41: Chapter 41 First "Refinement" Triggered

The glow from the furnace illuminated Lin Qiming's focused face.

He gripped the iron tongs, holding a dark red block of iron just removed from the furnace—it was a dagger blank, reforged from newly smelted iron ingots combined with a small amount of rare metal powder scraped from Ancient Saint parts.

Sweat trickled down his forehead, landing on the stone anvil and instantly evaporating into white steam.

He cast aside all distractions, focusing his entire mind on the iron block in his hands.

This was not simple repetitive labor, but an active "experiment."

The "Deft Hands" trait brought by [Basic Manual Repair] reaching Lv2 gave him a more delicate perception of force transmission and changes in metal texture.

Combined with his understanding of structure from [Basic Mechanical Identification], he attempted to actively guide the arrangement of the metal's internal lattice during forging, imitating the inner rhythm of the high-quality weapons in his memory.

"It's not about shaping it with brute force," he muttered to himself, "it's about shaping it with 'feel.'"

The rhythm of his hammering became varied.

Heavy blows for shaping, light blows for refining; every strike landed precisely where the metal needed to be deformed or compacted.

He felt as if he could "hear" the subtle sounds of internal stress being released and fibers recombining within the metal under his hammer.

His left arm's auxiliary unit provided stable support, but it was his increasingly keen sense of touch that took the lead.

The [Mechanical Affinity] talent surged quietly at this moment.

It wasn't a system notification, but a near-intuitive sense of fluidity.

The iron block in his hands was no longer a stubborn lump of metal; it was more like a piece of "malleable" clay, and he vaguely knew how to "knead" it to make it tougher and sharper.

Forging, quenching, tempering, polishing... the process was meticulous.

As the rough dagger blank gradually revealed a cold glint on the grinding wheel, Lin Qiming's heart rate accelerated slightly.

He entered a state of "flow," with only the arc and edge of the blade in his eyes.

The final step: sharpening.

He used the finest whetstone, pushing it at a steady speed along the edge line.

Angle, force, and rhythm were perfectly unified.

Just as the whetstone slid past the tip of the blade, completing the final polish—Hum!

A faint but clearly perceptible tremor emanated from the dagger!

It wasn't a physical vibration, but a "resonance" on an informational level!

At the same time, a golden light flashed in his field of vision!

[Manufacturing process triggered a special state!]

[Talent [Mechanical Affinity] hidden effect activated!]

["Precision Craft" effect triggered!]

[Determining item quality improvement...]

Lin Qiming held his breath, looking at the dagger he had just finished.

It didn't seem to have any huge visible changes, but the grip felt better suited to his palm, the center of gravity was perfect, and the blade shimmered with a very faint, non-reflective matte luster, as if it were absorbing the surrounding light.

Most peculiarly, when he gazed at the edge, he had a subtle illusion that "it longed to cut."

[Determination complete!]

[Item: Homemade Combat Dagger]

[Original Quality: Common (White) → Current Quality: Fine (Blue)!]

[Attribute Changes:]

Damage: 8-12 (Piercing) → 12-18 (Piercing)

Durability: 20/20 → 30/30

New Special Effect: [Sharpness] — Ignores a small amount of target armor (increased damage against unarmored/lightly armored units).

New Description: "A blade born from a moment of self-forgetful forging; its creation carried a pure desire for 'cutting.' Though still made of mortal iron, it has already touched the hazy threshold of a 'Weapon Soul.'"

[Manufacturer: Lin Qiming (Precision Craft)]

[Experience +600! (Precision Craft bonus reward)]

[Skill proficiency significantly increased! [Basic Manufacturing] proficiency +20%! [Basic Manual Repair] proficiency +15%!]

[Unlocked Milestone Achievement: [First Glimpse · Artisan] — Crafted a Fine quality item for the first time. Reward: Manufacturing Inspiration Rate permanently +2%.]

Success! The first active trigger, or rather, the first successful arrival of "Precision Craft"!

Lin Qiming held the brand-new dagger, feeling its distinct weight and chill, a great sense of accomplishment welling up in his heart.

This wasn't just luck; it was an inevitable breakthrough brought about by the combined effect of skill, talent, and focus.

"Precision Craft... so this is what it feels like." He rubbed the hilt carefully. "It's not a blessing bestowed out of thin air by the system, but a 'qualitative change' triggered by my state and talent when manufacturing reaches a certain critical point. It's like... when a chef's heat control reaches its peak, the dish they cook comes with its own halo?"

[The analogy is apt.] Hephaestus's voice sounded, carrying a rare hint of approval. ["Precision Craft" is the product of the resonance between the manufacturer's spirit, skill, and the material's potential.]

[Your state just now was infinitely close to the "State of Focus" when an Ancient Saint apprentice first starts out.]

[Although your skills and materials are not even one-billionth of theirs, the principle of triggering it is the same. Congratulations, you have proven that your talent is not just for show.]

"It seems that from now on, I can't just be satisfied with 'making it,' I also have to strive to 'make it well.'" Lin Qiming played with the new dagger, unable to put it down, before sliding it into his homemade leather sheath.

This dagger would become his main melee weapon, replacing that rough machete.

The joy of the Precision Craft slightly diluted the gravity brought about by the reconnaissance of District B-9.

He realized that the improvement of his own strength lay not only in energy levels and skill levels, but also in this leap in "quality."

A Fine-quality weapon could be the difference between life and death at a critical moment.

He carefully put away the remaining scraps and tools, his gaze falling on Xiao Haozi, who was fast asleep in the corner.

The little guy didn't follow him out today; it stayed home to watch the door (which actually meant sleeping), which could also be considered a contribution.

"Tomorrow, it's time for you to get some exercise," Lin Qiming thought.

Relying solely on himself to scout the Iron Tooth Gang's patrol patterns was too inefficient, and Xiao Haozi was the best stealth scout.

He had upgraded his weapon and clarified the next step for reconnaissance. Tonight, he could sleep well.