I can receive unlimited protection; my parents handed me over to the state.

In the courtyard, the sizzling sound of roasting meat and the chilling "academic discussion" between Lu Yuan and Wu Gu created an extremely eerie scene.

At the doorway, Liu Wuhen remained bowed at a ninety-degree angle, his body trembling slightly from prolonged stiffness. Chi Lian knelt on the cold metal floor, her forehead already red and swollen from the repeated banging, each impact producing a dull thud, yet she dared not stop.

Time seemed to be stretched out infinitely.

Every minute, every second, was a silent torture for the two of them.

Lu Yuan's nonchalant "I've long forgotten" was more despairing to them than any vicious curse. It was the ultimate humiliation of being completely ignored, not even deserving of the right to be hated.

Finally, the seminar on "how to cook a complete meal with one hundred kinds of deadly poisons" seemed to have come to an end.

Lu Yuan picked up the bottle of chilled soda, took a big gulp, and let out a satisfied sigh.

Then, as if he had finally remembered there were two people at the door, he slowly turned around.

"Alright, get up, everyone."

His voice remained flat, revealing no emotion.

Liu Wuhen and Chi Lian's bodies jolted, and they looked up in disbelief. He... he had forgiven them?

"Master Lu... Master Lu..." Liu Wuhen's voice was dry and hoarse. He wanted to say something, but found that his throat felt like it had been rubbed with sandpaper, and he couldn't utter a single word.

Lu Yuan ignored their flattered and bewildered expressions.

He walked slowly to the two of them, his eyes, which always carried a hint of laziness, calmly gazing at them.

There was no mockery, no contempt, and certainly no triumphant boasting in those eyes.

I just watched calmly.

But it was this tranquility that made Liu Wuhen and Chi Lian feel as if they had been stripped naked and were standing naked before the judgment seat, with all their thoughts and all their shameful secrets exposed.

"I don't care what your status is in your respective war zones, or how popular you are."

Lu Yuan spoke slowly, his voice not loud, but every word was like a heavy hammer, striking the hearts of the two of them hard.

"I don't care what your attitude is towards me, whether it's contempt, jealousy, or disdain."

"None of these things matter to me."

Lu Yuan paused, a barely perceptible smile curving his lips.

"Because you're not qualified yet."

I'm not qualified yet!

These six words were like six bolts of divine thunder from the heavens, striking Liu Wuhen and Chi Lian hard on the top of their heads!

They felt their very souls trembling!

Yes, qualifications.

Compared to someone who can forge legendary artifacts with ease and whose SSS-level geniuses are willing to help him with his barbecue, what are their so-called A+ level talents?

They truly don't even deserve to be looked at seriously.

At that moment, any lingering sense of relief they felt from being forgiven was utterly shattered. In its place came a deeper, clearer understanding.

He realized the enormous, insurmountable gap between himself and the boy before him.

"However," Lu Yuan changed the subject, his calm eyes suddenly becoming deep, as if containing an endless starry sky, "there is one thing I care about very much."

"That is, what is your attitude towards this war?"

He stretched out his hand and pointed to the sky.

Although this is the Celestial World where spring reigns all year round, everyone knows that he was referring to the cold starry sky shrouded in void and abyss.

"We're not playing house."

"We are at war."

"A life-or-death war for the survival of our entire civilization."

"In this war, there is no distinction between the capital theater, the southern theater, and the western theater."

Lu Yuan's voice became somewhat low, yet it carried a resounding power.

"We only have one identity."

"Humans".

These two simple words sent a jolt through everyone present, including Gu Tianye and Xiang Batian. The expressions of anticipation on their faces gradually faded, replaced by an unprecedented solemnity and gravity.

"The reason I was chosen to become a 'Master Craftsman'..."

"The reason I'm standing here is to forge weapons for Gu Tianye, Ye Cang, and Mu Bingli."

"It's not because I like blacksmithing."

"It's because I want them to take the weapons I made to the front lines and kill more enemies."

"Protect more of our compatriots."

"Let's fight for a little more hope for the survival of humanity."

As Lu Yuan looked at Liu Wuhen and Chi Lian, a brilliant light called "belief" shone in his eyes, which always carried a hint of laziness.

That light was more dazzling than any of the divine artifacts he had forged!

"So, do you understand what I mean?"

"I don't care if you're geniuses or trash."

