Chapter 20

In the open room, one could see the burning furnace and the anvil used for forging equipment. An old woman with gray hair stood in front of the anvil, striking a weapon with a hammer, producing a clear ringing sound.

However, unlike ordinary blacksmiths who use tongs to hold the items being forged, this old woman held a hammer in her right hand and wore a pair of silver-white gloves on her left hand. Relying on the heat-resistant properties of these silver-white gloves, she grasped the red-hot metal pieces and hammered them forcefully.

No doubt, this was the weapon shop of Wise Auntie that Wenlong was looking for.

"We want to forge two sets of equipment, one for humans and another for an Ailu cat. All the materials are here..." After confirming Wise Auntie's characteristics, Wenlong ran to the shop entrance and said straightforwardly.

"Two sets of equipment?" Wise Auntie paused her hammering slightly, then looked up to see Wenlong, an Ailu cat whose head barely reached the counter.

"The place to forge equipment for Ailu cats is next door. Please find Chao Hu Ai Pu, who is the best Ailu cat blacksmith in the village," said Wise Auntie.

"Not just for me, but also for my master, who needs a set of equipment." To make sure Wise Auntie could see him clearly, Wenlong jumped onto the counter and said loudly.

"Oh, I see. Although I'm old and my hearing isn't good, you don't have to shout so loudly. Um... what kind of equipment do you want to forge?" Wise Auntie squinted and asked.

"I want to forge this!"

Wenlong placed a large bundle of materials on the counter, untied it, and revealed the materials from a Great Boar, which were neatly categorized.

"Oh, so these are materials from a Great Boar. Then... Reit, I'll leave this customer to you..."

"Yes, Wise Auntie." A young man in blue clothes replied. From his youthful appearance, Wenlong had a bad feeling.

"This person looks like a helper in the forge. If such a person forges the equipment, wouldn't all my efforts to find Wise Auntie's forging skills be in vain?" Wenlong thought.

Wenlong knew that this was the real world, unlike in the game where the data and attributes of equipment were unaffected by which blacksmith forged them. Here, the blacksmith's skill level directly influenced the equipment's capabilities and attributes. This was evident from the Kirin armor that Katharine wore.

Not only were higher-grade materials often harder or more resilient and more difficult to forge, but the seamless stitching and forging techniques were also beyond the capabilities of ordinary blacksmiths. In other words, if a regular blacksmith were to forge the Kirin materials, it would be impossible to create a perfect set of equipment.

"Wait, wait, wait..." Wenlong quickly made a stopping gesture. "Meow, old lady, I heard you are the most skilled blacksmith in Mirad Village. How can you let your apprentice do the job?"

"What's wrong with my apprentice?" Wise Auntie said impatiently. "The Great Boar set isn't a rare set. Many hunters have requested it. If I had to forge every piece, I'd be exhausted. Besides, my apprentice is quite good, and his forging skills are definitely above average."

"That won't do," Wenlong, a former top hunter in the game, had a penchant for perfection. He always wanted the best, no matter what. "Old lady, aren't you just trying to charge more? I'll give you more! Meow!"

Saying that, Wenlong slapped five gold coins on the counter.

Five gold coins were not a small amount in Mirad Village, especially for paying for such low-grade equipment. It was more than enough!

When the five gold coins were placed on the counter, Reit, Wise Auntie's apprentice, eyes went wide.

Although five gold coins far exceeded the original cost of forging the equipment, Wenlong didn't feel it was a waste.

Years of hunting experience had taught Wenlong that equipment was crucial for hunters, often significantly enhancing their combat abilities. Good equipment not only improved hunting efficiency but also provided additional safety in dangerous situations. Therefore, Wenlong was never stingy when it came to obtaining good equipment.

"Five gold coins? That's quite a generous offer, but young man, you've misunderstood. I'm not the type to change my principles for a little money. I have more important equipment to forge, so I can't waste time with you..."

"Is that so? I think you're just afraid of losing face because your skills aren't good enough to forge our equipment. Meow." Wenlong suddenly adopted a mocking tone.

"My skills aren't good? Ha ha..." Wise Auntie laughed. "There are no more than ten blacksmiths in the entire continent who are better than me. Even if I'm a bit old and my eyesight isn't as good, it's not for a young whelp like you to mock me..."

"You don't believe me?" Wenlong continued to mock. "If you don't, how about we make a bet? Meow!"

"What kind of bet?" Seeing Wenlong's confident tone, Wise Auntie became curious. After all, no one in Mirad Village had ever dared to mock her skills. In her youth, she had traveled the entire continent with some of the top hunters, gaining extensive experience. The silver-white gloves she wore were made from a special material and rare desert minerals, enhancing her forging skills. Because of this, she was confident in her abilities.

"The bet is simple, meow!" Wenlong said. "If I can prove that your skills are inferior to another blacksmith, you will forge the equipment for us. If I can't prove it, I'll leave the five gold coins and leave immediately, never to bother you again. How about that?"

"Very well, then bring me a piece of equipment that I can't forge. If you really can, I'll do my best to forge the best equipment for you, even if it costs me my life!"

Seeing that Wise Auntie had taken the bait, Wenlong couldn't help but smile inwardly. He turned around and saw Katharine, who had followed him, standing behind him, looking bewildered and not yet understanding the situation.

"Then, Wise Auntie, how do you think the blacksmith who forged this set of equipment compares to you? Meow." Saying that, Wenlong moved aside, revealing Katharine, who was still confused and hadn't grasped the situation.