Fortune Across the World

Chapter 149: Riding Together on the Majestic Mechanism Road (End)

"Wow, that's ingenious!" Ding Qiyu exclaimed in genuine admiration. Without a close inspection, one would never realize that these stone slabs were specially designed mechanism slabs, each capable of transforming under control of the mechanisms.

Le Zhuyi threw the second stone in her hand. It hit the side wall of the mountain path, causing the stone bricks on the opposite wall to open into honeycomb-like black holes. The sound of crossbows being armed echoed from within, and arrows shot out in a rain from the holes, their sharp heads embedding into the opposite wall with a series of loud clangs.

The stone bricks, made from extremely strong material, showed no damage even after the assault. Arrows that fell to the ground triggered the steel spike mechanisms in the stone floor once more, making it nearly impossible for an intruder to avoid injury.

Once the arrow rain ceased, the mechanisms within the wall reloaded, and the openings closed up, leaving no trace except the scattered arrows on the ground.

Ding Qiyu stroked her chin, acknowledging the power of the mechanism. In this world, devoid of the superhuman agility often found in martial arts novels, it was impossible to traverse such a long path without touching the ground at all. Thus, the predecessor's design was quite secure, though the risk lay in the opposition sending a large number of people, leading to potential breaches. Furthermore, operating these mechanisms was resource-intensive, not the most efficient solution. Turning to Le Zhuyi, Ding Qiyu remarked, "Yi Girl, these mechanisms don't seem to have aged much."

"This section close to the mountain has hardly ever been used. The section at the mountain entrance has been triggered a few times over the years, but without a mechanism artisan to maintain them, their functionality has deteriorated," Le Zhuyi replied, brushing some dust off her fingertips, her words carrying a subtle note of concern.

After a moment of thought, Ding Qiyu said to Le Zhuyi, "But now there is one. I can repair the mechanisms left by the predecessor."

The unwavering determination in Ding Qiyu's eyes brought a warmth to Le Zhuyi's heart. Just as she was about to speak, Ding Qiyu added, "I can also add new mechanisms. As a 'little carpenter,' I'll do my best to help Qianli Palace through this crisis." Whether to atone for her mistakes or for her master, she felt obligated to contribute. Embracing her youthful spirit, Ding Qiyu jokingly referred to herself as a "little carpenter," a subtle protest against Yi Girl's frequent teasing.

Le Zhuyi, taking in Ding Qiyu's demeanor, increasingly saw her as a righteous person. Her self-reference as a "little carpenter" struck Le Zhuyi as endearing, prompting a bright smile. Sincerely, she said, "Then, on behalf of all the sisters at Qianli Palace, thank you, little carpenter~"

Ding Qiyu sighed—Yi Girl was doing it on purpose, knowing full well she wasn't a carpenter and the term "mechanism artisan" existed, yet choosing to call her that. Oh well, she thought, Yi Girl is pretty, skilled, and has a fiery temper—whatever makes her happy... She replied with a resigned shrug, "No need to thank me. It's just the righteous thing to do, especially since I owe it to you."

Le Zhuyi's smile widened. With the little carpenter around, she felt an inexplicable sense of security, less anxious about the crisis. Without further teasing, she led Ding Qiyu to continue exploring the mechanism path.

The traps along the mechanism path weren't limited to crossbows and steel spikes. The entire path was divided into five sections, each with two different traps. To pass through, one needed to find the control mechanism for each section and activate the safe passage. Le Zhuyi patiently guided Ding Qiyu through the entire path, demonstrating all the traps in detail. Ding Qiyu noted many key points, planning to first analyze the entire mechanism structure, then repair the functional parts and replace outdated traps with her designs.