the special concrete.

The driver started the engine after they were done and drove the truck out of the gates.

The security at the entrance was very tight. There were three checkpoints in total.

Not only were they checking the truck, they were scanning the concrete to make sure no criminal was hiding in it to escape from the prison!

“I doubt any of the prisoners can escape from here,” Mo Fan judged.

Lingling nodded. With such tight security, even Mo Fan might struggle to break out of the prison if he put on the special cuffs.

“There are so many people here,” Lingling noticed.

They had yet to see the tunnels where the laborers were digging. They only saw the workers who were filling the trucks, organizing the loads, and the men on watch duty, but that was already a good two thousand people!

When Mo Fan had been staying in Lehuo Town, he had thought everything was peaceful and calm despite a little haze and pollution. To his surprise, there was such a huge factory behind a hill!

There were nine tunnels in total. Each tunnel had huge machines in operation.

The first tunnel was where the prisoners were working.

The other tunnels and structures mainly provided the workers with residences, canteens, resting grounds, or were used to process the rare material, load the trucks, and garage them.

The place alone was a town itself, but it was more like an assembly line, similar to the factories of a big manufacturing company. The workers were working like machines.

The first tunnel was a different sight. After all, the criminals were working in it.

The situation in the first tunnel was a lot more complicated. It was protected by a stronger magic Formation. Even a Super Shadow Mage like Mo Fan was struggling to find his way in through it.

In addition to the Formation, the place was watched over by many prison guards.

Behind the first tunnel was a huge prison. The prisoners had no contact with the ordinary workers.

They were escorted out from the prison to work as laborers in the tunnel. After they were done, they were escorted back into the prison. The ordinary workers would then transport the raw material out from the tunnel to be processed.

The first tunnel might be off-limits, but Mo Fan was able to see it from the second tunnel and the workshops.

Several hundred prisoners were still digging late at night. They must have been assigned to the night shift.

Their minds would be freed temporarily inside the first tunnel, allowing them to use their magic.

Mo Fan saw a prisoner with the Earth Element standing motionless, but he was using his magic, getting the rare material to eject itself from the ground like bamboo shoots.

A prisoner with the Space Element was controlling a few dozen pickaxes at once, digging up an area.

Some Fire Mages were using their flames to provide digging machines with energy, operating them like steam engines.

These prisoners had likely worked there for many years, and were doing their jobs adeptly. Mo Fan did not notice any dangerous feelings like he expected from criminals. They acted more like diligent workers to him.

“It’s strange,” Lingling commented.

“It’s like a truly ethical company. Are you sure Lu Kun is the red demon? How does he manage this place so well?” Mo Fan wondered.

Even the prisoners had become role-model workers!

Unbelievable. These prisoners used to be arrogant Mages, who were cruel and fierce!

It was difficult enough to make sure ordinary workers did their jobs diligently, even if they were paid. How was it possible to turn Mages into hardworking laborers, too?

Did the red demon have a change of heart? Did he become a successful enterprise manager after laying low for so many years?

“The workers are acting strange, just like the prisoners,” Lingling noticed alertly.

“Something does seem strange, but I can’t say for sure,” Mo Fan agreed.

“They have no sense of life. They are doing their jobs seriously. I can’t see a single person slacking, nor are they talking among themselves. Most importantly, they are not showing any emotions, even when they are doing dirty and tiring work,” Lingling pointed out to him.

Mo Fan had the same feeling after Lingling mentioned it.

It was true that the people were like machines. If the huge factory was operating like a machine, the people were its wheels and screws.

Everything was in perfect order!

It was too formulaic! How could living people not have any emotions?

The drivers and workers did not even exchange glances. The people eating in the canteen did not talk to their colleagues, either.

The prisoners in the first tunnel were doing as they were told without any complaints!

The guards were focused on their jobs, despite everything being calm and in perfect order!

They did not slack. They did not complain. They did not communicate outside work.

They were solely focused on their own jobs.

If a company had a dozen workers like this, it meant the boss did a great job managing it.

However, this was impossible. None of the employees in a huge enterprise made up of several thousand people were showing any emotions like normal people!

“It feels like something has drawn away their emotions.”

“Not only the prisoners, but the workers, guards, and supervisors… they are all the same! Could it be there’s an Essence Orb here, too?” Mo Fan guessed.