*Tik tik ticckk*

The sound of the pickaxes hitting the narrow stone walls was defending, the low light the candles provided was tiring to the eyes, and the smell of sweat and pissed punched you in the nose, but Theo couldn't do anything about it. Seeing the other hardworking men around him hardworking he didn't dare speak a word and continue to swing his pickaxe, but his mind was moving at 100 km per hour.

*Ting*

' Fuck!' cussed Theo on the inside as a small wound formed in his callused palm. It was not a big wound as only his skin was ripped slightly, but because of the sweat it stung.

' This situation, it isn't good. If I continue to do this work for thirty more days then I'll surely die from exhaustion on an infection. This place is a shit hole and I'm neck deep in it.  I accepted to play this ' Game' , but why did it have to be so hard from the beginning.'

" Sigh....

*Tack*

"No speaking! Continue to work!"

' Motherfucker!' cussed Theo at the man who had whipped him before. The man didn't work, but instead only swung his whip when he wished, sometimes hitting the ground, sometimes hitting someone on the back, but one thing was sure. When they heard the whip crack, all hurried up.

' Beeing a slave in the Empire, a slave of the Pasius family isn't a bad life for a slave, but working in this mine is as good as a death sentence. From the memories I have gained , the previous owner of this body heard rumors of this place.

'The Hellhole', this place was called, because if someone entered he wouldn't ever come out. The chances of surviving were zero if the rumors were true, but the system wants me to survive 30 days in this place? It's kinda ironic that I complained before.' Theo smiled wryly as he combed through his new memories.

..........

After a couple of  grueling hours of digging in the tunnels and repeatedly transporting rocks to a gathering spot Theo was beat. He lay flat on the ground as his body ached everywhere, but the smell if food made him jump up.

"Haha, come here you filthy rats, it's time to eat!"

Theo looked through the iron bars and saw the same man who whipped him. He was together with two other men who he'd a bid pot, but they didn't seem to be slaves, they seemed to be soldiers. The two men wore what seemed to be a loose , thick shirt under what seemed to Theo like chainmail, had a short spear on their back, and a small sword on their hip. 

"Come, time to eat." said the man as the two soldiers lowered the big pot and a stronger smell hit Theo. It wasn't that the smell was that appetizing, but he was so so hungry that he didn't mid at all. Without Theo noticing one of the other slaves went forward towards the pot and stoped 10cm from it. The soldiers took a wooden bowl and a wooden ladle and filled the man a portion before handing it to him and the man slowly took it. He thought wasn't so patient in slurping it down as he had finished his bowl in Les than five seconds. He then had another bowl before heading back.

After the first one another slave went forward and drank his soup from the same bowl, and this continued until no one came forward anymore. This made the soldiers surprised as they spoke something to the man and the man immediately became pale as he looked at them. He got close to the bars and spoke in a low , but deep voice.

"Hey, you fuckers, why aren't you coming forward anymore? Are you not hungry, or is the food not to your taste? HUH, ANSWER ME?!"

"No.. it's not that..." spoke one of the slaves, but he immediately shut up as he knew he shouldn't have spoken.

"No, it's no? What are you saying? Speak up!"

"It's... it's not that we don't want to eat, it's just that it's not our turn yet. It's the new guys turn." said the man as he pointed at Theo who felt a chill down his spine.

'Shit, shit, shit.....

"Oh , the new guy?" said the man in a calmer tone " Well it can't be helped, it's the new guy after all. Hey, new guy, come here!"

Theo looked at the man who seemed to have calmed down and slowly got up and went forward. He did as everyone else before him and waited for the bowl to be filled , before hesitantly drinking it. The soup was very thin , almost completed water with what seemed to be pieces of bread , but it was filling. After he drank his second bowl he wasn't that hungry anymore.

............

After the sound was over the slaves all found a corner to sleep on and snuggled with some hay for comfort, but Theo couldn't sleep, he was focused on his missions.

All in all he had three missions in total. One was just to survive in this place, the other was to raise his social standing, and the third was a mystery. The first one didn't require much work as he only needed to survive, but the second was more elusive as he didn't really understood.

' From a slave that I am, to raise my social standing  I need to become free don't I? But how can I free myself if I don't have to money to do so? Is there another way?' pondered Theo as he looked at the reward of the second mission. ' 300GP and a random intelligence card. I don't know what GP is or what it it used for, but I would surely want some intelligence. It could definitely help my situation in this place.'

As Theo was looking at his missions page a slave that was sitting close to him suddenly got up and without warning and kicked Theo.

"Gah... what the fuc.....

*Bam*

Theo was hit once again , slammed  to the ground before he was repeatedly stomped.

"Hah hah...hah. You brought this to yourself." muttered the slave before he went back to his place, leaving Theo bruised, but very angry.

" Motherfucker! I'll fucking kill you!" yelled out Theo as he prepared to rush the man, but he was held back by another slave close to him.

"Hey, calm down, do you want to die? Calm down!" 

The man repeated those words at Theo as he held him down, but Theo struggled . He tried to get to the one who beat him , but when he looked at him once again, he saw him smiling. This made him even madder , but he calmed down as he understood that it was a provocation. He didn't know why, but he knew that if he fell in that trap, he wouldn't end good.

"Hah hah....

"Have you calmed down yet?" said the slave who held him back, and Theo finally got a good look at him. He looked to be in his mid thirties, had short hair as everyone here and has a slightly tanned skin matching his eye. He had a small beard and a slightly angled nose that looked broken.

"Thanks." said Theo in between pained breathes, but the man didn't say anything as he only went back to where he was. Theo also went back to sit down , but he wasn't calm at all as he looked at the man who had beat him.