Chapter 600: Chapter 590: The Contract of Paradise
"Finally, are the Dwarves here?"
Tolin excitedly grabbed the hem of the Lizardman Baroque’s waist and asked again.
After receiving Baroque’s affirmative nod, he stomped his foot in excitement: "It’s about time we finally waited for it! Judging by the delivery date of the letter, they indeed should be here, or rather, why are they just arriving now! By the way, where are they?"
Upon hearing Baroque report the location, Tolin turned and rushed out, not leaving a single extra word behind.
He was all alone, burying himself in the research of those complex Combat Puppet structures, progressing as slowly as a crawl, almost driven mad, desperately needing knowledgeable assistance.
However, when he dashed into the newly built hot spring bathhouse’s attached cafeteria and at first sight saw the two Dwarves sitting at the long table, his steps came to a sudden halt.
They were two unfamiliar faces.
The people he sent letters to were all those master blacksmiths or Magic Puppet Experts he had known in the Deep Furnace Clan.
After all, to engage in something as advanced as Combat Puppets, ordinary blacksmiths wouldn’t make the cut.
The two Dwarves in front of him not only did not know them but were also too young, they didn’t look like they were carrying any extraordinary skills at all.
No matter what, Tolin still walked up with doubt.
At this moment, Gading and Pollock were still in a state of distraction. They mechanically stuffed food into their mouths, with no reaction to everything around them.
Everything that had happened before had shaken them too hard.
Faced with Puki’s encirclement, two Dwarf blacksmiths, who were not even professional combatants, naturally stood no chance.
Puki’s tentacles whipped them like spinning tops, eventually binding them tightly, unable to move.
On the contrary, the human Joel, whom they always thought needed protection, suddenly swelled his hands into giant claws covered with a keratinous layer, cutting off the mycelium entwining him.
However, it was also in vain, Puki quickly impaled him halfway to death, dragged him away, leaving a bright red trail on the snow.
Then, the two bewildered Dwarves were brought here, soaked in a hot spring, and feasted.
Joel... No, that guy disguised as a human slave, turned out to be a Shapeshifter!
Gading and Pollock’s minds were blank.
They had heard stories about spies, but those were distant things from tavern tales or frontline reports.
When conspiracy truly happened beside them, even becoming a part of it, the dizzying feeling of overturned cognition almost left them unable to think.
Thinking back now, it indeed seemed unreasonable in every way.
A runaway slave met by chance on the vast snowfield with only one temperature stone, an overly talkative personality, evasive about certain details...
But at that time, in that isolated and helpless environment, trusting naturally a ’fellow sufferer,’ they didn’t have even a shred of doubt.
Yet, the people of Fungus Castle seemed to have known for a long time, it was truly unbelievable.
The Puki server, "Puki-Puki" came over to take away the empty plates in front of them, the light clatter of metal startling the two Dwarves back to reality, only to find out when they looked up that another of their kin had unknowingly sat across from them.
Seeing Tolin, the two were initially taken aback, then an uncontrollable joy broke out on their faces.
Although they had already accepted the fact that in this legendary "Blacksmith’s Paradise", most residents were Puki and the Demon Race, plus some humans.
But to see other Dwarf compatriots with big beards here was undoubtedly the most effective comfort for them.
Pollock hesitantly stretched out his hand to pinch Tolin’s arm.
Tolin abruptly withdrew his arm, his brows furrowing tightly: "What are you doing?"
He didn’t recall any Dwarf with such a greeting habit.
"I... I just wanted to check," Pollock retracted his hand, "afraid you might also be some Shapeshifter..."
"What nonsense!" Tolin laughed a little, "Let alone that there are no Shapeshifters in Fungus Castle, even if I were one, would a Shapeshifter be exposed just by pinching a couple of times and still be considered a natural master of disguise?"
Pollock awkwardly sat back, scratching his head.
The three Dwarves huddled together, exchanging words, quickly clarifying each other’s stories.
The difference was that as they listened, Gading and Pollock’s eyes glowed brighter and brighter, almost bursting into flames by the end.
Tolin told them that Fungus Castle indeed had a massive stockpile of mined raw ore. Though the quality varied, the quantity was so large that even with continuous warehouse construction, it was almost impossible to store it all.
And these ores, Tolin paused, looking at the two kin: "As long as you have the skill, there is a high probability... you can use them all."
This statement hit like a hammer on a red-hot iron ingot, sparks flying everywhere.
Puki hadn’t lied to them.
Thinking of how they gave up the opportunity to live a comfortable and stable life with that money in Ash City to pursue their hopes northward, the fears along the way, and finally living for half a month with a dangerous Shapeshifter.
The thought that all their sacrifices could truly bring a return, how could this not make them so happy they were on the verge of tears.
But Tolin was not so happy.
