Recycling

In a world where war is the main theme, setting out on an adventure without a good set of gear is absolutely out of the question.

The blacksmith's shop.

A burly man clanged away with his hammer, forging a strip of iron.

Li Wei stood by and watched for a long time, waiting until the hammering stopped and the blacksmith took a break before stepping in to greet him:

"Hello."

"Hello, guest, what business do you have?"

"Do you sell weapons here, or armor of some kind?"

The blacksmith looked up and glanced at Li Wei.

"May I ask who you are?"

"An adventurer."

"So you're not from our town?"

Li Wei nodded.

"No, you can leave."

The blacksmith shook his head.

Li Wei quickly said, "Wait, I won't short you on payment. Name your price."

The blacksmith turned back helplessly and said seriously, "No amount will do. Bree's weapons and armor are only sold to Bree folk, and even then, not just anyone qualifies."

"Sir Adventurer, if you really want something to defend yourself, I suggest you try the farm next door. Maybe they'll sell you a hoe."

Li Wei was stunned for a moment, then suddenly caught on.

Right, this isn't a game world where you can buy a full set of gear from any random general store.

In this era, things like weapons and armor are strategic reserves—how could they be sold so easily?

Especially to an unknown so-called adventurer.

"Then can you sell me some iron? Just a little, I need it for research."

The blacksmith hesitated and asked, "How much do you need?"

Li Wei gestured with his hands to show the size.

"No."

The blacksmith shook his head.

Li Wei's expression turned sour.

If he had metal ore, he could actually synthesize equipment himself.

But ore—though in a game you could just dig a hole straight down and find some if you went deep enough, maybe even hit a cave and get a fat haul—in reality, ore isn't everywhere.

"Hey, mister, I heard you—you want to buy those things?"

Li Wei and the blacksmith both turned around. A man with a full beard and messy hair suddenly stood up, smiling at Li Wei.

Clearly, he'd been crouching there hiding for a while.

"And you are?"

"Get lost, you stinking junkman! Stay away from my shop!"

Before Li Wei could finish asking, the blacksmith slammed his hammer down on the anvil with a clang and gave the order to leave.

But even being called a stinking junkman, the man didn't get angry. Instead, he smiled and said:

"Alright, alright, my friend. I was just passing by and happened to find someone you can't satisfy but I might be able to..."

The blacksmith cut him off: "Don't get slick-tongued with me here. I'm telling you, you'd better behave and not break Bree's laws."

"Of course, of course not, friend. I always pay close attention to local rules!" the man said glibly.

"Three seconds. Get out of my sight." The blacksmith was merciless.

"Three..."

"Two..."

The blacksmith picked up his hammer and stood.

"Alright, alright, I'm going, I'm going. No need to be so hot-tempered."

The man immediately backed off several steps, eyeing Li Wei a few times.

Li Wei looked at the man, then at the blacksmith, and chose to leave with him.

The blacksmith's gaze followed him for a long time, until finally, from a distance, he called out, "I'd advise you to be careful, Sir Adventurer."

Li Wei nodded from afar in response.

Only when they reached a less crowded place did Li Wei speak to the man beside him: "What should I call you?"

"I'm [Scrap Merchant] William—just call me William, good sir."

Scrap Merchant?

Now that's a new term.

"What do you do?"

William shrugged. "Well, according to the local merchants around here, we're just ragged peddlers stealing their business. We sell anything, buy anything, and we're everywhere."

We?

Before Li Wei could dwell on it, William continued, "I won't deny I deal in junk, but who's to say some of that junk isn't exactly what you need?"

"You know what I need?"

"Of course—weapons and armor for self-defense, right?"

Li Wei nodded.

"Follow me, sir." William, brimming with confidence, led Li Wei toward some out-of-the-way spot.

Li Wei was a bit suspicious, but that confident demeanor couldn't be faked, so he followed along.

Bree wasn't big, but it was a mixed bag.

Maybe there really was something he wanted.

Before long, Li Wei was led to a secluded corner of the town.

Unlike the usual sights on the main street, this little block exuded an old, eerie gloom. The eaves and walls on both sides were thick with cobwebs and vines, looking like they'd never been cleaned.

The houses showed clear signs of use, so someone must live here.

Creak.

A door cracked open, and a burly, unshaven, slovenly man stepped out. He first glanced at the Scrap Merchant, then fixed his gaze on Li Wei, following him all the way to the end of the street before looking away.

Click.

The door shut tight.

"This is the weapons and armor you mentioned?" Li Wei frowned hard, staring at William. "Do you think I'm easy to fool? Or that I'm an easy mark?"

Li Wei pointed at a pile of rusty swords and armor in the small yard—so corroded they were barely recognizable—and said irritably, "This is what you wanted to show me?"

A traveling merchant... not a local. I wonder if killing him would cost reputation.

Feeling a chill at his back, William quickly explained, "Look, adventurer sir, I'm a law-abiding, honest merchant. In Bree, and in every kingdom and region, weapons and armor are regulated goods. Anyone caught selling them privately would be in huge trouble!"

"Getting my hands on these already took a lot of effort, and I can guarantee you—I'm the only one in this area with the connections to acquire such things. You won't find them anywhere else."

As he spoke, William pulled out a decayed longsword and waved it in front of Li Wei. "See? This sword has a few flaws, but it's still barely usable for self-defense. And any enemy cut by this blade—once they bleed—won't last more than a few days!"

Flaws?

Li Wei took the decayed longsword. The moment he touched it, its stats appeared.

[Decayed Longsword · Attack +1]

"..."

Li Wei tried swinging it, and a chunk immediately flaked off.

He understood the sword's quality at once.

If he actually used it to fight someone, the sword would probably break first.

A stick picked up from the roadside would be more useful than this.

Li Wei scanned the yard and guessed everything here was the same quality.

No wonder Bree turned a blind eye to this place.

Was there even any point in regulating it?

Tch.

Letting out a disdainful sound, Li Wei casually moved to toss the junk sword aside.

But the next moment, a sudden system prompt made him freeze mid-motion.

[New Synthesis Entry Unlocked]

[Anti-Smelter (new)]

"Description: Higher utilization rate."

[Input - [Decayed Longsword]: Estimated Output - 50%–80% Raw Materials]

?!

The junk in his hand suddenly smelled a lot sweeter.