Previously
The team stood in a loose circle just outside the cave entrance, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows across the rocky slope. Evelyn ran her fingers over a chunk of ore she'd pried from the wall—a rough, reddish-brown stone streaked with metallic veins.
Patrick let out a low whistle as he turned another sample in his hands. "Do you realize what we've just found? This isn't just a mine—it's a damn goldmine. Literally."
Yona adjusted her glasses, her scanner whirring as she analyzed a different specimen. "More valuable than gold right now. This hematite deposit is incredibly pure. With proper smelting, we could produce enough iron to reinforce our entire base."
Sean crossed his arms, his usual stoic expression giving way to cautious excitement. "That sulfur too. We're running low on gunpowder components back at camp."
Evelyn nodded, her mind racing with possibilities. She held up a piece of ore glittering with yellow crystals. "And this pyrite—"
