Chess Mage of Faerûn

Chapter 388 Improvement Plan
"Good name, let's change it!"

Old Ban Teli praised him ten times but refused.

"Huh?" Zhang Yuan asked, puzzled.

"I see shameful filth and despicable scum in your eyes!"

Old Banter said without giving any face whatsoever.

You noticed that too?
Master Zhang was full of question marks. People laugh at me for being crazy, but I laugh at them for wondering how the hell they could have figured it out.

After several rounds of wrangling, Zhang Yuan finally managed to outmaneuver Bantley, who had trouble coming up with a name, by relying on the quirky ideas in his head, and named the prototype.

pacifist!
"If we can improve it, reduce costs, and achieve large-scale standardized production and deployment, it will surely bring peace to my territory."

Lord Zhang made no attempt to hide his expectations, completely ignoring the old mage next to him who was clicking his teeth.

Once Zhang Yuan got excited, he stopped caring about the folk performance downstairs and started discussing the possibility of making changes with Bantley.

It's hard to say that Zhang Yuan himself had a deep understanding of the internal structure of the laser device, especially this modified version. After discussing it for a while, he still had no clue what to do.

But that's not a problem; he doesn't understand, but someone else does.

"Teacher, do you remember where that first laser gun came from?"

"Wasn't it taken from your strange summoned creature?"

Old Banter was a little puzzled by the other person's question, and answered casually.

"Would you be interested in getting to know this master craftsman from another dimension?"

A burning gaze suddenly fell upon him, and Zhang Yuan had already begun his spellcasting incantation.

As the light faded, the rounded, heavy armor of the three-star tinker appeared before the old dwarf, whose eyes were practically bulging out of their sockets.

"Wait, have we arrived at Tyranitar's laboratory?"

Zhang Yuan, who was well-versed in his field, finally summoned the main character—Old Tinker the Repairman. The latter, upon his arrival, curiously surveyed his surroundings, eventually turning his gaze back and forth between the instruments and Old Bentley.

Their eyes met, giving off a feeling of a turtle looking at a green bean.

"Ahem, this is Master Bentley, also my teacher. He greatly admires and is very interested in your inventions."

"This is Master Tinker, one of the most outstanding craftsmen of the Keen race in the Kaguya world. The laser weapon was made by him. Speaking of which, the Keen race and dwarves are somewhat similar."

Zhang Yuan stepped forward at the opportune moment to introduce the identities of both parties. Bantli, who was naturally overjoyed by the dual curiosity about dwarfs and mages, was eager to ask all sorts of questions.

Although the repairman didn't care much for the monks, he still had to give face to the administrators, even if he didn't respect the monks. On second thought, his invention was valued so much by his old adversaries, wouldn't it be a great story to brag about to his fellow inmates?
The conversation lasted from noon until late at night. The room was filled with the smell of burning tobacco, and the smoke was so thick that the blueprints under the lamplight were almost invisible.

Thankfully, I didn't stingyly buy inferior tobacco leaves to fool Old Bantel. The taste of the premium grade wasn't too harsh, otherwise I would have really screwed myself over. But...

"Ugh, why isn't the air purifier on? I thought someone had cast a cloud spell."

"What do you know? This is what makes it flavorful!"

Old Bentley rolled his eyes, dismissing his cheap apprentice's complaints. Tinker, standing nearby, nodded repeatedly. Tinker, a heavy smoker and habitual smoker, seemed to agree with his fellow smoker from another world. "Don't rush off," he said, "how about staying a few more days?"

This…

Upon hearing the old master's invitation, Zhang Yuan paused, his hand, which was busy fanning his nose, in mid-air.

It wasn't that he didn't want to stay; if possible, he could have enjoyed researching and exchanging ideas with his teacher, whom he hadn't seen for many days, to improve the new weapon. However, the current situation simply didn't allow it.

Without any preamble, Zhang Yuan told Bantley about his plans and situation. The latter pondered for a moment, then made a decision:

"You go and rest first. I have some trivial matters to discuss with Jelana. We'll set off together tomorrow morning."

"Why rush things, teacher?" Zhang Yuan asked, somewhat puzzled.
"I'll find another opportunity to bring Tinker and the others to visit you later, won't I?"

"I don't believe you for a second!" the old dwarf scoffed, smoke billowing from between his teeth and his pipe-grip lips like a breath.

"Do you think I don't know what you mean by 'one day'? By the time you find an opportunity, that wise lady has already favored this old dwarf countless times."

Well, it's no wonder that Bentley said that. After all, Master Zhang had only once sent a pigeon, and since it flew far north, there had been no news of it. Only a few coos from the communication crystal made him know that the kid was still alive and hadn't died far from home. So he really didn't dare to pin his hopes on the guy's conscience.

"Expeditions and adventures are arduous and long, but there's nothing we can do about it. However, with the settlement and development of our territory, everything will get better."

Master Zhang spoke softer and softer, partly because he noticed the look in the other person's eyes, and partly because he lacked confidence. In the end, he gave up in disappointment.

Perhaps because there were too many things to explain, Bantley finally appeared in the lobby on the first floor as dawn broke and it was almost noon. He walked toward Zhang Yuan, who had been waiting for quite some time, with a staff in one hand and a pipe in the other.

The latter did not complain, but was a little surprised that the other party did not pretend or hide anything and just went on a long trip in front of everyone.

The old monk didn't care at all:
"Do you think the walls I built and the guards I keep are just for show? I'm not going to let those petty thieves get away with this so easily. Besides..."

Bantley looked at his cheap apprentice with a hint of amusement, and continued leisurely:
"Isn't there you, kid? If anything happens, we can just teleport over together. You wouldn't want to abandon an old man like me, would you?"

"I..."

Zhang Yuan opened and closed his mouth several times but still couldn't utter a word. It wasn't that he was afraid, but he never expected that he, who was used to relying on powerful figures and sucking up to others, would have such a day.

Even if it's not a thigh or a tiger-skin banner, it's at least a calf or a wolf-skin rug.

Regardless of Zhang Yuan's somewhat complicated feelings, Lao Ban Teli strode towards the door, and Zhang Yuan, not wanting to think too much, followed him into the spacious courtyard.

"We can prepare to teleport now. It's been years since I've seen that guy Tyran. Come to think of it, you two seem to get along quite well?"

"He's alright. He can talk less nonsense and do things efficiently. He's not that difficult to deal with."

Upon hearing this, Bantley just chuckled and didn't say anything more about it.

Zhang Yuan himself goes without saying, and Old Banter had also visited Tyrantil, so the two seemed to have some connection. The teleportation was not difficult; in the blink of an eye, two dazzling halos lit up in the open courtyard, and the figure enveloped in them vanished in an instant.

Thank you to Succubus Paladin, Reader 1174299710196486144, Moon Min, No Updates Then Hehehe, and Lazy Dormouse for your monthly ticket support, thank you all!

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(End of this chapter)