From the fusion of Tongbei Quan to the Longevity Martial Saint

This morning, Kuang Shisan came early and knocked on Fang Qing's door.

When Fang Qing opened the door and saw him, she was stunned.

Kuang Shisan's hair was a mess, and he had heavy dark circles under his eyes.

Clearly, he hadn't slept all night.

As Fang Qing had predicted, Kuang Shisan spent the entire night pondering how to make the "pulled-line thunderbolt".

He was particularly puzzled by the pull-wire fuse.

Fang Qing was so bothered by his persistence that she had no choice but to give him some pointers and tell him the key to making the fuse.

Upon hearing this, Kuang Shisan was so excited that he almost danced with joy and rushed back to his room like a madman.

Fang Qing also learned from Zhan Bo that Kuang Shisan's room was stockpiled with all sorts of strange and unusual materials.

Fang Qing arrived at Kuang Shisan's door and saw the guy sweating profusely as he fiddled with the fuse components.

Upon learning that Fang Qing needed some cowhide, Kuang Shisan didn't even look up and casually pulled out a whole tanned cowhide from the corner of the room.

Fang Qing lacked tools in his own room, so he took the cowhide and borrowed a charcoal pencil.

He neatly outlined several lines on the inside of the cowhide.

Then he picked up the scissors and cut along the lines.

Originally focused on his work, Kuang Shisan was drawn by the commotion and curiously came over.

Zhanbo wandered over at some point and watched Fang Qing cut the whole cowhide into pieces of various shapes on the table.

Zhanbo was puzzled; the assessment for transporting supplies was scheduled for the afternoon.

Instead of packing up the supplies, Fang Qing is cutting up cowhide here?

Several other equally curious reserve camp members gradually gathered around.

Fang Qing did not drive them away.

What he is about to make is a backpack, a common type of backpack on Earth.

The items being carried this time were of various shapes and sizes, especially the two pieces of iron ore, which were extremely difficult to handle.

Wrapped in ordinary cloth, one would not be able to walk more than a mile before being cut through by the sharp corners.

This cowhide is thick and durable, making it the best choice.

Fang Qing plans to add a wooden board to the part of the backpack that contacts her back.

This effectively isolates the ore's edges and prevents scratches.

Carrying the item on both shoulders is a proven and energy-saving method.

It can distribute weight evenly on the shoulders and back.

Even on long journeys, it can save a lot of energy.

The camouflage backpacks popular in the military are proof of this.

Fang Qing pieced together the cut pieces of cowhide one by one.

Then he found some thick needles and tough thread from Kuang Shisan and began to sew.

His stitches were not fine or even, and were even somewhat rough.

At this point, the only requirement was sturdiness and practicality; appearance was secondary.

About half an hour later, a backpack made of pure cowhide began to take shape.

The bag has multiple compartments for storing gunpowder powder and iron ore respectively.

At the bottom of the backpack, Fang Qing cleverly sewed several sturdy straps.

It was just right to tie the five round wooden sticks in place, keeping them close to the bottom of the bag without taking up any hand space.

He even added a leather buckle to the side of the backpack.

It was just right to fix his spear at an angle, completely freeing his hands.

Finally, Fang Qing also brought over the hundred-pound bucket of water.

He found a cork in Kuang Shisan's pile of materials and also found some beeswax.

Make sure to seal the bucket opening carefully to ensure that not a drop of water leaks out even when running or bumping around.

He then sewed a matching sleeve inside the backpack to securely hold the bucket inside.

Fang Qing packed all the supplies, which amounted to a small mountain—logs, buckets, gunpowder, and iron stones—into the multi-compartment cowhide backpack.

Then, relax your shoulders, straighten your back, and stand up steadily.

Everyone around was stunned, their eyes filled with envy.

Zeng Qian, ranked fifty-fifth, was a recognized beauty in the Salt Patrol Guard Reserve Camp.

Her skin was as white as snow, gleaming with a delicate, soft glow in the sunlight.

On her perfectly oval face, her eyebrows and eyes were exquisitely beautiful, and her gaze carried a touch of charm.

Beneath her straight, upturned nose were full, rosy lips. She was tall and slender, wearing a modified, well-fitting preparatory camp uniform.

