ATPnovel Chapter 18 Forging Weapons in the Cold Night, Concealing Their Sharpness; Secretly Recording Treache
Chapter 18 Forging Weapons in the Cold Night, Concealing Their Sharpness; Secretly Recording Treache
The late autumn night wind rustled through the gray bricks and tiles of the Hongxing Courtyard, stirring up the fallen leaves piled up in the corners. Lin Chen closed the wooden door covered with old newspapers, shutting out the noise and chill of the courtyard. The kerosene lamp on the table flickered, casting swaying shadows on the wall and illuminating the unfolded system panel—the lingering heat from the confrontation in the central courtyard had not yet dissipated, the faint glow of the "Neighborhood Trust" buff on the panel was still flashing, and below the "Gain a Foothold" quest, which was 70% complete, a new side quest prompt was slowly appearing: "Break through Xu Damao's malicious framing, consolidate the workshop's position, reward 1000 points, unlock 'Material Enhancement' basic permission."
Lin Chen's fingertips lightly touched the panel, his thoughts returning to Xu Damao's sinister gaze when the movie ended that evening. At that time, everyone was swarming around Jia Zhangshi demanding her stolen goods, a chaotic scene, while this slick-haired projectionist huddled on the periphery, a gloating smile on his lips. When Lin Chen finished his errands and returned to the workshop to get his tools, he unexpectedly stumbled upon Xu Damao gossiping with Old Wang from the forging group, saying something about "that kid Lin Chen being dishonest when he was working in the countryside, stealing corn seeds from the collective," his voice low, deliberately letting a passing apprentice overhear.
"Xu Damao..." Lin Chen murmured the name, his fingertips tracing the half-piece of selenium-coated steel he'd salvaged from the scrap heap in his pocket. In his past life, this man was a master of sniping from the shadows, using his position at the movie theater to seduce female employees, then shifting the blame onto others when things went wrong. If he didn't expose his facade this time, he'd be a constant threat in the future. Suddenly, a system notification sounded: "Detectable fusion materials: Old cassette tape x1, Scrap radio parts x3, Size D battery x2. Initiate fusion?"
Lin Chen's eyes lit up. During the day, while sorting through scrap materials in the workshop's logistics department, he had indeed seen a blank cassette tape that no one wanted, and a transistor radio that had been smashed to pieces, leaving only the outer shell. At the time, he only thought the parts might be useful, but he hadn't expected them to come in handy. He immediately dragged the worn wooden box from under his bed and pulled out the parts wrapped in cloth—the radio's magnetic head was still intact, the coil was worn but repairable, and the tape base wasn't aged.
In the glow of the kerosene lamp, Lin Chen laid out the parts one by one. The system panel immediately displayed the fusion plan: "Target item: Simple directional recording device, fusion success rate 85%, consumes 15 points of mental energy, estimated time 120 minutes. Execute?" "Execute." As the command was given, a pale blue energy halo enveloped the parts. The selenium steel sheet was cut into tiny pads, the coil automatically repaired itself under the energy, and the copper plates of the battery's positive and negative terminals were precisely bent into contact points. Lin Chen held his breath and focused intently, adjusting the magnetic head angle according to the system prompts. Every movement was precise to the millimeter—this was not only the fusion of the system, but also the ultimate utilization of his mechanical repair experience from his previous life.
At one o'clock in the morning, when the last light in the courtyard went out, the fusion was finally complete. Lin Chen held a palm-sized device in his hand, its outer shell made from a modified radio casing. A tiny knob on the side adjusted the recording time, and a thin metal antenna extended from the top, capable of receiving sound directionally within a five-meter radius. The system notification sounded: "Fusion successful. Obtained 'Directional Recorder' with 'Noise Reduction' effect. It can clearly record the target sound and block out ambient noise." He inserted the batteries, recorded ten seconds into the alarm clock on the corner of the table, and pressed play. The crisp ticking sound came through clearly, even filtering out the sound of the wind outside the window.
