Liang Yuzhi's end wasn't short on food for the ti being, and the Freen there had mostly settled down.
So Li Wei wasn't in a rush to send supplies — the route was too long, and accidents were too likely. Better to wait until Linus and the others finished that small mountain armored vehicle.
Speaking of which, the whole thing was genuinely surreal. Li Wei had used two units of magical energy over twenty-four hours to successfully enchant roughly a ton of iron ingots, upgrading them directly to Two-Star.
"I can't explain the chanism, but after enchanting, the atomic structure of the iron seems to have undergone so kind of transformation. If there were a physicist here, they could probably explain it. What I can tell you is — every hamr strike feels like I'm creating sothing from nothing."
Outside the smithy, Zhao Xuanxuan's face was flushed red with heat, her front and back soaked through. Li Wei handed her a bottle of water. She drained it instantly.
"This is incredible. Li Wei — I can actually feel like I'm communicating with the red-hot iron. When I'm swinging the hamr, I feel like I can put my thoughts, my obsessions, into it. Li Wei, I suddenly want to forge a weapon for you — sothing intensely hot — I can't describe it, I feel like — I want—"
"You're about to break through. Stay steady. Right now, your Blacksmith Destiny Grid is being influenced by the roaring heat and the high temperature here. That's why it feels like fire in your chest — but it doesn't an you actually want what you think you want."
Li Wei looked at her steadily. He had been by her side constantly for the past two days, monitoring her condition closely, which gave him a clearer view.
In that mont, Zhao Xuanxuan's eyes looked like two burning flas, her gaze unfocused and intense.
But Li Wei's 4 Perception let him see it more clearly, feel it more precisely.
This was the enchanted iron reacting back on her. Magical energy was genuinely mysterious.
"I think about it normally too. But you're right, Li Wei — my Blacksmith Destiny Grid went up two points just this morning. I feel like even the flas have co alive. If this is a breakthrough opportunity, I can't miss it. But Li Wei — you have to promise : if this passes and I still have feelings for you, you can't say no."
Zhao Xuanxuan spoke like soone slightly drunk, saying things she wouldn't normally say. It was strange — only one of her Destiny Grids was approaching 50. Why was the reaction this intense?
When Li Wei had unlocked his Perception attribute, it hadn't been like this. Right now, Zhao Xuanxuan looked like she might burst into fla at any mont.
"Alright. Deal." Li Wei nodded. It wasn't a big thing — though he suspected the Profession Card Destiny Grid's power was amplifying her state considerably.
It felt like her entire being was evolving, hormones surging. Normally it might be friendship 100, but right now it had gone berserk — romance 100.
Though, to be honest, the Zhao Peppa who had been thin and plain-faced back then had grown into soone healthy and strong, with a very different kind of appeal.
Hmm.
That was a terrible thought. Stop.
"I can't do the chassis for Linus right now — I have too many ideas. I need to forge an enchanted weapon."
Zhao Xuanxuan turned and charged back into the smithy, which was like a steam room. Then ca a dense, drum-like rhythm of hamr strikes. The red-hot steel under her hamr moved like dough — no, that wasn't right, that wasn't right at all.
Li Wei's eyes went wide. He couldn't explain it, couldn't describe it — but he could feel it. The smithy felt like it was hiding a great white-browed tiger, roaring and leaping, its presence growing stronger and stronger, until he genuinely had the illusion that a real, living tiger was about to burst out of the steel Zhao Xuanxuan was forging.
What was this?
This was what it ant to breathe life into art. If there were a Painter Profession Card, this was what it would look like.
But wait — why was the presence weakening? It was so unstable.
Li Wei felt a surge of anxiety, but there was nothing he could do. He didn't dare interrupt Zhao Xuanxuan — she had poured her entire spirit into this. Stopping her now might cut off sothing that could never be recovered.
'Is the magical energy running low? Damn — are you really this extraordinary, Zhao Peppa?'
Li Wei didn't stop to think. He reached into his Resource Card and pulled out the last piece of cabbage leaf he had, drew his dagger, sliced it into small pieces, and tossed them in.
They landed directly on the red-hot iron.
Zhao Xuanxuan didn't notice — but it worked. The symptom was simple: insufficient magical energy, making it hard to sustain and channel the process.
Now it stabilized. The presence steadied, then began to climb again, rising toward a peak.
Zhao Xuanxuan suddenly let out a shout, and her Enchanting Hamr ca down with a thunderous strike.
A tiger's roar rang out.
Of course, only Li Wei and Zhao Xuanxuan could hear it. If ordinary people could hear it too, this would have crossed into the realm of cultivation novels.
In a sense, it was more like Zhao Xuanxuan had taken so deep feeling — so mory that had left a profound mark — and given it physical form through magical particles, creating a resonant circuit.
Zhao Xuanxuan stumbled. Li Wei caught her. She felt like she was on fire — burning hot to the touch.
And at that mont, two lines of text appeared silently.
[Player Zhao Xuanxuan, affiliated with Weir City's Logistics Departnt, has successfully forged a Three-Star quality enchanted weapon! The Logistics Departnt sends congratulations and requests to speak with Zhao Xuanxuan.]
[Zhao Xuanxuan has declined the negotiation.]
