Undead Mining and the Weapon Factory

Knock, knock, knock!

A knock sounded at the door again.

"Please come in! You must be the professor from the Heavenly Crafts Academy!"

Chen Xu opened the door to find a burly old man with a muscular frame standing outside. His graying hair and beard formed a sharp contrast with his lean, corded muscles.

"That brat Qiming said you need some mining tools and someone to look at a factory?" the elder said as he walked into the room and took a seat.

"Yes, that is correct. May I ask your name?"

"My surname is also Xia. Xia Deliang."

Chen Xu took a bottle of soda from the nearby freezer and handed it to Xia Deliang. Xia Deliang waved it off and pulled an insulated flask from his coat. As he unscrewed the lid, a plume of steam rose. "I am getting old; I prefer to stick with tea."

"Since you share the same surname, what is your relationship with Teacher Xia?"

"I am his uncle," Xia Deliang said, taking a sip of water. "Let's skip the pleasantries. Do you have photos or survey data for that rune-energy mine? Let me see them."

"The mine is located within my Necrotic Space. I can take you inside to see it directly, Elder Xia. As for survey data, this is my first time seeking professional help, so I do not have anything like that."

"Oh? Your Necrotic Space can accommodate outsiders?" Xia Deliang raised an eyebrow, looking at Chen Xu with interest.

"It can. If you relax your mental resistance, I will bring you in."

Seeing Xia Deliang nod, Chen Xu enveloped him with his mental strength, intending to transport him to the Undead Kingdom. To his surprise, Xia Deliang felt like a mountain. No matter how hard Chen Xu pushed his mental strength, he could not move him.

After several strenuous attempts, sweat began to bead on Chen Xu's forehead. "Elder Xia, why does your soul feel as heavy as a mountain?"

Hearing this, Xia Deliang slapped his forehead. "I forgot about this thing. My apologies." He then took a small hammer pendant from his necklace and tucked it into his storage space.

"Alright, try again."

Chen Xu enveloped him with mental strength once more. The mountain-like weight was gone, and he easily brought Xia Deliang into the Undead Kingdom.

"Your space is quite expansive," Xia Deliang remarked, looking around.

"Heh, I have fused a few dungeon space fragments."

Chen Xu then led Xia Deliang toward the Rune-energy Stone Mine.

Looking at the continuous mountain range before them, Xia Deliang pulled out a device and began scanning.

While Xia Deliang operated the device, Chen Xu took the opportunity to ask, "Elder Xia, what was that thing you put away earlier? Why did it feel as heavy as a mountain?"

Xia Deliang replied while working, "That was the hammer I use for forging."

"A forging hammer? That heavy!"

Since Xia Deliang's tone did not sound like he was joking, Chen Xu instinctively stepped back a bit. If this man could swing a mountain for forging, Chen Xu feared a casual flick of the wrist could send him flying.

Xia Deliang paid no mind to Chen Xu's reaction and continued with his scan.

After a moment, the device let out a series of beeps and spat out a dozen sheets of paper from its base.

Xia Deliang collected them, produced a stapler to bind them together, and handed the bundle to Chen Xu.

"What is this?" Chen Xu asked, flipping through the pages.

"The analysis results from the Smart Surveying Device. It includes mining methods, recommendations, estimated reserves, and other information."

Xia Deliang looked around. "This place of yours... it seems there is no electricity, right?"

"Uh, no, there isn't."

Xia Deliang pulled out another instrument and waved it through the air.

"Mhm, it is entirely filled with necrotic energy. There are two ways to go about this. First, I can have the Heavenly Crafts Academy design a custom automated collection system powered by necrotic energy. However, that would require a full research and development cycle, as the mainstream systems used in Daxia do not utilize necrotic energy.

Second, I can give you some primitive mining tools, like pickaxes, but with added passive effects like Sharpness and Durability. Then you can have your skeletons do the mining. After all, you Necromancers should not be short on skeletons." Xia Deliang gave his assessment after checking his instrument.

"How long would the automated collection system take?"

Using skeleton soldiers for mining was something Chen Xu had already considered. But if an automated system was available, he was open to it. As an adult, he did not want to choose; he wanted both.

"Designing a dedicated system that will likely never be used anywhere else would not have a high priority. But considering you are a Dragon Seed with an outstanding performance, I would estimate about six months."

