novelraw Chapter 69
Chapter 69
By the end of the day, Qian Sihai discovered that Su Wangchuan could endure even more than he could.
Aside from taking brief breaks during meals, Su Wangchuan stood at the forging table the entire time. His forging speed and rhythm barely changed at all, as if there were no decline in strength whatsoever, and no trace of fatigue could be felt.
Qian Sihai’s forging experience and breadth of exposure were indeed far greater than Su Wangchuan’s, but in terms of forging technique and core physical strength, he was clearly outmatched by this former fitness streamer. Gradually, his admiration grew until it was absolute.
The first day came to an end.
On the second day, as Qian Sihai’s forging of the Hundredfold Steel sabers entered its final stage, Su Wangchuan walked over and began observing closely.
He had never fully learned the techniques for forging Hundredfold Steel sabers before. Now that Qian Sihai was demonstrating the entire process, he naturally intended to study it carefully.
After witnessing Su Wangchuan’s technical ability, Qian Sihai did not think along those lines at all. He focused completely, forging with full concentration, unwilling to embarrass himself.
As the three Hundredfold Steel sabers approached completion, Su Wangchuan watched even more attentively.
After observing three full forging cycles from start to finish, he gained a comprehensive understanding of how Hundredfold Steel sabers were made.
A smile appeared on Su Wangchuan’s face.From now on, he could forge Hundredfold Steel sabers himself.
“You can do more than this, right?”
“Then forge three Hundredfold Steel longswords as well. Let me see the quality.”
Su Wangchuan gave Qian Sihai another instruction.
Without the slightest hesitation, Qian Sihai ate a few meat buns and began hammering in earnest. He followed orders precisely, without resistance or complaint.
At this point, Su Wangchuan called Chen Ergou over.
“Ergou.”
“Notify Fei Zai. Tell him his Hundredfold Steel saber is finished.”
“Got it.”
Chen Ergou ran straight toward the east wing.
Not long after, Fei Zai hurried in from outside.
Su Wangchuan was examining the Hundredfold Steel saber in his hands.
Hundredfold Steel Saber (White Grade): Durability 100/100
Attack: 5–8
Good steel made a good blade. This was a true killing weapon.
The blade was snow-bright, neither too heavy nor too light, tough and razor-sharp. It was indeed an excellent weapon.
Its attributes were impressive as well. Its maximum attack reached 8, slightly higher than Su Wangchuan’s Hundredfold Steel spear, while its minimum attack was 5, two points higher than the spear’s lower bound. This showed just how useful the mass of Hundredfold Steel could be.
“Brother Wangchuan!”
“This is the newly forged Hundredfold Steel saber?”
“I can finally equip a Hundredfold Steel saber too?”
Fei Zai stepped up beside Su Wangchuan, his eyes immediately captured by the brand-new saber. He instinctively reached out to touch it, then stopped halfway…
Su Wangchuan smiled faintly and handed the saber to him.
“I promised you. It’s done. Market half-price—seven taels of silver.”
“Many thanks, Brother Wangchuan!”
Fei Zai had just obtained quite a bit of silver from Room Master Zhang and was flush with cash. Without hesitation, he counted out the silver, then examined the saber closely, unable to put it down.
“Haha!”
“Excellent blade!”
With Fei Zai’s income, buying a Hundredfold Steel saber was not impossible. However, forging one took a great deal of time. There were only a few blacksmiths in Huishui County, and waiting in line was unavoidable. He could wait, but his silver could not—more often than not, it vanished in a moment of impulse at Laifeng Pavilion.
Saving a full fifteen taels of silver was genuinely difficult.
So being able to obtain a Hundredfold Steel saber from Su Wangchuan for seven taels truly fulfilled a long-held dream.
Still, Fei Zai could not help but remind him,
“Brother Wangchuan.”
“I heard the hall master and a helm leader also ordered several Hundredfold Steel sabers from the weapon room, and they haven’t been delivered yet. What you’re doing for a brother like me is really something.”
“I know.”
Su Wangchuan naturally knew.
The Hundredfold Steel sabers ordered by the gang leader for the younger generation had already been delivered, but the sabers ordered by Hall Master He and a helm leader surnamed Song had not yet been handed over.
He certainly was not going to tell Fei Zai that he still had two Hundredfold Steel sabers in hand.
A free favor was still a favor.
“No problem. When I run into them later, I’ll deliver them.”
That single sentence greatly satisfied Fei Zai’s vanity.
Fei Zai thumped his chest hard.
“Good brother!”
“Nothing more to say. Tonight, Laifeng Pavilion—my treat! We won’t stop until we’re drunk!” That cursed Jianghu sense of brotherhood surfaced again.
Su Wangchuan felt his resolve being steadily eroded.
“No.”
“I’ve just become the weapon room’s room master. For a while, I need to perform well and lead by example. I can’t let the hall master or the brothers below be disappointed… Brother Fei Zai, please understand.”
“Alright, alright.”
“You’re right! Career comes first!”
“Then I won’t disturb you. I’ll head to the training ground to try out the new blade! Farewell!”
Fei Zai laughed, patted Su Wangchuan on the shoulder, and left happily.
Su Wangchuan watched him go, then continued observing Qian Sihai forging Hundredfold Steel longswords, quietly learning from the process.
The third month’s salary was paid out.
A total of 210,000.
It was slightly less than the second month, but that was because Su Wangchuan had spent eighty taels of silver on the 《Black Tiger Fist》 manual and set aside another hundred taels to purchase a future martial art manual.
If all the silver he had earned were turned in to the studio, this month’s income would have reached a truly terrifying level—six hundred thousand, perhaps seven hundred thousand…
He could already foresee that by remaining in the weapon room and using the local iron ore to forge Hundredfold Steel weapons, he could earn at least over a hundred taels of silver each month, with monthly income reaching six figures.
At times, everything felt unreal.
Three months ago, he had still been racking his brain for a few dozen yuan a day in livestream tips, struggling desperately. Now, because of a game called 《Spirit Realm》, he had become part of a high-income group earning hundreds of thousands a month.
He truly hoped all of this could last.
Many nights, he would wake from his dreams in shock.
In those dreams, he seemed to have returned to the past—back to his public rental housing, his bank account reduced once again to a mere three or four digits.
Everything felt like a dream.
That evening, he unusually logged out half an hour early, left the Warring States Building, and went out to clear his head, feel the breeze.
In the past, he used to take walks outside every day.
But since joining the Warring States Game Studio, his routine had become far more regular, leaving him little time to go out…
All for money.
All to save more while he still could earn.
He did not want to waste time on anything else.
Now, the funds in his bank account had reached the five-hundred-thousand mark.
That constant anxiety—the fear of losing everything in 《Spirit Realm》 at any moment—seemed to have eased considerably.
Not long after leaving the building, on a roadside near a park, he spotted a familiar figure.
The man had a cigarette in his mouth, his eyes unfocused, staring blankly ahead.
Old Li?
Su Wangchuan’s expression turned to one of surprise.
He remembered that Old Li always went home early to accompany his wife and children. Moreover, Old Li did not live in the Warring States Building.
Why would he be here at this hour?
“Old Li?”
Su Wangchuan walked over.
“Why are you still out so late?”
The other man snapped slightly out of his daze.
Old Li stood up, removed the cigarette, and recognized the man before him as Su Wangchuan, who had left Blackstone Village not long ago.
“Wangchuan…”
Old Li’s eyes were dim, his voice trembling.
“Heipi is dead… he’s dead.”
It felt as though lightning had struck.
Su Wangchuan froze where he stood, utterly unprepared, his face filled with disbelief.
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