Forge a path to success.

Chapter 41 Specialized Equipment
Flames roared from the smelting furnace, the noise of loading and unloading goods was incessant, and white smoke billowed from the large chimney behind the workshop. The smoke spread out majestically, like a gentleman in black donning his grey top hat. Steam filled the air, the sound of hammering shook the walls, and the young men wielding hammers were drenched in sweat, but their expressions were as joyful as if they were celebrating a festival.

The green-skinned proprietress stood on a high place, shouting: "Pay attention to the time! The next batch of raw materials will arrive in two minutes! Young men in Group A, pay attention to safety during operations, and do not remove your protective masks!"

Chu Hengkong stood at the door and deliberately turned back to look at the sign: "...This is Mrs. Ansa's workshop?"

“Of course, it’s the workshop,” Ji Huaisu said cheerfully. “It can finally start operating again!”

Then another batch of handcarts arrived, and the salvage workers unloaded the cargo, placing baskets of relics onto transport pipes that resembled water slides in a water park. Water flowed like a small river within the pipes, automatically transporting the relics to a rear warehouse. At the same time, new materials were output from the warehouse and transported to the top of a gourd-shaped smelting furnace via differently colored water pipes.

Chu Hengkong thought the process was incredibly extravagant, because all the materials were relics, but they were categorized according to some rule and put into the furnace in different orders.

"Release, release, release... Okay! Take turns resting, keep monitoring, and continue in thirty minutes!"

The flames in the smelting furnace weakened, and the temperature dropped significantly. The salvage crew cheered and then took their shifts to rest. Mrs. Ansa walked up to the two of them and patted Chu Hengkong's arm hard, her facial scales opening and closing.

"This is the first time we've started construction in ten years! Now it can finally be called a 'workshop,' hahaha!"

The proprietress laughed heartily, and Chu Hengkong guessed, "Is your workshop the same as the Healing Temple?"

"Of course, these are all urban components personally designed by Lord Huilong. Construction can only begin when order is stable." Mrs. Ansa beamed, looking like a happy lizard. "This is of great significance. Once the first domino is pushed down, everything will fall into place! With work, the young men won't go hungry; by consuming the relics in the water curtain, Lord Huilong will have more energy to create Flowing Pearls; with more Flowing Pearls and sufficient energy, we can create even bigger and better things... Come on, you'll definitely love our wonderful creations."

She led the two into the warehouse, then took out a large bunch of keys to open the door to a small room deep inside. Chu Hengkong had no expectations; he was still heartbroken over the belongings that had been thrown into the fire.

Several lights illuminated the human figure in the center of the room. A set of light black armor stood in the light, like a black eagle folding its wings, waiting for the right moment to take flight. Chu Hengkong's gaze was firmly drawn to it. The light armor resembled a lightweight combat suit, but the left arm was empty, with only a round shoulder guard on the shoulder, leaving ample room for movement.

"This combat suit was custom-made for you." Ji Huaisu picked up the helmet, which resembled an eagle's head. "Want to try it on?"

He eagerly donned his full gear. The combat suit was incredibly light, and the instant he was fully equipped, an indescribable "vitality" seeped into his body, like a warm ray of sunshine against his skin, making him feel incredibly energetic. Chu Hengkong took out the Silver Eye Book, flipped the pages onto his combat suit, and the identification text appeared as he had expected:

【Resurrection Force Combat Uniform (Detective Custom Version)】

[Rating: Level 1 (Numbers are bolded)]

【Origin: Mysterious Realm of Senluo - Huilong City】

【Effect: The cutting edge of Huilong City's trendy craftsmanship, personally designed by Huilong Youyou. The wearer must have a rank of one or higher.】

It can slowly restore stamina and heal injuries; it can defend against weak elemental attacks; it can defend against weak mental attacks; and it has weak resistance to external erosion.

