Neurotic Weapon Evaluation

After touring the core area of the underground city, Barton did not give Lin Jie much time to digest the shock.

This highly efficient investigator seemed intent on striking while the iron was hot, aiming to complete all pre-employment preparations in one go.

He led Lin Jie through corridors constructed of intricate brass pipes and wiring, eventually arriving before a heavy metal door labeled "Fourth Equipment Laboratory - Precision Instruments and Alchemy Fusion Department."

"Before we officially register your identity and issue your initial resources, there is one last thing to do." Barton's expression became somewhat peculiar, tinged with a hint of sympathy and helplessness.

"You need to meet someone. This is a 'baptism' that all new hunters, whether they are official members or freelance hunters like you, must undergo. He is responsible for inspecting and registering your initial equipment and evaluating its value and potential."

Lin Jie noticed that even the usually fearless, burly Marcus subconsciously wore a reluctant expression when he heard he had to meet this person, which made him all the more curious about the figure behind the door.

Barton entered a string of commands into a keypad beside the door, and the metal door slid aside with a hissing sound of pressure release.

Unlike the futuristic metal corridors outside, the space behind the door was filled with the atmosphere of an old-world workshop, chaotic yet possessing a certain obsessive aesthetic.

Countless design blueprints covered every corner of the room, from the tables to the floor, and even plastered across the walls.

Huge lathes, drills, and various precision machines whose names Lin Jie could not identify occupied most of the room.

Between these massive machines were interspersed alchemist's crucibles, crystal distillers, and glass cabinets displaying various ores and biological specimens, forming a strange harmony where industry and magic intertwined.

In the deepest part of this massive workshop, a thin, tall figure stood with his back to them, hunched over a giant workbench.

He wore a pair of bulky goggles and was cautiously using tweezers to embed a grain-of-rice-sized red crystal into what appeared to be the movement of a pocket watch.

He was focused to the extreme, seemingly unaware of the arrival of the three people behind him.

Barton seemed accustomed to this neglect; he walked to the side of the workbench, cleared his throat, and said in as calm a tone as possible: "Arthur Conan, I've brought a new friend. He needs to register his initial equipment."

The man called Arthur still did not turn around.

He merely waved his hand impatiently, his voice coming from behind the goggles with a neurotic, hoarse, and irritable edge: "Can't you see I'm in the final stage of 'spiritual coupling' for the Scarlet Earl's power core!"

"If this Eye of the Fire Salamander from the Arizona Desert deviates by even a hundredth of a micron, the last seventy-two hours of work will be completely wasted! No matter how big the matter is, wait five minutes for me!"

A bitter smile appeared on Barton's face as expected; he spread his hands toward Lin Jie, signaling that they had no choice but to wait.

Lin Jie curiously sized up the craftsman.

From his surname and the current era, Lin Jie immediately associated it with a certain famous name, but seeing his mad, world-immersed demeanor, he felt it didn't quite match up.

Exactly five minutes passed.

The tweezers in Arthur Conan's hand steadily placed the final micro-screw.

He let out a satisfied sigh, then slowly turned around.

He took off the complex goggles, revealing a young face that belied his age.

His hair was somewhat messy and his gaze was sharp, but the heavy dark circles under his eyes betrayed the fact that he had been suffering from long-term sleep deprivation.

His entire being radiated an intellectual arrogance and neurosis that screamed "keep away."

"Alright, speak. What kind of blind newcomer is it that has to disturb me at my most critical moment?" Arthur's gaze swept over Barton and Marcus, finally landing on Lin Jie with a critical look.

"This is Mr. Lin Jie, a newly certified freelance hunter of the Association." Barton introduced, "He needs to register his initial weapon."

At Barton's signal, Lin Jie placed the Heart of Serenity Webley revolver, along with the core crystal obtained from the Mist Walker, onto the workbench.

The moment Arthur's gaze fell upon the revolver, his originally impatient expression changed slightly.

He ignored the UMA crystal, which was clearly of higher research value, and picked up the revolver directly.

