Choose a Grand Foundry Master from ten thousand...
Ed's lips twitched involuntarily as memories from his past life flooded back.
However, from another perspective, although the Grand Foundry Master seem more ambitious, once selected, they become the top person in the Graycast Corridor, so the fierce competition is actually quite normal.
He looked at Gray and asked:
"So what are your assessment tasks for the next stage?"
"It's not much different from before. The so-called assessment is actually based on the candidates' long-term contributions to the Graycast Corridor. For example, many of the people selected with me were selected because they designed or improved some more efficient mechanical structures. In fact, those like me who made contributions by opening up trade routes and signing trade agreements are actually in the minority."
At this point, Gray chuckled slightly.
"So, as long as we continue operating in the same way as before, passing the second round of the election shouldn't be too difficult. Many of the Grand Artisan responsible for reviewing contributions have high hopes for me."
Ed nodded upon hearing this; he understood what Gray meant. It seemed that his previous investment had indeed yielded a good return.
It seems that the Graycast Corridor is more open than he imagined. If this continues, even if Gray cannot become the next Grand Foundry Master, he should still have a good position among the merchants, which will greatly benefit the Graycast Corridor and the Second Holy See's future cooperation.
Everything seemed to be going smoothly. Ed got the information he wanted and asked his last question:
What goods did you bring this time?
Gray has just described the trade routes in detail. He will only travel between the Great Labyrinth City and the Second Holy See from now on. The small nomadic settlements he used to pass through have been replaced by new merchants arranged by the Graycast Corridor.
Now that Gray has become a trader exclusively for the Second Holy See, the goods he brings must naturally meet the players' needs.
Seeing Ed's curious expression, Gray immediately perked up:
" Son of God..."
"You should still call me boss, otherwise I feel a little uncomfortable."
"Okay, boss, you can come with me if it's convenient for you."
Having just finished dealing with all matters in Fir City, Ed was now in a very convenient position. Led by Gray and Nora, the three of them left the castle and arrived at the Antasia was docked near the Greenhouse.
Upon entering the warehouse on the first floor, Gray pulled levers on the wall, opening a series of metal fences that prevented goods from scattering everywhere.
The light reflected from the metal entered Ed's eyes, and what appeared before him were arms, arms made of a combination of machinery and metal.
Looking at the goods he had brought, Gray said with a touch of pride:
"As you can see, boss, this time I've prepared a large number of metal mechanical arms for the Soul Returner of the Second Holy See."
He went into the warehouse, picked up one of them, and put his right arm inside, saying:
"This is a classic 'enhanced' bio-armor. Compared to ordinary metal armor, it has a structure that is more in line with the movement of the human arm. It only requires three bone nails to achieve a completely lag-free operation. It does not have the heaviness and sluggishness of heavy armor, but it has almost the same performance."
"If you don't want to get bone nails, you can simply use it as arm armor, but it has the same drawback as regular weapons and armor, which is the lag issue."
Ed listened to Gray's explanation, he looked at the brass arm armor Gray wore on his right hand.
This object has a distinct Graycast Corridor style, with a very simple overall structure and no fancy decorations.
The weapon's wrist and elbow areas show obvious signs of special treatment, indicating that the designer possessed considerable experience.
The three bone screw holes are located on the inner and outer sides of the forearm and the upper arm, respectively. Based on his experience with Gungnir's standard mount, Ed determined that once the bone screws were installed, the device's flexibility would be greatly enhanced, and if it were equipped with a corresponding transmission structure, its strength could be further enhanced.
If the user has already replaced the mechanical parts of their hand, then this thing will definitely be even more convenient.
He looked at the back of the arm armor and noticed very obvious pre-drilled slots, suggesting that it was a piece taken from a complete set of external armor. The back of the hand on the front of the armor was also marked with the mark of Graycast Corridor, making it clear at a glance that it was a high-quality product produced by a professional workshop.
Uniform in form, simple in style, and unique in design...
Ed quickly came to the conclusion that this thing should be one of the standard equipment items for the soldiers of the Graycast Corridor. Considering Gray's identity, Ed felt that it was more appropriate to think of this as the intention of the upper Graycast Corridor than to regard him as a gray figure who resells arms.
Could this be an indication of some kind of exchange of fundamental technologies?
Before Ed, Nora had already taken a clockwork-driven nail gun from the storage shelf and, with three sharp "bangs," drove three nails into Gray's arm.
"Is the style of your Graycast Corridor always this wild?"
Looking at Gray, who had become one with the external armor, Ed couldn't help but ask a question.
"Haha, boss, you're joking. You know, my arm has a wooden structure inside, and its recovery ability is very strong. I can hardly feel any pain. For most people, implanting bone screws would require a very complicated procedure, but it's not necessary for me. After the bone screws are removed, the wound heals quickly, but it still can't keep up with those guys who use robotic arms."
Ed nodded and asked:
Are there any other styles?
Yes, boss!
Gray strode to the shelf on the other side of the warehouse and pulled out something even more sophisticated than the external robotic arm he had just used:
"Boss, look, this is the second style I brought this time, which can also meet a variety of needs."
Ed immediately noticed the difference in the second robotic arm:
"This thing seems to be solid, doesn't it?"
"The boss has a good eye."
Gray's merchant nature once again took over, and he treated Ed like a customer, launching a frenzied sales pitch, completely forgetting that he was no longer just a merchant.
"As you can see, this is a 'replacement' type of cyborg suit, designed to replace the original arm."
"Of course, since it's a replacement implant, it must have more functions and a more robust and durable structure; it even has a built-in spoon..."
"However, this type of implant is no longer limited to replacing the original arm."
Ed raised an eyebrow, not quite understanding what Gray meant.
"Boss, do you still remember [ the Lion Hidden in the Eyes ]?"
Ed nodded; he certainly remembered the men he had sent to the Graycast Corridor.
Gray said seriously:
"At his insistence and with his voluntary dedication, we recently developed a method for using 'replacement' implants to complete 'enhanced' modifications."