Lin Chen extinguished the kerosene lamp, concealed the tape recorder in his sleeve by the moonlight, and silently pushed open the door. The chill of late autumn, damp with dew, hit him. He wrapped his work jacket tighter around himself and walked along the wall towards the backyard—according to his memories from his previous life, Xu Damao often used the pretext of "checking the projection equipment lines" to secretly meet with Li Juan, a female worker in the factory office, in the storage room behind the boiler room. This was the time they had arranged to meet.
The boiler room chimney was still emitting wisps of smoke. By the dim light of the fire, Lin Chen saw that the door to the storeroom was ajar, and hushed laughter could be heard coming from inside. He slowed his pace and walked around to the west window of the storeroom, where a pile of discarded coal ash provided perfect cover. He aimed the recorder's antenna at the crack in the door and gently pressed the record button. The metal casing made a faint sound as it rubbed against the coal ash, but it was thankfully drowned out by the conversation inside.
"You rascal, where are the movie tickets you promised? I already told my sister we were going to see 'The Red Detachment of Women' this weekend." Li Juan's voice carried a hint of coquettishness, mixed with the rustling of fabric. "What's the rush?" Xu Damao's voice was smug. "The tickets are in my pocket, but I'll have to wait until I'm done with my business. I have something to tell you, you know Lin Chen from our factory, right?"
Hearing his name, Lin Chen's heart skipped a beat, and his fingers instinctively tightened around the recorder. "Is that the guy who's been making a scene in the workshop lately? I heard he stole Qin Huairu's order," Li Juan said, her voice tinged with curiosity. "Stole an order? Let me tell you, that kid was a scoundrel back in the countryside!" Xu Damao's voice lowered, but became even clearer. "I heard from a relative back home that he stole corn seeds from the production team in 1968, got caught by the team leader, and was paraded through the streets. If it weren't for the policy of sending educated youth back to the city, he'd still be in the countryside doing labor reform!"
Lin Chen frowned deeply. This rumor was so well-crafted, even the year was pinned precisely, clearly a carefully planned scheme by Xu Damao—in 1968 he was indeed sent to the countryside in northern Shaanxi, but the one who stole the corn to plant was a hoodlum in the same team, who then framed another educated youth, causing quite a stir. Xu Damao had obviously inquired about this past event and deliberately misrepresented it.
"Really? How did he get a job at the steel rolling mill?" Li Juan's voice was full of surprise. "He just got incredibly lucky!" Xu Damao's voice was tinged with jealousy. "I heard he gave Director Zhou a gift; otherwise, with his background, he wouldn't even be qualified to be an apprentice in the workshop. You don't know, this afternoon at the Intermediate People's Court, he clashed with both Grandpa Yi and Qin Huairu, he was incredibly arrogant!"
"Then you'd better be careful, don't let him target you," Li Juan advised. "Target me?" Xu Damao scoffed. "I'm about to teach him a lesson! I've already told Old Zhang in the personnel department to check Lin Chen's file tomorrow and report him for stealing corn seeds to the factory office. At that point, forget about staying in the precision group, he might not even be able to keep his job!"
"What about Qin Huairu? Weren't you on good terms with her? Why isn't she helping you?" "Her?" Xu Damao's voice was full of disdain. "She's just a shrew who only knows how to play the victim. She was restless when she was with Jia Dongxu, and now she lives off Yi Zhonghai and Sha Zhu. Today, Lin Chen exposed her gift-giving, and she's hiding at home crying. She doesn't have the mind to care about me. But then again, her three kids are a real burden. If it weren't for the fact that she's somewhat pretty, I wouldn't bother with her."
The conversation gradually became ambiguous. Lin Chen glanced at the recording device; it had recorded a full fifteen minutes, enough as evidence. He gently pressed the stop button and, taking advantage of the two people's inattention, quietly retreated behind the cinder pile, returning to the central courtyard along the same route. As he passed the Jia family's window, he vaguely heard Qin Huairu sobbing inside, along with Jia Zhangshi's curses: "Useless thing! Can't even get a single order, and that brat Lin Chen has something on her! If my asthma hadn't flared up, I would have gone to his door tonight and made a scene!"
