All along, this handsome young man had always appeared calm and unruffled, but only at this moment did he truly reveal a look of nervousness.

Chapter 2: The Purple Meteor in That Instant

William Carter opened his mouth, about to agree to Eric Foster's suggestion. However, just as he was about to speak, a sudden thought struck him.

Military arms?

He abruptly looked up, his eyes flashing with extreme astonishment.

All along the way, he had been secretly guessing what kind of position could make Brian Bolton so greedy and willing to exchange it for an official soldier’s post. With that miser’s personality, if there weren’t enough benefits, how could he possibly be willing to pay such a price?

Now, the truth was clear: what the old craftsman had secured for him was not some official post, but military arms.

The moment he thought of the mysterious flame flickering in the old craftsman’s palm while repairing the broken blade, William Carter's heart pounded like thunder, his face flushing red.

Eric Foster was slightly taken aback, turned to look at Brian Bolton, frowned, and let out a dissatisfied snort.

Brian Bolton and his nephew exchanged a glance, both inwardly thinking things were going badly.

With a darkened face, Brian Bolton said coldly, “William Carter, Lord Hu is asking you a question, answer quickly!”

Grace Bolton finally couldn’t hold back and also spoke up: “William Carter, how did you agree earlier? You’d better think carefully!” The threat in his tone was self-evident.

William Carter clenched his fists tightly, his mind torn between two conflicting thoughts.

Military arms—those are military arms! As long as he possessed them, he could become a true blacksmith in the Armory Camp, just like the old craftsman.

In the Armory Camp, although there were quite a few official soldiers, there were only a little over twenty blacksmiths who actually possessed military arms. Although an ordinary military arms blacksmith wasn’t considered a particularly prestigious position, just having the arms in hand was enough to secure a place in the camp and muddle through a lifetime.

However, when he glanced at the predatory looks of Brian Bolton and his nephew beside him, the heat in his heart felt as if it had been doused by a bucket of ice water, making him feel as if he were in the depths of winter, chilled to the bone.

Even if he obtained the military arms, so what? The Armory Camp was still under the control of the Provisions Camp. If Brian Bolton was determined to make trouble for him, what could he do?

In that moment, cold sweat soaked William Carter's back, leaving a large damp patch.

Grace Bolton gritted his teeth, the golden opportunity right before his eyes, yet this foolish boy still refused to speak. A fierce glint flashed in his eyes, and his handsome face twisted with a savage expression as he said, “William Carter, answer quickly!”

William Carter looked up, seeing the venomous hatred in his eyes, and suddenly felt enlightened.

His earlier hesitation had already deeply offended these two uncles and nephews. Even if he chose to back down now, they wouldn’t let him off easily. Especially Grace Bolton—the murderous intent in his eyes was so obvious it made one’s heart tremble.

In fact, if at this moment Grace Bolton had spoken kindly and promised great benefits, William Carter might not have been able to hold out. But his menacing attitude instead stirred up a trace of ferocity in William Carter's heart.

After all, he was an orphan. Although he had no backing to speak of, if he didn’t have a bit of ruthlessness, how could he have survived until now?

Straightening his chest, he stepped forward, knelt before Eric Foster, and said loudly, “Lord Hu, I am willing to accept the military arms. Please judge me fairly.”

Brian Bolton's face twitched slightly. Although his smile was a bit stiff, he still managed to maintain it.

But Grace Bolton had no such composure. He stared hard at William Carter, fists clenched tight. If Eric Foster weren’t present, he might have already pounced to tear William Carter apart.

Eric Foster gave a light cough and said, “Lord Zhang, you heard him.” He waved his hand lightly and said, “Since Lord Zhang has brought the person, I will now fulfill my duty.”

Brian Bolton bowed slightly and said, “Yes, then I shall take my leave.” He glanced at William Carter and said coolly, “William Carter, you’re quite something—truly a standout in the Armory Camp.” Though his tone was calm, there was a chilling menace beneath it.

With that, Brian Bolton turned and quickly left with Grace Bolton.

William Carter's expression was uncertain. He knew he had greatly offended Brian Bolton, but at this point, regret was useless.

Eric Foster shook his head slightly, looking at the young man with a hint of pity, as if he could already see his tragic fate ahead. But none of this concerned him; he only needed to fulfill his own duty.

With a flick of his wrist, he took out a token and said, “William Carter, this is the military arms token. Place it on your forehead and guide it yourself.”

William Carter was taken aback. “Th-this is all it takes?”

Eric Foster nodded slowly. “The wonders of the military arms token are beyond your imagination. Go ahead.”

Obtaining the military arms was certainly an opportunity. But to someone like Eric Foster, it was nothing special. Moreover, since William Carter had offended Brian Bolton, whether he could survive in the future was still in question, so Eric Foster naturally had no intention of befriending him.

William Carter responded, carefully took the military arms token, and gently placed it on his forehead.