Chapter 2133

"Oh, you must be from out of town," the elderly woman said, glancing at Wilbur as she continued knitting. "The Ezekiel Mine has been closed for a decade. It used to be a thriving site, with up to ten thousand workers coming here annually. But that's all history now." "What? Ten thousand workers at the Ezekiel Mine? But it's such a small mine," Wilbur exclaimed in surprise. "That's right. It is a small mine. Initially, there were only a few hundred workers, and later, it grew to a few thousand. But life is not all about working and surviving. People need to rest, and they have a life outside of work. So, many people set up shops to supply goods and services to the workers. As more people settled here, the town naturally boomed further." She paused for a moment, then added, "However, not everyone came here to work in the mine. Many came for trade, providing basic necessities to those living here." Wilbur understood what the woman meant and asked, "So, at its peak, how many work