Chapter 4: The Sharp Military Knife

However, what disappointed and saddened him was that when he began to choose enhancements, he could only increase two attributes, and he simply could not improve any further

Ouyang Ming puffed out his chest, originally intending to say that he had just woken up not long ago and was full of energy.

As the arms once again surged, Ouyang Ming quickly discovered that the attributes of these damaged sabers were indeed quite subpar. Generally speaking, if a saber is of acceptable quality, its sharpness should be between +1 and +2, and the same applies to its hardness, which should also hover between 1 and 2

Ouyang Ming nodded in a seemingly understanding manner, yet urged, "Old man, please take a look quickly"

Ouyang Mingfeng burst into the independent forging room of the old craftsman with great enthusiasm

The old craftsman, both amused and perplexed, said: "Where on earth did you find this thing, you rascal?"

As for durability, there is no need to mention it further. Since it is already a damaged item, what durability can be expected

Rank: Common items are of the third tier

Enhancement

Under the scorching heat of the munitions, he could easily discern the attributes of the sabre, and even more astonishingly, this munitions seemed capable of absorbing and enhancing the attributes of the sabre. This fact is indeed somewhat shocking

Sensing the two small purple orbs that still exist in my mind, I look again at the brand new military knife in my hand

He recounted his journey to the grain camp and his visit to the mansion with Zhang Yinfan and his nephew, lamenting with a sorrowful expression: "I have acquired arms, and they must surely hate me to the bone. Alas, I fear I will have no good days ahead..."

He wants the old craftsman, the person closest to him, to see the results of his hard work

Indeed, even without repairing the military knife, one can still draw upon its attributes

Thus, Ouyang Ming easily found many military sabers with only minor surface damage

"Yes." Ouyang Ming nodded emphatically, pointing to his own head, and said: "The old man is all here."

Ouyang Ming shook his head, and the slight feeling of dizziness seemed to have vanished under the surge of excitement. Subsequently, he held the military knife and took large strides, swiftly running towards the old craftsman.

Ouyang Ming turned around and held the military knife that had been repaired initially in his hand

Ouyang Ming chuckled, and before the old craftsman, he had nothing to conceal

Old Master, Old Master...

The ammunition was burning on a damaged military sword, but this time, he did not attempt to repair the sword; instead, he simply murmured in his heart.

However, the damaged sabers here possess at most one attribute, either Sharpness +1 or Hardness +1. Not to mention the occurrence of two attributes together, even the presence of a single attribute at +2 is exceedingly rare

The old craftsman said with irritation: "What are you in such a hurry for, so impatient? I wonder if you will ever amount to anything in the future. Oh, this military knife..." His tone suddenly halted, and his expression turned to one of surprise.

He is an orphan and indeed lacks significant education. However, this does not imply that he is unable to recognize even the most basic numbers and names

A familiar set of handwriting floated smoothly in his mind, and Ouyang Ming's eyelids twitched rapidly a few times, the surprise in his heart was truly indescribable

With a slight stir in his heart, he suddenly plunged into the piles of damaged weapons and selected the appropriate sabers from among them

He had slept for a full two hours. When Ouyang Ming woke up, he immediately felt refreshed, as if all the difficulties before him had turned into trivial matters.

However, just as he was in high spirits, a pair of eerie eyes suddenly sprang to mind, causing his expression to instantly fall.

After a moment, the old craftsman set down the military knife, looked at Ouyang Ming, and said with a serious expression: "Young man, impressive indeed, you can even repair a military knife of this quality. I underestimated you."

The old craftsman furrowed his brows and said, "You brat, are you looking for trouble? You have just mastered the use of firearms, yet you use them continuously. Do you not understand the principle that haste makes waste?"

Ouyang Ming smiled awkwardly, but immediately cast aside this embarrassment. He shouted, "Old man, this is the military knife I just repaired, come and appreciate it!"

However, as the words were on the tip of my tongue, I felt as if I was truly hungry, and I was also quite fatigued, experiencing a bit of a drowsy sensation

Item: Sharp military knife

The arms he obtained are certainly not of the ordinary kind; within these arms lie profound knowledge and great secrets

Identify the components that can be enhanced, should they be improved

At this moment, he had already decided that this matter must not be mentioned to anyone, not even to the old master craftsman.

He blinked twice and immediately nodded, saying: "Alright, old man, I will follow your arrangements."

As he observed the military knife becoming even harder, Ouyang Ming couldn't help but grin widely, his joy uncontainable.

Ouyang Ming said in surprise: "Old man, what is that thing?"

The old craftsman’s face flushed with anger, and he gritted his teeth, saying: "What a miser, even wanting to covet my achievements!" He pressed his lips together; although he was seething with rage, he had no effective means to deal with one of the supervisors of the grain and money camp.

