Chapter 130: Commencing the Survey of the Ore Veins in the Crag-Peak Market!

Professor Wang nodded, turned, and spoke to the students behind him: "Let’s start preparing for the detailed exploration immediately; we must confirm the reality of the jade vein as soon as possible." The students responded in unison and immediately began to busy themselves.

Li Tiancheng took the opportunity to lean in close to me and whispered: "You set a high bar with those demands, but I suppose it gives you a way out. I hope this goes smoothly."

I smiled and patted him on the shoulder: "Don't worry, Tiancheng, we will definitely succeed this time."

Shortly after, the exploration work officially began.

I had Pan Ximi seal off all the stalls in the eastern section of the market, then allowed the archaeological team to enter and begin their survey. Professor Wang and his team brought in advanced equipment, carefully conducting measurements in the designated areas. As a partner, I was also qualified to be on-site.

The exploration was in full swing, and the eastern section of the market was a hive of activity. Professor Wang’s team was constantly setting up instruments, collecting data, and analyzing soil composition. Everyone was focused and tense, as if they dared not relax for even a second. Every now and then, Professor Wang would stop, his brow furrowed as he examined the data on the display screens; the deep contemplation in his expression commanded a sense of awe.

I stood to the side, watching every move they made, feeling both expectant and anxious. Li Tiancheng walked over and handed me a bottle of water: "Don't be so nervous; we’ve made the most thorough preparations possible."

I nodded, took the water, and drew a deep breath: "True, as long as we find the jade vein, all this effort will be worth it."

Just then, Professor Wang suddenly waved us over, his voice filled with irrepressible excitement: "Come quickly, there’s an anomalous reading here!"

We rushed over to see a clear, abnormal fluctuation on the screen. Professor Wang pointed at the display, his eyes gleaming: "This is very likely the trace of the jade vein!"

Hearing this, everyone cheered. Li Tiancheng patted my shoulder and laughed: "It looks like we’re really going to succeed this time!"

I, however, did not share their excitement. Instead, I pointed toward the northeast corner and said: "Professor Wang, why do I feel that the mine vein should be located over there?"

As soon as I spoke, one of the students standing next to the professor—the one wearing thick, bottle-bottom glasses—had his expression darken. He looked at me and said, "Didn't you say you didn't know much about this? Our machines have already detected it—are you implying you know better than the equipment?"

Professor Wang was slightly taken aback by my words; he turned to look at me, a flicker of doubt and curiosity in his eyes. After a moment of silence, he walked to the spot I had indicated and commanded his students: "You lot, come over and survey this position!"

The students quickly moved the equipment to the northeast corner I had pointed out and began a new survey. An atmosphere of tension filled the air; everyone held their breath, waiting for the new results. Professor Wang stood nearby, staring fixedly at the screen with his hands behind his back, his expression focused and grave.

A few minutes later, the instruments emitted a low hum, and a new data fluctuation appeared on the screen. Professor Wang’s eyes lit up instantly. He analyzed the data quickly, and a moment later, a look of incredulous joy appeared on his face.

"The reaction here is even stronger than the previous one!" he exclaimed excitedly. "This is very likely the main body of the jade vein; there must be a larger cavern underneath!"

Hearing this, everyone cheered again. The student with the thick glasses cast a resentful glance at me but could say nothing. Professor Wang walked over and patted my shoulder, his eyes full of appreciation: "It seems your intuition is incredibly sharp. You’ve been a huge help."

I smiled modestly and replied: "It was just good luck; the real credit belongs to you."

Just as everyone was immersed in joy, a loud rumble suddenly came from underground, and the ground began to tremble slightly. Everyone looked around in astonishment, unsure of what was happening.

"What's going on!" Professor Wang shouted, "It might be an unstable geological structure; evacuate immediately!"

The tremors grew more violent, dust billowed, and it felt as if the entire eastern section of the market were shaking. Professor Wang’s voice was urgent amidst the chaos: "Quick! Everyone, evacuate immediately!"

The students scrambled to pack their equipment and fled in all directions. Li Tiancheng didn't dare hesitate either, grabbing me to pull me away. However, I pushed his hand aside, and he looked at me in confusion.

I shook my head and said: "It’s not a geological issue. It’s likely that their detectors caused a resonance with something underground, causing a small collapse within the mine vein. It’s not serious!"

No sooner had I spoken than the ground stopped shaking.

The situation was now quite awkward. I stood alone in the center of the exploration site. Everyone else had run far away. The student with the thick glasses, in particular, looked at me with a face full of terror.

Professor Wang looked at me with an expression of disbelief: "Why didn't you run?"

I explained with a bit of embarrassment: "This kind of shaking doesn't qualify as a geological disaster; it’s just a localized collapse, likely caused by the resonance from the detectors."

As soon as I finished, the surrounding students began to whisper among themselves. Some were discussing my judgment, while others were questioning my professional capabilities. Professor Wang’s expression became complex; he clearly found my explanation difficult to accept.

"Everyone, quiet!" Professor Wang said in a deep voice, attempting to restore order. He walked up to me, his eyes gleaming with thought. "You mean to say the tremors were caused by the detectors?"

I nodded: "Yes, Professor. In my experience, this type of shaking is usually caused by the resonance between the detectors and certain minerals underground."

Professor Wang pondered for a moment, then turned to his students: "Everyone, calm down. Re-check the equipment and ensure there is no further danger."

The students busied themselves recalibrating the equipment and checking the data. The student with the thick glasses remained suspicious of me, but he dared not say anything else.

Li Tiancheng walked over to my side and whispered: "You’re incredibly bold to be able to analyze things calmly under those circumstances."

I smiled: "Just good luck... people like us usually have pretty good luck."

A few minutes later, Professor Wang reviewed the data again. After confirming there was no further danger, he walked over and patted my shoulder, his eyes filled with complex emotions: "It seems your intuition is indeed very sharp; you’ve been a great help. On this point, I am not your equal. You really are a 'great rat'!"

I was slightly stunned and asked: "What do you mean by 'great rat'?"