Chapter 96 - 95: Extraordinary Clan

Chapter 96: Chapter 95: Extraordinary Clan

’Gutaf was actually sent to the man-eating Black Death Prison, and the prison’s origins can be traced back to the Mountain Ghost and indigenous rituals.’

’Interesting. Truly interesting!’

’So it was the mining magnates who dominated the history of the Lanyu Kingdom!’

Although Chen Qi owned the Decar Mining Company, it was basically bankrupt and undergoing restructuring.

His understanding of the Lanyu Kingdom’s mining industry was not very deep.

But having lived in the Lanyu Kingdom for so many years, he had at least heard of the Kingdom’s two main economic pillars.

The reason the Lanyu Kingdom was relatively comfortable compared to the small, neighboring countries was due to its two major export industries.

The first, of course, was the export of precious mineral resources. It was unparalleled among dozens of neighboring countries, especially in the non-ferrous metals industry.

Before Gutaf ascended to the throne, the profits from this sector didn’t really benefit the general population; they were all controlled by a few mining magnates.

The first thing Gutaf did after taking the throne was to nationalize these industries.

This was also the reason he was able to secure his throne, despite facing several assassination attempts.

Subsequent Prime Ministers continued this policy, greatly increasing the national satisfaction rate in the Lanyu Kingdom.

The Lanyu Kingdom’s second pillar industry was, naturally, the lanyu plant.

The history of its cultivation was incredibly ancient, originating with the indigenous mountain people.

Legend had it that it was a food gifted to humanity by the Mountain Ghost, not only having a great texture but also being rich in nutrients.

After the indigenous tribes declined, the plant was noticed by agricultural companies and began to be heavily promoted.

During a period when mineral resources were depleted, lanyu exports once surpassed non-ferrous metals to become the Lanyu Kingdom’s largest economic pillar.

This was also the origin of the Lanyu Kingdom’s name.

Its ranking fell again after Gutaf took the throne, when a massive non-ferrous metal mine was discovered at Chaotic Star Rock.

It could be said that the discovery of that mine greatly helped Gutaf stabilize the chaotic situation at the time.

’Huh? If that mine is also at Chaotic Star Rock, it makes no sense that the previous mining magnates couldn’t find it.’

’It was precisely because the non-ferrous metal mines at Chaotic Star Rock were nearly depleted that those mining consortiums, which had already grown into behemoths, left the Lanyu Kingdom and moved the focus of their operations overseas.’

’That’s what directly led to lanyu exports becoming the number one industry, even saving the ruined national economy for a time.’

’There’s definitely something very wrong with this newly discovered mine.’

If Chen Qi could figure this out, then Prime Minister Cloze Jic surely couldn’t have been unaware.

Chen Qi continued to read patiently. The answer was bound to be revealed.

"Gutaf spent seven years in Black Death Prison. In his 40th year, he once again bathed in the sunlight."

"Regarding his experiences in Black Death Prison, we tried many methods, but because it was too long ago and most of the prisoners with knowledge of it are long dead, we were unable to obtain much detailed information."

"The only thing we know is that Gutaf’s survival in Black Death Prison had to do with his shrewd opportunism."

"For the past several hundred years, Black Death Prison has been managed by the Kalu family, a massive clan that developed from the indigenous people."

"For centuries, every Prison Director of Black Death Prison has come from this family."

"The birth of the Kalu family is something of a legend. Because Black Death Prison was so infamous, for a very long time, no one wanted to work there. It wasn’t just the prisoners; sometimes even the Prison Director and guards would be Devoured and never come out."

"Its judgment of Sin seems not to be based on the Kingdom’s laws."

"In the end, with no other choice, the mining magnates, who only wanted to mine and couldn’t be bothered to manage the place, allowed Black Death Prison to be run by the prisoners themselves."

"Aside from dropping off new prisoners and some basic necessities, the outside world no longer interfered, and in fact knew nothing about it."

"For a full few hundred years, not a single prisoner ever walked out of Black Death Prison alive."

"If it weren’t for the fact that the supplied necessities regularly disappeared, proving there was still life inside, the Lanyu Kingdom, which was established after the mining magnates left, would have closed that prison long ago."

"In that era, Black Death Prison symbolized absolute death—and the most terrifying kind at that."

"This situation was only broken by the appearance of Kalu. He was a descendant of those indigenous people who had ’happily moved away,’ sentenced to death for burning down a factory during a rebellion, and thrown into Black Death Prison."

"In the Kalu family’s biography, the Ancestor Kalu walked into the great open mouth of the black mountain with the last rays of the setting sun. Ten years later, Kalu walked back out of the great mouth with the rising Sun."

"After his release, Kalu’s fame skyrocketed. He instantly became a legendary figure and was honorably appointed as the new Prison Director."

"Ever since, this position has been passed down to his descendants, and his original name became the family’s surname."

"It was also after the Kalu family took over the role of Prison Director that Black Death Prison entered a state of normalcy. Although the vast majority of death row inmates still never made it out, a lucky one would emerge every decade or so."

Reading up to this point, a chill ran down Chen Qi’s spine.

He truly couldn’t imagine what the prisoners thrown into Black Death Prison must have experienced.

But one thing was certain: it was a bottomless abyss of despair, a place where hope could never exist.

But Chen Qi was more curious about another question. What was Black Death Prison to the Transcendents of the Inner World?

’Black Death Prison is so legendary and unique, surely they couldn’t have just ignored it, right?’