Chapter Forty-Seven: The Mechanical Claw Arm

Fang Tang asked, “How did you get your hands on the schematic for memory metal?”
Willow replied, “It was part of the AKM manufacturing contract… Is memory metal very rare?”
Fang Tang explained, “It’s a crucial material. What’s the recipe for synthesizing memory metal?”
Willow answered, “It requires a lot of iron ingots—fifty iron ingots for a single piece of memory metal.”
“…Damn, another money pit. That means I’ll need two thousand five hundred iron ingots just for the mechanical claw arm? I’ve only got a little over two hundred.”

Fang Tang rubbed his forehead, frowning with worry.
Iron ingots weren’t especially rare, so he had never made it a priority to collect them.
Now he felt like his resources were stretched thin.
He thought carefully for a moment, then sent Willow a message: “I need a huge amount. Once I’ve gathered all the materials, I’ll need your help to craft it.”
Willow replied, “Alright. Do you need any help? I still have some iron ingots.”
Fang Tang said, “No need, I’ll find you when I’m ready.”
Willow responded, “No problem.”

With a pained expression, Fang Tang opened the public channel and composed a message.
“Latest order transaction prices: ****, shock-absorbing insoles, flame muzzles, shirts and pants, water collectors, plant incubators, barbecue grills. Crafting fee is thirty iron ingots.
Also, I’m buying iron and silver ingots in bulk. Good prices, willing to trade for any supplies.
One day only—offer expires after that.”

Now, he had sources for all three main materials needed for the mechanical claw arm, including the schematics.
His main task was to craft the mechanical claw arm itself.
After sending the message, Fang Tang quietly watched the trading channel.
As expected, a flood of iron and silver ingots went up for sale.
However, the prices were all ridiculously high—everyone trying to fleece him.
But was Fang Tang the type to be taken advantage of? Of course not.
A few people did offer reasonable prices, though.
One element stone for two hundred iron ingots, or one hundred fifty silver ingots.
He spent five element stones, exchanging them for six hundred iron ingots and three hundred silver ingots. As soon as he had just enough silver, the trading channel refreshed again.
Same prices as before.
He spent another four element stones, and now had more than half the iron he needed.
More and more private messages came in, mostly people wanting to place orders with iron ingots.
Finally, seeing Fang Tang’s lower prices, everyone jumped at the chance.
More than eighty percent of the orders were for flame muzzles.
He had already crafted many of these before.
Anyone who paid attention to the public channels would have seen discussions about how powerful the flame muzzle was.

After all, elemental equipment inflicted massive damage on den creatures.
And with firearms becoming widespread, the flame muzzle had become almost essential.
Yet many people still hesitated to craft one—the materials were manageable, but the crafting fee had started at one element stone, then became thirty silver ingots, both scarce resources.
Iron ingots, on the other hand, were everywhere.
A thirty iron ingot commission was affordable for most.
And with Fang Tang’s offer of a one-day-only deal, all his previous potential clients rushed to place orders.
A few opted for plant incubators, water collectors, or shock-absorbing insoles.
Fang Tang found himself both pained and delighted.
Over two hundred people had ordered flame muzzles.
Each one took three minutes to craft; that meant ten hours for two hundred orders.
Fang Tang quietly touched his hairline and let out a long sigh.
“Looks like I’m pulling an all-nighter!”
…

By morning, the cave was bright.
With dark circles under his eyes, Fang Tang kept repeating the process of posting and linking orders.
Finishing the last order, he was so tired he could barely keep his eyes open.
But he was also electrified with excitement.
He had all the materials he needed!
He packed up two thousand five hundred iron ingots and sent them to Willow.
“This is enough for fifty memory metals—sorry for the trouble!”
Willow replied, “What kind of equipment needs so much iron?”
Fang Tang said, “The mechanical claw arm. For a while, this piece of equipment will be absolutely unrivaled. If you want one, just send me the materials—I’ll craft it for you for free.”
Willow asked, “What materials does it need?”
Fang Tang listed them: “You know about the memory metal. Then it’s twenty Mithril Hearts (that’s a thousand silver ingots), a smart motherboard (ten silver ingots, ten copper ingots, five iron ingots, one lightning stone, and one bluewater stone), five lightning stones, and one each of the other three element stones.”
Willow was stunned: “…Mr. Fang, you managed to gather all these resources in just six days?”
Fang Tang chuckled, “Heh, the basic materials were the hardest part. I spent all night just for the iron ingots.”
Willow said, “No wonder you’ve become so powerful. If I manage to gather everything, I’ll need your help too, Mr. Fang.”
Fang Tang replied, “We help each other out.”
Willow said, “I’m starting to think you’re a truly rare, good person, Mr. Fang.”
“….”
Was he really getting the “good guy” card so soon?

Fang Tang touched his nose. “Please send it to me when it’s ready. I’m going to get some rest.”
Willow replied, “Sweet dreams!”
Fang Tang shook his head with a smile, walked into his room, and collapsed onto the bed, falling asleep almost instantly.
…

Four hours later.
Fang Tang woke up groggy.
He rubbed his throbbing head, lit a cigarette, and opened the newspaper.
Willow had finished crafting the memory metal half an hour ago.
Fifty metal rods, each as thick as a calf, lay scattered on the ground.
Fang Tang picked one up—it was light as wood, yet incredibly hard, so tough that even his Longwind hunting knife couldn’t leave a scratch.
“Tsk, now I’m really curious to see what the mechanical claw arm can do.”
He hurried to start the crafting process.
It would take two hours.
With the final step underway, he relaxed.
He got up, washed his face, and left the room to exercise.
Yueyue was waiting at the door, tilting her head as she watched Fang Tang sweat it out on the floor, not quite sure what her master was up to.
She scampered excitedly onto his back, lifted her little head, and let out two playful howls—she was clearly thrilled.
After finishing his workout, Fang Tang was drenched.
He washed up thoroughly, scrubbing away the dirt that Yueyue’s paws had left.
Just as he was having breakfast, the mechanical claw arm was completed.
He put down his bread and took it out.
It was about thirty centimeters long, resembling a spine but more slender, with dense appendages along the sides that looked like centipede legs.
Four robust branches extended from it, currently retracted and not yet fully unfurled.
He took off his shirt and pressed the mechanical claw arm to his spine.
The tiny feelers on both sides instantly pierced his skin.
Fang Tang just frowned—there was no pain, only a swelling sensation.
At the top of the mechanical claw arm, a thick needle penetrated deeply into his cervical vertebra. This time, Fang Tang felt a stab of pain, but it was bearable.
As the needle sank in, Fang Tang could sense four new arms growing from his back, as if they’d always belonged there.
The four thick, retracted branches shot out, writhing through the air like serpents, each one ending in three claws with a swirling vortex at the center.
“Huh? Can the mechanical claw arm actually attack?”