Chapter 580

Old Cheng quickly sat up on the bed, holding an incredibly excited heart. He couldn't calm down and lifted the quilt covering him, seeing a brand-new leg that was incredibly similar to his left leg and symmetrical.

Driven by his will, he wanted it to move, and it moved.

"Hahaha, I have a leg, I have a leg."

Excited tears slid from the corners of Old Cheng's eyes. This day was just like a dream.

The physician heard a sound from the inner room and specifically came in to see. He saw Old Cheng swinging his leg, full of joy, not knowing whether it was tears or saliva hanging from the corner of his mouth.

"Physician, look, it moved, it moved, haha, it moved."

Old Cheng seemed to be showing off a treasure, constantly letting his right leg swing. However, the physician had expected this, just looked at it a few times, and then stepped forward to check Old Cheng's body. Everything was healthy, and the degree of healing between the mechanical prosthetic leg and the body was also very good.

"Help me up, help me up quickly, Physician Zhai."

"That won't do, Old Cheng. This leg has just been connected, and you need to lie in bed for a week. Don't be in such a hurry, patiently lie down for a few more days, otherwise, there will be problems."

"Oh, oh." Old Cheng calmed down after hearing this and covered himself with the quilt again. His right leg actually felt cold.

This... this was simply exactly the same as his former leg. The only difference was that the current right leg seemed to be a metal leg. It wouldn't have problems again after a few years, would it?

He was a bit worried about this.

"Physician Zhai, this leg of mine... won't be like before, right?" Now that he had such a good leg, he couldn't bear for it to have problems again.

"It won't. This leg was personally forged by the eighth-tier blacksmith, Master Lin Cheng. He said that this leg will never have problems again for the rest of your life, unless you overestimate yourself and go challenge magical beasts again." Physician Zhai explained with a smile.

Master Lin Cheng’s craftsmanship is far superior to his father’s; as it stands, the functions of this new leg have completely exceeded their expectations.

"Wonderful, simply wonderful." Although Old Cheng had never heard of Lin Cheng’s reputation, he knew what an eighth-rank blacksmith meant: it meant authority and security. He would never have to worry about his severed leg again; this was truly wonderful.

Master Lin Cheng is practically his savior—no, his second parent! Wuwu.

The next day’s inscription teaching went very smoothly. The Blacksmith Guild had some new faces; they were well-known blacksmiths and craftsmen from nearby cities. They were full of admiration for Lin Cheng, who was willing to contribute complete inscriptions, and even more so after learning that Lin Cheng was the Empire’s fourth eighth-rank blacksmith.

Lin Cheng also made many friends. The questions they asked and the possibilities they proposed were very constructive, leaving Lin Cheng with much to gain; he only wished to discuss their respective forging techniques with them.

As it happened, Lin Cheng had nothing to do after class ended in the afternoon, so he took the opportunity to invite these master craftsmen to the Flying Fox Restaurant to taste tea and discuss forging techniques. President Holder and Vice President Sturt were also invited, and they were, of course, very willing.

However, just as the group stepped out of the Blacksmith Guild, they were surrounded by a group of city guards. A row of spears was leveled at the unsuspecting blacksmiths.

"Lin Cheng, we suspect you of violating the no-fly ordinance in Rock Fortress City. The evidence is conclusive; please come with us now."

The captain of the city guards, who was in the lead, unceremoniously produced an arrest warrant...

"Uh..." Lin Cheng was speechless. Was he caught so quickly? Could it be that too many people saw him when he landed yesterday?

It wasn't just that too many people saw him; someone had even recorded it with a magic recorder. The other party had originally intended to record the new dishes at the Flying Fox Restaurant, but Lin Cheng appeared, and thus he was recorded by the magic recorder.

Later, when the city guards investigated, it didn't take much effort to trace it back to Lin Cheng.

"Are you all tired of living? Master Lin Cheng is the Empire’s fourth eighth-rank blacksmith! He only has the cultivation of a fifth-rank peak; how could he achieve seventh-rank flight? You should have a limit to your reckless arrests." A master blacksmith who had just befriended Lin Cheng stood out decisively to speak for him.

The other blacksmiths felt the same; with fifth-rank cultivation, how could it be possible to achieve seventh-rank flight?

This was clearly just an excuse these city guards made up to arrest people indiscriminately!

"Do you really think we blacksmiths are easy to bully?"

"As long as we are here today, don't even think about arresting anyone!"

"Are you really going to obstruct us from making an arrest?" The lead city guard captain’s face turned cold instantly. He had served in Rock Fortress City for many years, and this was the first time he had seen mere blacksmiths dare to be so arrogant.

"So what? Isn't there evidence? If you have the ability, bring out the evidence."

Although Lin Cheng was moved that everyone was speaking up for him, he was indeed at fault in this matter, so he persuaded them, "Everyone, don't be like this. I'll just go with them; it'll be fine once the misunderstanding is cleared up."

