Chapter 45: The National Server Excavator Is Online

Shouts of attack and slaughter, bloodshed filled the air.

A night of chaotic clamor finally settled into calm.

But by this moment, the frosted window outside gradually brightened with daylight.

The morning sun rose, and the sixth day in the other world began.

Damn!

Lying limp on the bed, the pale‑faced Ji Ming cursed aloud, unsure whether it was relief or lament.

Counting the three clumsy thieves at the beginning, there were already five gangs of bandits that appeared last night, and innumerable others lurking in the shadows waiting for a share.

I can only say I still underestimated this bunch of scoundrels' criminal bottom line.

Even just a dozen silver coins were enough to make them draw their swords and spill blood.

If they found out I actually had six gold pieces on hand…

…they'd toss me into a pot to fry, cut me into pieces to share, and eat me clean…

Sigh, with crisis looming, how can someone your age still be sleeping?

Though he wanted to rest a bit more, Ji Ming forced himself to rally his spirit and got up.

But after merely dealing with the black centipede and stone dragon, he felt his vision start to blur again.

"Can't go on, can't go on, I've been grinding for five days straight, my liver's blown up."

His legs already feeling weightless, he staggered onto the sofa and tried to recover his strength.

But humans have limits; he closed his eyes for a brief nap, yet his condition didn't improve.

However, amid the drowsy fatigue, something sparked in his mind, and he fished out the bottle of Rejuvenation Elixir, fourth generation, still more than half full.

According to recent clinical trials, whether human or mouse, drinking this stuff restores spirit and strength, and so far no side effects have been observed.

Come to think of it, as its inventor, I don't think I've ever tried it myself…

Thinking that, Ji Ming twisted off the cap and gave it a sniff.

The fragrant, sweet scent, like a mix of milk and honey, was incredibly appetizing.

He didn't rush to drink; instead, he gently took a sip.

Smacking his lips, he gradually furrowed his brows.

It's not that it tasted bad, but the flavor was oddly familiar, like…

"Lemonade, or the kind that costs four bucks for a big cup?"

But this absurd‑tasting drink doesn't diminish its miraculous effect.

As the liquid went down, a warm current flowed through, easing his headache a bit.

"Whoa, the effect is immediate; no wonder they all love drinking it!"

Just one sip already matches the best effect an energy drink can give in the real world.

What if it's more?

Having waited a long time with no adverse reactions, Ji Ming mustered courage and gulped a large mouthful.

In an instant, from throat to stomach, it felt as if he swallowed a sun.

But this sun was gentle, like the kindly "Sun Grandpa" from fairy tales.

All internal organs, limbs, and bones.

That feeling of life force gradually washing and filling every part of the body up to the brain was utterly exhilarating!

"Now it's kicking in!"

Ji Ming sprang up from the sofa, feeling as lively as a dragon, as if he had returned to college.

He rushed into the bathroom, looking at himself in the mirror.

These past few days have been hard, but his finances are loose, and Ji Ming hasn't let his belly suffer.

The nutrition caught up, another boost to his qi and blood.

Now compared to before, although there's no dramatic overall change, he's definitely improving steadily.

His gaunt cheeks became plump, and the black pupils gained a hint of brightness.

His slender frame stood noticeably straighter; with a little effort, blocky muscles could already be seen on his arms.

The lingering aura of gloom between his brows remained, but having prospects and hope in life has truly lightened it.

Even if there's still a gap from his real‑world self, at least he no longer seems like a powerless pushover.

He tugged at his increasingly thickened skin, and Ji Ming rubbed his hands in satisfaction.

"Alright, this is how a savior should look!"

Originally, due to exhausted stamina and scattered attention, he had already canceled today's excavation plan.

But now his morale is perfect; if not now, when will I grind?

He first went to the decoction room and found the plump Mouse Kid snoring loudly in the pot.

He grabbed him, and it wobbled.

"Get up, stop acting like a foreign‑world young master!"

Mouse Kid groggily came to, and seeing the human before him made him fume.

"What the heck are you calling me this early morning, you Ji Ming!"

He gritted his teeth, his mouse eyes widened.

Too bad, I'm ready to glare with my eyes!

Unfortunately, when a creature is too weak, even its anger looks so cute.

Ji Ming paid no attention to its reaction, and earnestly began to explain.

"Don't just sleep; remember to guard the house. If anything's missing, you're the one to be asked!"

Having said that, he dressed neatly, locked the doors and windows, and set out on the main road toward the city gate.

Along the way it was relatively safe, the place was crowded with many people, and the children were all well-behaved.

But his reputation turned out to be unexpectedly large, and the guard in charge of inspection actually recognized him.

"Hey, this isn't Ji... doctor, why are you going out of the city alone?"

"Oh, it's not a big deal, just going out to pick some herbs."

Ji Ming could only laugh awkwardly and exchange a few polite words with him, then hurriedly left after paying.

But just then, he felt a tail appear behind him.

Fortunately, they were just a few small cats of level two or three; he used a little trick and shook them all off.

"That's dangerous; looks like I can't skip it."

Finding a deserted spot, he stuck the previously prepared breath-holding talisman on his face, and Ji Ming quickly ran toward the cave.

When the talisman's power ran out, he happened to arrive at the cave entrance.

The traces of yesterday's fire were still there, suggesting that no one else had come here after they left.

Indeed, this place is actually quite remote; besides an experienced old hunter like Lao Bo'er, few people would know about it.

Moreover, even if they knew, unless there were special circumstances, they wouldn't bother to come all the way out here to rest.

In other words, as long as you keep your ears sharp, you should be able to dig with peace of mind.

"Open the liver, open the liver!"

Then Ji Ming pulled out a long-handled shovel and got to work at his old trade.

Shovelful after shovelful of earth was dug out, and occasional loose rocks were easily and safely removed.

Ji Ming slowly dug out a passage wide enough for one person to enter, and reinforced it with logs he had cut from outside.

He couldn't help but feel again, this "Grave-Digging Technique" is truly a divine skill, actually able to shine even in such a place.

However, no matter how skilled one is, no matter how many life-extending potions one has,

Simple, repetitive manual labor remains a painful torment.

But recalling last night's various ordeals, Ji Ming regained the motivation to keep digging.

"Either way you'll get cut, so you might as well cut yourself!"

In the end, he only took a brief rest midway while drinking water and eating.