I Can Try

Inside the leather case.

A petite lady slept on a soft velvet cushion, surrounded by brass thorns and roses, her cheek resting on her hand, her small body curled up. The layered skirt closed petal by petal, four brass feathers drooped downwards, overlapping each other.

Like an exquisite work of art.

Sylvid stood quietly behind the leather case, her clear gaze under the veil watching everyone. Her soft golden hair fell over her snow-white neck and down to her chest. She clasped her lace-trimmed gloves, her fingertips lightly resting on the handle of the leather case.

Fang Heng's gaze was completely captivated by what was inside the leather case. He exclaimed in surprise, "This... is it really a Fairy Construct?" He looked up, a hint of pleasant surprise in his voice, "Can I really use it?"

The young lady nodded, replying in a voice as clear as crystal, "Mr. Shaya, you are welcome to use it."

"Wow, so cute!" Tian Lan also ran to the side of the leather case and asked, "Miss Sylvid, can I see her?"

The young lady nodded gently again.

Tian Lan then carefully picked up the doll. The doll was about her elbow-length. Its face was carved into the likeness of a sleeping young girl, with exquisite and lifelike details.

A wild rose was carved at its neckline, with movable shoulder plates on either side that resembled a cape. The cape was embossed with magnificent lily leaves, primroses, and a golden canary with its wings spread.

Her hair was woven from mithril threads—tied into two ponytails, with a unicorn hairpin. The noble crest on it was identical to the one on the outside of the leather case.

It was only when Luo Yu saw the hairpin that he recognized the crest and said in a low voice, "This is a Fairy doll from the Rose Workshop."

Fang Heng naturally remembered it too.

Time flows like water, wisdom grows day by day—

That was the motto of the Xilin-Spica Family. The Xilin family was the evergreen tree of the Kaolin-Ishurian alchemy world, the founder of the Rose Workshop, and one of the most famous inheritors of Fairy craftsmanship. It was no wonder he found it so familiar.

Tian Lan handed the doll to Fang Heng and then noticed that everyone's gaze was focused on the doll. She couldn't help but be stunned, "What's wrong with you all?"

But no one answered her.

At this moment, the mist in the hall had become increasingly dense, making it almost impossible to see one's hand in front of one's face. After Wu Di and Liuli Yue jointly defeated a charging Dragonman, they turned back to look at Fang Heng and the doll in his hands and asked, "Can you use it?"

Fang Heng hesitated a little.

Fairy Constructs were the most special type of Flexible Construct. They were not combat constructs but a purely support-oriented type of Flexible Construct.

They were the commanders, the central hub and commanders on the battlefield, capable of assisting in the command and control of Flexible Constructs, greatly enhancing their combat power, and significantly improving the multi-control ability of other Combat Artificers in the team.

Alchemists skilled in controlling these types of constructs were thus called Fairy Masters, and they were among the most elite support roles for Combat Artificers.

But they were also one of the rarest types—

This was because controlling Fairy Constructs was extremely difficult, and Fairy Masters themselves had extremely limited combat capabilities. Therefore, Kaolin-Ishurian even had an old saying to describe this group:

"If Flexible Constructs are the Sea Forest Crown for artificers, then Fairies are the most dazzling gems upon the crown."

The subtext of this saying was that the Sea Forest Crown had been missing for many years, and the artificers would jest that no one could obtain the gems on the crown.

However, this gem.

In fact, it was one of the supreme domains of Combat Artificers.

Therefore, no matter how arrogant Fang Heng was, he wouldn't dare to claim he could be a qualified Fairy Master at level three. In fact, he hadn't even mastered the 'Special Flexible Construct Basic Theory' and 'A-Class Aether Knowledge' required for Fairy Constructs.

Of course, he was unwilling to give up this opportunity to get close to a 'Fairy'. After thinking for a moment, he replied, "I, I can try."

Hong Ye patted his shoulder, implying—Little one, find a better excuse next time you lie.

Wu Di, however, was unconcerned. He looked at Sylvid not far away, equally amazed by the young lady's frailty and beauty. However, his expression remained cold, and he understood her intentions. He replied, "Miss, if you wish to accompany us, please do your best to keep up with the others. But if you fall behind, I don't think anyone will come to save you—"

The young lady nodded quickly, then closed the leather case and followed the others, dragging the case. She replied politely, "Thank you. Regardless, words cannot express my gratitude for saving my life."

