Equipment Upgrade

Normally, Linsey really enjoys snow.

He likes weather that signifies change.

Watching the snowflakes fall from the sky, turning the world into a pure white color, even one's heart seems to find peace.

But now, Linsey's lips no longer display the smile she should have.

This snow came too early.

The Hidden Borderlands has four distinct seasons and maintains a well-ordered lifestyle.

Linsey has realized this very clearly over the past three years.

However, it is only late autumn now.

There should still be about ten days before the real winter arrives.

Winter came exceptionally early this year.

If Linsey hadn't experienced all of this, she might have thought the snow was just an occasional, unusual seasonal change.

But now...

"The influence of Black Mountain World on the Hidden Borderlands is gradually deepening."

Linsey murmured softly.

The change this snow signifies is that the threat posed by the Black Mountain World to the Hidden Borderlands is deepening.

He could think of this, and so could the other awakened ones in the town.

"It's getting worse and worse."

After shaking his head and sighing, Linsey lowered his gaze and saw the pile of ore in front of him.

His gaze hardened again.

Regardless of how things change.

His efforts to strengthen himself will certainly continue.

After all, this is what gives Linsey enough ability to cope; it's the foundation of everything.

This heavy snowfall served as a reminder.

Linsey had no intention of experimenting again after returning home.

He set up a furnace directly in the mine and began smelting the ore he had collected that day.

It consumes Essence for synthesis and smelting.

In just a few minutes, Iron Ingot gleaming with metallic luster piled up in front of him.

Meanwhile, there were also 6 magnets and 3 Titanium Block placed nearby.

The first thing, naturally, is the Workbench for forging metal.

Linsey first took out several Iron Ingot and fused them into an anvil.

On this new crafting tool, he began stuffing in metals and other materials, experimenting with new crafting recipes.

[1 Long Dagger + 1 Iron Ore + 1 Ice Badger Tooth = Ice Fang Dagger]

10 arrows + 1 iron ore = Armor-Piercing Arrow

[1 Ice Badger Claw + 1 Ice Badger Tooth + 4 Iron Ore + 2 Logs = Ice Badger Mace]

[2 Rhino Deer Horn + 1 Iron Ore + 1 Oak Bow = Iron Horn Great Bow]

After Linsey organized the options, these four choices became the result of his synthesis.

The variations of the Armor-Piercing Arrow are the simplest.

After being reinforced on the anvil, these arrows became sharper and harder than before, and their shape became more cone-shaped, increasing their lethality while also possessing powerful armor-piercing capabilities.

As for the other three pieces of equipment, their attributes are quite outstanding.

[Weapon: Ice Fang Dagger]

Long Dagger exuding a chilling aura. Of excellent quality, with a sharp blade, it inflicts frostbite upon attacking enemies.

Chefs who prepare chilled food would greatly appreciate the value of such knives; selling them to these individuals could significantly increase their market value.

[Weapon: Ice Badger Mace]

[A heavy and menacing large Wolf Tooth Club that inflicts frostbite on enemies when attacked. However, due to its extreme weight, wielding it requires superhuman strength.]

The price is reasonable, but finding a buyer is difficult.

[Weapon: Iron Horn Great Bow]

A high-strength bow with extremely high draw weight reduces the user's firing rate but significantly increases arrow speed and penetration. Arrows fired with this bow consume Essence to inflict a Corruption effect.

A rigid bow made of multiple materials is of high value.

"The attributes all look pretty good."

With all the equipment updated, Linsey naturally needed to familiarize herself with the attributes first.

He nocked an Armor-Piercing Arrow onto his Iron Horn Great Bow, aimed at a birch tree twenty meters away, and fired the arrow infused with Essence.

Click!

A cold glint flashed, followed by a strange sound from the forest.

It sounded like the sound of an arrow being shot, but it also seemed to have the sound of cotton being cut.

Linsey walked closer and saw that the image on the tree trunk explained everything.

