Chapter 393: Chapter 392: 3D Printer

Glass is an amorphous solid, without a fixed melting point, but it has a melting range, generally softening from six hundred to eight hundred degrees Celsius, and the higher the temperature, the better its fluidity.

Pandora could melt and reshape glass, which, in Richard’s view, meant she unquestionably had an ability to generate temperatures over six hundred degrees Celsius, and perhaps even over a thousand degrees was not out of the question. Moreover, Pandora could use this ability very flexibly, controlling the high temperature to melt and shape various substances, remove impurities, and turn them into the forms she desired.

This was no ordinary ability, but the legendary Processing God Skills!

Although he possessed the Space Iron Ring, which could also be considered some kind of Processing God Skill, it was not the same thing. The processing with the Space Iron Ring involved carving, only subtraction, not addition, whereas Pandora’s ability was reshaping, capable of both subtraction and addition, and maybe even more wondrous and wide-ranging applications.

Not to mention anything else, if he had discovered Pandora’s ability earlier, there was no need to commission Alex to ask a craftsman to make a rough balance scale. He could have completely guided Pandora to make it himself. By then, the balance scale would have been formed in one piece, eliminating many potential errors, and with a bit of polishing, could reach a very high level of precision.

What was this?

It was a 3D printer!

A 3D printer that didn’t need electricity, that could operate with just a little bit of sparkling glass shards, and had a cost so low it was moving!

But when had Pandora acquired this ability? Why had he never noticed it?

Richard looked towards Pandora.

Pandora walked up to the glass sculpture, lightly touched it, allowing the spot she touched to rapidly soften, and asked Richard, “Are you asking me when I acquired this ability?”

Richard took a deep breath and nodded, “Yes, this ability. When did you learn it?”

“I’ve always known how to do it,” Pandora replied with wide eyes and complete candor. “It’s just like sleeping. I was born with it.”

Silence, a long silence from Richard.

After the silence, Richard asked Pandora, “So, um, if I’m not misunderstanding, you knew how to do this before you met me. Right?”

“Mhmm.”

“In other words, you knew how to do this before your long hibernation. Right?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“So, when I previously asked you what new abilities you had gained from hibernating, you only told me your strength had increased and you had grown taller, but you didn’t mention this. Right?”

“Yes, because I always knew how to do it. It’s not a new ability.” Pandora nodded and then, tilting her head, curiously asked, “Why, is this actually useful?”

“It’s quite useful,” Richard said, not sure what else to say.

“How useful?” Pandora asked.

“As useful as you knowing how to wash test tubes,” Richard replied, covering his forehead.

“Is that so,” Pandora mused to herself. “That should indeed be very useful.”

Richard: “…”

…

Daytime.

The courtyard of the laboratory.

“Thump, thump, thump!”

The sound of knocking on the door resonated.

“My dearest friend–Lord Richard, I’ve brought you your delivery,” Alex yelled at the top of his lungs.

Richard strode to the door and opened it to find Alex standing there with a beaming red face. Recently, in preparation for leaving White Stone City, he had placed a good number of orders with Alex, allowing Alex to earn a hefty sum of money. His bulging purse was evident, and the coachman outside handling the horses and the workers ready to move the goods were clear proof of this.

Alex, looking thrilled, exclaimed, “Haha, my dearest friend, I have procured all the items you wanted, guaranteed top quality, and no deception. Take a look!”

“Then let’s bring them in,” Richard said.

“Right.” Alex didn’t dare to dilly-dally. He quickly waved to the workers on the street outside the door, directing several of them to carry crate after crate of goods off the cart and into the courtyard.

Among these were devices and parts Richard had ordered, as well as several large blocks of iron ingots.

As he watched the iron ingots being unloaded into the yard, Alex approached Richard with a puzzled expression and asked, “Lord Richard, what do you need all these iron ingots for? Are you planning to forge something? Speaking of which, I know many master blacksmiths. They’ve been forging iron tools all their lives and have plenty of experience. It would save you trouble to have them do the forging rather than doing it yourself…”

“No need,” Richard refused Alex’s kind offer, “I have my own plans.”

“Well, alright then…” Alex seemed a bit downcast at the rebuff, then looking slightly unwilling, he continued, “But if you change your mind later, you must let me know, I guarantee… uh, don’t look at me like that. I’m thinking of your interests, not trying to make a profit, really! I swear on the name of my ancestors, if I’m lying, may they never rest in peace.”

Richard didn’t believe him at all and thought to himself: Your ancestors’ graves have been sanitized thoroughly, how could they not rest in peace?

But he kept that to himself and said to Alex, “Alright, if I really do change my mind, I will certainly commission you to contact the blacksmiths, but right now I really do not want to.”

“Okay then.”

“By the way, how are things in the city lately?” Richard asked.

“The situation in the city, well…” Upon hearing this, Alex instinctively shrank his neck and muttered, “Lord Richard, I don’t mean to scare you, but the situation in the city is really terrible. Those powerful wizards are fighting nonstop every day, and it’s unclear why.

Moreover, the more they fight, the more their numbers seem to grow. It’s said that White Stone Tower has called back everyone they could from outside. Additionally, other wizard organizations from the East Coast have sent support.

In short, the city is in total chaos. Wizards themselves say they can’t predict when they might die, let alone ordinary folks. The timid have already run off in large numbers, and the population has decreased by quite a bit.

You know, I’ve also thought about leaving–cough, of course not because I’m cowardly. How could I be cowardly? Mainly for the sake of safety. Um, for Lady Amanda’s safety. Lately, Lady Amanda has been persuading me to leave White Stone City and take refuge in a countryside village, but… I haven’t followed her advice.”

“Why not?” Richard asked.

“Well, of course…” Alex’s eyes widened and his mouth hung open for quite a long time as his eyes darted around before he finally spoke up, “Of course, it’s for my dearest friend–Lord Richard–you.

I know you have many things that require my assistance, so as long as you don’t leave White Stone City, I absolutely won’t leave either; I would rather die than leave!”

“Of course…” Alex’s tone shifted, and he began to sound avaricious, “Although I think this way, Lady Amanda doesn’t understand. I have to buy a lot of jewelry every time just to appease her. I was already out of money and now this…”

“Here, take this,” Richard interrupted Alex, tossing him a Crystal Coin.

Alex caught it and immediately his eyes bulged: “A High-grade Crystal Coin!”

One High-grade Crystal Coin was worth a thousand Gold Coins, far more than the final payment for this transaction. Although he had exaggerated his plight in hopes that Richard would give him a bit more, the extra amount he received now felt too hot to handle, like a burning iron that couldn’t be grasped.

“Lord Richard, what’s this…” Alex looked up, confused.

Richard responded, “I know I’ve given you more than what was due. The High-level Crystal Coin I’ve given you includes your final payment as well as a portion intended for you to purchase some items for me. The amount that’s left over is your reward for the work you’ve done for me in this period.

I’m aware that every time I delegate a task to you, you make a profit–I don’t mind that, as long as you carry out the tasks given to you. From that perspective, you’ve done well, so you should be rewarded. It’s settled.”

“But why suddenly decide to reward me now?” Alex still seemed puzzled, or more accurately, unnerved. As a merchant, he sensed something was off.

The next moment, he heard Richard say, “It’s simple, because before long, I will be leaving White Stone City.”

Ah? What?!