Chapter 6: Non-Standard Medium Knight Armor

Bing Zhiye ignored everything and only spoke after they finished: "Although this is not a magic armor, regarding the corrosion, you can take the armor to the guild for a re-evaluation. The difficulty of the quest should be raised by one level."

"Are you saying it can be repaired?" Konelia asked happily.

Bing Zhiye nodded slightly.

The three of them were very pleased. Vien said, "But going for a re-evaluation will be very troublesome. After the evaluation, we still need to negotiate the reward with the client, which will take a lot of time."

Irina was delighted: "It's fine, it's fine. If the quest difficulty is raised by one level, the reward points will increase several times." As soon as she finished speaking, her expression changed: "No way!"

"What's wrong, Irina?" Vien looked at her.

Irina frowned: "No, no, my mercenary rank is only E, and I'm just a little short of D. If we go for a re-evaluation and the quest becomes a D-level, I won't be able to accept it."

"That's true, there's nothing we can do," Konelia said, looking helpless.

Bing Zhiye said, "It's okay. If the quest level is misjudged, the Mercenary Guild will make appropriate adjustments. If you can guarantee to repair it, they will allow you to continue the quest."

"Really?" Irina said, "But what if the client doesn't agree to raise the quest level? If the client is unwilling to pay more, won't the quest be canceled? In that case, we would only get a small amount of money and points as compensation."

Vien also said, "That's right. The Mercenary Guild charges based on the quest level. If the client refuses, won't we have done all this for nothing?"

Bing Zhiye pushed his hat: "You can agree to handle the quest with the current reward."

Irina said, "What's the point? It would be better to handle it as it is, to save the trouble."

Vien shouted, "Idiot Irina! If the quest level is raised by one level, the points you can get will increase several times!"

Konelia said, "That's right, Irina. For a D-level quest, you should get more than 200 points, right?"

Irina hesitated for a moment but still shook her head: "Forget it. Anyway, I'm just a little short of becoming a D-level mercenary. There will be plenty of time to do D-level quests later. Let's just fix this thing first."

Konelia nodded. She didn't care about the few points either.

Vien waved his big arm and smiled at Irina: "You still have some conscience. Otherwise, I would have to make another trip. Hey, skinny guy, you won't mind a little money, right? If you feel it's a loss, we'll give you all the labor fees."

"Okay," Bing Zhiye said, still looking at the armor.

"Hey, you're too impolite," Vien said, seeing him agree so quickly. "I was just saying it casually. Can't you be a little more modest? 7.5 gold coins is not a small amount!"

Bing Zhiye looked at him for a while, then lowered his head and said calmly, "This is what I deserve."

"You little..." Vien wanted to say more but was stopped.

Konelia covered her mouth and laughed: "Alright, Vien. He's helping me, and a few gold coins are what he deserves. Don't be so picky."

Irina huffed: "So picky, and he's such a big, rough man!"

Vien didn't want to say anything more, but hearing his companion criticize him, he started arguing with her again.

Konelia shook her head helplessly and squatted down: "They're always like this, don't mind them."

"I won't."

"Can this thing really be repaired?" Konelia asked.

"No problem," Bing Zhiye said without looking at her. He used a little magic to touch the armor, and tiny dust particles emerged from invisible holes. He sniffed and said, "Fortunately, no other corrosive substances have been added. Repairing this armor involves two main steps: first, removing the corrosive substances inside the armor, and second, restoring its metallic properties."

Konelia nodded, and the arguing Vien and Irina also came over. Irina asked, "What should we do?"

Bing Zhiye looked at them for a while without speaking.

"What... What's wrong?" Irina and the others felt puzzled: "Why are you looking at us?"

Bing Zhiye shook his head: "Nothing." He took a small packet of powder from his pocket and said to Vien, "Please get me a cup and a glass of water."

"Uh..." Vien was even more confused. Why would repairing equipment require a cup and water?

Konelia asked curiously, "What's in that packet?"

