Is the person you sculpt as cute as me?

ps

(There's only one update today. The beginning of the new volume is a bit difficult to write, and my teeth are making a comeback. Sigh.)

133·Understanding

"The situation is more complicated than we thought."

The Rust Remover's tone was tinged with worry.

"First of all—it's now clear that the Ice Prison Dragon is responsible for the loss of such a large amount of goods to the 'Underworld Chamber of Commerce.' Therefore, I'm not suspected... That's not a problem."

"Well, what's the problem?"

"Their top brass is coming to this branch to attack alongside the branch leader and recover the losses—at least that's what I heard. They're currently assembling their forces, both for the goods and for face."

Judging from their previous communication, they obviously knew how terrifying the Ice Prison Dragon was.

Even so, they still wanted to settle the score - that meant they were from a big background.

Yu Man nodded, thinking about making some preparations.

"As the one who placed the order, they're trying to drag me into this, asking me to participate in the recovery and provide combat readiness... They want to 'borrow' a ninth-tier weapon from me."

"So you're not safe either?"

"That's not the case. I have connections with several important people, so the Chamber of Commerce won't turn against me just for ten thousand gold coins. But the pressure is indeed on me - so I came here not only to pick up the goods, but also to discuss it with you."

Yu Man waved his hand and gave orders to Xiang Xiang in a familiar way.

It announced a suspension of unloading, gave the workers a short break, and then twisted its way towards Yu Man.

"Employer—ah..." It knew very well what Yu Man was trying to do, so it opened its mouth wide.

Yu Man took out a book from it.

On the Acquisition of Equipment by Powerful Men in the Ancient Times.

This thin, ancient book is written in the exquisite Old World language, wrapped in a strong magic.

This is the opportunity for the "Rust Remover" to profit for himself and place orders with the Chamber of Commerce.

Before returning, Yu Man had specially sorted it out in order to hand it over to the "Rust Remover".

"Have you seen it? Eel."

"I flipped through the first page and it felt like an academic book. I wasn't very interested, so I closed it."

Yu Man handed it over to the Rust Remover, and the deal was done. He didn't know what the other party wanted the book for, but it must be about learning from others about manufacturing equipment and blacksmithing, right?

However, the Rust Remover explained, "This is a legend, one that should have been passed down only by ancient craftsmen... from master to master. Without the orthodox and ancient teachings, one cannot understand its secrets."

"So...you want to share your knowledge with me?"

"Aren't you curious, stranger, why I should have this book?"

"Okay, I'd love to hear it." It's always good to listen to more stories.

The Rust Remover didn't open it, but seemed to already know its contents: "High-level craftsmen have always been rare, so every piece of high-level equipment produced is quite precious, right?"

"That's true in theory...but you should know that we foreigners—"

Rust Remover nodded and continued Yu Man's point: "You were summoned by God twice, each time as fleeting as a meteor. However, each time you were summoned, the world was deeply shaken. For example, you produced a large amount of high-level equipment."

"Well, they circulated through the black market and ended up in the hands of you, the residents of the Old World."

"Yes, although it consumes a lot of energy, the high-end equipment used by today's powerful and influential people is mostly manufactured and circulated by foreigners in the past... A small part is made bit by bit by high-level craftsmen like me."

Legacy of predecessors.

Therefore, PVE players like Yu Man can obtain equipment faster than everyone else.

But what "Rust Remover" wants to tell is a story from earlier.

"But in those times when the strangers weren't summoned, especially in ancient times, the intensity of war was still intense, and it was hard not to wonder: where did their equipment come from? Mythology always records great figures of this or that kind, the powerful weapons they wielded, and the vast armies they armed..."

Yu Man glanced at the book in the Rust Remover's hand. Obviously, the answer was written in it.

No - I'm afraid it is still passed down among these craftsmen, from generation to generation.

"There's a special magic that can transform life and soul into equipment," Rust Remover explained bluntly. "And in those wars... that's how equipment was replenished."

"Is that so?" Yu Man was not surprised at all, and thought there was nothing strange about it.

She could even figure out the principle to a certain extent. It was nothing more than directly interfering with the magic cycle, removing people and souls from the cycle and directly converting them into equipment.

"All along, we only knew that this thing existed—but we didn't know that magic had already been studied by our ancestors and recorded in this ancient book."

"Then I'm interested." Yu Man became serious, his eyes sharp.

But there is a small problem here. Why does the "Rust Remover" know that this book contains magic?

Reading Yu Man's doubts, the Rust Remover explained.

"The man who wrote that book—he made himself into a special piece of equipment to verify the perfection of his archaeological findings... He didn't harm anyone... He's just a pure genius."

“…You got it?”

"Yes, the rusty axe buried in my island, that tenth-level weapon you also saw, is him."

According to the "Rust Remover", the Chamber of Commerce has in-depth trade with many archaeological, salvage, and relic deciphering teams.

Therefore, they always acquire strange things, and this book was obtained during an archaeological excavation.

Because the word "equipment" was written on it, they had a brief chat with the "Rust Remover" during a transaction.

As a result, the Rust Remover kept this book in mind throughout.

