49: Chapter 49 You have good eyesight, help me go up and take a look.

After taking out the map again, their voices dropped even lower.

"In a bit, we'll follow the original route and go further in," Zhang Zhenhai traced a finger across the map. "That 'Steel Wire Nest' area... during the last reconnaissance, a Shattered Steel Weaver was entrenched inside."

Everyone's eyes lit up.

This was prime prey. Between the crystal core, the high-quality alloy tension cables it naturally possessed, and if luck was on their side, some high-quality metal blocks...

Taking it out and selling it for several hundred points would be a breeze.

Zhang Zhenhai nodded, his gaze drifting toward Gu Changming's side again.

When the time came, they just needed the other party to draw the Weaver's fire while they took the opportunity to strike. This way, safety was high and the success rate was greater.

Even if the other party couldn't hold out, they could act according to the situation, fighting and retreating as needed.

In truth, they had originally come for this Weaver; they just hadn't expected someone to seek them out with an escort job.

So they thought they might as well make an extra profit. Having two more people to share the fire was all benefit and no drawback for them.

...

Gu Changming withdrew his gaze. Although the distance was far and he couldn't hear what the five of them were chatting about, he could guess the content more or less.

He looked at Qin Lie, who was still buried in repairing equipment. He wanted to say something, but felt it would be useless.

It is hard for people to change, and one cannot save everyone.

With the other's temperament, meddling in his karma might even be harmful rather than beneficial.

However, Qin Lie did seem to notice his hesitation. He looked up, smiled, and spoke:

"It's fine. Once we get the niyuan steel and get out, everything will get better."

"How will it change?" Gu Changming replied, his tone laced with blatant sarcasm. "Are you going to stop giving away money once we're out? Oh right, I forgot, you've already given it all away."

This was just Gu Changming's way. When he saw someone who couldn't be persuaded, he would resort to ridicule and sarcasm, hoping they would wake up sooner.

Qin Lie gave a sheepish laugh, the movements of his hands slowing down.

He thought for a moment before speaking: "Actually... I'm not looking for a shadow crystal core just for the novelty of it."

"Oh?" Gu Changming raised an eyebrow.

Qin Lie pursed his lips. "During the second Assessment, I got lucky and obtained an item blueprint. Refining it requires a shadow crystal core... but I've never refined it before and I'm afraid of failing, so I wanted to get an extra one as a backup."

Gu Changming nodded, finally understanding why the other was willing to help him forge for free.

Qin Lie continued: "As long as I can refine that thing... and let the people in the camp see my blacksmithing level clearly, there won't be any more problems."

"Mhm." Gu Changming listened and didn't say anything else, only nodding.

He actually wanted to say something else, like how some things don't change just because a certain goal is achieved.

But after some thought, he ultimately didn't try to persuade him further. Sometimes, people don't need too many suggestions.

Seeing his flat reaction, Qin Lie didn't say more either, lowering his head to continue his work.

...

After a brief rest, the group continued forward.

Along the way, Gu Changming observed the surrounding terrain and routes as he walked.

He even took the initiative to ask Qin Lie for a simple map to confirm his position.

After walking another distance, the surrounding mountains of metal scrap became increasingly tall and twisted, and the light grew dimmer.

Before a massive pile of scrap iron composed of countless bent steel plates and thick pipes, Zhang Zhenhai's team in the lead slowed their pace once more.

The five of them expertly lowered their bodies and quickly dispersed, each using rusted metal wreckage to hide themselves.

Following behind, Gu Changming also immediately took Qin Lie and ducked behind a massive alloy cylinder.

Seeing the five people ahead acting as if facing a formidable enemy, Qin Lie wanted to ask what was happening.

But before he could speak, he saw Zhang Zhenhai ahead turn his head and whisper urgently toward them.

"Something... seems wrong up ahead. There's movement."

Qin Lie nodded instinctively, indicating he heard.

However, in the next second, Zhang Zhenhai's gaze locked directly onto him as he said: "You have good eyes, go up to the front and see what the situation is."

Hearing this, Gu Changming's eyes narrowed slightly.

Qin Lie's expression also visibly froze.

Gu Changming didn't speak; he just quietly watched Qin Lie, waiting for his reaction.

That excuse about 'good eyes' was as nonsensical as a ghost story; what normal person would believe it?

Qin Lie's expression was now clearly hesitant.

Not far away, Zhang Zhenhai's urging voice came again in a low whisper: "Hurry up!"

Qin Lie's expression struggled one last time before he gritted his teeth. He pulled a small metal buckler from the side of his backpack, gripped it in his left hand, took a deep breath, and prepared to go forward to scout for them.

Seeing this, Gu Changming's brow furrowed.

The moment Qin Lie crouched and prepared to step out, Gu Changming reached out and grabbed his arm.

Qin Lie was startled and turned to look. His face was a bit pale, but he forced a reassuring smile: "It's okay... I'll just go up and take a peek, nothing should happen."

Gu Changming released his hand.

His grab just now wasn't actually to dissuade the other party.

Rather...

The moment he reached out to grab him, the exceptionally thick shadow beneath his feet wriggled slightly as if possessed of life.

A nearly imperceptible trickle of shadow quietly merged into the shadow at Qin Lie's feet and then vanished.

That was the Shadow Devourer transformed from the Mimic Beast. Gu Changming had been keeping it in his own shadow.

And just now, he had the Mimic Beast transfer over.

It didn't matter if Qin Lie was foolish, but he couldn't be allowed to die.

If he died, Gu Changming wouldn't know where to find another Blacksmith like him.

...

Qin Lie summoned his courage, gripped the buckler tightly, and moved forward step by step in a crouch.

His body passed the position where Zhang Zhenhai's team was hiding and moved toward the corner of that massive scrap pile.

Only a few seconds after his figure disappeared behind the mountain-like shadows of metal wreckage—

"Swoosh!"

Qin Lie practically scrambled and crawled back behind cover, his face deathly pale as he shouted loudly.

"It's a Cutter! A Prowling Hunter Cutter!"

The moment his words fell, a sharp, ear-piercing noise erupted from the corner of the scrap pile!

Immediately following, a tall, slender, and hideous figure revealed itself.

It was about two meters tall, shaped like an upright metal mantis but more twisted and grotesque. Its torso and limbs were entirely pitch black. Most striking were its forelimbs—two high-frequency vibrating monomolecular blades.

The threat of this thing was far beyond the Rusted Hounds encountered before; the latter were merely pack-hunting mechanical beasts relying on numbers and decent physical attacks.

But the Cutter had much stronger individual combat strength; it was a solitary hunter capable of a one-hit kill.

At the same time, its pair of forelimbs were extremely valuable materials. Not even counting their use as forging materials, simply using them as they were made them rare top-tier weapons at this stage.

...

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