Something’s Wrong with This Game — I Became a God by Mining!

Zhou Zheng carefully examined the Centenary Refined Vermilion Gold Pickaxe, the Seventh-Rank Official Saber, and the two belts of Centenary Refined Vermilion Gold Throwing Daggers that Yang Ling had laid out.

“This pickaxe of yours must have been used for at least five years now. It’s nearly at the end of its service life.”

Zhou Zheng suddenly remarked.

Yang Ling mused, “Not at all. I’ve only used it for a few months.”

Zhou Zheng waved his hand dismissively. “Absolutely impossible. Look at the marks here, the subtle wear and tear in these spots. Centenary Refined Vermilion Gold is inherently very tough. If it hadn’t been used for five years, how could it have reached this state?”

“I personally quite enjoy mining because when I dig, I calm my mind, which also helps my martial arts cultivation.”

Yang Ling laughed. “I went to the Water Qilin Cave before and used it to dig out Kylin Iron. So it’s only natural that the wear and tear is a bit heavier than usual.”

Zhou Zheng’s expression twisted with curiosity. Really, just a few months?

How could it have turned out like this in just a few months?

“Commissioner Yang, are you sure you want to use Kylin Iron to upgrade this Centenary Refined Vermilion Gold Pickaxe?”

“It’s doable, but it’s a bit of a waste. Kylin Iron is either used to forge armor or to forge weapons. Forging a pickaxe…”

Zhou Zheng shook his head slightly.

“Here’s what I was thinking: first use Blazing Gold to upgrade this Centenary Refined Vermilion Gold Pickaxe, then reinforce it with Kylin Iron.”

Yang Ling asked, “Is my line of thinking feasible?”

“Hah, that’s the kind of thinking an outsider would have.”

Zhou Zheng couldn’t help but mock him.

Shi Xin said flatly, “Zhou Zheng, have you forgotten something?”

Zhou Zheng was startled, suddenly remembering the man’s identity. He quickly clasped his hands in salute.

“Commissioner Yang, Blazing Gold is extremely domineering. Once it merges with Centenary Refined Vermilion Gold to become Centenary Refined Blazing Gold, no other metal can be melted into it anymore.”

He paused, then added, “But if Blazing Gold is first fused with Kylin Iron, we get Blazing Kylin Iron. And that material can merge with Centenary Refined Vermilion Gold, eventually becoming Centenary Refined Kylin Iron.”

At this point, he couldn’t help but say, “Centenary Refined Kylin Iron is a very rare and precious metal. It has a special property: self-repair. If used to forge a weapon, I imagine even a Fifth-Rank expert would find it irresistible.”

Self-repair? That means it would never run out of durability?

Yang Ling’s eyes lit up. “I don’t need a weapon. I only need this pickaxe. Is everything you just said true? It really can repair itself?”

“Commissioner Yang, please don’t question a blacksmith with over fifty years of forging experience.”

Zhou Zheng’s tone regained a bit of arrogance. “I have obtained Centenary Refined Kylin Iron before.”

“Alright, so will these five catties of Kylin Iron be enough to upgrade all my equipment?”

Yang Ling asked.

Zhou Zheng shook his head gently. “Enough only for this pickaxe.”

“I see that Seventh-Rank Official Saber of yours doesn’t need such a time-consuming upgrade either. When you’re promoted to Sixth-Rank Ironclad, the Ironclad Department will issue you a Sixth-Rank Official Saber.”

Shi Xin said thoughtfully, “I’ve heard that the Sixth-Rank Official Saber is forged from Centenary Refined Kylin Iron.”

“You’re not wrong about that. The sabers of your Ironclad Department’s Sixth-Rank agents all have some Centenary Refined Kylin Iron mixed in.”

Zhou Zheng nodded.

Yang Ling’s eyes brightened.

“As for these throwing daggers… they can be upgraded with Blazing Gold. You’ll get Quenched-Gold Armor-Piercing Flying Daggers.”

Zhou Zheng continued.

Yang Ling thought he had misheard and asked again before confirming that as long as they were infused with Blazing Gold, these Centenary Refined Vermilion Gold Throwing Daggers would become Quenched-Gold Armor-Piercing Flying Daggers.

“Quenched-Gold Armor-Piercing Flying Daggers have a whopping five hundred Attack Power…”

“If I had daggers like that, even facing an expert like Mingxin again, his Vital Qi wouldn’t be able to withstand my daggers.”