[Missing: Let me tell you, this kid fights like he's going to die. If I don't give him more resistance, I'm afraid he'll die on his own doorstep... What are you laughing at? Do you think I'll get me arrested by the Party Secretary for saying that?]
—The migrating dragon roams freely.

Mrs. Ansa curiously peeked out, but because she wasn't tall enough, she couldn't see the text. She only saw Ji Huaisu and Chu Hengkong covering their mouths, trying hard to suppress their laughter. The latter cleared his throat and said seriously, "I'll wear this to bed every night from now on."

"How pathetic!" Ji Huaisu scoffed. "Let me make this clear beforehand, it's not that I don't want to give you better..."

“I understand. The workshops can only produce level one relics at most right now, right? This thing is already crammed to the limit.”

Of the four abilities, one is an incredibly useful resistance to external erosion; no one would believe it's even considered level one. This resistance, literally meaning it prevents being instantly killed by the gnawing ability of the Firefly Corpse, is truly life-saving!
"It's totally worth it," Chu Hengkong exclaimed. "It's worth a hundred low-grade relics."

"No business can operate at a loss," the proprietress said with a hint of regret. "Unfortunately, our current production line is only enough to manufacture armor; we can't provide you with better weapons."

“That’s more than enough,” Chu Hengkong said.

After bidding farewell to Mrs. Ansa, the two left the workshop. A new batch of white armor had begun to be forged; it was undoubtedly mass-produced relic weaponry prepared for the resurrected troops. Youyou's decision was entirely correct; in battles within the range of Point One, even the sharpest weapon was no match for unyielding fate.

Chu Hengkong looked at the gauntlet with delight, feeling refreshed: "After working for more than two months, I'm finally enjoying the benefits of government employment!"

"Don't make it sound like you've been working illegally all this time." Ji Huaisu tossed him a notebook, filled with lines of completed or pending tasks. "Remember to write the handover report. What's the work plan for this week?"

“Routine patrol, check on Tina and the dog, investigate the black market workshops and clubs…” Chu Hengkong’s gaze focused on the newly checked line. “Finished checking Adari’s ledgers? Any new discoveries?”

Ji Huaisu shook his head, his expression strange.

"Calling it a new discovery isn't quite right. Do you remember the assassination attempt on you a while ago?" "Which one?" Chu Hengkong countered.

"The time with the hundred palm strikes."

He paused for a moment before remembering the "skillful hands" with many palms, who seemed to be a moon worshipper. The mission to find gold in the swamp was too urgent and too long, and Chu Hengkong had long forgotten about this little matter, but Ji Huaisu still cared about something.

“We judged from the confessions that it was the Swamp People who did it, but after investigating Adali’s recent expenditures, I did not find a huge shortfall in the amount of money. Instead, I found that some of the core members had disappeared.” Ji Huaisu said, “I don’t know what he sent those people to do, but now it seems... that assassination was not ordered by Adali.”

Who else could it be but the Great Wizard? Who in the city could easily come up with a million Flowing Pearls just for the life of a newcomer?
Without prior arrangement, they all remembered the white-clad man in the top hat and the blue flame in his hand.

·
“I didn’t do it,” the man in the top hat said. “You know my habits; I only use my own people.”

Bessen, who was driving, glanced at him: "But everyone thought it was you. You know, Hugos's return gift."

"Don't tell anyone else, that kid deserved it. I sent him down to open up trade routes, but he did it so arrogantly."

“You did this on purpose, Kanin. You sent him here to probe the city lord’s mansion.”

“Yes, I did it on purpose,” the man in the top hat—Kanin—admitted cheerfully. “Now you know it wasn’t me, so who hired the hitman?”

Bessen didn't reply; answering such an easy question made it feel insulted by its intelligence. It floored the accelerator, plunging the main road in front of the gate into a complete traffic jam. Bright silver sleek sports cars, deep black limousines, convertibles favored by spoiled rich kids… resembled a group of elegantly designed coffins awaiting mass burial. Their cargo truck, mixed in with the luxury cars, looked like a cleaning worker who had mistakenly stumbled into a funeral.