He did not inspect the barrel and mechanical structure like an ordinary gunsmith; instead, he brought the grip right up to his eyes.

His fingers repeatedly touched the embedded scale, his eyes closed, seemingly "listening" to something with his fingertips.

"Hmm... interesting texture." Arthur muttered to himself, "It has undergone basic polishing, but the technique is very crude, done merely to embed it."

"The scale comes from cold waters, but not entirely; this stable spiritual frequency with a Zen-like quality... it's not the Deep Sea Resentful Woman itself, that is pure malice and madness."

He suddenly opened his eyes, a fanatical light bursting forth. He looked at Lin Jie and asked with extreme speed: "When you hunted the Deep Sea Resentful Woman, did you notice any auxiliary UMAs that were associated with it, resembling monks or ascetics? They are rare in number, do not attack proactively, and only circle around the 'Resentful Queen' in a kind of spiritual chanting?"

Lin Jie was completely stunned.

He recalled the scene on the Sea Witch; he had only seen the siege of countless Resentful Women, and he had absolutely no impression of whether any "associated creatures" existed.

He could only shake his head blankly.

"Trash!" Arthur commented unceremoniously, "To miss such a precious observation opportunity! The Cartographer Karl is also an idiot; he surely didn't record such details in his diary either!"

Barton coughed awkwardly from the side: "Arthur, watch your language."

Arthur ignored him completely, stroking the scale as if caressing a lover, his face showing an obsessed expression: "Perfect material! This alien biological tissue, produced after the 'associated vengeful spirit' and the 'host' undergo spiritual resonance, is the best choice for making a 'spiritual stabilization anchor'!"

"Although Karl is an idiot who doesn't understand materials science, his luck is not bad. Pity... he used it in the most wasteful way!"

He looked at the revolver with disdain: "Embedding it in the grip of a gun? This is simply an insult to art! It's like using a Rembrandt canvas to wrap a stinking salted fish!"

"How can a crude physical attack tool like a firearm be worthy of such an exquisite 'spiritual medium' that can soothe the soul? From the moment this weapon was born, it was a failure!"

Listening to his prized weapon being disparaged as worthless by this neurotic craftsman, Lin Jie's mood was somewhat complicated.

But he was more concerned with the massive amount of information revealed in Arthur's words.

For the first time, he learned the true origin of the gun in his hand and the root of its power.

"So... in your opinion, where should it be used?" Lin Jie couldn't help but ask.

Arthur looked up, casting a glance at him that clearly said, "You actually have a brain after all."

"Obviously, it should be inlaid into defensive or auxiliary equipment! Like an amulet, a shield, or even the lining of a helmet!"

"Placing it as close to the brain or heart as possible is the only way to maximize its effect of 'soothing the spirit and resisting low-level mental influence'! Putting it on a hand? A hand needs dexterity and stability, not some damn calmness!"

His rapid-fire outburst left Lin Jie enlightened.

This was professionalism.

This was the massive chasm in understanding between him and the I.A.R.C.

He had only thought that this gun could keep him calm, while this craftsman had already seen through the essence of the material, its optimal use, and all its future possibilities.

"So..." Arthur tossed the pistol back to Lin Jie with disdain, "I've registered this failure. Evaluation: high-quality material, stupid design, low potential. As for this piece..."

He finally turned his gaze toward the black crystal, putting on his goggles and leaning in close, as if admiring a peerless diamond.

"Oh... oh! A perfect Condensed Shadow Crystal! This is the core of a Mist Walker! Look at this purity, this stable energy structure... using it to craft a trench coat capable of 'optical invisibility,' or a dagger that can silently pierce physical defenses, it's just... it's just... a masterpiece of God!"

Arthur fell completely into a frenzy that only he could understand. He clutched the crystal and began frantically rummaging through piles of blueprints, muttering to himself, no longer paying any attention to the three people standing nearby.

Barton was long used to this and shrugged at Lin Jie.

"Welcome to the I.A.R.C., Mr. Lin. I hope you're already used to dealing with these artists."