But in order not to expose its value, it has been hidden and not revealed.

It wasn't until Yu Man proposed a large trade that "Rust Remover" finally got the chance. He casually included it in the acquisition list and buried its value in the gimmick of 10,000 gold coins.

"So—I'm going to share this secret with you."

"I'm honored—but, what does obtaining this book... no, obtaining this magic, mean to you and to the rusty axe?"

The Rust Remover was silent for a moment.

Amidst the coconut trees and the sound of waves that no longer freeze, amidst the complaints of workers resting on the dock.

She whispered—

"Maybe I can remove all the rust from that axe... and then... reverse this magic."

The Rust Remover did not discuss the story behind this, but simply put the book away, intending to go back and crack the magic hidden in the paper.

and also--

"Will the stranger then mercilessly use this magic on all sorts of people? Turning them into equipment?"

"Well... this is a question worth discussing."

Anyway, we just came online and the goods haven’t been unloaded yet, so we have nothing to do.

Yu Man was happy to discuss this matter with the blacksmith to kill time.

"For example, anyone who crosses me now will generally end up dead or drained of their value—among the treasure chest monsters at your feet, there are three corpses whose value hasn't been fully drained yet."

One was a werewolf, and the other two were pierced by Yu Man's ice spear.

Yu Man hadn't had time to strip the body naked and drain the blood out of it.

But even after doing all this, it's not over yet.

There is still a further processing procedure.

"I brought the corpse back because the deceased's powerful body and soul will naturally be absorbed into the magic cycle... But if I bring it back to my own island, it can be integrated into the island's circulation, which means an increase in the total amount of magic power."

By then, if the corpse has enough nutrients, perhaps this Lumana Seti can advance to level nine.

That would be of great significance.

Even if he couldn't advance, the magic power of the three extra high-level corpses could be used to condense a few more materials, so it could be considered a worthy death.

therefore--

"Even if you give me that magic, it will only speed up the process, giving my enemies... how should I put it—yes, a second outcome besides death. That's its use, not its abuse."

The "Rust Remover" seemed to have gotten the answer he wanted. He stared into Yu Man's eyes for a while, then waved goodbye with a soft expression.

Not until her boat sailed away did Yu Man remember that she, the landlord, hadn't even offered her a cup of tea.

On the contrary, every time I go to her island, I can gain a lot...

But next time, Yu Man will be ready to entertain.

……

"Brother, you guys are finally done talking. I'm feeling really uncomfortable—"

The Ice Prison Dragon shed his aloof exterior, no longer serving as a backdrop looking down on all living beings, but revealed his true nature.

Or rather, stick out your tongue.

It doesn't mean a random reaction. The big tongue finally expresses its long-awaited reunion.

Xiang Xiang tried to hide his retaliatory biting intention by expressing affection, but was scared away by Yu Man's eyes.

"Hey, you two are so noisy..."

"Employer, the corpse in my stomach is so dirty... Can I vomit it out?" Xiang Xiang was very concerned about this matter.

"Spit it out, spit it out..."

Finally freed, the three now slimy demihuman corpses were dumped onto the beach.

The incoming waves washed them away.

But Yu Man is an ice magician, and he had quick-frozen the corpses, so they were hard and were still in a state of natural thawing.

"The werewolf has completely turned over... When the time comes, just find a random place to bury it, and the remaining magic will naturally return."

The other two, however, are still fresh and valuable.

The shield and armor of the giant demihuman once known as "Crocodile Shield" were destroyed, but many parts could be salvaged or repaired. Other than that... it was surprisingly worthless.

However, the corpse of the difficult archer "Piercing Flowers" was surprisingly sweet.

"This bow and arrow—they're truly eighth-level main and secondary. So impressive."

The magic that lingered around them was clearly different from anything else.

It was a bow woven from vines, some of which were about to bloom, and were surrounded by green vines.

The bowstring is even more unique. If the owner does not touch it, it will be an extremely sharp cutting line.

The quiver woven from rattan is obviously an integral part of the arrow.

The arrows weren't placed inside—they were grown from within by injecting magic power.

Yu Man instantly understood the power of this quiver. If specific magic was written into it, or different media or magical materials were used, it would also produce arrows with these abilities, which could greatly enrich the tactics.

As expected of a veteran eighth-tier archer's weapon, this set of items would definitely fetch a very high price even if it were put into the first round.

"Oh, I'll just choose archer as my secondary profession. This set of weapons is so good..." Yu Man thought half seriously.

Her hands were not idle, and she instinctively began to dig up the body, hoping to find more gains.

It's a pity that even this "Flower Through the Sky" only has this one piece of eighth-level equipment on his body.

The entire set of leather armor is level six, which is quite ordinary.

One of the accessories was damaged during the battle with the Ice Prison Dragon. It was probably used as a sacrifice in exchange for abilities, so even dismantling it for scrap was impossible.

There was only a seventh-level necklace left, which looked quite interesting.

Unknown flowers and plants are woven together to form a Celtic knot-like amulet, strung together by a gold chain.

Flower Heart

"It is the voice of flowers, the fragrance of flowers, and the language of flowers.

Now, you too.