[Weir City's Logistics Departnt has invoked a special channel. They will forcibly recall player Zhao Xuanxuan, currently executing a rcenary mission here, within three days!]
—
What?
They were here to take the credit.
Li Wei gave a cold internal laugh. Good thing he had prepared for this. He imdiately activated the Pioneering Card and applied to construct an Enchanting Forge.
In that instant, the Pioneering Card humd continuously. Li Wei seed to see a great seal descend from the heavens above, and then lines of text appeared with an unusual authority.
[Duke Weir's Decree]
[Pioneering Mission player Li Wei, No. 11, has applied to construct an Enchanting Forge. The following conditions must be t:]
[1. Possess a Level 1 Territory with a Magic Ore Vein.]
[2. Possess an Enchanting Blacksmith who has successfully forged one Three-Star quality enchanted item.]
[3. Possess a Blacksmith Shop.]
[4. Five thousand standard gold coins.]
[All conditions verified. You are hereby granted the right to construct an Enchanting Forge, along with all associated rights.]
[Note: although you are still in the Pioneering Mission, once you possess three special buildings, you will be required to begin paying taxes imdiately. However, you will also be able to bind your Rare title to your territory.]
—
In an instant, 5,000 standard gold coins were deducted from Li Wei's treasury.
After that, things were simple.
Li Wei looked down at Zhao Xuanxuan, still slightly drained, resting against him.
"Zhao Xuanxuan — are you willing to remain in my territory as Chief Enchanting Blacksmith and Advisor?"
"I am."
Hmm. That felt a bit strange. But fine — minor details didn't matter.
With Zhao Xuanxuan's confirmation, the Logistics Departnt's attempt to claim her was finished.
"Xuanxuan — thank you. Let take you back to rest."
"Thank for what? I should be thanking you. I, Zhao the Gambler, have finally hit the jackpot of fate. So we can't be separated from now on?"
"Probably not. Missions together — though only Conquest Missions and Cross-Border Missions. Everything else, we're free to do independently."
"That's fine too. I don't need to rest. I have good news and bad news, Li Wei. Which do you want first?"
At that, Zhao Xuanxuan suddenly pushed away from Li Wei and staggered toward the kitchen worker who had just arrived with food. She grabbed a loaf of bread in one hand and a grilled fish in the other, sat cross-legged on the ground, and devoured everything like a starving animal. Then she let out an enormous belch.
"Much better."
Zhao Xuanxuan grinned, her eyes bright and clear. No more unfocused intensity — she felt like her old self again, the confident little firecracker she'd always been.
"At this point, even bad news is probably good news. Go ahead."
Li Wei watched her with a strange expression, trying not to imagine how awkward things would have been between them.
"The good news is — my Blacksmith Destiny Grid hit 50. Full. Can you imagine? I'm powerful now too. And at 50, it imdiately granted a hidden attribute — Bloodline Frenzy!"
"What does that an?"
Li Wei was confused. Wasn't it supposed to require two Destiny Grids both hitting 50 to unlock a hidden attribute? Just one Blacksmith at 50 — well, different professions might unlock different things.
"Ha! It ans I, Zhao Peppa, am now a formidable senior player. Currently Bloodline Frenzy 1, costs two Free Attribute Points to add one level. Effect: upon activation, all attributes 1 for 300 seconds. At 2, all attributes 2, and so on. Also — as long as my Stamina stays above 200, I can keep activating it. If Stamina drops below 200, I enter a ten-second weakness period."
"So — a berserker?" Li Wei felt sothing was off. A berserker? Female? That worked?
Though the hidden attribute seed a bit underwhelming.
"I suppose so."
"Alright. And the bad news?" Li Wei asked, curious.
Zhao Xuanxuan sighed and leaned against the wall, looking slightly put out. "The bad news is — you were right. I was under the influence of my boiling Destiny Grid, like I'd taken sothing. In that state I really did like you — I wanted to wrap myself around you like molten iron. But now that my Destiny Grid has stabilized, I look at you and feel absolutely nothing. I see your face and I think of little pig George. Is there any hope for ?"
Li Wei gave a dry laugh and pretended to look slightly awkward. Could he say the sa? He looked at her and thought of Peppa Pig.
They stared at each other for a few seconds, then both looked away as if nothing had happened. The mont passed.
"Wait — here, take this Cavalry Card. When you have ti, go to Jenny's shop and grab two Bronze Clearance Tokens to upgrade to Four-Star. I'm genuinely looking forward to seeing you on the battlefield with that Tiger Head Great Blade or a giant iron hamr, in full heavy armor, charging through everything."
"A Cavalry Card — what?! A Rare Card, your Rookie King reward — I can't—" Zhao Xuanxuan quickly waved her hands. Joking was one thing.
But Li Wei looked at her calmly. "Zhao Xuanxuan — understand this: from this mont on, you're not anyone's shadow, and you don't need to earn anyone's approval. You've earned everyone's respect through your own ability, your own effort, your own talent. You're with not just because we've fought together, because we're friends — even family — but because we're a team. A team that can trust each other completely, that can put our lives in each other's hands."
"So — do you think you're my deadweight? Or are you trying to be deadweight?"
"I—"
Zhao Xuanxuan paused. She looked at the Cavalry Card, then at Li Wei, and finally let out a long sigh.
"Li Wei. George. I surrender."
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