Fellow dwarves came to Fungus Castle, he was naturally pleased, but the two dwarves were recruited by Puki for blacksmithing, and it had nothing to do with the letter he sent out.
And his letter was sent out for so long, yet no one came, so there’s a high probability that no one will come.
What about the research on the Combat Puppet?
For a moment, Tolin leaned dispiritedly against his chair.
After a full day of good rest, Xing Huo took the two dwarves to visit the forging area that would belong to them in the future.
When the heavy metal door slid open from both sides, Gading and Pollock stood stunned at the entrance.
It wasn’t a blacksmith’s shop, it was a factory.
Under the towering dome, dozens of furnaces of varying sizes were neatly arranged, the largest one was practically like a small mountain.
Gears and tracks crisscrossed in the air, while the ground was paved with dark refractory stones, clearly demarcating the material area, forging area, quenching area, and finished products area.
Even the most renowned master workshops in Ash City seemed like a child’s play corner compared to this magnificent, orderly space designed for large-scale production.
At the moment the ancillary warehouse was opened, the breath of the two dwarves completely stopped.
Boxes piled up layer upon layer, from the floor to the ceiling, densely packed, stretching to infinity at a glance.
Pollock’s Adam’s apple moved as he swallowed dryly, his voice trembling, "Are these... all for... us?"
"Accurately speaking, they are for all blacksmiths who come to Fungus Castle and are willing to work here to use jointly." Xing Huo calmly corrected, his gaze sweeping over the faces of the two dwarves, full of shock, "But at the moment, you are indeed the first batch, and as long as you follow safety regulations and do not cause accidents, you may use them at will."
The two dwarves nodded vigorously, their frequency as fast as a woodpecker, their faces showing not a trace of disappointment, only dizziness and ecstasy after being hit by a massive pie.
Such a large forging factory could accommodate thousands of craftsmen working simultaneously!
Sharing resources among all blacksmiths is only reasonable!
Just as the two dwarves were eagerly getting ready to test things out, Xing Huo smiled and pushed a contract in front of them.
"This is..."
"Fungus Castle is willing to provide you with a venue, supply ores, and help you grow into real blacksmith masters." Xing Huo’s voice was gentle and clear, "Of course, we also hold sincere expectations, hoping to eventually achieve a mutually beneficial cooperation."
There is no such thing as a free lunch, and the dwarves understood this too.
Gading nodded, accepting the contract.
It outlined terms regarding overdrawing Contribution Points to exchange for ores, which would later be repaid by forging qualified products.
After carefully inquiring about the exchange ratios of Contribution Points for various ores, the two dwarves quickly calculated in their minds, finding the conditions not harsh and far more hopeful than their days in Ash City as apprentices to official blacksmiths, dealing with scraps daily.
The only issue was accepting mycelium symbiosis.
Xing Huo calmly rolled up his sleeve, revealing his arm, where delicate milky-white mycelium could be faintly seen weaving between the magic patterns on his skin.
"There is nothing to worry about; everyone in Fungus Castle coexists with mycelium. Mycelium not only facilitates communication but also provides cold resistance, so you two won’t have to wear Temperature Pendants all the time."
The two dwarves exchanged glances and finally nodded.
During their time in Ash City, they had seen many humans coexisting with Puki, though they had never heard of the cold-resistant effect, they assumed it was just their lack of knowledge. Eventually, they nodded firmly.
"Uh... there’s one more question." Pollock raised his hand, his tone somewhat hesitant.
"Please, go ahead."
"I’m just curious, absolutely not intending anything, please don’t misunderstand."
Xing Huo smiled and gestured for him to continue.
Pollock then continued, "This contract... it’s written on ordinary paper, is that really okay? Shouldn’t it be reinforced with a magic contract with binding force? After all, we will consume quite a bit of ore, what if... I mean, what if some blacksmith learns and then defaults?"
"Ah, you’re concerned about contract fulfillment." Xing Huo’s smile deepened, "You don’t need to worry about Fungus Castle, we are willing to trust you, as well as the integrity and honor of true Dwarven blacksmiths. We believe that only by exchanging sincerity can we forge a better future for each other and for this city."
"Master Xing Huo..." Pollock’s eyes brimmed with warmth, a torrid flow surged in his chest, "Of course we are true dwarves! I swear by my beard, I will never betray this trust!"
With that, he grabbed a pen and vigorously signed his name on the contract, with Gading following closely.
Afterwards, the two were led by Xing Huo’s assistant to undergo the supposedly painless symbiosis ceremony.
As he watched them disappear around the corner of the corridor, the gentle smile on Xing Huo’s face did not change.
Only, a few lines of text appeared on the Yellow-covered Book he had been holding all along.
[Xing Huo, you’re becoming more and more adept with these beautiful words!]
[How could there be any worry? In Fungus Castle, who can default on the boss’s account?]
[Let them ask those D Levels if they ever find a way to repay! Hahahaha!]
