Chapter 59 - It Has to be Worthy of Its Name
Chapter 59 – It Has to be Worthy of Its Name
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
This was the first time Yin Wuyou had encountered someone who kept insisting on signing a contract with her.
In the past, everyone spoke to her cautiously.
Who would dare to show such disbelief on their faces?
But Zhou Shu had a serious expression on his face.
Doesn’t he know that I am the superior of his superior of his immediate superior?
Would I lie to him?
Yin Wuyou signed the contract with Zhou Shu in anger.
She made up her mind. If Zhou Shu couldn’t produce results that satisfied her, she would definitely let him know the consequences!
Zhou Shu pretended not to see Yin Wuyou’s anger and happily accepted the contract.
It was written in black and white. Yin Wuyou couldn’t go back on her word now.
As long as he could produce a new standard weapon, he would be able to let the 0th Workshop develop in the direction he wanted!
“Superintendent Zhou, tell me when you can forge a new standard weapon.” Yin Wuyou’s tone was a little cold. “I can’t just wait blindly until you can produce it. If the 0th Workshop doesn’t prove itself, even if I don’t mind, the other workshops will have opinions.”
Who would dare? If they’re unconvinced, they can also produce weapons such as the Hundred Refinements Ring Pommel Saber and the Horse Slaying Saber, Zhou Shu thought. But he wasn’t stupid enough to argue with the big boss.
He smiled. “Grand Minister, you worry too much. Don’t worry. I won’t make you wait!
“Grand Minister, do you have time now?
“If you have time, why don’t you come to my workshop?”
…
Yin Wuyou didn’t know what Zhou Shu was up to, but she unexpectedly agreed.
She followed Zhou Shu all the way to the 0th Workshop, where Zhang Yibei and the others were directing a group of Forging Apprentices to transport the newly forged weapons into the 0th Workshop’s storeroom.
Looking at the boxes of Huben Sabers, Hundred Refinements Ring Pommel Sabers, and Horse Slaying Sabers, even Yin Wuyou, who had long known, was slightly shocked.
She had asked a true expert and knew the difficulty of forging the Hundred Refinements Ring Pommel Saber and Horse Slaying Saber.
Back then, she had thought that if Zhou Shu couldn’t complete the mission and Great General Meng wanted to punish him, she, the grand minister, would help him plead for mercy.
She hadn’t expected him to come up with such a plan.
Since the Forging Apprentices couldn’t quickly master the forging techniques on their own, he had to break down the entire process into countless small steps that were easy to master. Then he would get people to command them. This way, the Forging Apprentice wouldn’t need to truly master the forging techniques of the weapon to begin forging. It completely reduced the reliance on the individual’s forging ability to the minimum.
Thinking about it now, Yin Wuyou still found it unbelievable.
Of course, she didn’t know that if not for the difference between the two worlds, Zhou Shu would have even thought of mechanizing forging.
But this world was different from Earth, and the ways of forging were also different. The method of melting iron into molten iron and then using molds to forge was not suitable in this world.
Some familiar mechanical tools from his previous life were naturally irreproducible.
This world didn’t need the bellows from his previous life. This world’s smelting furnaces had been modified using some method that Zhou Shu didn’t understand yet, and a single person could control one.
“You asked me to come here just to show me this?” Yin Wuyou pointed at the weapons.
“Of course not.” Zhou Shu shook his head. “Grand Minister, you don’t need to care about them. Just let them do their own thing. Grand Minister, please follow me.”
After inviting Yin Wuyou into the 0th Workshop, Zhou Shu said, “Grand Minister, we agreed that as long as I can create a new standard weapon that isn’t weaker than the Hundred Refinements Ring Pommel Saber and the Horse Slaying Saber, the 0th Workshop will operate according to my plans.
“In the future, the 0th Workshop will be in charge of developing weapons, and the 0th Workshop will also have the right to decide which army the developed weapons and equipment will go to!”
“I promise,” Yin Wuyou said. “Don’t tell me you can forge a new weapon now?”
“Grand Minister, please wait and see!” Zhou Shu smiled slightly and didn’t directly answer.
He walked to a smelting furnace and stoked the furnace flames.
Forging weapons was, to a large extent, physical work.
But it was this physical work that Zhou Shu had managed to forcefully create a strange sense of beauty.
Yin Wuyou and Haitang, who were behind him, watched as Zhou Shu swung the hammer again and again. They both felt that his movements were unusually coordinated, forming a different kind of picture with the leaping flames.
This was completely different from what they knew about forging.
“Haitang, has his forging always been like this?” Yin Wuyou asked softly.
Zhou Shu was still wearing the clothes he had bought not long ago. These clothes didn’t look like the short, coarse clothes of Forging Apprentices at all. Instead, they looked fit for a banquet.