"Dragonfruit powder," Bing Zhiye said.

"Dragonfruit!" Irina, remembering the cup and water, shouted: "You... You want to drink a beverage?"

Dragonfruit is a very common fruit found all over the continent, often made into jam, beverages, or canned goods.

Bing Zhiye ignored her. After a while, when Vien brought a glass of water, he poured the powder into the cup and stirred it, looking like he was about to drink something.

Vien looked angry: "Magic boy, I thought you were going to do something, but you're treating me like a waiter. That really angers me."

Konelia said, "Forget it, Vien. He's helping us out of kindness."

Irina huffed: "So picky, and he's such a big, rough man!"

Vien didn't want to say anything more, but hearing his companion criticize him, he started arguing with her again.

Konelia shook her head helplessly and squatted down: "They're always like this, don't mind them."

"I won't."

"Can this thing really be repaired?" Konelia asked.

"No problem," Bing Zhiye said without looking at her. He used a little magic to touch the armor, and tiny dust particles emerged from invisible holes. He sniffed and said, "Fortunately, no other corrosive substances have been added. Repairing this armor involves two main steps: first, removing the corrosive substances inside the armor, and second, restoring its metallic properties."

Konelia nodded, and the arguing Vien and Irina also came over. Irina asked, "What should we do?"

Bing Zhiye looked at them for a while without speaking.

"What... What's wrong?" Irina and the others felt puzzled: "Why are you looking at us?"

Bing Zhiye shook his head: "Nothing." He took a small packet of powder from his pocket and said to Vien, "Please get me a cup and a glass of water."

"Uh..." Vien was even more confused. Why would repairing equipment require a cup and water?

Konelia asked curiously, "What's in that packet?"

"Dragonfruit powder," Bing Zhiye said.

"Dragonfruit!" Irina, remembering the cup and water, shouted: "You... You want to drink a beverage?"

Dragonfruit is a very common fruit found all over the continent, often made into jam, beverages, or canned goods.

Bing Zhiye ignored her. After a while, when Vien brought a glass of water, he poured the powder into the cup and stirred it, looking like he was about to drink something.

Vien looked angry: "Magic boy, I thought you were going to do something, but you're treating me like a waiter. That really angers me."

Konelia said, "Forget it, Vien. He's helping us out of kindness."

Bing Zhiye stirred the powder until it became a yellowish-brown juice, then he applied the juice evenly to every part of the armor, inside and out.

Vien asked curiously, "What are you doing?"

Bing Zhiye said while applying the juice, "Dragonfruit has a neutralizing effect on acids. Applying it to the armor will neutralize the Demus acid."

Konelia clapped her hands and said after a while, "Right, I remember. The 'Evela Encyclopedia' Volume 14 mentions this. Oh, why didn't I think of using it like this!"

'This red fruit, which I used to eat almost every day as a child, has a taste I'm tired of. Later, I learned that it can neutralize most acidic substances.' 'Evela Encyclopedia' Volume 14, Page 524, Dragonfruit.

Irina seemed to remember as well and held her forehead in pain: "Such a short entry, who would notice it?"

"Ah! So this fruit has such a use, I didn't know. I'll go buy more right now," Vien said excitedly, as if he had discovered a treasure.

Irina grabbed Vien, who was about to get up: "Why are you buying that? It's 5 silver coins per pound, not some valuable treasure."

Vien was stunned: "Oh, right."

"You're so brainless, I can't stand it," Irina said, patting her aching forehead.

Bing Zhiye continued his work: "Alright. Who can use fire magic?"

Konelia said, "I... I can use a little. Do you need to smelt it?"

Bing Zhiye shook his head: "No, just cover the entire armor with fire elements. This will speed up the neutralization of the acid. Warrior Vien, I'll give you a list of things to buy."

"Again, I have to be the delivery boy!" Vien said reluctantly.

Bing Zhiye wrote down everything he needed, including the quantities.

Vien was shocked when he saw the list: "1, 2, 3, 4, 5... 21 materials, so many!!"

