Chapter Fifteen: The Shattering Bow

Upon learning that Xie Ling possessed advanced weaponry, Fang Tang's spirits immediately lifted.

"What kind of weapon is it?"

Xie Ling replied, "An Explosive Bow. It requires 9 iron ingots, 6 copper ingots, 6 silver ingots, 2 Lightning Stones, and 2 Gale Stones."

Seeing the crafting requirements, Fang Tang breathed a sigh of relief.

Good, it wasn't too demanding.

His supplies were sufficient to make one.

Still, he grew curious—just how many underground chambers had Xie Ling excavated to stumble upon such a weapon?

"How many underground chambers have you dug through?"

Xie Ling replied, "About seventeen, I think. I’ve found eight blueprints, traded three with you."

"Hiss—" Fang Tang sucked in a sharp breath, genuinely startled.

Seventeen chambers explored, eight blueprints acquired.

Just listen to that—what are the odds?

Xie Ling had once again redefined his understanding of luck.

Fang Tang said, "Help me craft one Explosive Bow. I'll put the materials up for trade and send them to you."

Typing as he spoke, Fang Tang listed his supplies.

He also threw in an extra Lightning Stone.

Consider it Xie Ling’s commission.

After all, offering an Elemental Stone as a fee was the rule he’d set for himself.

He couldn’t break it!

Xie Ling messaged, "Boss, you... gave me an extra Elemental Stone."

Fang Tang replied, "That’s your commission."

Xie Ling exclaimed, "Wow, this is what it means to be a real big spender. Thank you! Give me twenty minutes—the Explosive Bow takes a while to make."

Fang Tang: "Alright."

After sending the message, Fang Tang felt a stir in his heart and continued typing.

"What about the other blueprints you have? What do they do?"

Xie Ling answered, "Besides the Explosive Bow, there’s Rope, a Level Three Dwelling, a Water Collector, and an Axe."

"Level Three Dwelling?" Fang Tang’s eyes lit up, only to quickly dim again.

Unfortunately, tents couldn’t be put up for trade; otherwise, he’d have asked Xie Ling to help upgrade his shelter.

Looking at these blueprints, Fang Tang couldn’t help but marvel at the power of luck.

Fang Tang said, "If you ever find blueprints for Memory Metal, Mithril Heart, or Smart Circuit Board, let me know right away. Those are very important to me."

These three items were all materials needed to craft Mechanical Claw Arms.

Even the Eye had said that Mechanical Claw Arms shouldn’t exist here. Gathering all the resources on his own was impossible—he could only rely on the luck-bringer.

Xie Ling replied, "Alright! If I hear anything, I’ll let you know right away."

Fang Tang smiled faintly and glanced at the walls around him.

[Do you still need fiber now?]

"Not anymore."

Fang Tang shook his head.

He had only been collecting fiber for shock-absorbing insoles. Now that his products had gained a name for themselves, there was no need to go out of his way to gather fiber.

[There’s a bronze chest in the next chamber ahead.]

Fang Tang hefted his pickaxe and walked over.

The bronze chest in Chamber No. 36 was set right in the center, larger than any he’d seen before.

As Fang Tang approached, before he could open it, subtitles appeared.

[A special underground creature—the Mimic. It can randomly appear in any chamber, disguised as a chest. If you reach out, it will surely bite your arm off. Take out your gun and aim for the lock.]

"A Mimic?"

Fang Tang’s eyes brightened, and he drew his firearm.

Following the Eye’s advice, he aimed at the lock and fired twice.

Bang! Bang!

The Mimic leapt up immediately, gaping its maw to snap at Fang Tang.

Quick as lightning, Fang Tang dropped low and rolled forward, dodging the Mimic’s bite.

Steadying himself, he quickly took aim—this time at the Mimic’s... well, its rear.

Bang!

Sparks flew, and the Mimic crashed heavily to the ground, falling silent.

"Is it dead?"

[Would you like to try having a magical shotgun blast up your own rear?]

"Try and you’ll die," Fang Tang grinned, approaching with his Disassembly Hammer.

The Mimic yielded little: only three copper ingots and an apple core.

"How did this thing appear?"

Fang Tang blinked, signaling to the Eye that it was time to work.

[It swallowed the bronze chest, so the contents were digested as well.]

"You didn’t realize this was a Mimic before?"

Fang Tang asked in surprise.

"…"

Whether due to some unspeakable secret or simply being tricked by the chest, the Eye once again fell silent.

Fang Tang was used to this by now.

Riddlers, after all, should keep their mouths shut.

After waiting a short while in Chamber No. 36, Xie Ling sent him a link.

Xie Ling: "Boss, your Explosive Bow is ready."

Fang Tang: "Thank you!"

Xie Ling: "Hehe, it’s nothing."

The Explosive Bow was 1.2 meters long, stringless, entirely jet black, and came with five metal arrows.

The reason for so few arrows was that they could be recovered.

That was also the advantage bows had over firearms.

Drawing out an arrow, a bolt of lightning instantly formed a bowstring, attaching itself to the arrow’s nock.

Fang Tang found it fascinating; he touched the lightning string, feeling a faint tingling numbness at his fingertips.

"Interesting!"

He drew the bow forcefully. The lightning string stretched long, the bow itself bending, and a faint wind swirled at the arrowhead.

Aiming at the wall, he released his grip on the arrow.

Whoosh!

The moment his fingers let go, the lightning bowstring condensed onto the arrow.

The arrow shot forward at incredible speed, embedding deep into the wall, leaving only its fletching visible.

As the arrow struck, white lightning exploded outward, forming a spherical net of electricity, crackling within.

"Whoa!"

Fang Tang smacked his lips and walked over to the arrow, still sensing a faint scorch in the air.

"This Explosive Bow is incredible!"

He pulled out the arrow; the metal shaft was entirely undamaged.

[This is only the most basic use. Even so, it’s far stronger than your flamethrower.]

"Mm, mm!" Fang Tang nodded.

He could feel the Explosive Bow was vastly more powerful than his previous weapons.

The most important thing was that it was virtually silent, the arrows could be retrieved, and there was zero recoil.

With enough practice, he could unleash a five-star barrage.

No matter how you looked at it, it was superior to his previous firearm.

"I feel like I’ve finally made it!"

Fang Tang played with the Explosive Bow, reluctant to put it down.

He decided he would master it today.

As long as his aim was true and his draw was quick, he could make a bow feel like an automatic rifle.

…

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

The sharp sound of arrows slicing the air echoed through the underground chamber.

Again and again, bolts of white lightning tore through the darkness, burying themselves in the walls.

After over two hours of practice, Fang Tang had achieved a basic mastery of the Explosive Bow.

That’s right—basic mastery.

Bows were truly difficult to master.

After all, even the nocking and drawing required precise technique.

These movements had to become muscle memory before one could be considered a competent archer.

Fang Tang had just barely reached the threshold of entry; to truly cross it would require more practice.

Still, the two hours of training had yielded great benefits.

At the very least, he’d gained a sense of bodily coordination and control over his strength.

After a short rest and some food to restore his energy, Fang Tang set off for Chamber No. 37.

There, two hyenas awaited, perfect for testing the Explosive Bow’s power.