Chapter 1 Aftermath

After the first operation, things should be quiet for a while.

Han Xiao returned to the repair shop, considering how to expand his sales.

The foldable battle blade seemed to have a good market. Han Xiao wanted more Bureau 13 agents to know about him, this mechanic. After thinking for a while, he called Li Ya Lin and asked her to help spread the word in the Bureau. After some coaxing, Han Xiao successfully persuaded Li Ya Lin to help him promote his wares by promising her a 20% discount in the future.

However, there was a problem. Han Xiao manufactured machinery in the repair shop, but the repair shop's lathe and equipment were limited, and with Lu Qian watching, it was inconvenient for Han Xiao to produce in batches. After thinking it over, he decided to "come clean" with Lu Qian.

"Sister Qian, I need to talk to you."

Lu Qian trembled all over, lamenting inwardly that this day had finally come. Oh well, I've been mentally prepared!

"I want to tell you something. Actually, I..."

Lu Qian suddenly turned around, her face filled with tactful determination. She bowed deeply and stammered, "I'm, I'm sorry. You're a good person."

The atmosphere was awkward.

The two stared at each other.

Han Xiao's eyes twitched. Although I didn't intend to pursue you, why am I so annoyed that you're rejecting me so eagerly?

"...You misunderstood. I'm going to remodel the repair shop and build a separate new room next door. I'll work in there from now on. My friend is providing the remodeling funds, so it's like expanding the repair shop in disguise. What do you think?"

So it was a misunderstanding! Lu Qian swayed, so embarrassed that her heart almost exploded. She forced herself to remain calm and said, "Um, okay, that's good. I agree."

With that, she covered her face and fled.

Waaah, how embarrassing!

Han Xiao looked helpless. He suspected that Lu Qian hadn't even heard what he said.

...

Han Xiao submitted the application to build a workshop to Feng Jun, who forwarded it to the higher-ups.

Bureau 13 valued him highly. This reasonable request was quickly approved, and the engineering team came to expand the repair shop.

Two days later, a new mechanical workshop was built next to the repair shop. Bureau 13 generously sponsored the basic equipment, considering it lent to Han Xiao. At Han Xiao's request, the mechanical workshop had a basement for conducting secret research and serving as a warehouse.

Li Ya Lin's promotion was very effective. Within a few days, many agents were requesting to order foldable battle blades. Han Xiao didn't meet with customers in person, instead having Li Ya Lin forward the orders to him.

Although the customers were all Bureau 13 agents, people's hearts were unpredictable. Han Xiao was still cautious.

Batches of alloy materials were delivered to Han Xiao's workshop. For several days, he made dozens of foldable battle blades, all of which were sold. He gained a lot of experience, and Han Xiao upgraded [Elementary Mechanical Affinity] to max level, earning another potential point.

The agents were well-informed. Thanks to Li Ya Lin's promotion, they all knew that Li Ya Lin's team had recruited a mechanic named Han Xiao who provided private customized machinery and repair services.

Orders flew in like snowflakes. Han Xiao couldn't keep up. His daily production capacity was about dozens of blades, and his daily experience was very considerable. More experience gradually accumulated on the panel, and his personal wallet gradually filled up.

In his previous life, manufacturing and selling machinery was the growth method for Mechanic players, and the market competition was fierce. Now, Han Xiao almost monopolized the market. He was the only one selling foldable battle blades, and monopolies generated huge profits, allowing him to directly earn his first pot of gold.

Han Xiao only planned to sell two types of machinery: high-combustion ammunition and foldable battle blades. He only sold Li Ya Lin a light-duty power arm out of personal consideration.

Foldable battle blade sales were good, but Han Xiao wasn't optimistic. Although the foldable battle blade was popular for a short time, most people were just buying it to try it out. Its uses were limited, and its customer potential was also limited. Moreover, the technology of the foldable battle blade was too rudimentary. A knowledgeable mechanic could deduce the blueprints with a little tinkering. Even security measures wouldn't work. He estimated that knockoffs would appear before long.

Han Xiao only intended to use the foldable battle blade to make a quick buck. In comparison, he valued the prospects of [High-Combustion Ammunition] more. This stuff was useful and inexpensive, and it was a consumable, so it could cultivate a stable customer base.

High-combustion bullets naturally had high security. The core was the combustible gas in the warhead. Once the warhead was opened, the combustion would leak, making it impossible to store it stably. Without the extraction formula from the blueprints, it would be almost impossible to replicate... at least with Star-Long's current technological level.

