Shen Le sat upright at the workbench, his face full of distress. Turning his head to the left, he saw the large screen at the end of the long table on that side, densely covered with data:
X-ray diffraction analysis results for the corroded portions;
Metallurgical Microscope bright-field and dark-field observation photographs;
Scanning Electron Microscope—energy spectrum analysis results;
Observation and analysis results for the soil surrounding the bronze artifact: soil thin-section observations, pH measurements, open-circuit potential measurements of soil leachate, soluble salt content measurements in the soil—
When he turned his head to the right, the large screen at the end of the long table held only a single image. Yet that image was packed with an extraordinary amount of information:
It was a three-dimensional reconstructed structural image produced by putting the entire fractured, corroded bronze lump—whose pieces had all "bitten" together—through a CT scan.
Strictly speaking, the image roughly distinguished which parts were the bronze artifact itself, which were corroded portions, how many sections there were in total, and the approximate shape of each section.
The most troublesome part was how they interlocked, jagged as dogs' teeth: "Why is this surface so uneven? Why are there bumps everywhere? Isn't this making things way too hard for me?!"
He complained through gritted teeth, "How exactly am I supposed to take these apart—"
[Can't take them apart? I'll do it! Let me help!]
A flash of light appeared beside him as the Madam Xu Dagger flew out and hovered to his right, itching to give it a try:
[They're only a little rust. Wherever my blade passes, nothing can withstand it!]
[I'll come too! Leave it to me!] A mass of black hair rushed over as well, baring its fangs and brandishing its claws:
[I can reach into the tiniest cracks!