I picked up skill fragments in the demon world.

Chapter 1078 A little test
"All prisoners stay in the car and don't move!" Warden Liu got out of the car and shouted to all the prisoners. He then instructed the guards behind him, "Full alert. If any prisoner dares to get out of the car and try to escape, be ready to shoot."

The armed guards on the truck jumped off, glaring menacingly at the prisoners. Then, Warden Liu, trudging through the thick snow, arrived at the broken-down truck: "Where's it broken? Can it be fixed?"

The driver shook his head upon hearing this: "I only know how to drive, how would I know how to repair a car? If you want to repair a car, you'll have to ask the master mechanic at the agricultural machinery station in Loulan City."

"With such heavy snow, how can we get people? Even if I use my car to pick them up, without the tracks left by the big trucks, the car won't go very far." Inspector Liu was extremely anxious. As darkness fell, if the big trucks were to spend the night in the dark, it would definitely be a serious accident.

Seeing that Inspector Liu was pacing around anxiously and had no idea what to do, Zhang Chen on the motorcycle opened his eyes and said to Inspector Liu, who was pacing around in front of the motorcycle, "Maybe I can give it a try."

His voice, though soft, was incredibly penetrating, cutting through the heavy snow and reaching the ears of Inspector Liu and the driver.

Zhang Chen had studied mechanical engineering in his previous life, and coupled with his mastery of the Five Elements and electromagnetic forces, he was extremely familiar with the working principles of engines.

"Can you do it?" Officer Liu looked toward Zhang Chen, who was crammed into the truck, following the voice. The heavy snow had turned Zhang Chen's hat and shoulders into a white expanse, and his face was covered in frost. Only his eyes were particularly captivating.

"Perhaps we can give it a try," Zhang Chen said with a smile.

"Alright! Let's give it a try! If you can fix the cart, you'll be credited with a great service! When we get to Daxing Mountain, you won't have to do any labor; you'll be in charge of fixing our carts!" Officer Liu was overjoyed.

It's important to know that Daxingshanling is a day's drive from Loulan. If your vehicle breaks down, it's a real hassle. You can't just go to the Loulan Agricultural Machinery Station and expect to find a mechanic. There are tens of thousands of vehicles in Loulan, and countless vehicles break down every day. Skilled mechanics are highly sought-after, and they're all concentrated at the Loulan Agricultural Machinery Station. If your vehicle breaks down and you want it repaired, you'll have to wait in line.

Moreover, when the mechanic came, he demanded all sorts of bribes and favors, which amounted to a large sum of money, enough to make Officer Liu feel the pinch.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Chen smiled and, amidst the astonished gazes of all the prisoners, jumped off the vehicle in shackles. He walked to the front of the vehicle, knocked on the hood, and asked the driver, "Do you have a cross-shaped knife?"

Zhang Chen, who controls the Five Elements, already knew where the problem lay through the sensing power of the Metal element. The current inspection was merely a show for everyone to see.

The driver quickly took out a Phillips head knife from the car. Zhang Chen deftly unscrewed the fixing screws and removed the front cover. Then, a dense array of wires came into view. He examined the wires and confirmed that there was nothing wrong with them. Then he reached out and tapped the generator, saying to Inspector Liu, "The engine is probably broken. We need to take it apart."

"Disassemble the engine?" The driver's face changed upon hearing this: "Kid, the engine is very complicated. Are you sure you can handle it? If it's not the engine's fault but you damage it, then it'll be a real problem. The engine is the most valuable part of a car. If the engine is damaged, we'll all be punished."

Zhang Chen ignored the driver and looked at Inspector Liu. Inspector Liu's expression changed upon hearing Zhang Chen's words: "You want to disassemble the engine? You should know that the internal structure of the engine is complex. Once it is disassembled, it is not easy to put it back together... How confident are you?"

"I'm very confident!" Zhang Chen said calmly.

He had already confirmed through the gold trading company that a heating wire inside the engine had burned out, and that the heating wire needed to be reconnected to repair the engine.

The engines in this world are very different from the engines in Zhang Chen's previous life. The engines in this world are more complex and cumbersome. The internal combustion engine and the main engine are assembled together, and there are countless spring mechanisms inside. If you are not careful, the engine will fall apart on the spot.

Looking at Zhang Chen's resolute face, Officer Liu's eyes revealed a determination, and he uttered a single word: "Demolish!"

If they aren't dismantled, the large trucks will remain parked there, and countless people will freeze to death.

As for why they didn't cut down trees by the roadside for warmth?
The roadside timber has long been cut down, otherwise why would we need to develop those barren mountains and wilderness?
In the post-war reconstruction of Loulan, all usable trees in the vicinity had long been cut down, and even the firewood needed for the daily life of the people in the city had to be purchased from Weichang.

The driver's lips moved upon hearing this, but seeing the resolute look on Officer Liu's face, he ultimately dared not utter a word of objection. Then, Zhang Chen said to the driver, "Bring all the tools."