The Armor-Piercing Arrow fired from the Iron Horn Great Bow, with a layer of putrid odor still clinging to their arrowheads, began to take effect the moment they touched the birch tree.

At that moment, the arrow was deeply embedded in the tree trunk.

The surrounding trees were corroded into wood chips, which is why there was that strange sound.

Linsey reached out and grasped the arrow fletching, then shook it and pulled it out.

rustling sound—

The wood chips kicked up by the arrow slid down the bark, revealing a small oval hole.

The bark was completely pierced, and the heartwood was penetrated several centimeters deep.

The condition of this birch tree is enough to demonstrate the power of this arrow.

Linsey put away the arrow with satisfaction; he was now very curious about something.

If a regular Armor-Piercing Arrow can have such an effect, then what kind of exaggerated destructive power would it cause if it were replaced with Frozen Stibnite Arrow?

"Tsk tsk—"

Linsey shook her head slightly and returned to the furnace and anvil with a sigh.

With the necessary equipment crafted, Linsey, being a modern person, was now ready to try out his other ideas.

He first crafted an iron pipe from the crafting list.

Then put it on the Synthesis Table.

[1 iron pipe + 1 flintlock + 1 flint + 1 log = Flintlock Gun]

"Um..."

Linsey pursed her lips. The other three materials were fine; she already had them on hand.

But there was really no other way to use a flintlock trigger.

Linsey studied the crafting list carefully but still couldn't find the recipe for the flintlock.

I want to get a musket.

He'll probably have to find a blacksmith or craftsman in town to help him make a Flintlock Device.

But it was precisely because of Linsey's idea.

The corresponding tasks also appeared on his Task Bar.

The First Gunshot out

Collect materials to craft firearms and use them to defeat enemies.

[Mission Rewards: Unlock FPS module, attribute/ Skill Experience Points.]

"..."

The existence of the mission says it all.

Linsey shrugged and put the iron pipe back into her bag.

It seems that after returning to town today, in addition to continuing my own work, I'll also have to trouble Qiao Er again.

The basic experiments on iron ore have been completed.

Now we have only two items left: the magnet and the Titanium Block.

Linsey checked them one by one. The uses of the magnets were relatively simple, and they could currently be used to make a compass.

But Titanium Block are a bit different.

1 Titanium Block + 1 Aluminum Ingot + 1 Magnetite + 1 Molybdenite Ore + 1 Meteorite = Titanium Alloy

1 Titanium Block + 2 Iron Ingot = 20 Titanium Iron Powder

Forget about Linsey using Titanium Alloy.

He currently has three Titanium Block, so he'll combine them into a bunch of Titanium Iron Powder and continue checking the synthesis recipe.

1 Iron Ingot + 1 Titanium Iron Powder = Steel Ingot

Steel Ingot!

Without saying a word, Linsey knocked out a Steel Ingot.

The next second, Linsey held the Steel Ingot, which reflected light, in his hand, but its function was different from that of Iron Ingot, which could enhance equipment.

Steel Ingot can only be used as basic materials to manufacture other equipment.

Linsey gave it a quick try.

"..."

"Weapons made solely from Steel Ingot are inferior to those made with Devil Beast materials. Let's save these Steel Ingot for now."

"By the way, Qiao Er might be able to use it too, so we can bring some back for him."

Having synthesized a pile of Steel Ingot, Linsey didn't intend to only think of himself.

The Border Town was cut off from the outside world and was already lacking in resources, let alone such high-quality Steel Ingot.

Give it to Qiao Er after we get back to town.

In the hands of a skilled craftsman, it might come in even more useful ways.

Linsey's gaze lingered on the surrounding mine, feeling that her schedule was already packed, and now she had another job to do.

"I'll come back to mine again when I have time."

With these thoughts in mind, Linsey packed her things and prepared to return to the small town.

But just as they were putting away all of today's gains...

He saw on his map that several Red Dot had appeared from the far north and were approaching the mine!