Lin Chen didn't stop walking, knowing full well that Qin Huairu was now in a difficult situation. Yi Zhonghai had lost face at the factory because of the gift-giving incident and would certainly not support her as wholeheartedly as before; Sha Zhu had seen through her true colors and would no longer provide her with unconditional assistance; and Jia Zhangshi was only good at petty theft and couldn't offer any real help. This predicament might be the very opportunity for her to completely change—in her previous life, she had always clung to the idea of "scheming for survival," but in this life, perhaps it could lead her to the right path of earning a living through her skills.
Back in his small hut, Lin Chen hid the recorder in a hidden compartment under the bed, a compartment he had carved out when he first moved in to store valuables. Only after doing this did he feel a wave of exhaustion wash over him; the excessive mental exertion made him dizzy, and he collapsed onto the earthen bed, falling into a deep sleep. In his hazy state, he seemed to see his points fluctuating on the system panel, and the "Materials Enhancement" permission icon flashing faintly.
The next morning, Lin Chen was awakened by the commotion at the Intermediate People's Court. Rubbing his throbbing temples, he stepped out of his room and saw Xu Damao standing with his hands on his hips beside a stone table, shouting at the gathered neighbors, "Everyone, be the judge! That kid Lin Chen stole collective property in the countryside! How can someone like that stay in our steel mill? I've already reported it to the labor and personnel department, and they'll be here to investigate today!"
Yi Zhonghai stood to the side, his expression complex. Yesterday, Lin Chen had exposed his gift-giving, causing him to lose face completely. But if Xu Damao's accusation of "stealing collective property" was true, then Lin Chen was finished at the factory. He wanted to say something to persuade him, but then felt this was a chance to save face, so he remained silent. Liu Haizhong watched the spectacle with his arms crossed, clicking his tongue: "So that's why Lin Chen is so capable; he has a criminal record!"
Yan Bugui, holding an abacus, stepped forward, feigning to reconcile: "Master Xu, you can't just say things carelessly; you need evidence. If you wrong Xiao Lin, you'll be held responsible." But in his heart, he was calculating whether he could snatch the scrap recycling business from the precision group if Lin Chen really got fired—the alloy scraps Lin Chen collected were much more valuable than ordinary scrap iron.
"Evidence? Of course I have it!" Xu Damao pulled a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket. "This is a certificate written by a relative from my hometown, and it even has the signature of the production team leader from back then! Look, in August 1968, Lin Chen stole twenty catties of corn seeds and was paraded through the streets as a warning!" He handed the paper to the neighbors around him, his face full of pride.
Just then, Lin Chen strolled over, carrying an enamel mug. He took a sip of hot water and said, "Master Xu is quite well-informed; he even found out about my time as a sent-down youth. But I remember that in August 1968, I was working on a reservoir at a youth settlement in Yanchuan County, Shaanxi Province. I asked the team leader for half a month's leave, and I have attendance records from the reservoir construction site and testimonies from my fellow workers. How could I have stolen corn seeds?"
Xu Damao's expression changed slightly: "You're talking nonsense! The attendance records are long gone. Who can prove you were working on the reservoir?" "I can prove it." An old voice came from outside the crowd. Grandpa Wang from the front yard walked over with his cane. He used to be the old accountant at the steel rolling mill. After retiring, he was responsible for organizing the files of educated youth. "Last year, when I was helping the labor and personnel department organize the data of educated youth returning to the city, I saw Lin Chen's file. There was indeed a commendation letter from the reservoir construction site, saying that he was awarded a third-class merit for repairing the dam. The date was August 1968."
Grandpa Wang's words sent a cold sweat down Xu Damao's forehead. He hadn't expected Lin Chen's file to contain this information. But now, he could only grit his teeth and continue: "Even if you were repairing the reservoir, that doesn't prove you didn't steal the corn seeds! Maybe you were repairing the reservoir during the day and then went back to steal them at night!"