"Master Lin Cheng, you don't need to worry about this matter. I know very well that these soldiers are just like the ones back where we come from—relying on their official status to do whatever they please. I’d like to see what he can actually do to us today!" The blacksmith who had first spoken up for Lin Cheng stepped directly in front of him, and at the same time, other blacksmiths also stood before Lin Cheng.

Their attitude and intentions were clear: no one was going to take Lin Cheng away today.

"Very well. You blacksmiths are openly obstructing the city guards from enforcing the law. Men, take them all away!" The captain of the city guards was no pushover; he waved his hand, and his subordinates immediately began making arrests.

The captain himself personally grabbed the blacksmith who had blocked his path.

"You had better think clearly about the consequences of taking away these renowned imperial craftsmen! Among us are two eighth-rank blacksmiths and several sixth and seventh-rank blacksmiths. If any one of us is injured, ten lives wouldn't be enough to compensate for it!"

"Oh, ho? Openly threatening law enforcement officers? That’s an additional crime!" The captain was not at all intimidated by the blacksmith's threat.

In his mind, blacksmiths were just a bunch of iron-pounders. What was so impressive about them? Eighth-rank blacksmiths—that was just a fancy title; didn't they still work for the Imperial family?

His City Lord was the Empire’s First Divine Might General, a man of strict discipline, and he himself was a soldier who had undergone rigorous training. The iron laws of the fortress city applied to everyone, and anyone who violated them would be punished! No one was an exception!

Just like that, a large number of city guards arrived at the entrance of the Blacksmiths' Guild and hauled away a large group of blacksmiths, including Lin Cheng, to the city prison.

"What does this have to do with me? I didn't even say a word! I'm being wronged!" Guild Master Holder was quite innocent; he had simply been standing with Lin Cheng and the others, yet he was dragged away by the city guards just like that.

"I am an eighth-rank imperial blacksmith!"

"Less talk! Keep moving, old man!" The city guard behind him gave Guild Master Holder a kick. Beside them, Vice Guild Master Ster had already resigned himself to the situation. Although he knew the Divine Might General wouldn't make things difficult for renowned imperial craftsmen, the delay would still cause quite a few problems.

Fortress Prison.

"Get in there, all of you, and stay put... someone will come to interrogate you later." The jailer in charge was in a foul mood and shoved the blacksmiths, including Lin Cheng, into four separate cells, his tone extremely fierce.

Naturally, the blacksmiths were not afraid.

There were nearly thirty or forty renowned imperial craftsmen, and even the lowest among them was a fifth-rank blacksmith.

The highest-ranking were two eighth-rank imperial blacksmiths. At this level, if the Divine Might General really dared to touch them, his position would likely be coming to an end.

When the prison warden learned that a batch of blacksmiths had been sent in today, he cautiously came to take a look. He didn't know what he was looking at until he saw them, and then he was terrified!

"Guild Master Holder... Vice Guild Master Ster... all the elders... and Master Lin Cheng, who has been the talk of the town recently."

The warden’s face twisted in misery; he was on the verge of tears.

"How did you all end up in here?"

After a careful inquiry, he realized that the blacksmiths in the cells were all at least fifth-rank. My god, the warden was truly crying this time.

What were the city guards trying to do? Were they trying to ruin him? They couldn't be this blatant about it. Besides, he had never offended the city guards.

How did these big shots end up here?

The warden didn't dare to interrogate these masters. Even if they had broken some law, it shouldn't have resulted in the entire Blacksmiths' Guild being rounded up. There must be some misunderstanding.

The warden ordered the jailers to take good care of these masters. At first, the jailers thought he meant the usual kind of "care," but until gold coins were produced, they didn't realize that these blacksmiths were truly big shots.

Afterward, the warden rushed to the City Lord's mansion to notify the Divine Might General. When the news reached the General's ears, he was also shocked.

"What is going on today?"

How could the city guards round up the entire Blacksmiths' Guild, including two eighth-rank blacksmiths? Wasn't this going to be the death of him? Especially at a time like this—just two days ago, His Majesty had issued an order to fully support the comprehensive rise of the Blacksmiths' Guild.

Today, his subordinates had wiped out the fortress city's Blacksmiths' Guild, and Princess Yong'an happened to be a guest at his mansion. If this reached her ears, what would Her Highness think?

The Divine Might General was truly like a mute eating coptis—he had bitterness he couldn't voice.

"Damn it, hurry up and release them all."

"Yes, General. But how should we explain this to Adjutant Lin?" the warden asked in a panic.

"I'll go explain it myself!"

"Yes! General!"

"Masters, I have investigated this matter. It was just a misunderstanding. I will release you immediately."

When the warden returned to the prison, he immediately released all the blacksmiths.

"Actually, staying here is quite comfortable. It's convenient for everyone to discuss forging techniques."

When it was Lin Cheng's turn, he stood at the cell door and refused to leave, saying this with a relaxed expression.