Chapter 130
Chapter 130
At daybreak the next morning, Xiao Che woke Jin Bao.
Xie Chengyan was already dressed and waiting in the courtyard.
He had been staying in a side courtyard of the Xiao Family residence all this time.
Xiao Che had offered to build him a courtyard in the valley, but he declined.
Given what they intended to accomplish and the pressure of the current situation outside, he did not believe he would remain in the valley for long.
Still drowsy, Jin Bao was lifted from her blankets by Xiao Che.
Jin Bao was not irritable upon waking and was usually very well-behaved. Even when Daddy woke her, she never cried or threw a fit. She simply nestled obediently in Xiao Che’s arms and went back to sleep.
Once Jin Bao was awakened, the little squirrel sleeping beside her naturally could not remain in bed either. Jin Bao grabbed it by the tail and dragged it from beneath the blankets with her.
“Squirrely, Baby is so sleepy and wants to sleep. Show Daddy and the others the way. When we come back, Baby will give you tasty pine nuts.”
The moment the little squirrel heard there was a reward, it clasped its tiny paws together and nodded.
Then it zipped outside and squatted on the threshold by the front gate.
Xiao Che and Xie Chengyan exchanged amused smiles.
“That little creature really has become a spirit.”
Xiao Che smiled and shook his head. He wrapped Jin Bao against his chest in a wolf-fur cloak until only her small head showed, like a mother kangaroo carrying her young.
The two men shared a sled. The little squirrel sat motionless on a Snow Mastiff’s back like a great general commanding a mighty army, constantly directing the mastiff toward the coal mine.
They arrived in less than half an hour.
The little squirrel jumped from the Snow Mastiff’s back and ran toward the spot where the lump of coal had been found.
Jin Bao stretched and poked her head out of Xiao Che’s embrace.
“Daddy, are we there?”
Xiao Che lifted Jin Bao from the cloak.
“The squirrel says we are. Look around and see if this is the place.”
Jin Bao rubbed her eyes and surveyed their surroundings.
“That’s right. This is the place. Baby picked up the coal over there.”
Jin Bao pointed toward a slope halfway up the hill.
Xiao Che and Xie Chengyan immediately climbed down from the sled and secured the Snow Mastiffs.
They had brought axes with them as well.
Many other pieces of black coal protruded from the ground around the place where Jin Bao had found hers.
Xie Chengyan bent down, picked up several pieces, and examined them carefully.
“These are identical to what Jin Bao brought home yesterday. It seems my guess was correct. This place is a coal mine, much like an iron mine. The ground beneath us should be filled with coal.”
To verify his conjecture, Xie Chengyan used his axe as a shovel. He brushed away the surface snow and chopped hard into the ground.
After considerable effort, he finally dug out a large pit with the axe.
The sides of the pit and all the excavated soil were black.
Xie Chengyan rose excitedly.
“Old Xiao, there can be no mistake. This must be a mine. Look at the soil here – it’s entirely black. Coal can be dug out right at the surface, and the soil is loose, making it far easier to mine than iron ore.”
Xiao Che knew they had found treasure yet again, all thanks to Jin Bao.
Jin Bao swept her gaze around, and another vision appeared before her eyes.
Many people stood inside a narrow tunnel, holding torches. Suddenly, a tremendous bang shook the cave, and the entire passage exploded. Not one person inside survived.
The vision terrified Jin Bao. The explosion reminded her of her previous life as the Zombie King, when people had hunted and attacked her every day.
Humans possessed explosives, and they looked exactly like the scene she had just witnessed.
Whenever they exploded, hordes of zombies were blown to pieces. Their destructive power was immense.
“Daddy, Uncle, dead people! So many dead people! It explodes. There’s gas. No fire!”
Extremely frightened, Jin Bao hurried back and flung herself against Xiao Che, tightly hugging his legs as her small body trembled.
Xiao Che did not know what she had seen, but since his daughter was so frightened, it had to have been something terrifying.
He hurriedly lifted Jin Bao into his arms and held her close, soothing her for a long while before she recovered.
Xie Chengyan was deeply worried as well. After living with Jin Bao for some time, he had learned just how many powers his niece possessed. She had practically opened his Heavenly Eye.
Xie Chengyan’s heart ached for Jin Bao.
Though such a young child possessed powers and could see things invisible to others, she also had to endure terrors no one else could bear.
Xie Chengyan gently patted Jin Bao’s little head while considering what she had just said.
No fire. It would explode and kill many people.
“Jin Bao, did what you just described happen inside a coal mine?”
Now calm again, Jin Bao lightly nodded her small head.
“Yes, Uncle. No fire. There’s gas that explodes and kills everyone. It’s very powerful.”
As she spoke, Jin Bao gestured to show people being blown away, her little face deathly pale.
Xie Chengyan seemed to recall hearing of a gas that could indeed explode, but only under certain conditions.
Could coal mines produce that kind of gas?
“Then if we find a way to ventilate the mine and expel the gas, and replace the lighting with windproof lamps so the flames never touch it, would that prevent an explosion?”
Jin Bao shook her head. “Baby doesn’t know.”
Jin Bao merely described what she had seen. Finding a solution was a matter for the adults.
Xiao Che thought the method was feasible.
The most important task now was to transport some coal back, sort and wash it according to Jin Bao’s instructions, and see whether the refined coal burned longer without producing a foul smell.
They set to work at once.
Using the tools they had brought, the two men dug out several large pieces of coal, loaded them onto the sled, and took them back.
It was only noon when they returned to Black Pine Valley.
Xie Chengyan immediately ordered someone to prepare a large bathing tub filled halfway with water.
Jin Bao ran over carrying a sieve the size of a millstone.
“Uncle, sift it with this first.”
Jin Bao did not know why it had to be done, but the people washing coal in her vision had followed this process.
Without another word or question, Xie Chengyan accepted the sieve from Jin Bao and sifted the coal they had brought back.
Sure enough, many fine particles fell through. Just as he prepared to pour the coal remaining in the bamboo sieve into the tub, he saw Jin Bao pick out everything that was not black and throw it aside.
“Uncle, this is called gangue. It can’t burn, so you have to throw it away.”
Xie Chengyan hurriedly helped her sort out the impurities until only black pieces of coal remained.
At last, he could pour the coal into the water and wash it.
As soon as it entered the water, Jin Bao hurriedly pulled Xie Chengyan away.
“Uncle, wait a while and let it soak. Whenever Baby bathes, Mommy lets Baby soak in hot water. She says that makes the dirt swell up so it can be scrubbed off.”
Xie Chengyan bent down and gently scraped Jin Bao’s little nose.
“You clever little imp. You’re so smart. Then we’ll let this black coal soak in there.”
They waited until after lunch.
Jin Bao came out holding a bamboo pole.
“Uncle, you have to stir it hard with this bamboo pole so it gets even cleaner.”
Xiao Che approached from behind and took the bamboo pole from her.
“Hard labor like this isn’t meant for a scholar. Your uncle’s hands are for holding writing brushes. Leave it to Daddy.”
Xiao Che strode into the courtyard and vigorously stirred the coal according to Jin Bao’s instructions, giving it a thorough bath.
“Daddy, that’s enough. Hurry and take the bathed coal out so it can dry in the sun.”
Under Jin Bao’s step-by-step guidance, the first batch of washed coal finally came into being.