Information Trade

"Can't get it?" Luo Jun frowned. "What do you mean?"

"It means exactly what it says..." Ling Yi shook his head. "You should still remember the characteristics of the River -River-Sinking Stone of the River-Cutting Dragon King, right? It was already incredibly heavy, and after being forged into a treasure, its weight increased even more... so..."

"It shouldn't be that difficult to carry it all, right?" Luo Jun. "When it was still raw material, it was understandable that it was heavy, but now that it's been forged into a treasure weapon, can't it be stored in the Hundred Treasure Box?"

"This..." Ling Yi sighed, while Ling Kai, standing beside him, shook his head and smiled, "Mister Ye, you'll understand once you come and see for yourself."

As they spoke, the two stood up and led Luo Jun out of the office, to the end of the corridor, where they opened a Secret Door.

Behind the Secret Door was a primitive-looking elevator. After the three people stood in place, they manually closed the gate, pulled the lever, and the elevator slowly descended amidst the creaking of its mechanical operation.

"It's so inconvenient that there's no electricity in this Savage Wilderness," Ling Kai complained. "I think the 'primitive' characteristic is the most troublesome thing about any great world. Not only can we not develop technology, but even some high-precision technological artifacts will be affected..."

"This also saves us a lot of trouble," Ling Yi said. "We can't develop technology, and neither can the Polluter. There are some monster races in the Savage Wilderness that possess intelligence comparable to humans. If they cooperate with the Polluter and develop technology, it would be a huge threat to us."

As they were talking, the elevator reached the bottom. Although the structure was primitive, the speed was not slow. Judging from the descent time, this place was at least ten meters underground.

Emerging from the elevator, you find yourself in a spacious, prototype room surrounded by concrete walls. Directly in front of you stands a massive iron door, clearly made with bone material mixed in to increase its strength.

In this industrial desert of the Savage Wilderness, the smelting of such a massive amount of steel must have required a tremendous amount of human labor.

Two security guards in black uniforms stood beside the iron gate. They bowed to Ling Yi, Ling Yi nodded in response. The two men then took out a key and opened the iron gate.

The moment the iron gate opened, a vast space appeared behind it, with a bubbling lava pool at its center, providing a continuous source of heat. The surrounding ground was covered with various equipment, including smelting furnaces, forging tables, enchanting experimental devices, and so on, with dozens of Refining Masters busily working within.

"This is the underground treasure weapon research and development center of Lingyun City..." Ling Yi introduced, "These Refining Masters are all elites raised by their Lineage. In addition to producing various treasure weapons on a daily basis, their main job is to determine the relationship between the characteristics of treasure weapons and materials and craftsmanship through experimentation, in order to prepare for the development of more powerful treasure weapons."

"What an amazing place!" Luo Jun exclaimed. "Even though we're right next to a lava pool, it doesn't feel stuffy at all."

"These Refining Masters are the guild's treasures, so of course we should provide them with the best working environment," Ling Yi said with a smile. "There are temperature and ventilation systems here, providing a suitable temperature and humidity at all times. Although it's underground, it's more comfortable to work here than on the surface."

"Is my hammer right here?" Luo Jun asked. "I don't see any treasures that look like the Divine Smithing Furnace."

"The Divine Smithing Furnace is not here. Mister Ye, please come with me."

Ling Yi led the two through the research and development center, then opened another iron gate, behind which was a long, narrow corridor, at the end of which was a circular door with a yin-yang symbol.

Ling Yi opened the Hundred Treasure Box, took out a key, inserted it into the keyhole, and turned it. With a click, the Yin Yang symbol separated into two parts, revealing a Secret Chamber.

In the center of the Secret Chamber, there was a huge treasure that was more than a person tall and more than two meters in diameter.

This treasure has an ancient design, looking like a giant teapot sitting on the ground with its lid tightly closed, and a ladder standing next to it.

With his enhanced vision granted by his senses, Luo Jun could tell that the large teapot in front of him was of extremely high quality—legendary... no, it was very likely of Myth quality!

Needless to say, this is the legendary Divine Smithing Furnace.

"I saw the Divine Smithing Furnace, but where's my hammer?" Luo Jun asked.

Ling Yi smiled and shook his head, pointing to the ladder beside him. "You'll see once you go up and take a look."

Luo Jun walked up the ladder with doubt in his eyes. At this moment, Ling Yi waved his hand and used his manipulation ability to move the lid of the Divine Smithing Furnace.

Luo Jun looked down and saw a hammer lying in the empty furnace.

The hammer was about the same size as the previous River-Sinking Stone Hammer, but its shape had changed slightly.

First, the color has changed from snow-white to jet black, and the surface seems to have a frosted texture, with a hazy metallic sheen.

Then there's the shape. The original River-Sinking Stone Hammer resembled a large Claw Hammer, with a curved pickaxe tip at one end and a rounded hammerhead at the other. This hammer, while still superficially resembling Claw Hammer, has subtle differences. The pickaxe tip is thinner than before, and its edges are forged with sharp blades, somewhat resembling a heavy sword blade. The hammerhead at the other end is no longer smooth; instead, it's forged with sharp edges like a file, giving it a very lethal appearance.

