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Chapter 21 Dwarf Master, Sewer Mission
"jingle--"
The copper bell on the lintel rang.
The store was dimly lit, and the air was filled with the familiar smell of metal and coal, but it lacked the heat and vitality of the past.
The blacksmith, Xinda, sat behind the stone platform, his back to the door.
This dwarf, known for his boundless energy, now appeared unusually listless from behind.
His beard, which used to be always tied in a braid, now hung limply on his leather apron, which was covered in black ash, like a clump of hay ravaged by a storm.
"Boss Xinda?" Xia Lin asked.
The dwarf slowly turned around.
"You've come..."
Upon seeing the dwarf's state, Xia Lin subconsciously took a half step back.
His eye bags were swollen and bluish, as if he had been punched twice. His bloodshot eyes were barely open, looking like two pine nuts soaked in coal ash.
The dwarf's voice was hoarse and dry, as if his vocal cords had been sanded.
He let out a huge yawn, looking utterly exhausted: "It's all because of that awful thing you brought over last time!"
"Two days and two nights!" Xinda stretched out two short, thick fingers and waved them vigorously in front of Xia Lin's eyes, finally coming back to life. "I haven't slept for two whole days and two nights! Just to fight against that piece of trash of a bastard like you!"
He jumped off the stool, staggered over to the cold, silent furnace, and pointed to the gray embers inside: "See? I've used my most treasured 'Heart of the Earth' charcoal to raise the furnace temperature to three times the normal level for forging steel!"
The impurities inside that thing were as stubborn and disgusting as an ancestral rusted iron pot from a cannibal's family! After repeated forging, hammering, and quenching, my arms were practically aching!
Xia Lin's gaze passed over the chattering dwarf and landed on the worktable next to him.
Two pieces of equipment lay there quietly.
A round shield, restored to its original condition, with the original pits and burn marks gone, the surface polished smooth, and the edges re-covered with tanned hard leather.
And another one.
Xia Lin's breath hitched slightly.
It was his old soldier's longsword, yet it was completely different.
The once worn-out blade now possesses a deep, dark hue that seems to absorb light.
It wasn't filthy, but rather the color of some metallic essence—solemn, hard, and carrying a chill.
The sword's spine is straight, flowing smoothly from the guard to the tip, with clean and sharp lines on both sides, devoid of any superfluous decoration.
Without any frills, it perfectly exemplifies the pragmatism of the dwarven blacksmith.
Just lying there quietly, it naturally exudes a restrained sharpness that comes from being reborn from the ashes.
"Did it work?" Xia Lin asked, wanting to confirm.
Sinda's complaints came to an abrupt end.
The dwarf turned around, his swollen eyes revealing an almost fanatical light, his fatigue instantly dispelled by a tremendous sense of accomplishment.
He grinned, revealing a set of smoky, strong teeth, and his laughter echoed in his quiet shop.
"Of course!"
He practically leaped to the worktable, picked up the longsword, and handed it to Xia Lin.
"Look! Look for yourself!" Sinda's voice was full of pride. "Impurities? Humph! I separated and removed them all without leaving a trace!"
During the smelting process, I discovered that your ore actually contained a tiny bit... well, a tiny bit of 'extraterrestrial' flavor!
Though pitifully few, almost negligible, who am I? Sinda of "The Anvil and the Fire"!
He patted his broad chest forcefully: "I used quenching fluid repeatedly! Finally, I managed to completely extract what was inside!"
Xia Lin took the longsword.
My first impression upon handling it was that it was heavy.
It's not bulky, but rather has a solid, weighty feel, with a perfect center of gravity that still fits the palm perfectly.
With a gentle swing, his arm felt no extra tremor; the sword had become an extension of his limbs.
Words appeared in his eyes, a few simple lines of text interwoven on the sword:
【Reborn Veteran's Longsword (Star Iron Specialty - Second Reforging) (Blue/Fine)】
Reborn from the ashes, discarding the dross and retaining the essence.
Its structure is dense and tough, and its sharp edge is difficult to damage.
The masterpiece of the dwarven master Sindar has completely awakened the essence of Star Iron.
"Two days and two nights! Remember that, kid, you owe me at least ten barrels of the finest ale!" — Anvil and Fire, Sindar
Traits:
Robust – Enhanced durability.
Weakness Slash - When attacking fatal or vulnerable areas such as the head, heart, neck, and joints, it triggers vulnerability.
Purge - Provides significant resistance to malevolent creatures, penetration, and damage amplification.
The text disappeared.
Xia Lin raised his head and looked at the dwarf blacksmith who was staring at him expectantly.
The other person's face still showed signs of fatigue, but the light in their eyes was brighter than when the fire was at its strongest.
The title "Master of Dwarfs" is not to be faked; his skills far exceeded his own expectations.
"Excellent craftsmanship," Xia Lin said sincerely.
Sindar was taken aback for a moment, and then a pure smile, like that of a dwarf blacksmith, bloomed on his face, which was covered in coal dust and weariness.
He waved his hand casually, turned around and pretended to tidy up his tools, but his thick neck was slightly red.
"Hey..." The dwarf muttered in a deep voice, his back to Xia Lin.
"It's alright, just... alright."
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.
The doors of the Adventurers' Guild were pushed open, and Xia Lin walked in.
A few adventurers stood scattered in the hall, talking in hushed tones.
Several people stood in front of the bulletin board, looking up at the layers of service requests.
Nim was in his usual corner, his usual spot.
This information broker and temporary mission commissioner always seems to "just happen" to appear here whenever Xia Lin needs him.
He had a charcoal pencil between his fingers and was writing and drawing on a crumpled piece of parchment.
"You're here?" Nim didn't even look up, his voice flat.
Xia Lin walked up to him and said, "You're quite dedicated; you're always here whenever I come."
Nim finally lifted his eyelids and smirked, "Every second is a shining coin, brother. Wasting time is wasting money."
Xia Lin paused for a moment.
indeed.
If I weren't short of money, I wouldn't be here today.
The equipment upgrades and potion replenishment he had previously done at "Anvil and Fire" had nearly emptied most of the bounty he had earned from the goblin lair.
Now, all I have left is 8 gold and 10 silver coins, which feel so light in my purse that it makes me uneasy.
The feeling of living off one's savings is truly unpleasant.
Sure enough, once you've experienced sudden wealth, there's no going back.
"What's the task today?" Xia Lin asked directly, then paused and added, "Let me make it clear beforehand, I can't handle the kind of job of clearing out a nest that happened last time by myself."
That experience of clearing out the lair was something he would remember for a lifetime.
Nim seemed to grunt, but it was impossible to tell whether he agreed or not.
He put down his charcoal pencil, pulled a roll of parchment tied with a thin string from under the table, and pushed it in front of Xia Lin.
"Don't worry, this time I'm not sending you to your death." He spoke quickly. "It's a team recruitment mission to deal with the 'rats' in the sewers."
Meet at the entrance of the third drainage ditch south of town tomorrow morning. Rewards are based on kills and casualties, with a guaranteed minimum and the more you play, the more you earn.