I hate rich people, Ryan Bennett thought bitterly, his gaze involuntarily lingering on that little imp. The enhancement runes, linking runes, and flame runes on the imp’s body fascinated Ryan Bennett.

The greatest secret of engineering lies in these runes. Legend has it that runes were created by ancient goblins, who then taught them to humans. In order to monopolize this great technology, humans drove the goblins out of their homeland and into the Plaguelands Swamp of Eri’s west. Since then, only humans have been able to master runes.

These runes contain immense power. It’s said that in ancient times, goblins used rare metals to create the most powerful alchemical works in the world—Titan Giants, whose strength rivaled that of black dragons. Even if it’s just a legend, the power of runes is evident. High-level runes contain extremely powerful energy.

Volume One: The Legendary Debut

Chapter Three: The Rune Lock

Ryan Bennett gazed obsessively at the patterns on the mechanical imp, and after deciphering the runes, Ryan Bennett finally confirmed that this mechanical imp was of third rank. Third-rank runes could only be inscribed by advanced mechanical alchemists. Ryan Bennett sized up the young man; if his own abilities weren’t too weak, his overall strength would at least rank in the top hundred on the entire server.

The young man’s gaze swept over Ryan Bennett, and when he saw the novice mechanical alchemy robe adorned with runes on Ryan Bennett, a look of disdain appeared on his face. A mechanical alchemist without even a mechanical imp was truly a disgrace to mechanical alchemists.

Seeing the young man’s expression, Ryan Bennett felt a surge of disgust toward him and couldn’t be bothered to pay him any attention. He walked over to the clock repair counter, where an antique wall clock awaiting repair caught Ryan Bennett’s eye.

The runes on this wall clock were actually fifth-rank mechanical alchemy runes. Ryan Bennett had only ever seen such high-level runes in books. He buried himself in research, dismantling the wall clock as he studied it.

“Are all the clocks in this shop repaired by him?” the young man asked Baldwin Grant.

“Yes, his clock-repairing skills are quite proficient. Every clock here has been repaired by him. Look, isn’t it amazing? These old clocks, aged as they are, have been given a second life in his hands.” Baldwin Grant patted an antique mantel clock beside him.

Ryan Bennett wanted to stop him, but it was already too late. That mantel clock was a relic from two thousand years ago, its internal parts already almost completely worn out—how could it withstand Baldwin Grant’s rough handling?

Under Baldwin Grant’s reckless abuse, the antique mantel clock gave a creak and stopped working, with a clattering sound coming from inside. It was obvious that the internal mechanisms had completely fallen apart. Baldwin Grant’s face, which had been twitching with excitement, instantly turned a deep purple.

The young man mocked, “I really can’t imagine what kind of clocks someone in a novice’s robe, without even a mechanical imp, could possibly repair.”

Baldwin Grant stood there awkwardly, but Ryan Bennett seemed not to hear, as he was absorbed by the wall clock before him. This wall clock was just too strange—there were fifth-rank reinforcement runes everywhere, but not a single power rune. So what was its core power source?

According to the principles of mechanical depreciation described in “Advanced Studies in Mechanical Alchemy,” judging by the wall clock’s material, degree of damage, and the wear on its surface runes, this wall clock was about ten thousand years old. Could it be from the goblin era? Only goblins could create a core power source other than a power rune. Their thin heads were filled with all sorts of bizarre ideas, and every goblin was a sage who had created a great technological civilization ten thousand years ago.

Opening the outer casing of the wall clock, the internal structure was slowly revealed to Ryan Bennett. Every part of the mechanism fit together perfectly, moving in a rhythmic fashion. The exquisite construction inside the wall clock made Ryan Bennett even more certain that this was the work of goblins. Only goblins, with their sharp heads and nimble fingers, could create such perfect machinery.

There were also two hidden compartments inside the wall clock, which surely concealed the clock’s core power source.

Ryan Bennett opened the secret compartment at the bottom of the wall clock. Two slightly damaged, light gray rolls of parchment lay quietly curled up inside. Ryan Bennett’s heart suddenly pounded wildly. These two drawings were definitely not ordinary; they were very likely blueprints for goblin machinery. Such things absolutely couldn’t fall into the hands of that stingy Baldwin Grant. Without examining them closely, Ryan Bennett quietly slipped the two rolls of parchment into his bag.

System: You have obtained a mechanical alchemy blueprint.

System: You have obtained the goblin’s treasure map.

Seeing the system prompt, Ryan Bennett was momentarily stunned, but suppressed his wild joy and continued to study the wall clock before him. Thin pale blue lines inside the clock extended from another hidden compartment, maintaining the clock’s operation. That compartment must be the core power source of the wall clock.

Besides power runes, what else could replace them as a core power source to keep the wall clock running? Ryan Bennett’s obsession with mechanical alchemy was beyond ordinary understanding. Unraveling an ancient secret of mechanical alchemy was every bit as thrilling as discovering an ancient treasure.