He couldn't stay there every day; after all, he was just an assistant.
He had more to do, including later discussing the museum with Matt.
Why not take a break and go fishing? It would be a great option.
Therefore, Su Wei leaned back completely on the sofa and relaxed his body.
Okay, the time is uncertain, I'll contact you later.
It's a deal.
After hanging up the phone, Su Wei tossed it aside.
He leaned back on the sofa, but Aruk's words and his grand plan were still echoing in his mind.
To be honest, I don't even have a decent set of fishing gear.
We used to use those old fishing gear left by my father; it's time to upgrade.
In that future fortress, besides the armory, there should also be a dedicated area to store a complete set of top-of-the-line fishing gear.
Sea fishing rods, lure rods, fly fishing rods... all sorts of reels and lures need to be hung on an entire wall.
As I pondered, the fatigue of the day finally washed over me like a tidal wave, and my eyelids grew heavier and heavier.
Amidst these beautiful plans for the future manor, Su Wei slumped onto the sofa and fell into a deep sleep.
Before going to sleep, a firm idea came to mind.
Build the exhibition hall first, then the manor!
Chapter 140 A Grand Blueprint: The Hall of Glory Belonging to Top Hunters
The doors of the red-brick factory were pushed open, and the familiar stench of corpses and chemicals hit the doorway.
Su Wei exhaled a puff of white air, stamped his snow-covered boots, and slammed the rickety iron gate shut behind him.
In the center of the factory, the operating lights were already on.
Old Hope had his back to the door, wiping the double-handled meat scraper with a rag stained with black grease.
Hearing the noise, he didn't turn around, but paused for half a second.
"I'm late."
His hoarse voice echoed in the factory.
Su Wei did not argue, but silently put on the waterproof leather apron, gloves and mask, and walked to the huge stainless steel workbench.
There lay there the first top-tier spoils of the night, obtained from the Su Wei.
A huge, dark brown Roosevelt antler.
Even though I've seen it many times, this giant horn, known as the Crown, still brings a strong visual impact when it's quietly displayed in the workshop.
The main beam is as thick as a grown man's calf, and its dark resin patina gleams with a cold, eerie luster under the light.
The seven sharp forks, like spears, point straight upwards.
Although the incision in the skull had undergone preliminary treatment, dark red bloodstains and some blackened soft tissue still remained.
"It's yours now."
Old Hope turned around and casually tossed the rag into the bucket in the corner.
He walked to the opposite side of the control panel, placed his hands on the surface, and stared at Su Wei through his murky gray eyes.
"Clean it. Don't let me see even a speck of rotten flesh, and don't let me see you leave a new scratch on that patina. That's its medal; scratch it, and the horn is ruined."
Su Wei nodded and selected tools from the tool rack.
He didn't rush to make a move.
My fingers gently touched the cold surface of the antlers. The rough, grainy texture traveled along my fingertips, carrying a hint of coolness from the wilderness.
[ Crafting Module is activated.]
[Passive Skill: Touch of X-Ray Vision Triggered.]
The scene before my eyes changed instantly.
The original antlers were disassembled into countless layers in Su Wei's view.
The outermost layer is a patina rich in tannins and soil minerals, less than a millimeter thick, but it is the key to the value of this piece of horn.
Those are the marks of time worn by the stag year after year in the pine trees and mud pits.
Inside is a dense layer of bone, as hard as iron.
Deeper still, in the spongy bone at the junction of the skull, although the blood had drained away, it was still filled with a large amount of yellowish-white fat and tiny nerve remnants.
[High-difficulty object detected: Crown-level Roosevelt stag antlers.]
[Suggested treatment plan: Physical removal of soft tissue -> Degreasing of bone cavity -> Chemical preservation -> Surface wax sealing.]
Su Wei took a deep breath, picked up a curved boning knife no bigger than a fingernail, and also grabbed a stiff-bristled toothbrush.
Looks like you didn't choose a wire brush.
Old Hope let out a cryptic chuckle.
"At least you're not completely stupid."
Su Wei ignored the sarcastic remark.
He supported the heavy skull with his left hand, and held a knife in his right hand, the tip of which gently pierced a gap at the edge of the eye socket bone.
There was a shriveled muscle, the size of a fingernail, stuck tightly to the bone, like a stubborn piece of cement.
If you forcibly tear it off, you might tear off a piece of periosteum.
If you scrape too hard, the tip of the knife will inevitably scratch the corner.
Su Wei's wrist was suspended in the air, and he controlled the direction of the blade entirely by the force of his fingers.
[ Basic Bone Cleaning experience +1]
The knife tip followed the natural texture of the bone, and the stubborn piece of dried meat was completely peeled off, revealing the white bone underneath.
Not a single scratch.
Old Hope, who had been holding his arms across his chest, slowly lowered them.
He narrowed his eyes, leaned forward slightly, and fixed his gaze on Su Wei's hand.
This kid's hands are steady, unlike those of a newbie.
Even though it wasn't the first time he had seen it, he was still amazed by Su Wei's terrifying talent.
An average apprentice would be trembling with excitement at the sight of such a top-tier prize.
They're either afraid of breaking it and not being able to afford the compensation, or they're eager to succeed and show off.
But the Su Wei was different.
His breathing rate was even slower than when he entered the room.
Each cut was precisely aimed at those terrifyingly narrow, hidden spots.
Ten minutes.
Twenty minutes.
The only sounds in the factory were the occasional soft rustling of metal blades touching bones and Su Wei's steady breathing.
The soft tissue that was originally attached to the cut surface of the skull and deep in the eye sockets was cleaned away little by little.
He used a toothbrush and a special solvent to scrub away the dirt and dried blood hidden in the crevices and corners.
"Stop."
Just as Su Wei was about to treat the last piece of fascia near the foramen magnum, Old Hope suddenly spoke up.
Su Wei's hand instantly hovered in mid-air, the tip of the knife less than two millimeters from the bone.
"How?"
He raised his head, his eyes clear.
Old Hope walked over, took a thin, long steel needle with a barb at the tip from the shelf, and roughly shoved it into Su Wei's hand.
That's a nerve hole.
Old Hope pointed to the seemingly ordinary fascia beneath.
"It's connected to the meninges inside. Using a knife will cut it off and cause it to retract, eventually rotting and smelling bad inside the bone. Use a hook to pry it out."
Su Wei was taken aback.
Although [ Touch of X-Ray Vision ] can see the structure, this experience about the changes after a corpse decomposes is not available in the system data.
"Understood."
Su Wei replaced the needle with a steel needle. Following the angle indicated by Old Hope, he inserted it into the barely perceptible hole. With a gentle flick of his wrist, he made a jerk.
"Tsk."
A grayish-white fascia about three centimeters long was completely pulled out, carrying an indescribable fishy smell.