"I don't care whether you respect me or hate me."

"I only care about what happens when you go to war."

"Are your swords and your fire aimed at the enemy, or at your own people?"

His words were powerful and resounding.

The entire courtyard was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Liu Wuhen and Chi Lian stared blankly at the young man before them, feeling as if their souls had undergone an unprecedented baptism.

For the first time, they began to reflect: what was the purpose of awakening their talents and desperately becoming stronger?

Is it for that superior status? Is it for the inexhaustible resources? Or is it to satisfy one's ridiculous vanity?

Compared to this young man who had the survival of the entire civilization at heart, how insignificant my own perspective was, and how narrow-minded I was.

"We...understand." Liu Wuhen's voice was extremely hoarse. He slowly straightened up, and for the first time, his peach blossom eyes, which always carried a hint of femininity, were devoid of calculation and ruthlessness. Instead, they were filled with a deep-seated awe and shame.

Chi Lian also got up from the ground. She wiped away the tears on her face, and for the first time, all the seductive charm and arrogance disappeared from her bewitching face, leaving only an unprecedented solemnity.

Lu Yuan withdrew his gaze and walked back to the barbecue grill.

He tossed the piece of roasted meat, which had already been deemed a "failure" by the witchcraft, to Gu Tianye, who was drooling with envy.

Then, in an extremely calm tone, he said, "Let bygones be bygones."

"I don't want to see any infighting or discrimination in the 'God-Making Project' team because of regional or personal grudges."

"Because we don't have the time or the right to waste time on internal strife."

"From today onwards, you are also a member of this team."

Lu Yuan looked at them and slowly extended the olive branch they had been longing for.

"As long as you can prove your worth,"

"As long as you can make a significant enough contribution to humanity in this war,"

"Then, you will also have the opportunity to obtain your own exclusive weapon."

"Even a divine artifact."

When the words "divine artifact" were uttered again, Liu Wuhen and Chi Lian's bodies trembled violently!

Their souls, which had just been baptized, were instantly ignited by an even more fervent flame!

An opportunity! He was actually willing to give them a chance!

The two looked at each other and saw in each other's eyes the ecstasy of regaining what was lost and the determination to burn their bridges!

"Master Lu! Tell us! What do you need us to do!" Liu Wuhen's voice trembled with excitement. "Just say the word, and we'll go through fire and water without batting an eye!"

"Yes! Master Lu!" Chi Lian puffed out her proud chest, her face filled with determination. "If you tell us to go east, we will never go west!"

Seeing the two men's fanatical eagerness to sacrifice their lives for him, Lu Yuan smiled.

This is exactly the effect he wanted.

A slap followed by a cloyingly sweet treat. This art of controlling people was the essence of what he learned from those palace dramas in his past life.

"very good."

Lu Yuan nodded in satisfaction. He pointed to the mountain of forging scraps piled up in the corner of the courtyard.

"Your first task is very simple."

"Sort and organize all that trash, categorizing it properly."

"Come find me again when you're done tidying up."

When Lu Yuan casually uttered the phrase "the first task," both Liu Wuhen and Chi Lian were stunned.

Sorting out... trash?

They looked at each other, both seeing a deep sense of bewilderment and incomprehension in each other's eyes.

They had imagined countless possibilities: that Lu Yuan would send them on a high-risk mission with a slim chance of survival, or to hunt down an extremely powerful star beast to prove their strength. They had even mentally rehearsed countless times how to perform well on the mission and win the favor of the "Divine Craftsman".

But they never dreamed that the first test this master craftsman would give them would be to work as cleaners.

"Wh...what? You don't want to?" Lu Yuan raised an eyebrow slightly as he looked at the two of them, who were standing there dumbfounded.

"No! No! We're willing!" Liu Wuhen was the first to react, shaking his head vigorously. "It's our greatest honor to be able to help Master Lu!"

As he spoke, he frantically tried to wink at Chi Lian beside him.

Chi Lian immediately understood, her face beaming with an incredibly bright smile: "Yes, yes, Master Lu! We love organizing things! We promise to make sure everything is spotless and perfectly organized for you!"

What a joke! This is the first task personally assigned by the Divine Craftsman! Let alone cleaning up the trash, even if Lu Yuan asked them to clean up the entire Celestial World right now, they would all fight to do it!

