After the first operation, things should be pretty quiet for a while.
Xiao returned to his repair shop, thinking about how to expand his market.
The folding combat knife seemed to have market potential. Xiao wanted more Bureau 13 agents to know about him as a mechanic. After pondering for a while, he called Li Yalin and asked her to spread the word within the bureau. After some persistent persuasion, Xiao successfully convinced Li Yalin to help him promote—er, market—his product by promising her a 20% discount on future purchases.
But there was one problem: while Xiao could build machinery in the repair shop, its lathes and equipment were limited. Plus, with Lü Qian watching over him, mass production wasn't feasible. After much deliberation, he decided it was time to "come clean" with Lü Qian.
"Sis Qian, I need to talk to you."
Lü Qian flinched, inwardly sighing. This day had finally come. Well, she was mentally prepared!
"I need to tell you something. Actually..."
Lü Qian abruptly turned, her face bearing a gentle yet resolute expression. She bowed deeply and stammered, "I-I'm sorry. You're a good person."
The atmosphere grew awkward.
The two stared at each other in silence.
Xiao's eye twitched. Though he hadn't intended to pursue her, her abrupt rejection left him oddly unsettled.
"...You misunderstood. I'm just renovating the repair shop—building a separate new room next door. I'll work in there from now on. My friend's covering the renovation costs, so it's basically an expansion of the repair shop. What do you think?"
So it was a misunderstanding! Lü Qian staggered, her embarrassment nearly making her heart explode. Forcing herself to stay calm, she said, "Uh, okay... Great. I agree."
With that, she covered her face and fled in embarrassment.
Waaah, so humiliating!
Xiao looked utterly helpless. He suspected Lü Qian hadn't even heard what he'd said....
Xiao submitted his workshop construction application to Feng Jun, who forwarded it to upper management.
Bureau 13 held him in high regard, and such a reasonable request was swiftly approved. Construction crews from the engineering department arrived to expand the repair shop.
Two days later, a new mechanical workshop stood beside the repair shop. Bureau 13 generously sponsored the basic equipment, lending it to Xiao. At his request, the workshop included a basement for covert research and storage.
Li Yalin's promotional efforts proved highly effective. Within days, numerous agents placed orders for folding combat knives. Xiao avoided meeting clients personally, instead having Li Yalin handle order transfers.
Though all customers were Bureau 13 agents, trust remained elusive. Xiao remained cautious.
Batches of alloy materials arrived at Xiao's workshop. Over several consecutive days, he forged dozens of folding combat knives, selling them all. The substantial experience gained allowed Xiao to max out his [Basic Mechanical Affinity], earning another potential point.
Agents were well-connected. Through Li Yalin's promotion, word spread that her team had recruited a mechanic named Xiao Han, offering custom mechanical orders and repair services.
Orders poured in like snowflakes. Xiao couldn't keep up, producing only dozens of knives daily. Yet his daily experience gains were substantial. His interface gradually accumulated more experience points, and his personal wallet steadily grew.
In his previous life, crafting and selling machinery was how Mech-focused players grew, facing fierce market competition. Now, Xiao held near-monopoly control—folding combat knives were only available from him. This monopoly generated massive profits, allowing him to earn his first fortune.
Xiao intended to sell only two types of machinery: high-explosive ammunition and folding combat knives. Out of personal obligation, he sold Li Yalin a lightweight power arm.
Folding combat knives sold well, but Xiao remained cautious. Though they enjoyed short-term popularity, most buyers were merely trying something novel. Their limited utility meant customer potential was capped. Moreover, the technology was too rudimentary—a skilled mechanic could reverse-engineer the blueprints with minimal effort. Even strict confidentiality measures wouldn't hold, and knockoffs would likely flood the market soon.
Xiao intended the folding combat knife merely as a quick profit opportunity. By contrast, he placed far greater emphasis on the prospects of [High-Combustion Ammunition]. This product was both effective and affordable, and as a consumable item, it could cultivate a stable customer base.
High-Combustion Ammunition inherently possessed high secrecy. Its core lay in the combustible gas within the projectile. Once the projectile was disassembled, the gas would leak and ignite, making stable storage impossible. Without the extraction formula from the blueprint, replication was nearly impossible... at least with Star Dragon's current technological level.