The driver didn't waste any time and took out his toolbox. Then Zhang Chen began disassembling the engine in the snow.

Seeing the busy figure in the wind and snow, Warden Liu quickly took off the gloves he was wearing and handed them to Zhang Chen: "It's cold, here are some gloves for you, so your hands don't get frozen."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Chen accepted the cotton gloves without refusing, and instead put them on with a smile: "Thank you, Instructor Liu."

Zhang Chen deftly began removing the screws, and Instructor Liu asked, "How long will it take to fix?"

"Disassembling the engine takes ten minutes, assembling it takes twenty minutes, and repairing it only takes five minutes," Zhang Chen said confidently. "Are you really sure?" Inspector Liu asked again, his voice filled with uncertainty.

Zhang Chen smiled upon hearing this: "If I can't fix it, you can just kill me."

As Zhang Chen spoke, he said to Inspector Liu, "I need three people to help me disassemble the engine to prevent the internal mechanism springs from flying off."

Warden Liu quickly called over three prisoners to help. Then, Zhang Chen skillfully disassembled the engine parts, his movements fluid and pleasing to the eye, like watching a grand art performance.

Watching Zhang Chen's actions, it's hard not to believe that he does indeed have the means to repair engines.

Zhang Chen disassembled the engine, looked at the blown fuse, cut off a section of a perfectly good engine wire, and used it to replace the fuse. Then, he quickly began to install the engine.

There are dozens of parts of various sizes inside the engine. If Zhang Chen didn't use his superpowers and was alone, it would indeed be difficult to install. However, with the help of others, it was not difficult for Zhang Chen. He completed the task in just fifteen minutes: "Try starting the engine."

Upon hearing Zhang Chen's words, the driver quickly ran into the car. As the key turned, a roar erupted, and thick black smoke billowed from the exhaust pipe. The crowd cheered, and Inspector Liu, beaming with joy, exclaimed, "It actually worked! Everyone, get in the car and let's continue on our way!"

He then looked at Zhang Chen and said, "Come with me."

Instructor Liu led Zhang Chen into the car. To be honest, the cars of this era weren't very warm, but it was still a hundred times better than being outside in the cold wind.

Instructor Liu pushed Zhang Chen into the back seat, then sat down himself. He handed Zhang Chen a towel, indicating that he should wipe the oil off his hands. Zhang Chen took the towel and slowly wiped his fair hands.

"You've studied this before? You must be a top student! No, ordinary top students don't have your skills. At least an eighth-level master craftsman would need to be as proficient as you." Instructor Liu looked at Zhang Chen with a probing gaze.

"I studied with a master craftsman for a while," Zhang Chen said, spouting complete fabrication. Could he really explain the principles of electromagnetism and the function of metal weights to the other party?

"With your skills, you'd be a treasure no matter where you are. How did you end up in exile?" Officer Liu was really curious. Wouldn't any machine factory easily release someone with Zhang Chen's skills?

“He was imprisoned for engaging in feudal superstitions,” Zhang Chen sighed softly, without trying to hide it.

Instructor Liu was taken aback: "You practice martial arts?"

Only those who practice martial arts become obsessed with the legendary realms of martial arts, and they are the main force behind feudal superstition.

"I know a little bit," Zhang Chen said modestly.

Upon hearing this, Officer Liu suddenly realized: "Most of the people arrested for engaging in feudal superstition are martial arts practitioners. Only the legendary martial arts realms and secret martial arts techniques can make people pursue them at all costs."

He scanned Zhang Chen's body and didn't think the other party had any martial arts achievements. There were no signs of martial arts training on Zhang Chen's body, so he was probably just a mediocre person who had gotten himself into trouble instead of learning martial arts.

"When you get to Weichang, you won't need to go to a labor camp. You'll just need to be in charge of repairing the machinery in Weichang. By the way, what kind of machinery can you repair?" Warden Liu asked Zhang Chen.

Zhang Chen smiled upon hearing this: "As long as it's a machine you can produce, from airplanes and cannons to precision components in radios, none of them can stump me."

Upon hearing this, Officer Liu was stunned and was once again shocked by Zhang Chen: "If you really have such skills, you really shouldn't have been sent here. It's a waste of your talent. It's not easy for the country to cultivate a talent like you."

“You’re mistaken,” Zhang Chen said, “I’m just a cog in the machine. I’ll be wherever I’m needed. There’s no question of being underutilized.”

Upon hearing Zhang Chen's words, Warden Liu looked at Zhang Chen with even greater respect. The two chatted casually as they drove off into the distance amidst the roar of machinery.

The truck drove non-stop for ten hours before finally stopping in front of a small village. The warden got out of the truck and shouted to everyone, "Everyone get out of the truck. We've arrived. Everyone line up in formation."

(End of this chapter)