Chapter 225: Mechanical Expert
Zhang Yi quickly brought Yang Siya and Zhou Ke'er to the living room. Seeing Yang Xinxin safe and sound, they burst into tears of joy and rushed forward.
"Xinxin! It’s so great that you’re alive!"
"Do you know how worried we were about you?"
Yang Siya knelt in front of Yang Xinxin with a fawning smile. "Why didn't you contact me earlier? You must have suffered a lot out there!"
However, Yang Xinxin showed little warmth towards her celebrity cousin. With a cold snort, she replied, "My lowly sister! You only became famous by exploiting men’s fantasies. Aside from relying on your body, what else can you do?"
"If it weren’t for discovering you were with Brother Zhang Yi, I wouldn’t have contacted you at all!"
Yang Siya’s face turned awkward. Zhang Yi raised an eyebrow, realizing the strained relationship between the cousins. It was no wonder, given Yang Siya’s reputation and Yang Xinxin’s intellectual prowess.
"Brother Zhang Yi?" Zhou Ke'er remarked, intrigued by Yang Xinxin’s respectful address. "Since when did Xinxin become so polite to anyone?"
After brief introductions, Lu Keran shared her background. Although not from a prominent family, her parents were university professors, making her upbringing respectable.
Clapping his hands, Zhang Yi assigned tasks to Yang Siya and Zhou Ke'er.
"Mimi, prepare a good meal to welcome Xinxin and Keran."
"Ke’er, organize their rooms."
Zhou Ke'er cheerfully agreed, "Sure! I’ve already prepared Xinxin’s room; I just need to set up one more."
Yang Siya began working in the kitchen to prepare the dinner.
As for Lu Keran and Yang Xinxin, who had just arrived, Zhang Yi didn’t rush them into work. Given the lack of proper bathing conditions at Tianqing Academy under the snow, he sent them to take a bath first.
Lu Keran pushed Yang Xinxin to the bathroom. Knowing their measurements, Zhang Yi provided several sets of clothes for them to choose from. In the kitchen, Yang Siya glanced at Zhang Yi, her knife moving slower.
Zhang Yi sighed, "Still holding onto that after so long?"
Yang Siya pouted, "You can do whatever you want to me, but don’t think about doing the same to those innocent students."
Zhang Yi chuckled. He had no such intentions. His previous treatment of Yang Siya stemmed from knowing she came with her body as a bargaining chip for survival. But Lu Keran and Yang Xinxin were different—they were skilled talents essential for the shelter’s security. Zhang Yi wasn’t desperate. They needed to focus on fortifying the shelter.
If emotions developed over time, well, that was beyond his control. The two girls spent a long time in the bathroom. Coming from decent families, the long period without proper bathing had been tough. In a comfortable environment with hot water, they thoroughly cleansed themselves.
After their baths, the girls emerged in the clothes Zhang Yi had prepared. Feeling refreshed, they looked at Zhang Yi with growing affection—after all, he was their savior, providing them with a safe and comfortable home.
"Big Brother, we’re done!" Lu Keran said cheerfully.
Zhang Yi, smiling, invited them to sit, offering hot drinks to replenish their energy. With a coffee machine available, Yang Siya served Yang Xinxin a cappuccino while Lu Keran opted for an Americano.
Crossing his legs, Zhang Yi casually chatted with them. "Xinxin, you’ll be responsible for the shelter’s network security. Is that alright?"
Though Zhang Yi knew little about computers, he knew Yang Xinxin’s expertise.
Yang Xinxin nodded confidently, "Leave it to me!"
Turning to Lu Keran, Zhang Yi asked, "You’re skilled in mechanics. Can you manufacture weapons and ammunition?"
Lu Keran sat up straight, "Big Brother, I can! But I’ll need specialized mechanical equipment."
"And for ammunition, the necessary materials aren’t readily available in the market."
"But for cold weapons, the materials can be sourced from other metals at home. However, forging tools are required."
Zhang Yi smiled, "That’s not a problem."
He stood and led Lu Keran to the basement, revealing a spacious room filled with industrial machinery he had salvaged. From CNC machines to various high-end equipment, they were invaluable.
"Can you use these? If not, I can find more from steel factories," Zhang Yi offered.
Lu Keran’s eyes sparkled at the sight of the advanced machinery. "These are perfect! Even if some aren’t directly useful, I can modify the parts."
Her enthusiasm reassured Zhang Yi. Her mechanical skills would be crucial for their survival.
"First, organize the equipment. Later, you can help create whatever we need," Zhang Yi instructed.
Zhang Yi had plenty of chemical supplies for ammunition materials in his spatial storage. Large firearms were abundant, but he needed bullets and suppressors—especially for his sniper rifle, which made too much noise, hindering stealth operations.
"Rest assured, Big Brother! Leave it all to me!" Lu Keran said confidently, flexing her well-toned arms.
Watching her enthusiasm, Zhang Yi felt delighted. He initially expected less, but her talents were a pleasant surprise.
"Since you’re familiar with materials, check this out," Zhang Yi said, handing her the Loong Roar Sword from Liang Yue.
"Is this an ancient artifact? When I took it, your teacher seemed ready to fight to the death," he mused.
Lu Keran, familiar with the sword, eagerly examined it. As she unsheathed the blade, a cold gleam, and a clear ringing sound emerged.
"This is Teacher Liang’s treasured sword! Finally, I can see it up close," Lu Keran admired the sword, studying it like a rare gem. After a long while, she reluctantly sheathed it and returned it to Zhang Yi.
"This sword, Loong Roar, was crafted by Yuan Lin, the greatest swordsmith in China. It’s not an ancient relic but a modern masterpiece made of Adamantium, said to be the hardest metal, capable of slicing through diamonds."
Zhang Yi was astonished. "That’s impressive!"
Lu Keran explained, "Adamantium was developed ten years ago for military applications but was too costly and scarce. Some used it for cold weapons, creating indestructible blades."
"This one, Loong Roar, was given to Teacher Liang as a reward for saving a high-ranking official’s life. It symbolizes immense honor to her, which is why she values it more than her life."
Zhang Yi’s eyes glowed as he admired the sword. It was no wonder Liang Yue could fight the mutant cat—ordinary blades would have dulled.
"This is a great weapon. I’ll keep it safe," Zhang Yi decided, preferring it over his previous Damascus steel hunting knife for self-defense.