“I don’t know,” Haitang replied softly. “Your Highness, when he was forging, he always chased me out the door. I’ve never seen him forge.”
Yin Wuyou nodded and didn’t ask any more questions. Her gaze fell on the weapon under Zhou Shu’s hammer.
Under Zhou Shu’s hammering, the fiery red iron constantly changed shape. The sparks that flew everywhere seemed to have been knocked into the iron.
Gradually, the shape of a blade took shape under the hammer.
Yin Wuyou wasn’t an expert in using sabers. She couldn’t tell whether Zhou Shu had really created a new standard weapon or not.
Is his forging talent really that impressive? He just developed the Hundred Refinements Ring Pommel Saber and the Horse Slaying Saber. And he’s really developing a new standard weapon just like that? Yin Wuyou thought.
If Zhou Shu’s forging talent is truly so outstanding, then I won’t be at a disadvantage even if I agree to his request.
Also, should I change my attitude toward him?
With such forging talent, he might really be able to advance to Forging Master in the future. He might even become a Grand Craftsman!
Even though Yin Wuyou was the princess of a country, she felt that it was already a blessing for Zhou Shu to become a Grand Craftsman. Divine Craftsman? That was almost impossible.
Countless thoughts flashed through Yin Wuyou’s mind, but Zhou Shu wasn’t thinking too much.
For him, obtaining the secret forging formula of a weapon from the Legendary Armament Canon naturally allowed him to grasp the forging process of the weapon.
Thus, forging failures didn’t exist.
Therefore, although it was his first time forging it, he looked as though he had carried out the entire forging process countless times. Every step was incomparably accurate without the slightest error.
Under his deliberate restraint, four hours later, a long saber finally took shape under his hands!
After completing the final step, Zhou Shu reversed his saber and handed the hilt to Yin Wuyou.
“Grand Minister, please review!” Zhou Shu had always addressed Yin Wuyou as grand minister, not your highness.
Yin Wuyou was very satisfied with this title. Being a princess was only her background, and the grand minister of the Forging Division was her position. She didn’t want others to only treat her as a princess. She was prepared to make a career in the Forging Division!
Yin Wuyou narrowed her eyes and reached out to grab the handle of the saber. “Is this your new standard weapon?”
In fact, she only asked subconsciously. Ever since she became the grand minister of the Forging Division, she already knew all the information about the Forging Division like the back of her hand.
The Forging Division’s standard weapon manual didn’t have this saber she was holding. She was certain of this.
In other words, Zhou Shu had really developed a new standard weapon!
Without waiting for Zhou Shu to reply, her gaze fell on the blade. The blade was slightly shorter than the standard long blade, and it had a slight curve to it, its lines smooth and perfect.
Based on its appearance alone, this saber was much more exquisite than the standard long saber and the Huben Saber, Hundred Refinements Ring Pommel Saber, and Horse Slaying Saber that Zhou Shu had forged before.
The Huben Saber, especially the Hundred Refinements Ring Pommel Saber and the Horse Slaying Saber, had extraordinary power, but their outer appearance was coarse. Upon closer inspection, they looked a little rough, and they didn’t really interest a woman like Yin Wuyou.
But the saber in front of her was slender and light, looking exquisite and delicate. Even if a woman used it, it wouldn’t look out of place.
“Have you tried this saber before? How many layers of armor can it penetrate?” Yin Wuyou asked while twirling her wrist and casually swinging the saber around.
“I’ve never tried it before, but the standard weapon that I, Zhou Shu, created will definitely be able to penetrate through three layers of armor,” Zhou Shu said confidently.
Ordinary standard weapons that could only break through one layer of armor were already considered top-grade weapons. Standard weapons that could break through three layers of armor were definitely divine weapons among standard weapons.
The Horse Slaying Saber, which excelled in killing, could break through five layers of armor. This was probably the limit of standard weapons.
Any stronger, and it would be a ranked weapon!
Yin Wuyou looked at the saber in front of her. If this saber could really break through three layers of armor, then Zhou Shu would win.
After all, the strength of a saber didn’t just depend on its sharpness. If this saber could break through three layers of armor, then overall, it could indeed be said to be no weaker than the Horse Slaying Saber.
Plus, its appearance was worth additional points.
“I’ll test it then.” Yin Wuyou brought the saber to the wooden stake beside her and indicated for Haitang to put on three layers of leather armor.
While waiting, Yin Wuyou looked at Zhou Shu. “Does this saber have a name?”
“Yes!” Zhou Shu said. “However, Grand Minister, you should test the saber first. If its power is lacking, then there’s no need for it to exist, and it’s not worthy of its name.
“The weapons I create must be worthy of my reputation.” Zhou Shu proudly raised his head.
Yin Wuyou’s heart shook slightly, but she didn’t say anything. Instead, she raised the saber in her hand and slashed the leather armor on the wooden stake..