After getting the still-bewildered "Golem Training Master" properly settled, Li Wei turned straight into the next room to see Igg and asked at once:
"How is it? Is he cooperating?"
Igg directly brought up an image of Braska's golem. Seemingly inspired by Li Wei, Braska was scribbling furiously in his own notebook. Igg said frankly:
"Within reasonable limits, he has answered every question I asked him. I have to admit, Mage Braska truly is gifted in golemcraft. No wonder the Arcane Brotherhood thought so highly of him back then. So when faced with these relatively basic questions of mine, he should have more than enough prepared answers to deal with me while keeping the parts he is proudest of all his life to himself. But it should not be a major problem. Given his obsession with and reverence for that diamond golem, I believe he will give it his all."
Li Wei was exceedingly calm about this. "That's perfectly normal. Anyone captured by the enemy would first have to consider their own survival. And his knowledge of golemcraft is the means and confidence by which he lives."
At that point, Li Wei suddenly smiled. "But on one point, he is absolutely mistaken. What I need is not another golem constructor like him—or even one who surpasses him. What I need is a steady stream of golem engineers!
"Even if all he teaches those apprentices is basic knowledge, once their hands-on experience accumulates day by day, those apprentices will at least be competent in some part of the golem-making process. That is enough.
"Why do we need wild flights of fancy or outstanding performance? All I want are standardized golems that are simple to produce, economical, and tough enough to take a beating!
"Perhaps in his eyes, golems are art—trump cards