Han Xiao planned to accumulate a certain amount of stock before finding an opportunity to launch high-combustion bullets. He bought a large amount of bullet materials with the money he earned from foldable battle blades, and he made them in his spare time every day. Boxes of high-combustion bullets gradually accumulated in the underground warehouse.

...

This day, Old Man Lu and Old Man Gao were competing in chess again at the entrance of the repair shop. Han Xiao had just completed a batch of orders and came to Old Man Gao's side, smiling, "Is the prosthetic comfortable to use?"

"Not bad." Old Man Gao smiled, rolling up his sleeve. He was wearing the prosthetic limb, which had been covered with a layer of artificial silicone skin, making it almost indistinguishable from a real limb.

"Good to hear. If there are any malfunctions, feel free to ask me to fix it."

Old Man Gao nodded, smiling knowingly, "I heard from Old Man Lu that you joined Bureau 13?"

"That's right."

"Young and promising. Work hard and contribute to the country," Old Man Gao encouraged.

Han Xiao smiled inwardly. Old Man Gao always thought he didn't know his identity.

There was no need to hide the fact that he worked for Bureau 13. Although the average citizen of Star-Long didn't come into contact with this level in their daily lives, that didn't prevent them from knowing of Bureau 13's existence and considering it a promising job.

Han Xiao responded with a few words, secretly estimating when Old Man Gao would reveal his identity to him. Should he give Old Man Gao some face at that time and act appropriately surprised?

At this moment, Feng Jun walked over quickly, looking serious. He said to Han Xiao, "A word in private."

As Han Xiao's contact, Feng Jun always had a small team monitoring the environment around the repair shop at all times, guarding against suspicious people and worrying that the Germination Organization would discover Han Xiao.

Old Man Gao naturally recognized Feng Jun and couldn't help but wonder what had happened that Feng Jun had come to find Han Xiao in person.

...

Han Xiao followed Feng Jun to the side. Feng Jun said directly, "The Research Department has their eyes on you!"

Han Xiao narrowed his eyes. "Tell me the details."

"The Research Department's authority is to develop various new weapons, and they have the power to conduct risk checks on new weapons used by agents. They believe that the foldable battle blade has risk issues and have asked you to hand over the blueprints for the foldable battle blade so they can check for errors. This is within the Research Department's authority, and other departments cannot interfere."

So they're after my blueprints!

Checking for risks? That's just an excuse.

Han Xiao snorted coldly. As long as he submitted the blueprints for "inspection", the Research Department would be able to mass-produce foldable battle blades tomorrow and turn his blueprints into their achievements.

Han Xiao learned about the internal situation of Bureau 13 through Feng Jun. The Research Department, like the Internal Affairs Department, belonged to the hardliners and were very unfriendly to him.

The Research Department had a serious bureaucratic atmosphere. They hadn't had any new inventions or equipment for many years, and their annual funding was decreasing. In the eyes of the agents, their status wasn't even as good as the Logistics Department. They urgently needed achievements to consolidate their position, so they set their sights on the ready-made blueprints, the foldable battle blade.

As long as they got their hands on the blueprints, the Research Department only needed to write a report to the higher-ups to "turn" it into their invention, their achievements.

"What if I don't hand them over?"

Feng Jun smiled bitterly and said, "You will be blacklisted by the Research Department and recorded in your resume, affecting your promotion. However, you are different from ordinary agents. The Bureau values the information you have, so there shouldn't be any major problems. The Research Department can't force you."

"That's good. I won't hand over the blueprints," Han Xiao said, shaking his head.

Although the foldable battle blade market would be saturated in the future, it could still bring him benefits at the moment. Han Xiao wouldn't give it away.

Feng Jun wasn't surprised by this. After getting along with Han Xiao for this period of time, he had a simple understanding of Han Xiao's character. He was the type who wouldn't be swayed by soft or hard tactics.

...

After Old Man Gao made a phone call and learned about the situation, his face darkened.

"These incompetent bastards are worse than useless!"

Old Man Gao valued Han Xiao very much. Under his operation, Bureau 13 and Han Xiao had a good cooperative relationship. However, the Research Department, for the sake of their own achievements, acted arbitrarily without considering the overall situation. They bullied Han Xiao for being weak and wanted to steal his blueprints. It was simply robbery, and the most important thing was that it could cause Han Xiao to be disgusted, wasting his efforts.

Old Man Gao was furious.

"What audacity!"