---Third POV---
"Are the devs planning to add new features?"
"Sigh, it seems this factory has been requisitioned by NPCs. I was actually thinking about applying for it…"
Meanwhile, the players following behind let out exclamations of surprise.
"Wait, isn't this the destination mentioned in the announcement?"
Could this be the surprise they hinted at in the notice? The factory buzzed with chatter, as lively as a morning marketplace.
Viktor, unfazed, directed the micron-scale robots to move the industrial mother machine parts to an open area in the center of the factory. There, a unique interface magic circle was prepared. As soon as the parts were placed down, the robots immediately resumed the assembly work they hadn't finished earlier.
The massive mother machine quickly took up a large portion of the area.
Some players tried to get closer for a better look but were bounced back by an invisible barrier, forcing them to stay put.
"Whoa, it even has treads!"
"The shine, the structure, it looks pretty high-end!"
"Using magic runes as circuit boards… Wow, sick!"
One player nudged ProGamer_Daddy, who had been silently observing.
"What do you think this thing is?"
ProGamer_Daddy thought for a moment.
"It looks like an industrial machine tool."
"A machine tool?"
"Yeah, and a super large one at that. Its operational precision and capacity are obviously top-notch."
ProGamer_Daddy's eyes were fixed on the exposed blades and clamps.
"But as for its specific use… I'm not too sure."
At the very least, he had never seen anything like it in real life. The craftsmanship was extraordinary, with tools for cutting, casting, and welding alone suggesting several different systems at work.
Its multifunctionality was so impressive that he started doubting his own conclusions.
The design and patterns also had a unique flair that matched the distinct style of Aeltia.
---
Ten minutes later, the final metal casing was carefully aligned and secured onto the machine, fitting together seamlessly.
The result was a towering, futuristic box, four meters tall and five meters long. At last, the industrial mother machine was fully assembled.
Standing beside this colossal piece of machinery, Viktor's figure seemed especially small. He glanced at the in-game system to check the time.
"Perfect timing."
It was exactly the time specified in the game announcement.
Alyanne, who had been helping calm the townsfolk, arrived as well.
"Members of The Watchers."
Viktor addressed the dozens of players below, his voice echoing through the spacious factory.
"Thanks to the efforts of four brave comrades who risked their lives to deliver the message, The Watchers have finally received the first batch of hidden supplies. I've gathered you all here to reveal the most important item among these supplies."
He lightly patted the machine, the metal shell emitting a deep, solid sound.
"Some of you may have already guessed its purpose. This is a magic-powered automated industrial machine tool, officially called the Intelligent Adaptive Multi-material Genesis Operations Device. It can process materials into parts of specified shapes and precision using methods like grinding, cutting, casting, forging, welding, stamping, and extrusion…"
As he explained, the chatter in the factory gradually died down. This was one of the projects he had poured his heart into after so many years in this world, shaping its trajectory like the wings of a butterfly. Simply by placing raw materials and blueprints at the machine's head, you could retrieve finished parts from the tail.
It could handle metals, alloys, ceramics, and even high-polymer materials with ease.
It was the ultimate industrial tool.
Naturally, he took partial credit for its invention as he introduced it. When he finished, the factory was completely silent.
One player muttered in disbelief, "So, if I throw in some metal and a blueprint for a handgun, I'll get all the parts for a handgun? Just assemble them, and it'll work?"
Viktor nodded but added, "As long as your blueprint is detailed enough."
There were audible gasps from the crowd.
"Holy crap! This is a god-tier tool!"
"I can't believe it… A month ago, I was still digging up potatoes with my bare hands…"
"Is this still a magic-based game? This feels like sci-fi!"
"With this, we can mass-produce all kinds of weapons and equipment!"
"Planes, trains, cannons, bombs, here I come!"
"Wake up. Where are you even getting the blueprints?"
That question made the players pause in thought. But soon enough, their spirits reignited.
"Come on, if we have a divine tool, how hard can it be to make blueprints?"
"I won second place in my school's drawing competition back in sixth grade! With just a piece of paper and a pencil, I can create art!"
The players, their eyes ablaze, surged toward the machine, pressing their faces against the transparent barrier.
