The Game of Global Mining

At 10 p.m., Chun was jolted awake by the system notification sound.

First thing he checked was his main account—the main was strolling around some city, doing nothing. Good.

Immediately switch to the alt!

— System Notification: Plot module loading complete, please adapt to the change in the plot’s time span!

Chun had been waiting all day for this moment!

After a whole day of pitch‑black screen, the image finally popped up—Chun was riding on the Winged Snake Queen, underneath him was that landing ship, and up ahead, lights were glittering: Black Dragon City! Then right beside them was her child, whose size was a whole head bigger than the Queen’s, and both mother and child’s vibe and appearance had changed, halos shining all around them—if this isn’t straight‑up Divine‑level Void Creatures, what is?

Then a whole row of system notifications started spamming the screen:

— System Notification: Congratulations! After a millennium of time and tempering, you have successfully advanced your hidden combat profession Asura, gaining profession rewards: Attack +500, Defense +100, Life +1000, Physical Strength +500, Carrying Capacity +500, Attack Speed +10, Movement Speed +5, profession skills: Asura Domain, Potential Burst, Grandmaster Level Dual Wielding Weapon Mastery, Grandmaster Level Dual-Wielding Parry and Block, Grandmaster Level Disarm, Grandmaster Level Dodge, Grandmaster Level Weakness Strike, Grandmaster Level Critical Strike Mastery.

Asura Domain: After activating the domain, your Attack gains Chaos Attribute, life‑steal effect, and Splash Area Attack Attribute. Also slows the Attack Speed and Movement Speed of enemies inside the domain. Activating the domain consumes Physical Strength or Mana Value.

Potential Burst: Temporarily increases the effects of all Attributes and skills.

— Dios Commerce Association Notification: Congratulations! After a thousand years of inheritance and accumulation, your Commerce Association has risen to Level 100. All Commerce Association members gain 100% All Attributes bonus and unlock the Commerce Association skill "Dragon Race Glory."

Dragon Race Glory: Your Commerce Association members’ reputation among the Dragon Race rises to Worship.

— System Notification: Congratulations! You have completed the Azazel Race’s S‑rank Trial quest. You will receive your reward upon returning to the city.

— System Notification: Congratulations! Your attached parasitic Earth Spirit Earth Lotus has, after a thousand years of tempering, advanced to Initial Tier God, gaining a qualitative leap in power.

— System Notification: Congratulations! Your team member Void Winged Snake Queen has, after a thousand years of tempering, advanced to entry‑level God, and acquired the surname and title "Void Lord Vonimana." The Void Winged Serpent Queen’s child has, after a thousand years of tempering, advanced to Void Lord, and acquired the surname and title "Void Lord Vonimadada."

...

Holy Shit!!!

He’d been kind of expecting it, and sure enough it lived up to expectations—he literally hadn’t done anything, and the Asura Profession he triggered three days after server launch had just naturally turned into a time‑travel reward and got promoted! The last Profession that had a Domain was Great Druid; now this Profession also has a Domain, which basically means he’s touched the threshold of becoming a God, right?

Plus, the Commerce Association had indeed reached Level 100 and got that 100% bonus! The S‑rank Trial was completed too.

Even more crucial: Earth Lotus and the Winged Snake Queen really did become Gods! And mother and child Winged Snake Queen actually had names now, this whole "Vonima" thing...

At that moment, the Winged Snake Queen spoke: "Master, you’re awake. I wish to join the Master’s Commerce Association and contribute strength to the Master’s enterprise in the Void!"

Ah, meaning... she’s an NPC now? She can join?

Holy Shit, back then that Volcano Dragon could’ve joined too, it’s just that to hide his identity as Chairman he never considered adding her, so now of course he’s adding them without hesitation!

— Dios Commerce Association Notification: Welcome new member Void Lord Vonimana to the Commerce Association!

— Dios Commerce Association Notification: Welcome new member Void Lord Vonimadada to the Commerce Association!

The Commerce Association channel instantly burst into activity!

[Aimee]: "Ah, woke up! Welcome, welcome!"

[Vonimana]: My child and I will definitely remain loyal to the Chairman and work hard for the Commerce Association.

