The Artifact Forger from the Beginning of Collapse

Just as Chen Li was pondering how to obtain more Miracle Crystals, he suddenly felt a weight on his head.

Alicia's slender fingers, like soft feathers, gently stroked Chen Li's head with a slight warmth.

"Chen Li is really great for resisting temptation. This is encouragement from a beautiful girl, so cherish it." Alicia gently patted Chen Li's head.

Chen Li turned his head and saw Alicia with a slight smile on her lips.

"Those who know how to resist temptation are always able to achieve great things. I hope your future path will be smooth sailing," Alicia said cheerfully.

Alicia is never stingy with offering encouragement to others.

"so……"

"So?" Alicia listened intently to the two words Chen Li uttered.

Is it something you'd be embarrassed to say?

Or was it because he was embarrassed and angry that he said something arrogant?

Alicia expressed her anticipation.

"So do you admit that the pure and beautiful goddess Idrila is unparalleled in beauty?" Chen Li tilted his head.

"Ugh, Chen Li, your attempt to change the subject is so clumsy. And has no one ever told you not to use the phrase 'unparalleled beauty' to describe other beautiful girls in front of a beautiful girl?" As Chen Li had expected, Alicia puffed up her cheeks in anger.

Chen Li shrugged.

Trying to make me shy? Just patting my head isn't enough!

Missionary progress: 1/30

Chapter 10 The Ponzi Scheme with Möbius

The deal with Mebius and the Fire Moth.

"Name?"

"Chen Li".

"gender."

"……female."

"Really?" The other person was shocked, thinking it was some kind of outsider trait.

"Of course it's fake. Do I really have to report my gender myself?" Chen Li complained.

"It's all for the sake of rigor. Yes, rigor. Please cooperate, young man." The burly man sitting across from Chen Li scratched his head sheepishly.

“You have to understand, the fact that a newcomer who just joined the Flame Chaser went to fight the Herrscher of the Void is sensational enough. But after defeating the Herrscher of the Void, he brought along a traveler who claims to be from another world, which really shocked the upper echelons of the Flame Chaser. Oh, by the way, let me introduce myself, my name is Hen.” Hen said.

As the head of the operations department, Hen obviously didn't know much about interrogation, but when Alicia brought Chen Li to the Fire Moth, Hen was the first person she met.

Hen glanced to his left, trying to get his teammates to take over the interrogation, but Alicia, sitting to Hen's left, completely ignored Hen's plea for help.

"Captain, I'm a newbie," Alicia reminded her.

"What kind of newcomer are you? Forget it, Chen Li, tell me, what brought you into this world?" Hen asked after sighing.

"To collect materials for forging. Although it might sound a bit extreme, Honkai Beasts are a specialty of your world, and the materials they drop are naturally also specialty materials," Chen Li said.

"A local specialty? So you're from a world without Honkai Beasts? I'm so envious. I wonder how wonderful such a world would be." Hen sighed.

"If you think a world where you're invaded by other worlds every year or every few years, where all sorts of evil gods and demons roam around, and where you also have to guard against powerful professionals causing mental breakdowns and chaos by using relics is wonderful, then I have nothing to say." Chen Li spread his hands and leaned back tactically.

"Uh...it sounds like it's really difficult." Hen couldn't immediately compare the advantages and disadvantages of the Honkai World and the world Chen Li was talking about.

But overall, it was all terrible.

"It's alright. Every world that dares to come and cause trouble in our world gets killed and then distributed as welfare to us natives. Life is managed to be orderly amidst the chaos," Chen Li said nonchalantly.

"Ahem, we've gone off-topic. May I ask how you came to this world? Is this method replicable? Can we establish communication with your world?" Hen asked in quick succession after glancing at the notes on his communicator.

These are a few questions urgently provided by professionals, who are still on their way.

“It’s not replicable. Communication between worlds is even more impossible.” Chen Li shook his head.

"I see... Then let me ask you another question. What can you offer the Firemoth? Don't look at me like that, that's not what I wanted to ask."

“You can exchange enough materials with me for something,” Chen Li said.