"Lord Viktor! Let me use it!"
"I'll pay!"
"My contribution points are high!"
"I… I have a high favorability score with Viktor!"
"Damn it! Nepotism strikes again... Lord Viktor, you can even use my body however you want!"
The players' overwhelming enthusiasm gave Viktor the eerie impression of a zombie horde. Even Alyanne instinctively took several steps back.
Terrifying, especially the last player!
Was this how it felt to stand on the opposite side of The Watchers?
"Stop." Viktor raised his voice to put an end to the chaos. "I haven't finished speaking. The machine's operation time is limited, and blueprints must first be approved by me to qualify for use."
The machine consumed a significant amount of magic power.
Over a week ago, he had instructed players to dig a magic energy channel between the factory and the church. Once the anti-magic pipelines delivered by the Ship-Carriage Guild were installed, the machine could draw a stable power supply like an electrical circuit. However, the magic node had a limited energy capacity, which restricted the machine's operational time.
He couldn't afford to waste precious resources on poorly drawn sketches.
High-quality resources needed to be put to good use. Similarly, only blueprints capable of producing functional products would be accepted.
The moment Viktor finished speaking, ProGamer_Daddy's eyes lit up with inspiration.
"I get it now!"
He had been studying firearm mechanics and large-scale industrial frameworks recently and had several ready-made blueprints in mind. He immediately pushed through the crowd to leave.
The other players, realizing what was happening, began to scatter as well.
"Damn it, he's ahead of us!"
"Hurry, go home and start drawing blueprints! Slots are limited, first come, first served!"
"Quick, use Google for ideas!"
"We need more metals! Anyone with healing skills, join me in searching for mineral veins!"
The remaining players, whether they planned to use the machine or were simply there to watch, all rushed out in a frenzy.
"Hey—" Viktor reached out, trying to stop them.
He hadn't even finished explaining... But he smiled and shook his head, letting his hand fall back down.
Never mind. I'll just include the rest in the announcement later.
There were still many details he wanted to explain, like the blueprint requirements and the machine's operating schedule. But since he had already covered its location and basic functionality, the game's "tutorial" was complete.
It likely won't be long before the details of the industrial machine tools were fully disclosed on the forum.
He looked at the empty factory, a trace of regret in his eyes.
"I originally wanted to explain some precautions about the factory to them. Looks like they'll have to figure it out themselves."
For hundreds of years, he had more than one type of special machinery in his possession.
The Intelligent Adaptive Multi-material Genesis Operations Device, or IAMGOD for short, was just one of them. Eventually, all of these machines would gradually be delivered into his hands.
He planned to place the core units of each machine in this factory.
From here, the machines would radiate outward, creating the technological hub of the Great Oak Forest. Such a high-security facility naturally required sufficient defensive measures.
He had been busy for nearly half a month.
The traps and mechanisms in this factory far outnumbered the empty areas visible to the naked eye.
Hopefully, players would already understand how difficult it was to obtain resurrection materials and sanity-restoring items. He really hoped they wouldn't get any strange ideas…
His gaze swept over the various deactivated mechanisms before finally landing on Alyanne, who stood beside him.
"So, do you understand the purpose of the machine tools now?"
Three days ago, Alyanne had passed Viktor's evaluation.
She had been imprinted with his spiritual brand, enabling her to understand the players' language.
The chaos caused by the players earlier had inadvertently revealed quite a bit of information about machine tools and modern industry, enough for her to grasp their purpose.
Alyanne froze, like a schoolchild suddenly called on in class.
"Ah, um…" She smiled nervously, looking down and mumbling incoherently.
Alright, it seemed she still hadn't understood.
Viktor wasn't disappointed.
"That's fine. Your job is to be a spellcasting mentor, so you don't need to understand the interplay between array engraving and rune etching."
Forcing a dragon to learn technology was indeed a bit much. In that case, he'd have to cultivate a new confidant for this purpose…
With Alyanne in tow, he escorted the lingering players out of the factory. He then closed the doors and activated the central defensive array.
Beams of light quickly streaked across the factory's perimeter, disappearing in an instant. The defense personnel he had arranged earlier were already waiting outside.
