43: Chapter 43 The Grandmaster's Compromise: It Begins with an Irresistible Proposal

After a deathly silence, subtle gasps of cold air rose and fell, like countless invisible vipers wriggling in the grass, slithering into everyone's ears.

That target vehicle could no longer be called a "vehicle."

It was like an iron porcupine repeatedly gnawed by a giant beast. Its sturdy oak frame was torn into flying splinters, and the thick steel plates embedded on its exterior were now covered with dense pits and 貫穿 holes. The edges were twisted and reddened from the violent friction and impact, resembling a face crying out in pain.

What was most chilling was the distribution of those bullet holes.

They didn't scatter due to continuous firing; instead, they were highly concentrated within an extremely small area, completely destroying the target vehicle's core defensive structure.

This was no longer mere skill; it was pure, cold, calculable, and infinitely reproducible violence.

Elder Odin's eyes, once burning with the fire of a forge, now held only ash-like stillness.

He didn't even turn to look at his runic battle-axe, which embodied his life's work and glory.

The battle-axe lay quietly on the forging table, shimmering with light. The intricate flame runes on its blade seemed alive, breathing in the evening glow, emanating awe-inspiring magical fluctuations.

It was a work of art.

A legendary divine weapon that could drive any warrior, any king, mad with desire.

But at this moment, it was like a nobleman in splendid robes, reciting ancient epics, appearing so pale and powerless before ten silent thugs wielding sharp blades.

Odin's steps were heavy, as if he were dragging an entire mountain range.

He didn't walk towards his masterpiece, but rather, stepping on the scattered wood chips, he walked step by step to the wreckage of the target vehicle.

He extended his calloused hands, capable of sensing the faintest emotions of steel, and lightly touched a grotesque bullet hole on the steel plate.

What his fingertips felt was not the familiar warmth of metal, but a cold, brutal, utterly unreasonable tearing sensation.

He stood there for a long time, until the evening glow in the sky had faded, and night began to fall.

The Dwarf Grandmasters who had accompanied him stood behind him, their faces ashen, their throats as if filled with lead, unable to utter a single word.

Their proud heritage, faith, and honor had been shattered into pieces by those thirty explosions just now.

Finally, Odin slowly turned around. He didn't look at anyone, but his gaze precisely locked onto Levi.

The arrogance, contempt, and anger that were once in those eyes had vanished, replaced by the confusion of a technical explorer facing an unknown field, a hint of deeply hidden fear, and a trace of unwilling fanaticism.

"Take me... to see." His voice was hoarse, like two rusty iron plates rubbing together. "I want to see with my own eyes... that devil's workshop that created these things."

Levi's smile remained unchanged, gentle and polite, as if the groundbreaking duel just now was merely a friendly appetizer before a meal.

"Of course, Your Excellency, Grand Elder." He made a 'please' gesture, but instead of leading them to the busy factory area where the craftsmen worked, he guided Odin and his 一行 to a side hall in the main castle building. "However, before the tour, I think there are some theoretical matters we should perhaps agree upon first."

Odin's brow furrowed, but he didn't retort, merely following Levi's steps in silence.

He now urgently wanted to understand, to figure out how all of this had happened.

This desire had already overridden his dignity as a Grandmaster.

The door to the side hall was pushed open, revealing a brightly lit interior.

There was no celebratory banquet as imagined, no fine wine and delicacies.

A large rectangular conference table stood in the center, its surface empty except for a document bound in thick kraft paper, neatly placed before the main seat.

Iron Lady Brunhilde was already waiting there. She wore a neat and tidy work uniform, and upon seeing Odin, she merely nodded slightly, her eyes complex, showing both respect for an elder and an undeniable persistence.

Chief Technical Officer Balin stood awkwardly in the corner like a child who had made a mistake, not daring to meet Odin's gaze, nervously wiping his hands on the hem of his clothes.

Levi walked to the main seat, picked up the document, and gently pushed it in front of Odin.

Odin's gaze fell on the cover, and the clear, neat title written in the common language of the continent made his pupils suddenly contract.

"Phase One Feasibility Study Report on the Combination of Rune Technology and Standardized Production."

He looked up, giving Levi a deep gaze. The young human's calmness made his heart skip a beat.