"Six months? That long?" Chen Xu had thought it would take a week or two, given the rumors of the Heavenly Crafts Academy's incredible manufacturing capabilities.

"You think that is long? Do you have any idea how many factors a complete automated design must account for? Or how much work goes into a dedicated, stable energy drive system?" Xia Deliang's eyes widened at Chen Xu's complaint.

"Elder Xia, please do not be angry. I just thought the masters of the Heavenly Crafts Academy were capable of anything," Chen Xu quickly tried to soothe him.

"Hmph. Those are the two options; choose for yourself." He pulled out several pickaxes and tossed them onto the ground. "These are pickaxes from the Heavenly Crafts Academy inventory. You can have your skeletons test them to see if they are suitable. If not, we will have to make new ones."

Chen Xu summoned several skeleton soldiers from the Burial Ground and ordered them to pick up the tools and try digging.

The skeleton soldiers picked up the pickaxes, walked to the Rune-energy Stone Mine, and began striking the ground one blow at a time.

"The way your skeleton soldiers are moving is all wrong," Xia Deliang pointed out immediately.

Chen Xu rubbed his head sheepishly. "They only have combat instincts. For other actions, I have to give them specific commands. But I do not know what the professional movements should look like. Elder, do you have any tutorials I could use to learn?"

"You have asked the right person. Since automation became widespread, I am probably the only old man left who still keeps the primitive operation tutorials." Xia Deliang carefully pulled a book from his robe.

Chen Xu looked at the cover. It was titled The Daxia Encyclopedia of Basic Labor Instruction.

Xia Deliang handed it to Chen Xu with great care and said loudly, "Brat, you better take good care of this. This is part of my private collection. Once you have learned from it, remember to return it to me immediately."

Chen Xu accepted it with both hands and gave Xia Deliang a solemn promise.

"How many sets of pickaxes do you need? Oh, wait, your skeletons probably do not need protective gear. Just a pickaxe will do."

"Then... let's start with ten thousand?" Chen Xu said, holding up a finger after putting the book away.

"You have that many skeletons? Are you going to stop clearing dungeons? As a Dragon Seed, you must not forget your primary responsibility." Xia Deliang was a bit worried that Chen Xu was being blinded by the value of the mine.

"Do not worry. If there is one thing I have plenty of, it is skeletons," Chen Xu promised, patting his chest.

Seeing Chen Xu's confidence, Xia Deliang did not press further. "Ten thousand pickaxes. They will be delivered to the base for you at nine tomorrow morning."

"Did you not mention there was also a factory? Where is it?"

"The factory is on the other side. I will lead the way." Chen Xu walked ahead, turning back to ask, "Elder Xia, we have the pickaxes, but how will the automated system be handled? Will researchers from the Heavenly Crafts Academy come in here to install it?"

Xia Deliang glanced at Chen Xu, but considering his status as a Dragon Seed, both options were indeed viable. "The data for your mine is already recorded in the device. I will give it to Old Qian and the others when I get back. They can come and install it in six months."

"Then I shall trouble you, Elder."

The two arrived at the old factory. Xia Deliang walked around the facility, touching the dust-covered machinery from time to time.

Eventually, Xia Deliang stopped before a large machine, checked the gauges, and pulled the nearby lever upward.

"Rumble!"

A massive roar erupted as the machines in the factory began to operate.

"It actually started? As expected of you, Elder Xia." Chen Xu had not expected the factory to have a simple start lever that would set everything in motion.

"This factory automatically absorbs necrotic energy from the environment to convert into power. As for the products..."

The two watched the conveyor belt start moving, carrying a bone knife. The knife was extremely crude; the hilt was actually a skeletal palm, and the blade looked like it was made from a roughly ground leg bone. If Chen Xu was not mistaken, the back half of the blade was already covered in cracks.

"The good news is that it is a fully automated factory. The bad news is that your products could compete with goblin craftsmanship for the title of worst blades in existence."

The bone knife reached Chen Xu on the belt, and he leaned over to pick it up. He then summoned another skeleton soldier from the Burial Ground.

Chen Xu gripped the hilt and swung the knife hard at the skeleton soldier.

"Snap!"

The bone knife broke into two pieces.

"Mhm. From a professional perspective, I think goblin craftsmanship might actually be slightly better," Xia Deliang added timely.

Chen Xu silently tossed the broken knife onto the floor, then moved to the lever and pulled it back down.