Xiao planned to build up inventory before launching the high-combustion rounds. Using profits from his folding combat knife, he purchased bulk ammunition materials, manufacturing rounds daily during spare moments. Boxes of high-combustion bullets gradually piled up in his underground warehouse....
One day, Old Lü and Old Gao were once again challenging each other to a game of Chinese chess outside the repair shop. Xiao had just finished a batch of orders and, seeing them, walked over to Old Gao with a smile. "How's the prosthetic leg holding up?"
"Not bad at all," Old Gao chuckled, rolling up his sleeve. He was wearing the prosthetic, now covered with a layer of artificial silicone skin that made it almost indistinguishable from the real thing.
"Glad to hear it. If it ever malfunctions, just let me know and I'll fix it for you."
Old Gao nodded, his expression half-amused, half-serious. "I heard from Old Lü that you've joined Bureau 13?"
"That's correct."
"Young and accomplished. Keep up the good work and contribute to the nation," Old Gao encouraged him.
Xiao chuckled inwardly. Old Gao had always assumed he was unaware of his true identity.
Working for Bureau 13 wasn't something he needed to hide. While ordinary citizens of Star Dragon might not encounter such matters in their daily lives, they were well aware of Bureau 13's existence and regarded it as a promising career path.
Xiao responded with a few polite words, inwardly wondering when Old Gao would confront him about it. When that moment came, should he give Old Gao some face and feign a bit of surprise?
Just then, Feng Jun strode over, his expression serious. "Step aside for a moment," he said to Xiao.
As Han Xiao's liaison, Feng Jun constantly led a small squad to monitor the surroundings of the repair shop, guarding against suspicious individuals and preventing the Sprout from discovering Xiao.
Old Gao naturally recognised Feng Jun and couldn't help but wonder what had prompted Feng Jun to seek him out personally....
Xiao followed Feng Jun to the side. Feng Jun cut straight to the point: "The R&D Department has its sights set on you!"
Han Xiao narrowed his eyes. "Elaborate."
"The R&D Department's mandate is to develop new weaponry and conduct risk assessments on new equipment used by operatives. They've identified potential issues with the folding combat knife and demand you hand over its blueprints for inspection. This falls squarely within their jurisdiction—no other department can intervene."
So they're after my blueprints!
Risk assessment? Just an excuse.
Xiao snorted coldly. If he handed over the blueprints for "inspection," the R&D Department could mass-produce folding combat knives tomorrow, turning his designs into their achievements.
Through Feng Jun, Xiao understood the internal dynamics of Bureau 13. Like the Internal Affairs Department, the R&D Department belonged to the hawk faction and was decidedly unfriendly toward him.
The R&D Department was riddled with bureaucratic inertia. Having produced no new inventions or equipment for years, their annual funding dwindled. In the eyes of operatives, their status lagged even behind Logistics. Desperate for achievements to bolster their standing, they'd set their sights on the ready-made blueprints for the folding combat knife.
Once they secured the blueprints, the R&D Department needed only to draft a report for higher-ups to "transform" it into their own invention and achievement.
"What if I refuse to hand them over?"
Feng Jun gave a wry smile. "You'd be blacklisted by the R&D Department, marked in your personnel file, and it would hinder your promotions. But you're not like ordinary agents—the Bureau highly values the intelligence you possess. So it shouldn't be a major issue. They can't force you."
"Good. I won't hand over the blueprints," Xiao shook his head.
Although the folding combat knife would eventually saturate the market, it still brought him benefits now. Xiao wouldn't hand it over willingly.
Feng Jun wasn't surprised at all. After spending time with him, he had a basic understanding of Xiao's nature—he was the type who wouldn't budge, no matter how much pressure was applied....
Old Gao made a phone call. After learning the details of the situation, his expression darkened.
"Those good-for-nothing bastards! They're useless at accomplishing anything worthwhile!"
Old Gao held Xiao in high regard. Through his efforts, Bureau 13 and Xiao had established a solid cooperative relationship. Yet the R&D Department, driven by their own performance metrics, had acted recklessly without regard for the bigger picture. They'd bullied Xiao, exploiting his lack of leverage, attempting to seize his blueprints—nothing short of banditry. Worst of all, it risked alienating Xiao Han, potentially undoing all his hard work.
Old Gao was furious beyond words.
"How dare they!"