"Master Xu is trying to fabricate a crime out of thin air." Lin Chen put down the enamel mug, took out a recorder from his pocket, "But coincidentally, I was collecting scraps behind the boiler room last night and happened to record a conversation. You might as well listen to it." He pressed the play button, and Xu Damao and Li Juan's teasing voices came out first. A burst of laughter immediately rose from the crowd, and Li Juan's face turned red instantly. She turned around and wanted to leave.
"Don't rush off, the best is yet to come." Lin Chen pressed the pause button, waiting for the laughter to subside before pressing play again. When Xu Damao said, "I heard from a relative back home that he stole corn seeds from the production team in 1968," the crowd instantly fell silent, all eyes fixed on Xu Damao. As the recording continued, his words about plotting to frame Lin Chen and his disdain for Qin Huairu were uttered word for word. Xu Damao's face went from red to white, then from white to green, and his whole body began to tremble.
"Xu Damao, what else do you have to say?" Lin Chen turned off the recorder, his gaze sharp as a knife. "Fabricating rumors to frame colleagues, undermining factory unity, and having inappropriate relationships with female workers—if these things get reported to the factory office, how long can you remain a projectionist?"
"You...you eavesdropped on me! This is an invasion of privacy!" Xu Damao shouted angrily. "I was scavenging in the scrap heap in the workshop when I overheard you spreading rumors in a public area. How can that be called eavesdropping?" Lin Chen sneered. "But you, you used your position to seduce female workers and then fabricated rumors to frame me. If I hand this tape over to the factory's disciplinary committee, what do you think the consequences will be?"
Yi Zhonghai stepped forward at this moment. He knew that continuing the commotion would not benefit Xu Damao and would also damage the reputation of the courtyard house. "Alright, alright, we're all neighbors, we'll see each other again soon, why make things so tense?" He winked at Xu Damao, "Master Xu, you should apologize to Comrade Lin right away, and let's just let this matter go."
Although Xu Damao was unwilling, he knew the recording was fatal evidence, so he could only grit his teeth and say to Lin Chen, "Comrade Lin, I'm sorry, I was confused for a moment and shouldn't have fabricated rumors to frame you." "Is an apology enough?" Liu Haizhong suddenly spoke up. He had long disliked Xu Damao. "Yesterday in the workshop, you told Lao Wang that Xiao Lin stole corn seeds. Many apprentices heard it. We need to clarify this matter, otherwise, what will happen to Xiao Lin's reputation?"
"I'll go to the workshop to clarify!" Xu Damao said hurriedly. "I'll go tell Lao Wang and the apprentices right now that it's a rumor I made up, and it has nothing to do with Comrade Lin!" Lin Chen nodded: "That's more like it. Also, you're not allowed to harass Comrade Li Juan anymore. If I hear any more rumors, I'll hand this tape over to the factory office directly."
Xu Damao slunk away, and Li Juan also ran home with her head down. As the crowd gradually dispersed, Yi Zhonghai walked up to Lin Chen and said in a complicated tone, "Lin, you're too calculating. In the future, talk things out in the courtyard, don't resort to these underhanded tactics." "Master Yi, I was forced into this," Lin Chen smiled faintly. "If Xu Damao hadn't fabricated rumors and framed me, I wouldn't have gone to so much trouble. Besides, I was just using evidence to protect my rights, which is better than some people using bribes and back channels, isn't it?"
Yi Zhonghai's face flushed red and then paled. He gave an awkward laugh and turned to go home. Yan Bugui came over, his abacus clicking away: "Xiao Lin, your recorder is really a good thing. Can I borrow it to study it? When I tutor students, some are always late or leave early. If I could record it, it would be good to have some evidence." "If Master Yan wants it, I'll make one for you another day," Lin Chen said with a smile. He knew that although Yan Bugui was calculating, he wasn't a bad person at heart. He was just too focused on profit. If he could get along well with him, he would have fewer troubles in the hospital in the future.
After seeing Yan Bugui off, Qin Huairu suddenly came out of the house, carrying a cloth bag. She walked up to Lin Chen and said, "Comrade Lin, thank you for yesterday." She handed him the bag, "Inside are half a jin of grain coupons I've saved, and a few eggs. Don't think it's too little." Lin Chen didn't take it and shook his head. "Sister Qin, keep the grain coupons and eggs for the children. Yesterday, I was just protecting my own rights, not targeting you."