Konelia and Irina were also shocked: "So many things?"

Bing Zhiye said, "These things are not expensive, and you don't need much. You can buy them at any material store."

Vien looked worried: "Oh, this is so troublesome."

Irina tapped his head: "Stop complaining. Do you want Konelia and me to go buy them? Go quickly."

Vien wanted to say why Bing Zhiye, who is also a man, didn't go, but since he was invited to help, he couldn't say anything and left reluctantly.

Konelia and Irina followed his method, placing their hands on the armor and injecting fire elements. The temperature of the armor gradually increased and remained at a specific temperature until Vien returned with the materials.

Bing Zhiye took the materials, mostly carbon powder, metal powder, and liquids, and started mixing them.

Konelia and Irina squatted stiffly, not knowing how long they needed to keep this up, so they just waited. Fortunately, gathering fire elements didn't require much magic power, and the amount needed was not large, so they could manage.

Bing Zhiye mixed for a long time, then applied the mixed metal powder liquid to the armor bottle by bottle, and had them continue to inject fire elements. He then went to watch the arena matches.

Vien wanted to say something but, thinking it wasn't him who was doing the work, he was already attracted by the matches and joined the crowd.

Konelia and Irina looked at each other awkwardly and continued squatting.

After more than half an hour, Bing Zhiye returned: "Alright, you can rest now."

The two girls breathed a sigh of relief, but when they tried to stand up, they found their legs were numb and couldn't stand.

Vien reluctantly squeezed out of the crowd, picked up a large hammer, and said, "Is it done? Can it be repaired? I want to watch the matches again."

Irina, with the help of a stone block, finally stood up and pulled Konelia up, asking, "I'm so tired. What... What's next?"

Bing Zhiye said, "It's already repaired. You can turn in the quest."

"Hey!" The three of them looked at him in surprise: "This... This is repaired?"

"Yes," Bing Zhiye nodded.

Irina looked at the pile of tools Vien had bought: "These things haven't been used."

Bing Zhiye said, "I didn't say I needed them."

Vien was stunned, the hammer in his hand fell to the ground: "Why didn't you say so earlier? I wasted money buying these things."

Konelia laughed: "I just learned that repairing things doesn't always require hammers and screws."

Vien was very unhappy: "Is this armor really repaired? I've seen others use these tools. Look, look at the people repairing equipment nearby, they're all using various tools."

Irina looked at the people nearby, who were indeed busy with various tools, and began to doubt.

Bing Zhiye didn't say anything, just held out his hand.

"What?" Konelia asked, puzzled.

"Money."

"Oh, sorry." Konelia immediately took money from her purse.

Vien stopped her: "Wait, Konelia. We don't know if he really repaired it."

Konelia said, "But it's not much money."

Vien insisted, "It's not much, but we can't be cheated. Others are sweating, I don't believe a few moves can repair this armor. We'll give the money after we turn in the quest."

Irina also thought Vien had a point: "Let's turn in the quest first and then give him the money."

"Wait." Bing Zhiye saw them about to leave and said, "Leave one person."

Vien and the others were stunned, immediately understanding his meaning, and shouted: "What, do you think we'll run away? Konelia is the most respected lady of the Isabelle family. Do you think we would cheat you? Even I, a servant of the Isabelle family, wouldn't owe you money." Vien was angry not because of the money, but because for nobles, the family name is credibility and honor. Bing Zhiye's words made it seem like he was disrespected.

Bing Zhiye didn't say anything, just stood there with his head down.

Konelia was in a dilemma, but finally said, "Vien, you and Irina go to the guild to turn in the quest. I... I'll stay here."

"No way." Vien immediately disagreed: "If anyone stays, it should be me. I'll deal with this impolite kid!"

Konelia said, "Alright, go quickly. He helped us so much, and it's only 15 gold coins. If we leave like this, he won't get anything."

Vien, seeing Konelia insist, had no choice but to leave with Irina.

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