[Kasha]: "We’re back, huh? That one‑nap‑for‑a‑thousand‑years feeling! Now we’re proper heroes returning in glory!"

[Medesia]: "Chairman, once we’re back in the city I want to take some leave, go back home to Blind Eye City for a bit!"

[Julia]: "Mm, I’ll take leave too. I’ll go back to Blood Moon City then!"

[Olka]: "I’ll head back to Dark Moon City, enjoy a bit of the clan leader worshipping me!"

[Bast]: "Perhaps I should start addressing Miss Olka as the clan’s First Mother as well."

[Olka]: "Mr. Bast, you’re too polite. You’ve achieved greatness yourself. You and I will both become legendary glory for our Dark Elf race."

Everyone’s thinking about going home in fancy clothes, huh?

Chun confirmed the most important thing: "Has everyone gotten stronger?"

Everyone burst out laughing: "Of course we’ve gotten stronger, we’ve already forgotten just how weak we were back then!"

[Duodolin]: "I’m starting to feel like once I go back I could become the god of the goblin race, hahaha~~"

Meaning they’ve at least touched the threshold of Godhood, right? Good. Back then he worried they wouldn’t put in the effort to learn, but in fact it wasn’t necessary—just lie flat for a thousand years.

But Chun had a crucial question he wasn’t sure he should ask in the Commerce Association channel: did we have kids?

Since after a thousand years they’re directly heading back along the original route, which totally fits the logic, that’d mean they never even had the chance to have children? So all that busy thrusting was for nothing?

Fine, the key is to ask Earth Lotus, and confirm whether Maria is the Earth Mother!

"Earth Lotus, you awake?"

Only then did Earth Lotus stir: "Ah, Father, we’re back!"

Chun just asked straight out: "So, uh, where’s Mother?"

Earth Lotus smiled and said: "I miss her so much too—how about once we’re back in the city, we go look for Mother?"

If she says to look for her, then she definitely exists, and odds are like eight or nine out of ten—

Chun’s heart trembled: "Okay!"

By now they could already see the fireworks blossoming over Black Dragon City.

At the same time, the broadcast from the landing ship came on: "Welcome, hero team, returning in glory!"

The channel was full of cheers.

And right then:

[Vice Chairman Uriel]: Welcome, Chairman! Welcome, all you heroic members. I’m at the Black Dragon City plaza—the plaza has already set up a grand welcoming ceremony for you all!

Chun’s heart gave a little jump!

He’d already wanted to kick this guy out before! Later he played him along with empty courtesy and kept him steady; the guy didn’t stab them in the back, and even enjoyed the fruits of their thousand‑year victory like a triumphant contributor. Can he still be kicked now?

Damn, kind of seems like he can’t!?

Kicking out a "war hero" looks really bad! If they keep him, he can still leverage his overpowered Ten Lords abilities to keep working hard for the Commerce Association. The key thing is: now the core team’s power is absolute, they’re either heroes or Gods, they’re not remotely afraid of his little schemes—if he dares pull anything again, kick him instantly!

Chun decided to make a statement first!

[Chairman Vonima]: Thank you for the Vice Chairman’s contribution, let’s celebrate together!

All the members also chimed in, laughing: "Vice Chairman, thanks for your hard work..."

...

Ten Lords Chat Group.

Uriel had been counting down to welcome the loading complete!

He appeared in the Dragon God Hall and was immediately greeted by a massive wave of cheers. His first reaction was noticing the Commerce Association had leveled up—it was Level 100, with a 100% Attributes bonus!

Uriel practically went insane with joy!

Then the Commerce Association notification popped up: — Welcome new member Void Lord Vonimana to the Commerce Association!

Two Void Lords!

Oh my God!!

But the boss still hadn’t resurrected. He went to comfort the boss: "Boss, this means we’ve won!"

Michael said gloomily: "Careful. Back in the arena, we still don’t know if their stance was acting or stupidity. Now is when we might finally get the answer."

Uriel’s heart tightened: "If they..."

As the command center spotted the landing ship drawing near and sent out the broadcast—at that distance the Commerce Association channel could hear it too—Uriel took the initiative to greet them!

Seeing the whole team still sincerely responding, Uriel genuinely felt a kind of indescribable emotion!