Read Novel Full Chapter 950: Miners
Chapter 950: Miners
Right below the Durant colony was the largest red dot on the Dowsing Machine. Based on Durant’s habits, they preferred to build their nests atop mineral veins.
So Julian guessed that the red dot likely represented a mineral vein.
The Durant queen’s reaction also confirmed Julian’s guess.
"Steelix, Aggron!"
Julian tossed two Poké Balls, releasing not only Steelix but also Aggron—the mining specialist.
"Dig out all the sand within a 500-meter radius."
Julian pointed at the surrounding sand.
Digging in sandy terrain was particularly challenging because sand was soft, fine, and prone to shifting. A freshly dug hole could quickly fill back in as sand flowed into it.
But for Aggron and Steelix, this posed no difficulty.
In about half an hour, the two Pokémon had excavated all the sand within a 500-meter radius, revealing the enormous Durant nest below—and this was only a portion of it, with much more still buried deeper underground.
Julian’s target wasn’t the nest, but the mineral vein beneath it.
The Durants grew somewhat restless—their home had literally been dug up. But with their queen still in the enemy’s grasp, they dared not make a move.
"Metagross," Julian called.
Metagross nodded, and with a surge of Psychic, enveloped the Durant nest. Slowly, like an underground palace, the nest was lifted from the ground.
Part of the nest had been damaged, likely during Steelix’s capture of the Durant queen.
With the nest removed, a gleaming golden mineral vein was revealed below.
Julian levitated using Psychic and went over the vein. He took out a pickaxe and chipped off a small piece. The surface of the vein was reddish-gold, but the cross-section showed a reddish-brown hue with flecks of golden light.
"It really is copper-gold ore!"
Copper-gold ore was one of the more abundant mineral veins in nature and had a wide range of applications.
As the name suggested, it was a vein combining copper and gold. Copper’s use in various mechanical fields went without saying.
As for gold—well, gold was gold, and its value today had reached 400 per gram.
Additionally, unprocessed copper-gold ore was one of the favorite foods for many Steel-type and Rock-type Pokémon.
"Now, have your colony break down this mineral vein for me," Julian said to the Durant queen.
With its life in the other's hands, the Durant queen had no choice but to comply. With a sharp chirp, it issued a command, and the surrounding Durant sprang into action.
They bit into the copper-gold ore with their powerful mandibles—capable of lifting objects over ten times their own weight. A Durant measuring just thirty centimeters could easily lift more than half a ton.
The Durant worked with precise division of labor, like a finely tuned machine, cutting and transporting the ore. Despite their small size, their efficiency seemed to surpass even that of Steelix and Aggron.
Due to their massive bodies, Steelix and Aggron, even when cutting the ore, produced large and irregular chunks.
"Just as I thought."
Julian looked at the Durants—the hardworking, and unpaid laborers.
The Walker family controlled the largest number of mineral veins in the world and was also a behemoth in the metallurgical industry.
With so many mineral veins, there was naturally a high demand for miners, machinery, and Pokémon.
Over the years, the Walker Group had developed a well-established mining system, with humans, machinery, and Pokémon working together in a clear division of labor.
But that was before the discovery of Durant. Now that Durant had been found, Julian felt the mining industry was ripe for transformation.
With this thought, Julian tossed a Poké Ball at the Durant queen's head.
Durant queen: 'A sneak attack!'
Seeing the Poké Ball constantly shaking, he estimated it would break free in just a few seconds. After all, it hadn't suffered any serious injuries.
"If you come out, I'll have the dog bite you to death," Julian said calmly to the Poké Ball.
Durant queen: 'Playing dirty, huh?'
"Arf!"
Arcanine: "Come out, and I'll bite you to death!"
Arcanine bared its teeth, ready to strike at any moment. It almost wished the Durant queen would emerge—it didn’t want Julian to have another Pokémon competing for his attention.
Unfortunately, the Poké Ball fell still, much to Arcanine’s disappointment.
Pop!
Julian released the Durant queen again, who now wore a somewhat resentful expression.
"Following me is the result of your ancestors' accumulated virtue."
Julian took out a box of Pokéblocks and handed it over. He never mistreated his Pokémon.
Although the Durant queen’s role wasn’t for combat but for producing Durant to work in the Walker Group’s mines.
'This flavor—mmm—so good—truly delicious.'
The Durant queen’s expression shifted from initial disdain to shock, and then to wholehearted acceptance.
It looked at Julian. "If you give me a box of this food every month, it might not be impossible to work for you."
Julian’s Pokémon were indeed much stronger than it, but that wasn’t the reason for its submission. It was, after all, a Durant queen—it had to maintain some dignity.
But a single box of Pokéblocks in exchange for its dignity… seemed like a pretty cheap deal.
"One box a month?" Julian repeated.
His expression made the Durant queen uncertain. Considering how delicious the food was and the faint surge of power it felt after eating, this food must be incredibly rare and valuable.
Was its demand for one box a month too excessive?
"Then… three months. Five months at most! That’s my final bottom line!" the Durant queen hastily added.
Seeing that the other party was afraid he would refuse, yet tried to show an expression of "even if you refuse I don’t care," Julian felt this fellow was actually a little silly and cute.
"Arcanine, tell it what you eat every day," Julian said.
Arcanine looked disdainfully at the ignorant creature and pointed at the empty Pokéblock box on the ground. "Depending on appetite, we eat one or two boxes per meal, three meals a day. Of course, if you could handle it, eating five boxes in one sitting is also fine."
"Besides the most common Pokéblocks, there are also various supplements to boost the six base stats and berry drinks made by Slowking."
The Durant queen was utterly shocked. Such delicious food, and this dog claimed they ate it every day—even several boxes in one meal!
"Swear on your honor as a Pokémon that you don’t lie to me," the Durant queen said, still unable to fully believe it.
"I swear—I am not lying to you," Arcanine declared.
Julian then took out several more boxes of Pokéblocks and placed them before the Durant queen. "Go ahead, eat."
He couldn’t help but pity the poor thing, stuck in a secret realm with no exposure to the finer things in life.
Watching the Durant queen devour five boxes in a row and still look unsatisfied, Julian felt a twinge of regret.
Damn, this appetite was even bigger than Steelix’s—and Steelix only ate three boxes a meal!
*****
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