Finally, a ring was crafted at the end of the hammer handle, with a chain about the thickness of a Thumb attached to it, but it looked to be only a little over a foot long, and its purpose was unknown.

Wait... something's not right...

Upon closer inspection, Luo Jun discovered that the hammer wasn't "lying" on the bottom of the furnace, but rather "embedded" in it!

That's right, because of its terrifying weight, the hammer actually dented the thick bottom of the furnace, leaving only half of it sticking out!

"This is..." Even Luo Jun's eyes, hidden behind the mask, revealed a look of shock.

"You can see that now, can't you?" Ling Yi laughed. "The Divine Smithing Furnace has forged countless magical artifacts, and this has never happened before. Moreover, judging from its current state, you probably wouldn't guess that the Divine Smithing Furnace originally had three legs, but after your hammer was forged, those three legs, under immense pressure, drove directly into the ground, causing the furnace to sit on the ground..."

"Good heavens..." Luo Jun couldn't help but gasp; it turned out his hammer was stuck in the ground and he couldn't pry it out...

"What about the Hundred Treasure Box?" Luo Jun asked curiously.

"You don't quite understand the mechanics of the Divine Smithing Furnace," Ling Kai added. "The magical artifacts forged in the Divine Smithing Furnace only become fully formed after leaving the furnace opening. Before that, they can't be stored in the Hundred Treasure Box, and you can't even see their specific functions. We've tried many methods, but we haven't been able to get that hammer out. It seems to be waiting for you to appear."

"But to be honest, based on my experience, it probably won't be so easy for Mister Ye to get it out." Ling Yi sighed. "I'm not doubting Mister Ye's abilities. This Divine Smithing Furnace is the Ling Family's most treasured possession. Not only is its material itself incredibly hard, but to prevent accidents, this underground Secret Chamber was also constructed with special materials, making it exceptionally sturdy. The fact that this hammer could deform the Divine Smithing Furnace and the floor of the Secret Chamber solely by its own weight is simply unbelievable!"

"Although I haven't tried it yet, I suspect that even if we bring Ling Yao here, we might not be able to subdue this divine weapon."

"Heavy? Interesting!" Luo Jun smiled. He had originally thought that after the hammer was forged into a treasure, it would only increase in weight by a few times, but he hadn't expected the final effect to be so exaggerated.

Luo Jun rubbed his hands together excitedly, then jumped into the Divine Smithing Furnace, squatted down, and reached out towards the hammer embedded in the bottom of the furnace.

Ling Yi and Ling Kai waited anxiously outside. They couldn't see what was happening inside from here, and both of them were worried for Luo Jun.

Suddenly, a metallic twisting sound came from inside the furnace, followed by a snapping sound, as if something had been pried off...

Could that voice really be...?

The two looked at each other in bewilderment, and then a figure leaped out of the furnace, landing lightly on the ground and standing in front of them.

It was Luo Jun! He was smiling and holding a Black Hammer in his hand.

"Mister Ye, you succeeded?" The two men looked on with immense surprise and delight, seeing Luo Jun's relaxed expression. "You really subdued this hammer?" Luo Jun nodded and smiled. "It was a little easier than I expected."

As he spoke, Luo Jun tossed the hammer in his hand into the air.

This toss was quite a shock; it startled Ling Yi and Ling Kai, who trembled all over, fearing that the object would fall to the ground and destroy the Secret Chamber.

However, the hammer spun in mid-air and then landed steadily in Luo Jun's hand. He looked very relaxed, and the ground beneath his feet did not crack or deform as a result.

Seeing this, the two realized that this hammer had similar properties to the River-Sinking Stone, and its mass could also be changed by injecting vital energy. However, because the previous people's vital energy was too low, the amount of gravity they could counteract was limited, which is why they couldn't take it out.

"Congratulations Night Brother, on acquiring such a suitable weapon!" Ling Kai immediately cupped his hands in congratulations. Ling Yi, who was standing to the side, also reacted and asked curiously, "I wonder what special functions and effects this hammer has?"

Hearing his question, Luo Jun flipped his hand and put the hammer back into the Hundred Treasure Box: "This thing is mine now, and I'm very satisfied. It will be my most prized possession from now on. As a trump card, the fewer people who know about it, the better."

Hearing him say that, the two of them felt a little regretful, but after all, Luo Jun's strength was undeniable, so they didn't dare to say anything more.

"However..." Luo Jun changed the subject, smiling slightly, "I'm a businessman, so if you have any information that interests me, I wouldn't mind telling you about the hammer's effects."

Both of them lit up upon hearing this. This hammer was probably the most unique treasure ever forged by the Divine Smithing Furnace since its creation. The patriarch and elders would undoubtedly be very interested in it. If they couldn't answer questions about its effects, they wouldn't be able to explain themselves...

