Inside the Central Control Room, Qin Feng stared expressionlessly at the biological dossier on Tang San displayed on the screen.
"Devouring the Cursed Seal?"
His fingers tapped lightly on the armrest. There was no surprise in his eyes, only a hint of curiosity.
"Qin Feng, this phenomenon is fascinating." Orochimaru's voice came through the communicator, barely containing his excitement. "The Clear Sky Hammer Martial Soul seems to be actively absorbing the Senjutsu Chakra in the Cursed Seal, trying to convert it into its own energy. But the conversion is extremely crude, and Tang San's entire genetic chain is collapsing. He's like an energy furnace on the verge of exploding!"
"Then let him explode."
Qin Feng's voice was icy, utterly devoid of warmth.
"No. Make him think he's about to explode."
"Doctor, inject him with a T-Virus stabilizer and keep him alive. I need a self-evolving experimental subject to test the limits of how the T-Virus can merge with this world's bloodline powers."
"As for that hammer... I want it to bear the surname 'Qin' down to the genetic level."
"I understand." Orochimaru laughed with delight and ended the call.
With that minor matter settled, Qin Feng turned his attention back to the main screen.
On it, a gray flood of countless Nanobots was reshaping all of Nuoding City with godlike power.
The expressions on the faces of the citizens kneeling on the ground had shifted from terror to fervent worship.
Faith was being harvested at a frenzied pace, by the cheapest and most effective means.
"Brother Wolf, leave the city's infrastructure to the 'Worker Bee' swarm." Qin Feng stood up. "Now, let's go meet the first 'engineers' of our new era."
Umbrella Corporation, underground level six, the newly built First Industrial Park.
This was no longer the simple workshop it had once been. It had expanded more than tenfold into a gigantic factory capable of accommodating tens of thousands of people.
Every blacksmith from the former Iron Heart Blacksmith Shop, including its once-arrogant owner, Tie Shan, stood there trembling like a flock of quail.
Before them stood row upon row of brand-new, silvery-white machines they couldn't begin to understand.
These machines were more precise than the assembly lines they'd seen before—and far more... awe-inspiring.
Just moments earlier, they had watched with their own eyes as the "immortals' creations" (Nanobots) built this magnificent factory in mere minutes—a factory beyond anything they could have imagined in their entire lives.
Their entire worldview had been crushed.
"Boss... No, Master..." Tie Shan's legs gave out, and he was the first to fall to his knees. He kowtowed repeatedly toward the empty factory entrance. "You... You are the God of Forging! We're just mortals who failed to recognize greatness. Please forgive our ignorance!"
Thump! Thump!
All the blacksmiths fell to their knees, their faces filled with fear and reverence.
In a world where the strong ruled, divine miracles were the most unquestionable form of authority!
"Everyone, get up."
Qin Feng's voice came from behind them.
Wearing a white coat with his hands in his pockets, he strolled over at an easy pace.
"I'm no god."
"I'm just someone willing to give you a chance to change your fate with your own hands."
Qin Feng snapped his fingers.
The smooth alloy wall before them instantly transformed into a massive display screen.
An incredibly complex mechanical blueprint appeared on it.
"This is the design for a 'High-Frequency Electromagnetic Induction Smelting Furnace.'"
Pointing at the screen, Qin Feng explained in the simplest, most direct terms. "It works by using electricity to create a rapidly changing magnetic field. Toss in iron ore, and the metal molecules inside will vibrate and rub against one another like crazy, then 'burn' themselves into molten iron in a matter of seconds."
"No coal, no fire, no smoke."
The blacksmiths were baffled by most of what he said, but they understood the words "no coal, no fire"!
They'd spent their entire lives surrounded by smoke and flames, and now they stared at him in disbelief.
"And this." Qin Feng switched to another blueprint. "A '5000-Ton Servo Hydraulic Press.' You used to forge iron with brute force, hammering away to knock out the impurities one blow at a time. With this, all you have to do is pour molten iron into a mold, then—bang!"
Qin Feng made a downward pressing gesture.
"The force of five thousand tons will squeeze out every impurity and air bubble at the molecular level, like squeezing toothpaste out of a tube!"
"What comes out will be a piece of perfectly flawless, evenly dense, repeatedly refined steel!"
"Holy shit!"
A young blacksmith couldn't help blurting out a curse.
Tie Shan slapped him on the back of the head, but his own eyes were wide, and he was breathing as hard as a bellows.
One blow... and it became refined steel?
Was this even blacksmithing anymore? This was turning stone into gold!
"Starting today, these machines are yours."
Qin Feng's words fell like a nuclear bomb into a tranquil lake.
"What?!" Tie Shan jerked his head up and stammered, "M-Master, you mean... you're letting us use these divine artifacts?"
"Not use them." Qin Feng shook his head, a playful smile appearing on his face.
"I'm letting you build them yourselves."
He pointed at the blueprints on the screen, each machine broken down into its individual components.
"I've simplified all the core technology into modules you can understand. All you have to do is learn to read the blueprints, learn to operate these master machines, and then replicate them by the thousands, like building blocks!"
"I want every blacksmith in Nuoding City to have a production line of their own!"
"I want the iron you forge to fill the warehouses of the entire Heaven Dou Empire!"
They were crazy!
Every blacksmith thought their young master had completely lost his mind!
What were they?
They were the lowest of the low in Douluo Continent—mere laborers, no different from peasants in the eyes of the nobles!
And now, this godlike man wanted to hand them the power to overturn the world?
An unprecedented warmth welled up in every blacksmith's heart, sweeping away all their inferiority and fear in an instant!
It wasn't gratitude for charity.
It was the dignity of being recognized, of being given a whole new purpose!
"Master!"
Tie Shan could hold back no longer. The man in his forties wept like a child.
He didn't kneel. He stood straight, puffed out his chest with all his strength, and gave Qin Feng the most formal bow of his life!
"I, Tie Shan, swear this! From today on, my life, my hammer, and every piece of iron I forge belong to you!"
"For Umbrella!"
"For the Industrial Revolution!"
"For the Industrial Revolution!!" Every blacksmith stood tall, a fire unlike any they'd ever felt burning in their eyes as they roared loud enough to shake the heavens!
[ Ding! Side Quest: The Blacksmiths' Spring, complete! ]
[ Quest Rating: Perfect! ]
[ The "Science Cult" faith system has gained a new "Artisan" branch. Devout followers: +127! ]
[ Shock Points gained: 150,000! ]
Qin Feng nodded in satisfaction.
Just then, a Guardian hurried in.
"Reporting, Boss! Minister Ning Fengzhi has sent an urgent communication!"
Qin Feng answered the communicator on his wrist.
Ning Fengzhi's voice came through, edged with anxiety. "Master! Something's happened! The team we sent to take over the mineral deposits has been detained in the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's territory!"
"The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's patriarch, Yu Yuanzhen, personally led men to blockade our largest Vibranium mine!"
"He also sent you a message."
Ning Fengzhi paused, his voice turning grave.
"He said... if you want the mine back, that brat named Qin Feng can come crawl right in front of him."
"Otherwise, he'll use thunder to pass Judgment on us heretics... who steal divine power!"
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