Rise of The Demon General

Chapter 189: Chapter 189. Buying Time

Amon was put back in jail after the meeting with Luan Xuan. He was mostly left alone after that. Two days later, he was brought out of his jail and into another room filled with smithing tools.

Inside that room were four other people. Luan Xuan, Pan Niang, Li Shi, and a middle-aged man Amon had never seen before.

”Your stuff,” Luan Xuan said, gesturing to a table next to him.

Amon came to the table. He saw the clothes he had worn when he was in the ruin, his space ring, and most importantly, his necklace with the black space ring attached.

”Everything inside that space ring is trash. I don’t get why you want them back,” Luan Xuan said.

”Even if they are trash, they are my trash,” Amon answered. The fact was, all Amon wanted was his black space ring, but if he only asked for his necklace, it might rouse suspicion. So, Amon asked for everything.

Amon changed his clothes right on the spot, ignoring everyone. No one made any comment. After he was done, he said, ”Okay, I will start working. Are you all here to watch?”

”All except for me,” Luan Xuan said. ”I am here to give you the warning I last gave you. Half a year. Not a day more. Not a minute more. If I don’t see a result by then, you should know what will happen.”

”I do. What about the beast nectar recipe?” Amon asked.

Luan Xuan gave Pan Niang a signal. Pan Niang handed a piece of paper to Amon. On the paper was a list of ingredients with their doses and how these ingredients were prepared and mixed. Amon noticed several of the ingredients were common ones. Only three were uncommon. One could be acquired from the market but at a very expensive price. The other one he had inside his black space ring’s plantation. The last one was unknown.

He stored the paper and studied the equipment and the materials that had been prepared.

”Pan Niang will be watching you and Li Shi. As for this gentleman, he is a skilled-level smith,” Luan Xuan pointed at the middle-aged man. ”His name is Luan Chui. He is here to make sure that you are truly working.”

”Hmph, I still think this is a waste of time. He is so young. Even if he knows about smithing, he should only be a beginner-level smith,” Luan Chui uttered.

The level of a job had the same classification as the mastery of art, with the beginner as the lowest level and the grandmaster as the highest.

Amon didn’t show any emotion from Luan Chui’s ridicule. He simply said, ”As long as none of them disturb my work, it’s fine.”

Luan Chui was displeased by Amon’s words. He wanted to say something, but Luan Xuan cut him to it, ”All right. Everyone stays to the side. Let him work.”

He then turned to Li Shi and said, ”Although these two have lower cultivation than you, do not try anything. I have posted two mystic stage cultivators outside. You will regret it if you test me. Unless, of course, you want to spend a longer session with me, haha.”

Li Shi showed him a disgusted expression but didn’t say anything to antagonize him.

Luan Xuan gave everyone another look before he walked out.

”Get to work!” Pan Niang said after Luan Xuan was gone.

Amon just stood still, staring at the pile of materials prepared for him. He didn’t just ask for random things. He had learned several basic and advanced materials from his time in the smithing class. Iron and steel were, of course, the basic materials. The advanced materials he had asked for were ebony steel, quicksilver, and high iron.

All of these metals were in the pile in front of him. He was amazed the rebels got these materials for him in such a short time. He was hoping it would take the rebels at least a week to get these materials. He was, after all, not truly able to make the Allure Beacon. He was just buying time.

”Hey, do you listen?! I said, get to work!!” Pan Niang came closer and yelled at Amon.

Amon didn’t turn to her but said calmly, ”At this stage, do you think you are more valuable to your leader or am I? If I hurt you, do you think your leader will punish me? No, he will ask me to continue my work here. Maybe he will do something after the half-year I promised him is over, but not before that. Considering the other scenario. If you hurt me and cause me to become unable to work, do you think your leader will let you go? So, do you think it is wise for you to provoke me?”

Amon’s eye remained on the pile of materials in front of him. He didn’t deign Pai Niang a look. He heard footsteps moving away. Pai Niang had decided to restrain herself and left Amon to his work.

”I will be watching you,” Luan Chui said from his seat on the other side.

”Then watch, but shut your mouth,” Amon returned.

Luan Chui was agitated. He couldn’t believe this boy, whom he thought was a phony smith, would dare to mouth off at him. He kept his calm, though. He would see how this boy performed. Once Amon revealed he didn’t know how to smith, he would report to Luan Xuan and end this farce.

Amon continued to stand still for almost ten minutes, which annoyed the hell out of Pan Niang and Luan Chui. Luan Chui had complained about Amon’s lack of action a few times, but Amon simply ignored him, which aggravated him further.

Amon finally took one of the basic metals in the pile and used a provided chisel and carving knife to work on the metal. He worked the entire day. He took his time and worked slowly, occasionally sanding the surface of the parts to smoothness. He acted as if he aimed for perfection but was, in fact, just buying time.