This is not just a task, but an attitude, a perfect opportunity to express loyalty and sincerity to the master craftsman!

"Okay, let's go then." Lu Yuan waved his hand as if shooing away two flies, then ignored them and turned back to continue discussing with Wu Gu the profound topic of "how to make the ultimate spicy hot pot using the bodily fluids of 108 kinds of Gu worms".

Liu Wuhen and Chi Lian looked at the boy who completely ignored them, and although they still felt a little uncomfortable, they dared not utter a word of complaint.

The two exchanged a glance, both seeing a resolute determination in each other's eyes, and then walked silently toward the "garbage heap" that resembled a small mountain in the corner of the courtyard.

When they actually stood before that "garbage dump," the two were once again deeply shocked.

This...this is supposed to be garbage?

Among the mountain of "waste" were A-grade [Thunderstone] whose energy had dissipated due to failed purification, B+ grade [Mithril Ingot] that had developed cracks during forging, and even a small piece of scrap of epic-grade material [Star Gold] that had become impure due to contamination with other attributes!

Any one of these items would be enough to cause a minor sensation at an auction! But now, they are just like real trash, carelessly piled up in this inconspicuous corner.

"What a...what a waste..." Chi Lian looked at the scrap of [Starry Refined Gold] that was still faintly shimmering with starlight, her heart aching so much it felt like it was bleeding. If this were taken back to the Western War Zone, it would be enough to make several master blacksmiths fight tooth and nail for it!

"Now, do you understand the difference between us and him?" Liu Wuhen shook his head with a wry smile. Only now did he truly understand what it meant to be worlds apart. What they considered treasures, in the eyes of the master craftsman, might really just be a pile of worthless trash.

"Stop reminiscing, let's get to work." Liu Wuhen took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the shock in his heart. He knew that this was both a test and a tremendous opportunity! These "scrap materials" rejected by the master craftsmen were, for them, the best textbook for understanding the master craftsmen's forging philosophy and material knowledge! As long as they could analyze even the slightest pattern from these "garbage" pieces, it would be enough to benefit them for a lifetime!

So, in the time that followed, an extremely bizarre scene unfolded in the courtyard of Villa S-0.

On one side, Lu Yuan and Wu Gu, two "monsters," were enthusiastically discussing the cooking techniques of various "dark cuisines"; on the other side, Gu Tianye and Xiang Batian, two unparalleled strongmen, were arguing heatedly about who could brush on an extra layer of sauce.

Mu Bingli and Lin Ziling acted like two dutiful maids: one was responsible for serving tea and water and handing out fruit; the other was holding a small notebook and quickly recording the properties and energy reactions of various materials mentioned by Lu Yuan and Wu Gu in their discussion, as if they were not some kind of culinary disaster, but the supreme alchemical formula.

As for the two newcomers who had just experienced the biggest ups and downs of their lives, Liu Wuhen and Chi Lian, they were like two of the most diligent cleaners, squatting in a corner, sweating profusely as they carried out their first "garbage sorting" in their lives.

They meticulously categorized the "waste" into different types such as metals, ores, star beast materials, and spiritual plants, even using their spiritual energy to clean the dust off each piece of material. Their earnest and devout demeanor made it seem as if they were performing some kind of sacred religious ritual rather than sorting through garbage.

This "magical" barbecue party lasted until late at night.

The party finally came to an end when Lu Yuan ate the last piece of "Breaking Bad" style barbecue—grilled by Wu Gu himself using a "secret sauce" made from the bodily fluids of eighteen different poisonous insects—without batting an eye.

Gu Tianye, Xiang Batian, and the others left with their bellies full and satisfied. They not only enjoyed the meat grilled by Master Lu himself, but also witnessed the charisma of the two new "big shots."

Especially that seemingly sinister witch doctor, whose cooking theory of "fighting poison with poison" sounded terrifying, when the "Breaking Bad" roast meat, roasted to a perfect crisp on the outside and tender on the inside with an extremely strange aroma, came out of the oven, they couldn't resist taking a small bite each, and then they were completely captivated.

The extreme freshness, aroma, numbing spiciness, sourness, sweetness, and bitterness that exploded on their taste buds—seven distinct yet perfectly blended flavors—made them feel as if their souls were about to be elevated!

They finally understood why Master Lu treated him differently. This kid who played with insects had indeed reached a level they couldn't comprehend when it came to the art of "eating"!