He seemed to have anticipated the outcome of this duel long ago, even preparing the subsequent negotiation materials.

Odin didn't sit down; he stood there, extending a trembling hand, and turned to the first page of the report.

There was no flattery, not a single word of false politeness.

It began with cold, rational text and data.

"Topic One: Feasibility Analysis of Standardized Disassembly and Engraving of Rune Strokes. Decomposing complex high-tier runes into thirty to fifty basic modules, with artisans of different processes completing the engraving of basic strokes separately..."

"Topic Two: Modular Design of Magic Power Conduction. Abandoning traditional integrated energy circuits, adopting prefabricated magic power conduction substrates, joined by mortise and tenon or riveting structures, to achieve assembly line operation of the enchanting process..."

"Topic Three: Centralized Supply and Distribution of Enchanting Energy. Exploring the establishment of large magic power pools to provide stable energy to various enchanting workstations through 'magic power pipelines,' replacing the personal spiritual power infusion of masters, to solve production capacity bottlenecks..."

One after another, unheard-of concepts, which in his view were the most thorough blasphemy against sacred rune technology, were presented nakedly before him, accompanied by detailed flowcharts, material loss estimates precise to three decimal places, and cold data analysis of failure risks and expected benefits.

This was no longer opportunistic trickery.

This was a new, complete, self-consistent... industrial theory capable of completely subverting the Dwarven forging system of several millennia.

His breathing grew heavier and heavier, and his fingers, turning the pages, turned white at the knuckles from excessive force.

Until he turned to the last page of the report, which contained a draft organizational structure.

"Blackstone Territory First Rune Weapon Laboratory."

And at the top of the laboratory, in the most core and crucial position, a title was conspicuously written: Chief Consultant and Technical Founder.

Levi's voice sounded at the opportune moment, gentle yet full of temptation: "This laboratory will be named after you, Elder Odin. In the future, all research results born from here, their naming rights and technical authorship, will unconditionally belong to you personally. As for research and development funds," he paused, the curve of his lips widening slightly, "there is no upper limit."

Naming rights, authorship, unlimited funds... these words were like heavy hammers, striking Odin's Dao heart, which was already on the verge of breaking.

This was the ultimate temptation for a technical fanatic.

Just as Odin was caught in an internal struggle, Brunhilde spoke in a deep voice.

"Grand Elder." Her address was still respectful, but her tone was businesslike. "I report to you in my capacity as Director of the Blackstone Territory Production Safety and Quality Control Department. Currently, the 'Blackstone Model 1' Firearms produced in the territory, although possessing overwhelming lethality against unprotected and low-tier Battle Qi units, have severely insufficient penetration capabilities against targets equipped with high-tier magic shields or elite Battle Qi armor. Our test data shows that a qualified Battle Qi Master can withstand a volley of ten Firearms and charge to the front line. Without the enhancement of Dwarf rune technology, this invention will soon encounter its bottleneck."

Brunhilde's words were like a precise weight, pressing down on the other side of the scale.

She didn't boast about the invincibility of the Firearms; instead, she frankly admitted their weaknesses.

These words not only confirmed that Levi was not bluffing but also indicated that he had indeed encountered insurmountable technical difficulties, and he needed Odin, he needed the core rune technology accumulated by the Dwarves over thousands of years.

This was not charity, but a... collaboration.

Elder Odin slowly closed the research report, which felt as heavy as a thousand jun.

He looked up, his cloudy eyes regaining their sharpness, staring intently at Levi: "I can stay."

Upon hearing this, Balin's face instantly lit up with ecstasy.

But Odin's next sentence froze the atmosphere once again.

"But I have one condition." His voice was resolute, leaving no room for argument. "I, Odin, guardian of Dwarf Forging Artistry, will never participate in any improvement work on your evil Firearms! Those are weapons for cowards, toys for opportunists!"

He pointed a finger at Levi, with an unchallengeable authority.

"You must start anew! Allow me to build a team completely under my control, from scratch! To develop a brand new 'new concept weapon' that truly combines our sacred Dwarf rune art with your damned assembly line concept! All team members, from craftsmen to apprentices, must be personally selected by me from Deeprock Kingdom!"