Discover extractable components, should they be extracted

If a child accomplishes something significant, they will undoubtedly have a sense of pride and a desire to show it off

Compared to those blacksmiths who can personally forge divine weapons, the little fellows who have just mastered firearms seem somewhat insignificant

At this moment, based on the literal meaning, Ouyang Ming has already understood what has happened

He returned to his dwelling and fell into a deep sleep once again

Alright, I will explain it once more today, and you must remember it well. However, today you have just used your weapons and do not understand the art of restraint. First, go have a hearty meal, get a good night's sleep, and come back to study in the afternoon

Attributes: Sharpness +3, Hardness +3, Durability 3

The old craftsman explained: "You ordinary people must expend physical strength when using firearms; even the strongest among you cannot sustain it for long. Only those who have achieved mastery in martial arts can extend this duration. However, there are some individuals who are naturally endowed with powerful mental strength; they can use their mental power to replace physical strength to fuel the firearms. Well, your ability to master firearms so quickly and use them continuously indicates that you belong to this category of people."

Ouyang Ming focused his mind and began his own attempts

Ouyang Ming excitedly said, "I randomly chose one from those abandoned tents."

After a long period of contemplation, the old master stamped his foot in frustration and said: "Kid, from today onwards, I will teach you the true art of arms forging! If you can become a certified arms smith, then even the miser, no matter how bold he is, will not dare to openly confront you."

A strong sense of fatigue surged over Ouyang Ming, whose body swayed slightly, as if he might collapse to the ground at any moment

Unfortunately, my physical strength has already been exhausted; otherwise, if I were to combine the other two attributes in my mind, it would undoubtedly elevate this military knife to a higher level

Rank: All items are of the fourth tier.

This issue does not require any consideration; he immediately chose to absorb it. Subsequently, a small purple light dot appeared once again in his mind

Ouyang Ming's face revealed a satisfied smile; although this military knife's various attributes had only slightly improved, it undoubtedly possessed rare and excellent qualities among all military knives

The old craftsman, keenly observing the expressions and demeanor of those around him, inexplicably inquired, "What is the matter?"

Ouyang Ming scratched his scalp and said, "Old man, I just feel that I should be able to hold on, so I gave it a try." He thought to himself, I have not just used it twice, it should be several times by now.

He glared at the young man fiercely and said, "You are so reckless; can't you be a bit more composed?"

Here is an armory for discarded items, where those military knives that have lost their repair value are piled up, awaiting their fate of being recycled in one go

At this moment, he sincerely felt grateful to the old craftsman. Ever since he fortuitously entered the military camp two years ago and was chosen by the old craftsman to assist him, the old craftsman had tirelessly taught him literacy and arithmetic. Although the old craftsman himself had only a mediocre level of knowledge, he was more than sufficient for providing basic education.

Once armed with weaponry, the process of repairing machinery becomes effortlessly advantageous, far more so than for an ordinary blacksmith. However, no matter how many devices are repaired, one remains merely a competent repair technician.

He took a deep breath, and a fleeting look of hesitation crossed his face

Breathing heavily, Ouyang Ming finally realized that the physical strength required for enhancement was at least double that needed for absorption

To draw upon

The old craftsman was taken aback, looking at him with a suspicious gaze. After a moment, he said: "Strange, could it be that... you possess a talent for mental power?"

Attributes: Sharpness +4, Hardness +4, Durability 4

The arms were retrieved, and perhaps due to a state of exhilaration, Ouyang Ming did not feel particularly fatigued. He carefully examined the damaged military knife in his hand. After absorbing its remaining attributes, this object seemed to have become even more dilapidated.

As the saying goes, destruction is easy, but construction is difficult; the acquisition and enhancement of military arms are no different.

He immediately came to a halt, as if he had encountered a similar situation in the arms order, his mental and physical strength nearly exhausted, leaving him unable to continue any longer

The old craftsman said slowly: "Once you become a weapons forger, you will have many privileges in the camp, enough to ensure your survival. However, to become an impeccable weapons forger, you must independently forge suitable equipment in a short period of time." He paused and asked: "Do you remember everything I taught you before?"

As the flashes of arms appeared, another set of characters emerged in my mind

Gazing at the gleaming military knife in his hand, Ouyang Ming's eyes were filled with confusion, but he was soon overwhelmed by an unparalleled ecstasy

Ouyang Ming let out a long sigh and said, "Alas, I am in trouble"

Item: Military Knife

Stirred by the thrust of the military knife before him, Ouyang Ming's body was filled with vigor. He pressed on, continuously absorbing the attributes of four damaged military knives, and then sought to stack them onto this knife.

With Ouyang Ming's confirmation, a faint glow briefly illuminated the military knife, and then it returned to normal.

Arms Forgemaster? Ouyang Ming swallowed hard, and his eyes lit up.

In the span of two years, his palms have endured countless beatings, yet he has managed to extract the scant knowledge from the old craftsman's belly.

Inside, the old craftsman was repairing a fine steel shield with military-grade materials. When called by Ouyang Ming, he suddenly became agitated and almost failed in his task