Free Web NovelChapter 148: This Room Is Eating Weapons
Corven watched Damian examine the ore for several more breaths before finally speaking. "You really have a good eye, Sir Damian."
Damian looked back at him. "Hmm?"
Corven gestured toward the ore in his hand. "Most people would only notice that the material is high quality. You immediately identified its purity, stability, and lack of impurities."
His eyes became slightly curious. "Are you a blacksmith?"
Damian laughed awkwardly. "Not yet."
Corven raised an eyebrow.
Damian lightly tossed the ore in his palm. "Actually, one of the reasons I came to Thousand Forges City was because I wanted to learn blacksmithing."
Corven opened his mouth slightly. "I see."
He thought for a moment before a faint smile appeared on his face. "In that case, if you manage to solve this mystery, I can personally teach you."
Damian froze. "You?"
Corven grinned. "You might not know this, but I am one of the best forgers in Thousand Forges City."
He calmly placed his hands behind his back.
"That is also one of the reasons I was able to become the City Lord. In a city built around forging, strength alone is not enough to earn everyone’s respect."
Damian’s eyes immediately brightened.
Corven continued, "Besides, seeing how easily you picked out some of the best ores here, I believe you may have considerable talent."
Damian immediately grinned. "Hahaha! You have a good eye too, City Lord Corven."
Corven’s mouth twitched slightly.
Damian proudly placed one hand over his chest. "You’re right. My talent is definitely extraordinary."
Corven stared at him for a moment before deciding not to comment.
Damian quickly returned the ore to its place. "Alright. Now I really have a reason to solve this."
The two continued walking through the warehouse, carefully examining pile after pile of spiritual materials.
Damian checked ores, spirit metals, crystals, and several other rare forging resources.
A long while later, he finally stopped. "City Lord Corven."
Corven turned toward him. "Did you find something?"
Damian looked around the warehouse once more before slowly shaking his head. "That’s the problem."
Corven frowned.
Damian crossed his arms. "I’ve looked through almost everything here."
His expression became more serious. "The ores are good. The spirit metals are good. The purity is high, the spiritual energy is stable, and I can’t find anything obviously wrong with the materials."
Corven nodded slowly. "Just as I said before, Sir Damian. We always check the quality of the ores."
Damian rubbed his chin as his head started to hurt.
"The blacksmiths aren’t the problem. The materials aren’t the problem..."
His brows furrowed deeper.
"Then what the hell is actually causing the weapons to break?"
---
Damian rubbed his chin for several breaths before suddenly looking at Corven.
"Wait. What do you do with the weapons after receiving them from the blacksmiths?"
Corven answered without hesitation. "Once the weapons and armor are delivered, they are inspected again inside the City Lord’s storage."
Damian raised an eyebrow. "Again?"
Corven nodded. "Of course. We have professional inspectors there. Thousand Forges City cannot afford to send defective weapons to merchants or other factions."
Damian’s eyes slowly sharpened. "In that case... let’s check the weapon storage."
Corven paused for a moment before nodding. "Very well. Follow me."
A short while later, the two entered another heavily guarded building.
Rows upon rows of spiritual weapons and armor filled the enormous storage hall.
Swords, spears, sabers, shields, breastplates, and countless other forged items were carefully arranged on racks.
Damian walked toward the nearest sword and picked it up.
At first glance, everything looked normal.
The blade was clean, the forging marks were stable, and there were no visible cracks.
However, the moment Damian carefully sensed the weapon, his expression changed.
He placed the sword back and quickly checked another.
Then another.
Soon, he began examining different weapons and pieces of armor as well.
After checking several of them, Damian’s eyes narrowed. "City Lord Corven..."
Corven immediately stepped closer. "What did you find?"
Damian held up one of the swords. "These weapons and armor look perfectly fine from the outside, but..."
He suddenly swung the sword through the air.
WHOOSH!
A moment later, Damian flicked one finger against the side of the blade.
TING!
Cracks immediately began spreading across the sword.
Corven’s expression changed completely. "What the hell?"
He quickly grabbed the sword and examined it himself.
Damian began explaining, "City Lord Corven, it seems these weapons are exactly like you said before."
His gaze moved across the racks. "They’ve lost something inside them. Their spiritual essence, their strength... whatever you want to call it."
Damian tapped the damaged sword lightly. "They look fine, but the moment they are actually used, they break far too easily."
Corven’s face darkened. "That should be impossible."
He looked around the storage hall. "I already took precautions after the first incidents. I increased the guards, restricted movement, and ordered regular inspections."
His fists slowly clenched. "Nothing unusual was ever found."
Damian looked around thoughtfully.
"The materials were fine before forging. The weapons were fine when delivered..."
His eyes slowly moved across the walls, floor, ceiling, and formations surrounding the storage hall.
"Yet they start losing their strength after being stored here."
Damian’s expression sharpened. "City Lord Corven, I think this room is the problem."
Corven’s eyes widened slightly.
Damian cracked his neck and began walking deeper into the storage hall. "I’ll look around."
His eyes narrowed as he examined everything more carefully. "Let’s see what the hell is hiding in here."
Corven quickly stepped forward. His earlier calm expression had finally disappeared. "Sir Damian, please find the cause."
Damian glanced back at him.
Corven’s fists tightened. "If this continues, Thousand Forges City’s reputation will be destroyed."
Damian grinned. "Of course I’ll find it."
He pointed at himself proudly. "I still need to complete this mission."
His grin became wider. "And more importantly, you already promised to teach me blacksmithing."
Corven stared at him for a moment before nodding seriously. "Solve this, and I will personally teach you."
Damian turned back toward the storage hall. "Good."
His eyes sharpened. "Now I’m definitely finding that damn problem."