The error-free version can be read at 69 Book Bar! 6=9+shuba is the first site to publish this novel.

"What does Mister Ye want to know?"

"Well..." Luo Jun pretended to ponder. To be honest, he hadn't thought that much about it at first. The functions of a treasure could be known with a quick scan of its energy, and it wasn't really a secret in many cases. He hadn't initially intended to hide it. But when he heard Ling Yi's question, he suddenly realized that he might be able to use this to extract some benefits.

"You can think about it yourselves..." Luo Jun waved his hand. "I've also accepted that Conscription Mission. I have to return to the Main World before the gate closes tomorrow. If you can't produce any information that interests me before then, I'm afraid I can't keep you company any longer."

After saying that, Luo Jun put his hands behind his back, walked past the two people, and left the Secret Chamber.

After leaving the Wildlands Hunter Guild, Luo Jun wasn't in a hurry to go home. He first went to collect a large number of Wildlands Coin, and then went to the Commercial Street. Looking at the Wildlands Hunter setting up stalls all over the street, he began a long-awaited shopping spree.

I disagree with Ningdong's black market. Transactions there don't require barter; Wildlands Coin are the hard currency. Luo Jun doesn't need to sell his treasures; he just spends money like crazy and acquires a large number of treasures.

Just like before, the majority of items are of average or good quality, with the occasional rare one considered top-tier.

Luo Jun finally finished shopping as night fell, returned to his lodgings, rested briefly, practiced his meditation for a while, and then went to bed.

The next morning, Luo Jun was awakened by a knock on the door. He went downstairs to open the door and saw Ling Kai standing outside.

"What? Did you get some information that interests me?" Luo Jun asked with a smile.

"This is all thanks to Night Brother's reminder," Ling Kai said with a smile. "To help you gather intelligence, Ling Yi and I made a special trip back to the Main World yesterday..."

"My reminder?" Luo Jun was somewhat curious, thinking to himself, "I just acted on a whim; I don't even know what information I want, so how could I remind you?"

Ling Kai chuckled and said, "Didn't you say you also participated in the Conscription Mission...? Then the information about this Conscription Mission must be what you need, right?"

Upon hearing this, Luo Jun's eyes actually lit up.

"Let's go inside and talk in detail!"

Ling Kai entered the room and closed the door behind him. Luo Jun poured him a glass of water. "What information do you currently have?"

Ling Kai took the water glass and smiled, "The mission hasn't started yet, and the information we have is very limited... The most reliable information is what we've already decided to use."

"Oh?" Luo Jun asked curiously, "For example?"

"As far as I know, two members of the Ling Family have already signed up, both of them being members of the royal family. You've met one of them before; he's Ling Fei, who's currently in charge of guiding us."

Ling Fei... I've met him not only in the Savage Wilderness, but also once at the academy... Someone who can represent the Ling Family to ask the academy for someone must be a highly valued expert.

"And the other one?"

"The other one is named Ling Yu, a newly promoted member of the royal family. He is of the same generation as Ling Yao and Ling Xin, and is considered a genius among the younger generation, second only to these two."

"So he's just a junior..." Luo Jun nodded, completely unaware that he might not even be as old as Ling Yu...

"Besides these?"

"These two are the ones I'm sure I know have signed up," Ling Kai continued. "Besides them, Zhuge Lan from the Southwest Zhuge Family, Shi Yong from the Shun City Shi Family, and the Creation Faction professor from Tianjing University have also announced their participation in the mission..."

"Alright..." Luo Jun waved his hand to interrupt him, "I'm not that interested in who participates in the mission; I'm more interested in information about our opponents."

"Opponent information... you're putting me in a difficult position..." Ling Kai frowned and said, "The opponents in this mission are either Polluter or projections of Otherworlder; no one can confirm their identities."

Seeing Luo Jun sigh with some disappointment, Ling Kai changed the subject. "However, yesterday we deduced some possibilities regarding the mission mechanism... Let me make it clear beforehand, this is not guaranteed and should only be used as a reference..."

"Mission mechanics?" Luo Jun raised an eyebrow. "How did you deduce that?"

Seeing Luo Jun's interest, Ling Kai smiled slightly and said in a low voice, "Although Tier A Conscription Mission are rare, there have been nearly a hundred since the Chaos Mission first appeared. We can always summarize some patterns... For example, mission mechanisms that have appeared in recent years have a very low probability of reappearing. Last night, Ling Yi and I summarized all the Tier A Conscription Mission that have been recorded since then, and finally confirmed the three most likely mechanisms."

As he spoke, Ling Kai took out a piece of paper. "The details are all written here. This should be useful information, right?"

Luo Jun took the paper and, seeing Ling Kai's hopeful expression, naturally understood his meaning. He then reached out and took out the hammer, but instead of handing it over directly, he held it in his hand and let Ling Kai scan it.

The two men, one looking at the note and the other at the hammer, almost simultaneously gasped in shock.

(End of this chapter)