Qin Huairu's eyes reddened: "I know, it was my fault and my master's fault. We shouldn't have tried to win orders by giving gifts, and we shouldn't have let Jia Zhangshi steal things. I'll never do anything crooked again. I want to learn the skills properly. Can you teach me?" Lin Chen looked at her sincere eyes and nodded: "Sure, but learning skills requires hard work. You can't just be perfunctory like before. Come to the workshop at seven o'clock tomorrow morning, and I'll teach you how to read the blueprints first."
Qin Huairu nodded excitedly, her steps lighter as she turned to go back into the house. Lin Chen watched her retreating figure, knowing in his heart that this was just the beginning. Yi Zhonghai would not be willing to lose his authority in the courtyard, Jia Zhangshi would not be able to change her petty thievery, and Xu Damao was even more vindictive, but he was no longer the Lin Chen who could be manipulated at will in his previous life.
Back inside, the system panel popped up again with a notification: "Side quest 'Breaking Xu Damao's Malicious Frame-Up' completed, reward 1000 points, unlocking basic 'Material Enhancement' permission. The 'Gain a Foothold' main quest completion rate increased to 85%, current accumulated points 2300." Lin Chen clicked on the "Material Enhancement" permission, and the panel showed that he could perform basic enhancement on ordinary metals, increasing their hardness and wear resistance, with each enhancement consuming 100 points.
He took out the wear-resistant wrench he had fused with last time from the wooden box and selected to enhance it. A pale blue energy aura enveloped the wrench, and its originally silver-gray surface shimmered with a fine sheen. After the enhancement was complete, the system notified him: "Wrench hardness increased by 50%, wear resistance increased by 60%, reaching the standard of an intermediate tool." Lin Chen tried using the wrench to tighten the screws on the bed leg; the previously rusted screws turned easily, several times more convenient than before.
Sunlight streamed through the window cracks, falling on the reinforced wrench and reflecting a dazzling light. Lin Chen gripped the wrench tightly, his heart filled with confidence. He knew that in this courtyard filled with calculation and competition, only his own strength was the most reliable guarantee. And his goal was far more than just gaining a foothold—he wanted to use his own hands and the system to carve out a place for himself in this special era.
As evening fell, He Yushui returned home from school and made a detour to Lin Chen's house: "Comrade Lin, my brother asked me to tell you that we're having dumplings at his house tonight. He brought back some minced meat from the guesthouse." Lin Chen smiled and agreed. When he entered Sha Zhu's house, he saw dumpling filling and dough already laid out on the table. Sha Zhu was clumsily rolling out the dough, his face full of embarrassment: "My skills aren't very good, please don't mind."
"You're too kind, Brother Shazhu." Lin Chen sat down to help make dumplings. "Thank you for speaking up for me at the Intermediate People's Court today." "Why thank me? It's Xu Damao who's a real scoundrel." Shazhu snorted. "I used to be used as a pawn by him and Qin Huairu. Now I've figured it out. Relying on yourself is worse than relying on anyone else. If you get bullied again in the future, just tell me, and I'll stand up for you."
The aroma of dumplings filled the small room after they were cooked. He Yushui walked in carrying a bowl of vinegar, smiling as she said, "Comrade Lin, you're really something! You've got Xu Damao and Grandpa Yi completely under your thumb. All my classmates are saying that a technical expert has come to the steel mill; he even dares to challenge an eighth-grade fitter." Lin Chen smiled but didn't say anything. He knew this was just the prologue to his struggle in this era; more challenges lay ahead, but he was prepared.
As night deepened, the aroma of dumplings mingled with the glow of the kerosene lamp, filling the small room. Looking at the sincere smiles of Sha Zhu and He Yushui, Lin Chen felt a surge of warmth in his heart. In this calculating courtyard, there were still genuine feelings worth cherishing. And what he had to do was protect these feelings, and at the same time, use his own hands and wisdom to write his own legend on this land.