He handed each of them a special spiritual brand and a map of the factory's outer perimeter.
He gave them specific instructions. "You are only responsible for the blue areas marked on the map. Stay out of other areas, and if you notice anything unusual, report it directly to me."
The five defense personnel stood straight, responding in unison: "Yes!"
Their eyes were filled with determination.
The factory's outer perimeter had dormitories. Securing such a prime position with food and lodging included had been a fiercely competitive opportunity for them. Moreover, the more they proved themselves indispensable to the lord, the higher their chances of receiving a magic potion to restore their magical talents from him!
They vowed to give their all and avoid losing their jobs over idle curiosity.
Viktor nodded in satisfaction. "Good. Very spirited."
Alyanne glanced at the map in confusion. "What's this…?"
Why hadn't she been informed about these five people or this map?
Viktor tapped his temple lightly, explaining casually, "I saw how busy you were the past two days, so I didn't want to add to your workload."
He dismissed the five guards and led her away as he continued to explain. It wasn't that he didn't trust her. But the importance of Factory No. 1 was too great, and its guards had to be absolutely loyal. Once they'd passed their trials, these five would become his trusted subordinates. There could be no carelessness in this process.
Dragons, with their naturally negative aptitude for reading people, were inherently unfit for screening candidates.
So he had simply taken care of it himself.
"That's… racial discrimination!" Alyanne blurted, her face flushing. "I was human before my bloodline awakened! Please stop making assumptions about dragons and their... ehm..."
"Stereotypes," Viktor said.
"Yes, stereotypes!"
Alyanne took a deep breath and spoke with conviction, "I believe not all dragons fit the stereotypes. Some dragons are perfectly capable of reading people well!"
Finally venting emotions she'd bottled up for ages, she let out a long sigh of relief, feeling an odd sense of liberation.
In Honeyvale Town, while she no longer had to risk her life every day in battles, she found herself increasingly unsatisfied. She began longing for more. She hated her lost right hand and the Mana Devouring Vine on her body…
She yearned for the power she once had, for the talents she'd gain upon awakening as a dragon. Even the necromancer she'd once feared now looked down on her.
After several seconds, she suddenly realized something.
"Wait… that's not what I meant!"
What had she just been rambling about?
She stumbled backward in panic, only to step on a rock and lose her balance as the world spun around her.
Oh no!
Her mind went blank as she closed her eyes.
Thud. Wait… no thud?
She peeked open one eye. Instead of pain, she found herself floating awkwardly in midair.
Passing players muttered to each other.
"What's Viktor doing with Alyanne?"
"Not sure… trying to replicate a baby's cradle-rocking sleep in midair?"
The worst part of a socially humiliating moment was having spectators.
Alyanne's face now turned beet red. She flailed in the air.
"Ahh, help me!"
"Stop yelling. Stretch your legs and stand up yourself."
Alyanne straightened her legs and touched solid ground. She regained her footing, burying her head lower and lower, as though the stones on the ground were deeply fascinating.
Viktor sighed at her helplessness.
"If I were angry, you'd have hit the ground already. Weren't you brave enough when you were criticizing me? And now you're scared?"
Alyanne kept her head down, too ashamed to respond.
Viktor shook his head and changed direction.
"Follow me."
Now fully rational, Alyanne quickly complied. She followed him back to the task station.
They passed through the front hall and headed straight for the warehouse.
Viktor located a recently delivered magical device from the guild's transport cart. He handed Alyanne a bracelet-like device, or perhaps something resembling a small blood pressure monitor.
"Put it on."
"Okay…" Though confused, Alyanne accepted it nervously.
"Wait."
Just before she put the bracelet on, Viktor brought over a chair from the doorway.
"Sit down first, then put it on."
"Uh… alright." Though puzzled, Alyanne obediently sat down.
The bracelet, black with a liquid-like sheen, tightened to fit perfectly around her left wrist the moment it made contact. She frowned as a tingling sensation spread from the bracelet.
Soon, strange bulges began to appear under the skin of her left arm, as though something was moving beneath it.
Her eyes widened in shock.
"Ahhh!"
---
---
60 Advance Chapters!
Visit my profile page for more information.