Dimensional Codex System: I'm really not a cultist!

Chapter 898: Chapter 897: Fang Zheng’s Speculations and Conjectures

After assigning the task, Fang Zheng hurriedly left the inn and next went to a small house not far from the shopping street, pushing the door open.

”Boss? Are you there?”

”Mr. Fang Zheng?”

Upon hearing this voice, a young girl with short pink hair peeked out from the other side of the counter, looking towards the door. Seeing Fang Zheng, she seemed slightly surprised.

”I really didn’t expect you to come... what? Are you planning on getting a new Two-Handed Sword again? Haven’t you figured out the weapon yet?”

”...Can we not talk about that?”

Hearing the pink-haired girl’s teasing, Fang Zheng’s face immediately fell. His first Two-Handed Sword was bought from this player named Lisbeth. She is a production-type player primarily responsible for smelting and crafting weapons. Compared to those NPC hustlers, her prices are fair. At that time, Fang Zheng replaced his initial Two-Handed Sword here, and after that, whenever he needed to replace a weapon, he would seek out Lisbeth...

Over time, Lisbeth also came to understand Fang Zheng’s reputation for never being able to figure out the Two-Handed Greatsword due to his ”bad luck aura”.

”Ahahaha, sorry, sorry.”

Seeing Fang Zheng’s sulking face, Lisbeth also laughed and waved her hand.

”So what brings you here today? The last Two-Handed Sword I sold you was the best product I’ve made in recent days.”

Like all online games, in this game, the weapon stats crafted by production-type players are influenced by materials, crafting tools, skills, and mastery time but are also randomized. Lisbeth has relatively good luck, managing to forge high-quality weapons several times.

It’s just odd that they’re all Two-Handed Swords...

This is also the main reason Fang Zheng has his eye on her.

”I came to you today for a very important matter.”

Fang Zheng sighed helplessly, then walked up to the counter and placed the scroll he was holding on the table.

”You’re a Forging Master, so can you craft this thing?”

”What is this?”

Looking at the scroll placed on the counter, Lisbeth curiously picked it up and unfolded it... then she widened her eyes in surprise.

”This is... a weapon blueprint? And a weapon blueprint that has never appeared before, where did you get it?! It’s the first time I’ve seen something like this!”

No wonder Lisbeth was so surprised; generally, Forging Masters use pre-set moulds and blueprints provided by the system, and the weapon’s shape and appearance only depend on the raw materials used. But now, Fang Zheng, who isn’t a Forging Master, has produced a new weapon blueprint?!

”So? Can you forge it?”

Faced with Lisbeth’s amazed inquiry, Fang Zheng didn’t immediately answer but instead played a little tease, followed by a question.

”Hmm... It’s not impossible, but it’s a bit troublesome.”

”Troublesome?”

”Yes.”

Lisbeth unfolded the blueprint, then reached out to point at several parts on it.

”See here, here, and here... all specify that special materials are needed to forge, but such materials haven’t appeared on the market yet, which indicates that these materials might be in uncharted areas or other levels... so even if you give it to me, I also...”

”So without the specific materials, it’s impossible to forge it?”

”Yes, and it also indicates it’s a one-time use, suggesting it’s a consumable; once used, it might disappear immediately.”

”I see.”

Upon hearing this, Fang Zheng was somewhat disappointed, but this was also within his expectations. After all, his Cartography skill had just been activated, so the quality and rank of this blueprint surely aren’t high, but Fang Zheng is convinced that if he continues to improve his Cartography rank, he will certainly be able to produce perfect weapon blueprints...

”Got it, thank you... By the way, I’ll give you this blueprint.”

”Eh? Really? Can you?”

Hearing Fang Zheng’s response, Lisbeth was taken aback.

”Isn’t this a drop item you got from a fight? If you sell it, it could fetch quite a bit of money. After all, I’m not the only Forging Master, and if auctioned in the market, it could earn a hefty sum?”

”No need.”

Anyway, it’s something he can craft with parchment and a quill; the cost is less than 50 Core, almost fifty cents in the real world, and as long as Fang Zheng wants, he can randomly produce a pile of them.

”Consider it a return gift for your hospitality these days. After all, you keep the forged Two-Handed Swords for me every time.”

”It’s no big deal, especially since you’ve paid the deposit... And like Mr. Fang Zheng, a wealthy client like you, I certainly have to accommodate you well.”

