Lost? Me? Who am I? Even if I entered a Bagua formation, I could still find my way out. How could a mere little Western ancient city make me lose my way? That would be the biggest joke in the world.

Isn’t this just...

Uh, better find someone to ask for directions first.

Ethan Brooks smiled at a woman who looked like some ancient creature and asked, “Beautiful lady, could you tell me how to get to Eric’s weapon shop?”

Don’t get the wrong idea—he’s not lost on his way home. Today, he’s heading to the most famous weapon shop in the city, a place the former Ethan Brooks had never visited. The old Ethan Brooks lived a simple life, rarely venturing beyond the academy and home.

“Go straight from here, turn right at the third intersection, then keep going for about two li and you’ll be there.” The woman happily gave Ethan Brooks directions. No one had ever complimented her beauty before, so Ethan Brooks’s words made her unusually happy.

She even asked excitedly, “Little brother, do you really think big sister is pretty?”

“Mm, big sister, you’re like a lotus just emerging from the water!” As soon as Ethan Brooks finished speaking, he quickly slipped away.

“Like a lotus out of water, haha! Little brother, you must come play here again in the future. Rose will definitely entertain you!” the woman shouted loudly, even giving herself an elegant nickname—Rose.

“Uh, definitely, definitely. Rose, that beautiful name suits you perfectly!”

Quick escape...

Following the route given by “Rose,” Ethan Brooks easily found the weapon shop he was looking for. Although it was said to be the most famous in the city, the storefront looked quite ordinary, just like a regular family courtyard.

Well, not just like—it really was. It wasn’t much different from Ethan Brooks’s own little courtyard.

The reason was simple: the shop was run by a dwarf. Its fame came from his superb craftsmanship, not from the size of the shop.

Ethan Brooks’s purpose this time was to commission something, so of course he sought out the best blacksmith. This dwarf, Eric, was undoubtedly the top choice.

“If you want a weapon, leave the materials, your requirements, and the gold coins! Come pick it up in three days.” As soon as Ethan Brooks entered, a voice called out. It was the shop owner, Eric, who was used to handling people this way.

Now, he only made magic crystal weapons or those with special materials, because no one would bring ordinary weapons to him. Although his weapons were the best, his processing fees were also the highest. Most of his customers were nobles, who didn’t mind spending money, but since Eric didn’t make decorative weapons, they wouldn’t waste money on an ugly ornamental piece. The rest were those who truly needed weapons.

Whether it was a magic crystal weapon or one made from special materials, they all required rare components. That’s what made them valuable. Obviously, Eric wouldn’t provide these materials; you had to collect them yourself before he’d work on them.

Ethan Brooks spoke up, “I’m not here for a weapon. I want you to help me craft some special items. You have the best forging skills in the city—if you can’t make it, then I’m really in trouble.”

“What kind of items?” Eric was interested now, putting down his work and looking at Ethan Brooks.

“It’s like this...” Ethan Brooks began to explain in detail what he wanted made, along with his requirements...

After listening to Ethan Brooks, Eric frowned and lowered his head in deep thought. “Let me think about this!”

What Ethan Brooks wanted was actually a set of weighted gear, divided into three parts: one worn like a shirt, one worn on the wrists like bracers, and the last for the lower legs.

If it were ordinary weighted gear with no special requirements, it wouldn’t be a problem. But Ethan Brooks’s set was different—he needed to wear it without affecting his movements, and others shouldn’t be able to tell he was wearing it. Plus, the weight needed to be adjustable.

Clearly, he planned to wear this weighted gear not just during training, but also in daily life.

After a long while, Eric looked up and said, “I can do it. Come pick it up in ten days. No need to bring materials, just a bit of special material. Considering the difficulty of your request, I’ll provide it for free.”

For Eric, what he pursued was the improvement of his own skills. Challenging commissions like Ethan Brooks’s were the best way to hone his craft.

But—

“Ten days. Even if you pay one gold coin per day. And for polishing your weighted materials, I’ll give you a discount—just two silver coins!” He still had to charge something, otherwise how would he make a living or buy materials for his own projects?

The weighted material Eric mentioned was a special kind of stone unique to this world, extremely dense—a small piece could weigh ten jin. This was the key to the weighted gear; without it, the requirements couldn’t be met. However, this material was cheap and easy to find, and polishing it didn’t require much skill, so the price was actually the lowest.

“Alright, here are exactly ten gold coins and two silver coins!” Ethan Brooks handed the pouch to Eric. Outwardly, he seemed calm, but inside he was cursing: Damn, you stingy dwarf, did you peek into my money pouch? You took every last coin I had, not a coin more, not a coin less!