At this moment, she squeezed in front of the crowd, her beautiful eyes wide open, staring intently at the magical backpack on Fang Qing's body.

Her slightly parted red lips, tinged with surprise, added to her allure.

"Fang Qing!"

Zeng Qian's voice was clear and crisp, with a hint of coquettishness.

"Your backpack is so convenient!"

"You have to make one for me no matter what!"

"Otherwise... I'll be sticking with you!"

As she spoke, she leaned forward, making her impressive bust even more prominent, almost bursting out of her clothes.

This caused several young team members around him to blush.

Fang Qing was quite straightforward and didn't hold back.

The construction of this backpack is not a closely guarded secret; you can roughly replicate it after seeing it once.

Moreover, most of the people in the reserve camp will become colleagues in the future.

There is no harm in forming a good relationship at this time.

He nodded in agreement and then borrowed paper and pen from Kuang Shisan.

Quickly draw the patterns for each part of the backpack and the key points for sewing.

"The blueprints are here."

"If anyone needs it, please ask Brother Thirteen to make it for them."

Kuang Shisan was also very interested in this novel bag and immediately agreed.

"Leave it to me!"

"However, the materials and labor costs are quite high; it costs ten taels of silver to make one!"

"The profits will be split 50/50 between me and Fang Qing!"

Fang Qing was somewhat surprised to hear this.

Unexpectedly, this casual act could earn him some extra money, so he readily agreed.

The crowd gathered around the blueprints, discussing them animatedly, and some had already begun calculating the cost.

Fang Qing then picked up the fully loaded leather backpack and tested its weight and balance.

It feels much less strenuous than carrying it by hand or on my shoulder before.

He started walking towards his residence.

Behind him, a group of envious eyes lingered, as did Zeng Qian's curious gaze that remained fixed on his back for a long time.

……

At 2 p.m., the sun was still scorching, and everyone was reassembled on the training ground of the preparatory camp.

The commander stood on the high platform, his face expressionless as he surveyed the panting crowd below.

With a short, forceful command breaking the stillness, the training mission began.

Each person needs to carry 500 pounds of weight and hike 20 miles through complex terrain to reach the final destination.

This twenty-mile journey is by no means an easy one; it requires traversing rugged mountains and fording rivers of varying depths.

The most difficult obstacle is the "Eighteen Bronze Men Formation" set up before the finish line.

Many people, including Zhanbo and Zeng Qian, have started using the leather backpacks that Fang Qing previously made.

This type of backpack distributes the weight, making it possible to carry hundreds of kilograms of supplies on long journeys.

At this moment, everyone's backpacks were stuffed full and varied in shape.

Five or six uniform logs were securely tied to the bottom of the backpack.

From a distance, this group did not appear to be members of the Salt Patrol Reserve Battalion.

Instead, they looked like a group of travelers undertaking an extreme weight-bearing mountain climb.

The column began to move, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Fang Qing adjusted the shoulder straps to keep her breathing steady and long.

Zhanbo stayed close to him, but he seemed to be struggling from the start.

After running about a kilometer, Zhanbo's breathing became completely disordered.

His face flushed red, large beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, and his steps began to falter.

"Fang Qing...I...I might really fall behind."

Zhanbo was out of breath, his chest heaving violently.

"I can't breathe... My lungs feel like they're on fire... You should go now."

"Don't worry about me... I'll rest for a bit... and catch up slowly."

Zhanbo consistently ranked among the bottom in the overall standings of the preparatory camp.

His physical strength and endurance were already weak, and this kind of extreme long-distance running with heavy loads was even more fatal.

Fang Qing glanced at him, her eyes calm, and didn't say anything about never abandoning or giving up.

In this society where martial arts are revered, resources must be fought for and seized.

The rewards for this trial mission are incredibly generous, including both Qi Gathering Pills and a chance to refine items from the Yangzhou Salt Patrol Guard's armory.

For Fang Qing, these were all crucial; they were things he absolutely had to get his hands on.

He silently pulled a leather water pouch from the side pocket of his backpack and handed it to Zhanbo.

The water bladder was heavy and filled with clean water.

Fang Qing patted Zhanbo on the shoulder and didn't say another word.

He then quickened his pace, chasing after the main force that was gradually receding into the distance...

……