However, what made Fang Heng glance at her again was that even in this situation, her maid maintained a calm and composed demeanor, showing no intention of helping her mistress carry her luggage.

The environment in the hall was becoming increasingly dangerous. The team was actually fighting and retreating, gradually approaching the east—the kitchen area.

Fang Heng kept glancing at the noble young lady, his mind in turmoil. He wondered if he should go back and find them if the mistress and maid fell behind—how wonderful it would be if they gifted him the Fairy Construct in return for his help.

He wore all these thoughts on his face, daydreaming, which made Etila shake her head speechlessly after a glance.

At the same time, Sylvid happened to look curiously at Fang Heng. Their eyes met by chance, and they both paused slightly. Fang Heng's face immediately turned red, and he guiltily shifted his gaze away.

The young lady also lowered her head, her gaze drifting, as if pondering something.

Luo Yu saw this scene from afar and turned back to whisper to the others, "This woman is extremely suspicious. I really don't know what kind of weak girl would carry a Fairy Construct around all day—"

Tian Lan rolled her eyes at him and commented, "No one would think you're mute if you didn't speak."

Fortunately, their hushed conversation did not alert the former.

After all, as time passed, more and more monsters emerged from the mist, and everyone gradually had no time to pay attention to anything else. A Dragonman even rushed out from somewhere, almost pouncing on the Paparal, scaring their poor guide into a scream. With his short limbs flailing and his belly sticking out, he immediately fell to the ground and played dead.

Fortunately, Hong Ye was quick behind him, piercing the Dragonman's chest with a ray of flame, turning it into ashes that reintegrated into the mist. Only then was this professional kitchen thief spared.

The Paparal was still lying motionless on the ground. If Etila hadn't walked over and lifted him by his pointed ears, even Wu Di would have almost believed he had gloriously perished.

However, seeing the little dwarf struggling and screaming in the elf maiden's hands, for some reason, the talented young man of the Silverwood Spear felt a sense of absurdity.

Fortunately, this illusion did not affect his judgment.

He suddenly stopped, but to his surprise, Fang Heng also stopped not far away.

Wu Di put a hand on his partner, then looked at the latter strangely—Fang Heng was still wearing that strange silver mask, and now a pair of strange goggles were placed over it, making him look utterly ridiculous.

But Fang Heng's expression was not funny at all. He pursed his lips tightly and was looking in one direction.

Wu Di's heart skipped a beat as he saw this, and he also looked in that direction--

The rolling black smoke, formed from dragon horns hanging from the dome, had already enveloped the entire hall. Visibility within the hall was less than three meters, and the sounds of fighting in the distance gradually weakened, leaving only a deathly silence.

The direction both of them were looking at the same time was, in fact, just a stretch of swirling smoke.

But Fang Heng suddenly reached out and yanked back the Paparal, who was rubbing his reddened, pointed ears and tilting his head as he walked in that direction. Under the latter's bewildered gaze, he gestured to the others with his hand, then whispered, "Six Dragonmen."

"How did you know?" Wu Di asked curiously.

After saying this, he retracted his hand. With a soft hum in the mist, a golden light streaked across, and a Clockwork Sprite landed steadily in his palm.

After Wu Di put away the Clockwork Sprite, he looked back at Fang Heng. He knew that Fang Heng was also skilled in controlling Clockwork Sprites, but what intrigued him was when exactly Fang Heng had managed to trick his eyes and release the sprite.

But what he never expected was that Fang Heng actually raised the exquisite fairy doll in his hand and said, "Meimei's Fairy Crystal has a magic vision link, I saw it--"

"Who is Meimei?" Wu Di asked, utterly confused.

"That's the name of this fairy lady," Fang Heng replied softly, wearing goggles. "I linked to her Core Crystal, so I knew the name the creator gave her."

At these words, the atmosphere around them suddenly fell silent.

Only Sylvid paused for a moment, raising her head to specifically look at Fang Heng.

"Holy crap!" The first to speak was Liuli Yue. "You're not going to tell me you actually succeeded in linking with a Fairy Construct, are you?"

Before he could finish speaking, he received a slap from Wu Di.

