That Kid Is Really Eating Mineral Ore!

An elderly man approached. He was not especially tall, but he had a broad frame and knotted muscles.

His beard and hair were white, yet he looked vigorous, his Bright Eyes seeming capable of piercing through gold and stone.

He wore an Old Leather Apron Covered in Coal Ash and Iron Filings and held a small engraving knife that glinted with an unusual Cold Light, as though he had been studying some Exquisite Parts.

Most eye-catching of all was the badge on his chest—a Forging Hammer Surrounded by Starlight, the mark of a Divine Craftsman!

When the surrounding craftsmen saw the old man, they stopped their work and bowed respectfully.

"President!"

Lou Gao!

One of the three great Divine Craftsmen of the age, and the President of the Blacksmith Association!

The steward known as Old Li immediately wiped the impatience from his face. After recounting his conversation with Lin Xia, he said respectfully:

"President, this kid says he wants to join the Association, but he's so young. I'm afraid..."

Lou Gao's gaze fell upon Lin Xia.

His eyes were as sharp as an eagle's, as if they could See Through People's Hearts.

Lin Xia immediately felt an Invisible Pressure, but he Forced Calmness and met Lou Gao's gaze, Neither Humble nor Arrogant.

"You want to join the Association?"

Lou Gao's voice was not loud, but it carried a Metallic Texture and entered Lin Xia's ears clearly.

"Yes, Esteemed President."

Lin Xia answered respectfully.

"I have a Special Ability when it comes to mineral ore. I hope to serve the Association and learn Forging Skill."

"A Special Ability?"

A trace of interest flashed through Lou Gao's eyes.

He had spent his life Obsessed with Metal and Forging, and held Great Curiosity toward anything novel related to mineral ore or metal.

"Tell me. What's so special about it?"

Faced with Lou Gao's question and the Unconcealed Skeptical Gazes of the surrounding crowd, Lin Xia remained unmoved.

He knew full well how special and important his ability was. If he wanted to gain a foothold in the Blacksmith Association and Obtain Resources, exposing part of that ability was a Necessary Price.

He needed Lou Gao's approval, and even more, a Stable Ore Source.

After a Brief Thought, Lin Xia made his decision.

Lin Xia raised his hand. Rather than pointing at the Ore Pile, he pointed at his own mouth and Said Clearly and Earnestly:

"Esteemed President, this mouth of mine can Eat Ore and taste the various components within it, distinguishing the good from the bad."

Lin Xia paused, then added:

"It just needs comparison. After all, I don't yet have Specific Knowledge of Ore, so I can't name those metals."

The crowd, which had already been watching for entertainment, instantly burst into even louder laughter.

"Hahaha! Did you hear that? He says he can taste the components in mineral ore!"

"I'm dying! Has this kid gone hungry and started spouting Crazy Talk from Hunger?"

"Eat Ore? Does he think he's a Soul Beast? Or Cast in Copper and Iron?"

"Exactly! Even if he could Bite Through it, what could he possibly taste? Rust, or stone?"

The faint interest that had just risen in Lou Gao's eyes was swiftly replaced by Thick Disappointment.

He shook his head and sighed, his tone carrying an elder's helplessness toward an ignorant child.

"Little friend, do you think you have teeth of copper and iron?"

"Even if you did, the hardness of some mineral ore Far Exceeds your imagination. Without Special Craftsmanship Tempering, their Form and Properties are Extremely Stable. How could teeth possibly bite through and identify them so easily? Your idea... is too naive."

The surrounding mockery grew even louder, with remarks such as "Wildly Imaginative" and "overestimating himself" coming from every direction.

Lin Xia Turned a Deaf Ear to the noise around him, his Face Still Calm.

He walked straight to the area where Ordinary Ore was piled, bent down, and picked up two pieces of Iron Ore similar in size but with Slightly Different Colors. Holding the mineral ore, he returned to Lou Gao and asked loudly:

"President, you're veteran blacksmiths with plenty of experience. You should know which of these two pieces of mineral ore has a higher Iron Content, right?"

Lou Gao and Steward Old Li both instinctively glanced at them. With their eyesight, they could naturally make a rough distinction.

But before they could answer, Lin Xia's next action made everyone's laughter stop abruptly, as if they had been Choked!

Lin Xia brought the Iron Ore in his right hand to his mouth Without Hesitation, opened his mouth, and Took a Fierce Bite!

"Kā Chā—!"

A Crisp, Tooth-Screeching Cracking Sound rang out!

Under everyone's Horrified gazes, Lin Xia's teeth were like they were biting into a crisp cookie, forcibly biting off a piece the size of a baby's fist from the hard Iron Ore!

Without pausing, Lin Xia Bit Off a Piece from the mineral ore in his Left Hand as well!

He stuffed the two bitten Ore Fragments into his mouth at once, his cheeks puffing out as he began chewing forcefully.

The hard mineral ore gave off crisp "Gā Bēng, Gā Bēng" sounds in his mouth, like he was chewing Fried Beans. It made everyone's scalps go numb.

The entire Blacksmith Association hall fell into Deathly Silence!

Only the Hū Hū Sound of the burning furnaces and Lin Xia's "Gā Bēng" chewing echoed through the hall.

Everyone stared wide-eyed, mouths hanging open as they watched this scene that overturned everything they knew.

That Kid... he was really eating mineral ore!

And he was biting it apart with his teeth and chewing it!

What were his teeth made of?

What was his stomach made of?

Could a human really do this?

The disappointment on Lou Gao's face had long since been replaced by extreme shock. He stared fixedly at Lin Xia's mouth, as if trying to see whether some Divine Weapon was hidden inside.

Steward Old Li was so frightened that he took half a step back, his face turning pale.

Lin Xia chewed as if no one else were there, his brows slightly furrowed as though he were carefully tasting and distinguishing the flavors.

A moment later, Lin Xia stopped chewing and swallowed the paste mixed with Ore Fragments in his mouth.

After savoring it carefully, Lin Xia raised the piece of mineral ore in his Left Hand, which had been bitten once, and said to Lou Gao in a calm but clear voice:

"This piece has a higher Iron Content."

Lin Xia paused, seeming to struggle to recall and sense it.

"And... it seems to be accompanied by another mineral. The taste is somewhat... somewhat sharply distinctive? But I haven't studied it, so I can't name it."

Deathly Silence!

Absolute Deathly Silence!

Everyone's minds had gone blank from this simple, crude, yet utterly inconceivable method of appraisal.

Looking at Lin Xia's completely unscathed mouth and teeth, without even a trace of blood, then at the two pieces of Iron Ore in his hands with large chunks forcibly bitten off, an absurd feeling swept through everyone's hearts.

This world... suddenly seemed unfamiliar and insane!

After his initial petrified shock, Lou Gao's already Bright Eyes suddenly erupted with an unprecedented, almost fanatical gleam!

That look was like a Craft God Obsessed with Metal and Forging suddenly discovering a legendary piece of Raw Metal Ore containing divinity!

"Good! Good! Good!"

No joining a group, an original plot, Pokemon, slow-burn—this has all the elements, yet it has absolutely no traffic and can't compete with books released in the same period! So please, dear readers, if you like this book, keep following it. If you have any suggestions, feel free to leave them in the reviews—I'll read them!