“If the daggers can pierce into their bodies and then explode…”

Yang Ling’s eyes grew brighter and brighter.

He could imagine the effect.

Even an Upper Sixth-Rank expert couldn’t withstand that kind of injury!

“It looks like we need to hurry to the Blazing Gold Mine to get some Blazing Gold.”

“The main thing is the Centenary Refined Kylin Iron. If I can upgrade my pickaxe with it, our chances of success with this mining operation will be much higher.”

Yang Ling looked at Shi Xin. “I’ll go talk to Eunuch Xu about this right away.”

“Uh… as for the Blazing Gold… I still have a little stock.”

Zhou Zheng thought for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said.

Shi Xin’s expression turned strange. “During the interrogation, you said you had no stock left and had turned it all in.”

Zhou Zheng gave an awkward smile. “At that time, my life was on the line. I thought I’d keep a little aside in case I needed it to pull some strings later. Since both you gentlemen have seen fit to honor me today and clear my name, this old man can’t be ungrateful.”

With that, he clasped his hands toward Yang Ling. “I still have a mansion in Xiangfeng Prefectural Capital that the Ironclad Department doesn’t know about. I’ve stashed some Blazing Gold and forging tools there. Time is of the essence. Let me start smelting the Centenary Refined Kylin Iron for you right away, Commissioner.”

Yang Ling didn’t hesitate. “Please!”

...

Zhou Zheng’s mansion was located in the southern outskirts of the Prefectural Capital, in a rather secluded area.

It was a three-courtyard residence, with one courtyard set up as a blacksmith’s workshop.

Everything needed for forging was available!

Zhou Zheng quickly dug a bag out from a corner of the courtyard.

Inside was the Blazing Gold.

“This is the last five catties of Blazing Gold I have. The amount matches the Kylin Iron perfectly.”

“But we still need to weigh them carefully. The fusion of these two requires absolute zero error—not a single fen or li off!”

With that, Zhou Zheng brought out his weighing tools, which looked quite precise. He meticulously measured the differences between the two materials and trimmed a bit from the Blazing Gold to adjust.

Yang Ling stood to the side, watching curiously. The Blazing Gold looked somewhat like Vermilion Gold, except it had flame patterns on its surface. When he got close, he could even feel a faint warmth.

The entire measurement process lasted about an hour.

Zhou Zheng was in a state of absolute focus, a thin layer of sweat even breaking out on his forehead.

Finally, he adjusted the weights of both to complete parity.

Shi Xin asked curiously, “What would happen if it were off by a single li?”

Zhou Zheng wiped the sweat from his forehead with a grin. “It would turn into scrap iron.”

Shi Xin clicked his tongue in awe. So finicky.

Yang Ling sighed with emotion. Adjusting it like this—an ordinary blacksmith would never be able to manage it.

Only an experienced old smith like Zhou Zheng could do it.

Next, Zhou Zheng began smelting the Blazing Gold.

The Blazing Gold quickly turned into molten metal, which he slowly poured over the Kylin Iron.

He poured very slowly and evenly.

Throughout this process, Zhou Zheng became even more focused, his eyes locked onto the Kylin Iron.

His arm was rock steady, like a precision machine.

An hour later, Zhou Zheng let out a slow sigh of relief, looking at the pile of Blazing Kylin Iron before him with some joy.

“It’s done! Next part is simple!”

Simple as he said, it was actually far from simple.

He melted the Blazing Kylin Iron into molten metal, a process that itself took another hour.

Only then did he take out Yang Ling’s Centenary Refined Vermilion Gold Pickaxe.

“Commissioner Yang, witness the miracle.”

“For this step, I must perfectly pour the Blazing Kylin Iron solution over the Centenary Refined Vermilion Gold Pickaxe.”

“It has to be even. If it’s off by even a hair, it won’t work.”

Zhou Zheng’s lips curled up in confidence as he began pouring the Blazing Kylin Iron solution.

This process took the longest—a full two hours.

By the time the sky had grown dark, Zhou Zheng waved his hand grandly.

“It’s done! Come and see, Commissioner Yang!”

The pickaxe was no longer gold but a mysterious gray.

Yang Ling eagerly picked it up to check its attributes.

“Centenary Refined Kylin Pickaxe. Boosts Strength by 50. Attached Skill: Frenzied Hundred-Strike Combo.”

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