"Watch your language, your words represent the guild," Wu Di replied calmly, then added, "And keep your voice down, they're coming."

But after speaking, he also glanced at Fang Heng, though he didn't ask anything. He simply had his Fearless block the front of the group.

Only Hong Ye appeared somewhat astonished and bewildered, as if she wanted to ask something. But Fang Heng interrupted her, "Five more Dragonmen are coming from the left, they seem to have been attracted by Liuli Yue's voice."

Everyone's gaze snapped towards Liuli Yue.

Even Wu Di couldn't help but frown. Eleven Dragonmen were already a bit beyond their ability to handle.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, the young man became extremely annoyed and couldn't help but curse, "Holy crap, if you hadn't said that, nobody would have thought you were mute."

"Can you be more civilized?" Hong Ye frowned at him.

"Stupid woman, go tell them yourself if you're so capable?" Liuli Yue immediately retorted. "If your civilization can make these bird monsters flee in terror, I'll learn from you right away."

This unreasonable retort almost made Hong Ye explode on the spot.

But at this moment, Fang Heng suddenly spoke again, "Miss Hong Ye, open your Flame Ray subsystem."

Hong Ye was stunned by his words and quickly asked, "Wait a minute, little guy, I don't see a target--" But before she could finish, she couldn't say the latter half of her sentence. Because she suddenly saw a prominent notification pop up in her Chosen system window:

'[Fairy 'Meimei' is requesting an Aether link with your Flexible Construct--Annihilator Qv700(A).]'

Hong Ye's mouth dropped open slightly, and she stared at the scene dumbfounded.

"Ah!? You..." she stammered, almost unable to speak. "You... you actually linked successfully?"

"I told you, Miss Hong Ye, I would try my best," Fang Heng replied. "It's a bit strenuous, so I might not be able to help much, but I will do my best--"

I will try my best...

I will try my best...

Hong Ye's mind was filled with only these words. She almost thought she was dreaming and couldn't help but pinch her arm hard, then cried out in pain, "Ah, it hurts!"

"Don't get distracted," Wu Di finally couldn't help but remind her. "They're already here."

As soon as he finished speaking, two Dragonmen emerged from the front, parting the mist. However, as soon as their somewhat ferocious reptilian faces began to take shape within the swirling black smoke, the Fearless, which had been waiting there, shot out like cannonballs, hitting them head-on. They shrieked and were flung back into the mist.

It was only then that Hong Ye realized the danger. Gritting her teeth, she turned around and, at the same time, swiped her finger across her window to accept the request. She then raised her control glove, preparing to turn her Annihilator.

But it was at this precise moment that she suddenly froze. Data streams cascaded down her system like a waterfall:

'[Bearing 447.]'

'[Turn left 37.2.]'

'[Adjustment value 1.2.]'

'[Adjustment value 1.4.]'

She lowered her head and found that the four Magic Buoys on her control glove were spinning wildly, while the computational load required to control the four subsystems of the Annihilator had drastically decreased on the panel.

A moment later, she heard a voice in her ear:

"Issue the command, activate Flame Ray subsystem, engage overload, fire once at bearing 12.443, fire twice at bearing 12.445--"

It was Fang Heng's voice.

"Wait a minute," Hong Ye was taken aback and couldn't help but ask, "How can you control a Flexible Construct like this?"

Controlling a Flexible Construct as a Combat Artificer was undoubtedly a precise process. Even with system assistance, manual adjustments of angles, allocation of magic power, planning of different magic power paths, and the order of using alchemical formulas were required.

A construct that obeyed commands immediately after they were issued was called a Dragon Knight System.

But Fang Heng didn't have time to explain. He only said, "Listen to me, quickly."

Hong Ye was slightly taken aback. She hesitated for a moment, but ultimately chose to comply:

"Activate Flame Ray subsystem, engage overload, fire once at bearing 12.443--"

As soon as she finished speaking.

She found that her Annihilator seemed to have understood her words and began to rotate to the left, then slowly opened its metal casing, revealing the Flame Ray subsystem within.

Sorry, I had too many things to do today. It was too noisy during the day, so I couldn't write. But I still managed to finish it tonight. Please forgive me. Happy New Year to everyone~~ Also, since I'm writing alone on New Year's Eve, please give me some votes~