[HEQrC]

55

Chapter 55: Illegal Mine

"Alright," Old Nect helped Xing Ye test his arm, then patted his shoulder. "It's strong and durable. Your total comes to five primary ores."

"What?" The mirror, who was quietly standing in the corner, interrupted, "Didn't you say it was free?"

Old Nect shrugged, speaking as if it was obvious. "My son's repair was obviously free, but I was the one who helped you test your arm! I'm the best mechanic in all of Puppet City. We installed a new model's iron arm on an old style wooden puppet, how could the testing fee be the same as fixing that matchstick puppet's arm? This is an innovation, an innovation!"

The mirror: "..."

He was about to choke from anger- how were all the puppets in Puppet City like this?! Just when he thought he finally met a good puppet!

But Xing Ye was still very calm. He had long been prepared for something like this to happen. How could opposing fate players as unlucky as them possibly get a free gift falling from the sky?

Xing Ye had already said it before- all free gifts were just traps in disguise. Whether you decide to step into the trap or not all depended on if you could bear the consequences.

For Xing Ye, fixing his arm was the most important thing right now. He needed to use Redrawing Pen, so even if he got tricked, Xing Ye was happy with unlocking his starting skills.

"You know I don't have any primary ore." Xing Ye said.

The engine oil shopkeeper knew he had no primary ore and even kept a tab for many years, so it was only natural to assume Old Nect, who he always got scraps from, to also know that.

"Of course I know you don't have money, you still owe me 29 pieces of primary ore." Old Nect said, "Before, you could just return it slowly, but today's different. This is my son's first job, how could you not pay him immediately?"

Old Nect stuck to his excuse shamelessly, not looking like a respected maintenance master at all.

Cao Qian wanted to step forward to grab Old Nect and the big mirror also raised his little copper fists, but Xing Ye extended his new hand to stop the two. He looked at Old Nect and asked, "Uncle Nect, what do you want me to do?"

Old Nect laughed mischievously, "Young man, with how long you've owed me money, don't you think I was already being very kind by not charging you any interest? You should've started going out to find primary ore a long time ago. Even if you want to change your body, you can't stay unemployed forever, right?"

His words were reasonable. Xing Ye listened quietly.

"My lazy, pig of a son also refuses to mine primary ore. I wanted to make him mine, but he doesn't have any experience, so how about you go with him?"

Little Nect, who was leaning on his chair bored, suddenly gave a start. "What? Me?"

"Of course, you little brat!" Steam suddenly started rising from a hole under Old Nect's beard, blowing the beard up and showing how angry he was. "How many years have you loitered around at home now? You should've started working a long time ago!"

"Fine, fine, I'll go, but I don't know where the primary ore mines are." Little Nect said.

"I have a map here." Old Nect's laugh was unnerving.

Xing Ye turned wary when he took out the map.

Any puppet could mine primary ore, even Cao Qian could try going out with the other puppets to mine. Little Nect was just saying he didn't know where the mines were as an excuse. Old Nect could just say he would make the indebted puppets guide you there, so what did he bring out a map for?