The streets are lined with bars, cafes, and upscale restaurants, their brightly lit neon signs illuminating the night. The driveways in this area are winding like tree rings, with illegally altered buildings and barricades forcing visitors to circle around to reach the center.

Deeper into the layers of time, one can see a row of pawnshops behind the building. People with bloodshot eyes constantly enter, carrying relics or jewelry, exchanging them for flowing pearls at low prices. Their destination, like the luxury cars on the road, is the building at the very center of the layers of time—that den of iniquity surrounded by walls and pawnshops.

Bessen and Kanin were stuck in traffic for almost half an hour before finally finding an opportunity to drive onto a side road. After several turns, they circled around to the unloading area for transporting goods. This place faced several large garbage bins, reeking of a foul stench, but completely empty. Upon their arrival, the roller shutter door rose, and the red lettering spray-painted on the door disappeared from view:
High-class elegance, extraordinary enjoyment, always welcome – Maivia Club

“That’s incredibly stupid,” Bessen said.

Kanin chuckled a few times, then resumed his impeccably gentlemanly demeanor. He put on his top hat and got out of the car. The lights in the garage were already on, and a young man in a brown shirt and gold-rimmed glasses strode towards him. The two shook hands warmly.

“You look very well, Vesapu.”

“A sincere welcome to you, Mr. Kanin!” said the young man in the brown shirt, Visap. His tone was light, but his voice was drawn out, like sticky bubbles rising from a muddy puddle.

"Following your usual practice, there will be no invitations, no reception, no roll call—everything will be kept simple."

“You all indulge my quirks so much, always wanting me to thank you again and again.” Kanin looked around. “Just you? Last time you said you found a nice young man with several hands, I thought there would be a new face this time.”

“There was a slight mishap; he didn’t pass the ‘interview’,” Visap said casually. “You know, recruitment always requires caution…”

"This applies to everything."

Bessen remained in the car, while Kanin, accompanied by Visaph, stepped into the elevator. The elevator ascended silently, with only the faint sounds of melodious jazz and a soothing female singer's voice. As the elevator doors opened, the music and voices erupted, and a blinding display of gilded and crimson light filled the view.

Crystal chandeliers adorned the space, while a vibrant, blood-red carpet carpeted the hall. Ladies swayed to the music, their flowing skirts resembling open umbrellas. On the upper tiers, impeccably dressed gentlemen chatted and laughed, wine glasses raised, food piled high on the tables. Not far away, emerald green card tables displayed alluring female dealers flipping cards with almost provocative gestures, as fervent spectators shoved chips onto the tables, followed by cries of despair or cheers.

The clinking of dice, the giggles of women, the snap of a match lighting a cigarette—a cacophony of extravagant sounds blended into a blood-pumping symphony. This was the Maivia Club, a miniature paradise built with money and flesh.

"How's your luck, Mr. Clu?... You look even younger, Mrs. Anderson... Long time no see, 'Mole' boy, bring him a beer!"

Visaph walked among the crowd, exchanging pleasantries with ease and skillfully adjusting his demeanor according to the guests' status. People responded by raising their glasses in gratitude for his hospitality. As Maivia's second son, he had hosted countless banquets, and this was a task he handled with great ease.

Kanin leaned against the railing with a glass of red wine, watching the women dancing below. He spotted his eldest daughter, Camelle, a girl with chocolate-coated brown hair, but he didn't find his eldest son, Whitebrow. That scoundrel would usually change his appearance and mingle with the gamblers, betting and cheering, whistling at the new girls.

An interesting sign is that Whitebrow has been sent out to do some work, but Maivia doesn't usually work at banquets... unless tonight's banquet is held very hastily and the original plans can't be changed...

Kanin's train of thought was interrupted when he felt a tickling sensation on his back. He turned around and saw a gray cat's tail swaying in front of him.

(End of this chapter)