Since Fang Zheng didn’t mind, Lisbeth gladly put away the blueprint.

”So, anything else you need?”

”No, I’ll stay here for a bit and think about some things.”

”Alright, don’t forget to let me know if you have any good news.”

Hearing Fang Zheng’s response, Lisbeth also turned around, picked up a hammer, and began clanging away at the forging furnace.

Fang Zheng, feeling a bit bored, watched Lisbeth’s forging from the side. Unlike in reality, in the game you only need to heat the metal and then clang away with a hammer. Fang Zheng had asked Lisbeth if there was any secret to it, only to be told there wasn’t; you could knock any way you liked...Though, of course, a competent forging master would still put their heart into it.

However...

Fang Zheng observed for a while, then retracted his gaze and began to reassess the small shop in front of him. He walked to the counter, looked at the weapons displayed there, randomly picked one up and fiddled with it, then put it down.

”Don’t mess it up, okay? It’s a hassle to tidy up.”

Noticing Fang Zheng’s movements, Lisbeth casually remarked without even turning around, while Fang Zheng continued to focus on the counter before him. Then he suddenly asked.

”Are all these weapons...arranged by you?”

”Hm? Yeah?”

Although she didn’t know why Fang Zheng was asking, Lisbeth still responded.

”I just think they look tidier when I arrange them myself...Even though some players like to mess them up, which is pretty annoying...Why?”

”Nothing.”

As Fang Zheng spoke, he picked up a dagger, then picked up another dagger. Carefully, he arranged these daggers upright, stacking them into the shape of a bonfire. Then he placed another dagger on top...

”What are you doing? My forged weapons aren’t building blocks...”

Hearing the noise and turning her head back, Lisbeth was speechless seeing Fang Zheng arranging daggers into a pyramid. To her, it seemed ridiculous for someone in their twenties to be playing around like a child...

But Fang Zheng didn’t respond to Lisbeth. He simply stared at the ”pyramid” in front of him, then suddenly swung a punch at it.

”Bang!!”

The next moment, the pyramid collapsed under Fang Zheng’s punch, with several daggers even flying to the other side of the room, stopping only when they hit the wall.

”Whoa, whoa, whoa, what are you doing!!”

Seeing Fang Zheng make a mess of her weapons, Lisbeth hurriedly stopped her work and rushed over to intervene. Initially, she thought Fang Zheng had lost his mind or something, but to her surprise, his expression was extremely serious as he stared at the daggers by the wall, saying nothing.

”...Hey? Are you okay?”

Seeing Fang Zheng’s serious expression, Lisbeth became a bit worried. She initially wanted to scold him, but now she only lightly nudged his shoulder, softly asking.

Only then did Fang Zheng come to his senses.

”Sorry, Lis, I need to borrow your table...this...sorry for leaving the tidying to you.”

Saying this, Fang Zheng strode over to the table, sat down, and pulled out parchment and a quill from his inventory, quickly jotting down notes.

”What on earth is going on?”

Watching Fang Zheng, Lisbeth was puzzled, but she paused from her work and began picking up the scattered daggers, putting them back in place. Then, curiously, she sat across from Fang Zheng, watching him.

After about an hour or more, Fang Zheng finally stopped writing. Letting out a long breath, he looked towards Lisbeth.

”Sorry, could you do me a favor? Make everything on these diagrams?”

”This is...”

Curiously, Lisbeth took the parchment scroll Fang Zheng handed her, and her eyes widened in surprise.

”Wait a minute, is this a diagram? Did you create this?”

Remembering Fang Zheng’s earlier actions, Lisbeth found it incredible, while Fang Zheng just smiled faintly.

”That’s right, it’s the hidden skill I just acquired, but...could you handle the forging?”

”Hmm...let me see.”

Saying this, Lisbeth quickly examined the diagrams, but to her curiosity, these diagrams weren’t for familiar weapons. They seemed more like individual parts.

”Hmm...there’s no special material requirement, so it should be doable.”

”Thank you, please do it quickly, also...”

As he spoke, Fang Zheng glanced around the shop.

”Could you temporarily close up shop? I don’t want other players knowing about this—at least not for now.”

”This...”

Faced with Fang Zheng’s request, Lisbeth hesitated a bit, but eventually nodded.

”Alright, but I expect double the fee, okay?”

”Of course, that’s not a problem.”