"For example, the remains of the Herrscher of the Void?" Hen hadn't forgotten that Alicia had said the remains of the Herrscher of the Void were still in Chen Li's spatial backpack.

“Since that thing was hunted in your world and is of great significance to your world, I’ll practically give it away for free. Just give me some Soul Steel,” Chen Li said.

"Soul Steel?! How do you know about this stuff?" Hen suddenly stood up and stared intently at Chen Li.

"As a blacksmith, coming to a world full of forging materials, I know what forging materials are worth acquiring. So, is Soul Steel very precious?" Chen Li asked casually.

Chen Li is not flustered at all.

Because of the miracle of killing the Herrscher of the Void, Chen Li now has the qualifications to establish a miracle beacon in this adventure world.

The Miracle Beacon is crucial for Chen Li's return to the Adventure World. Without it, returning to this world would be entirely a matter of luck.

In other words, Chen Li can leave at any time and come back next time.

Mentioning Soul Steel was also intentional.

If the Fire Moth has Soul Steel now, then Chen Li will get some Soul Steel. If it doesn't have Soul Steel, then he will provide some design concepts for Soul Steel so that the Fire Moth can quickly produce Soul Steel and then give Chen Li some Soul Steel.

“That thing… is very precious, and its production is extremely rare,” Hen said hesitantly.

Soul Steel is actually a metal created by the Fire Moth based on their preliminary research on the ruins excavated from the moon, specifically to combat Honkai energy.

Because research on Soul Steel is still in its early stages, its current production is extremely limited.

"If you have some, that's fine, so how about a little bit?" Chen Li rubbed his hands together.

"This one……"

"Okay." The door to the interrogation room, which had been temporarily converted from a classroom, was pushed open, and a green-haired woman wearing a white coat walked in.

After the other party came in, Chen Li clearly saw that Alicia, who was sitting next to Hen, had a bright look in her eyes.

"Dr. Mebius, what brings you here? Where are the professionals?" Hen was taken aback when he saw the visitor.

"Oh, I'm a professional."

"..." Hen thought to himself, "I don't believe you at all."

“Once I’ve dealt with the professionals, I’m a professional,” Mebius asserted.

"Ugh?"

"Go and take that professional to the infirmary. It's not good for him to catch a cold lying on the ground. Also, don't come back. I'll take over here. Your daughter is making a fuss in the lab looking for you. She's talking about riding a horse or something." Möbius waved his hand and was about to shoo Hen away.

"Alright." Hen felt a chill run down his spine, but this was very Möbius.

"Oh, by the way, who is she?" Mebius asked Alicia, who was sitting to the left of Hen.

“A new recruit. She’s the one who brought this outsider back to the Moth of Fire,” Hen said.

"Are we going to the moon? Or stay on Earth?"

"She's left on the ground. Should I take her with me?" he asked.

“No need, she happens to be involved as well.” Möbius shook his head.

"Um, how about I stay a little longer, and after the interrogation is over, I'll take Alicia to see the Firemoth?" Hen tried to stay.

"No need, I'll take it," Mebius said impatiently.

"It's a deal." Hen vanished in an instant.

"...This guy did it on purpose, didn't he?" Mebius said irritably.

He always pushes trouble onto others, and when it comes to running away, he's faster than anyone else. He even managed to steal away his most prized assistant!

Tsk, never mind, let's focus on the outsider in front of us first.

……

"So, if the Firemoth wants the remains of the Second Herrscher and the Herrscher core, it has to provide you with three portions of Soul Steel?" Mebius rested his chin on his hand.

"Ah."

“Yes,” Mebius nodded.

"Huh, you agreed so easily?" Alicia, who was standing next to her, was a little surprised.

On the way back, Chen Li had told Alicia that he only needed enough soul steel to forge a weapon, but he would ask for an exorbitant amount first.

If you aim for the top, you'll get the middle; if you aim for the middle, you'll get the bottom.

This is the wisdom of our ancestors.

“Anyway, it’s not like I’m the one providing the Soul Steel.” Mebius waved his hand.

But the Second Herrscher's remains were indeed used by himself for research.

What business is it of mine if other departments are having headaches?

"Can you keep your word?" Chen Li asked, somewhat worried.