BXBX NOVEL Chapter 90: Chapter90-The Sanders Family
As adventurers, weapons are your most loyal partners. I think you understand this completely, so rest assured. The fact that you are willing to trust me makes me very satisfied!"
As Old Mac said this, a smile spread across his face.
He was already eagerly anticipating the expressions on John and the others\' faces if the Shadows of the Past really appeared.
As for the weapons, Old Mac had already planned this out before they set off.
"Alright! This is it! The ore we need to mine is in this tunnel."
Old Mac slapped the lift to a stop and gazed at the pitch-black tunnel ahead, turning on his headlamp.
"Watch your step. If you fall, it\'s an abyss of no return."
Old Mac grinned, thinking himself humorous, and led the way, striking the ground with his pickaxe to check for stability.
In a casual glance, John was stunned. The pickaxe in Old Mac\'s hand was actually of [Epic] quality!
Not only that, but the headlamp, the multifunctional jacket—almost all of his equipment was [Epic] quality, even more luxurious than what the players had!
"Mac, did you make all the gear you\'re wearing yourself?"
"Not the clothes. My daughter sewed them. How do you like it? She\'s quite skilled, isn\'t she?"
When he mentioned his daughter, Old Mac\'s eyes filled with warmth. He was clearly a loving father.
In contrast, John and the others\' reactions were rather exaggerated.
A craftsman capable of mass-producing [Epic] quality weapons and a tailor who could make [Epic] armor—what kind of family was this?
Even if the God of Forging favored them, it seemed a bit too obvious!
"Speaking of my daughter, if there\'s a chance, I\'d love to introduce you to her. Unfortunately, she\'s no longer here."
"Passed away?"
"What? No, of course not!"
Old Mac steadied his headlamp and smiled wryly. "It\'s my poor choice of words. I meant she\'s left Talcavano. Recently, I received a letter from her. She\'s doing well in Everglow, and I\'m very relieved.
As expected of the eldest daughter of the Sanders family, Florence never lets me down!"
"Wait... what? Florence is your daughter? Florence Sanders, the dwarf who owns the tailor shop in Everglow?"
"That\'s right! Wait, how do you know? Have you been to Everglow?"
"Ha... Florence\'s name is practically legendary."
Despite John already thinking highly of the Sanders family\'s impressive lineage and the talents hidden in their bloodline, he had clearly underestimated them.
Florence Sanders, the dwarf tailor, was an unavoidable NPC once you reached a certain stage.
The reason was simple: this dwarf woman could sew [Legendary] quality armor and even imprint special effects on it based on the materials you provided!
"It seems Florence is truly remarkable, so famous already? Haha! I really want to visit Everglow and see my daughter."
"Why not? If we deal with the Shadows of the Past, you can leave Talcavano with us. We will eventually head to Everglow, where you can reunite with your daughter. Uncle Mac, do you have any other relatives in Talcavano?"
"No, my wife died in a mining accident. My youngest son grew up and left Talcavano for Spartonia. I have no other attachments."
"Then you can come with us. Our next stop is Spartonia. After that, we might go to the underwater city of Atlantis and then head straight to Everglow. How about it?"
"Atlantis really exists? I thought it was just a legend!"
Facing Mac\'s astonished look, John smiled.
In fact, in his past life, John had a similar reaction when he learned he would be heading to Atlantis.
The beautiful, majestic underwater city was unforgettable for him.
However, as John and Old Mac chatted away, Helena and the others felt a bit puzzled.
"John, how do you know so much?"
"Uh... you forgot? I\'m a prophet, remember?"
John nervously avoided Helena\'s gaze. Perhaps in his eagerness to build a good relationship with Old Mac and Florence, he had gotten a bit carried away.
"Anyway, it\'s settled then. Once we\'ve dealt with or figured out the Shadows of the Past, you can join us, Mac."
"No problem! After all these years in Talcavano, I\'m getting tired of the wind and sand here. Every time I open the door, I get covered in dust. There\'s always sand in my drink, no matter how much I clean it, and the rice always has pebbles that can break your teeth. It\'s time to see the world outside!"
Hearing this, John finally smiled. Inviting NPCs to join was allowed within the rules, and the two NPCs he invited were quite significant.
Elaria, the Queen of the Elves, was already far above everyone at level 60, with formidable combat power and a deep relationship with John.
And Old Mac, a master craftsman with a daughter even more skilled in her craft, was certainly an invaluable ally.
As they talked, the group delved deeper into the mine.
The walls deep within the tunnel glimmered faintly with the hidden ore, making it possible to see the path ahead even without the headlamps.
Old Mac stopped, extending his rough hand to gently caress the tunnel wall as if it were a beloved partner.
"This is it. The metal I need is right here! John, could you help me set up the supports to prevent a collapse while I extract enough metal to craft weapons for you?"
"That\'s no problem."
John nodded slightly and took the metal supports from Old Mac.
The heavy weight surprised John.
Despite having allocated some points to strength, he still found it a bit challenging to handle the supports, whereas Old Mac could lift them with one hand and still have strength to spare.
"That strength might even rival Qing\'s," John thought.
John smacked his lips and, following Old Mac\'s instructions, worked with Exiled Immortal and the others to secure the mine tunnel with supports.
Afterward, they had some free time.
Mining ore was not something John and his group were professionals at, and even though they wanted to try, Old Mac firmly refused.
His explanation was that if they disrupted the stable structure of the tunnel, they could be buried alive.
Some ores could be mined, but others were crucial for supporting the tunnel, and they couldn\'t tell the difference.
To avoid the risk, it was better to leave it alone.
Remembering that in their previous lives, many players had caused collapses by mining on their own to save money on hiring professionals, John and the others quickly abandoned the idea.
"But, John, are we really going to invite another NPC to join us? Won\'t that affect our experience and rewards?" Exiled Immortal asked.
"By about 20%, but in exchange, we get Elaria\'s formidable strength and a craftsman who can consistently produce [Epic] quality weapons. I think it\'s worth it. Besides, Old Mac will leave the team once we reach Everglow. If we build a good relationship with him, his daughter might even make us [Legendary] quality armor! So I think it\'s necessary."
Hearing this, Exiled Immortal nodded thoughtfully.
"Also, I don\'t think Old Mac\'s joining us is a bad thing. Think about it, he\'s very skilled at forging, and you, Exiled Immortal, often run out of weapons. With him around, making dozens of [Epic] quality swords would be a breeze," Helena said, looking at Exiled Immortal.
"Letting Old Mac join is a good choice."
"Hmm... I think Uncle Mac is very kind and will be a reliable companion!" Lily chimed in, agreeing.