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墨書 Inktalez
“Master Jiang, please feel free to do your best!” another boss quickly said. “Money is not an issue! As long as you can get it working again, we will pay whatever it takes! Even if it can't be repaired, we won't complain!”
Faced with their sincerity and the technical challenge posed by the clock itself, Jiang Tao's engineer spirit was reignited. He nodded, “Alright, I’ll do my best. But I’ll need some time, probably three to five days.”
“No problem at all! We’ll stay in the city and wait for your news!”
After sending off the two out-of-town “guests,” Jiang Tao placed the Antique Clock at the most central position on his workbench. For the next few days, he devoted nearly all his spare time to restoring this clock. Repairing such micro-level metal fatigue cracks required an extreme precision in energy control. He repeatedly tried, carefully guiding the energy flow to “seal” and “reinforce” the cracks, which consumed a tremendous amount of Mental Power. Ultimately, through his relentless efforts, the escapement wheel was perfectly restored! When the ancient clock once again emitted a crisp and pleasant ticking sound, Jiang Tao let out a long sigh of relief.
A few days later, the two southern bosses came to pick up the repaired clock, overwhelmed with excitement. Not only did they leave an extremely generous “tip,” but they also exchanged contact information with Jiang Tao, expressing that they would seek him out for similar challenges in the future.
This successful restoration of an antique clock sent from afar elevated Jiang Tao's reputation to new heights. Even local antique shops and museums had heard of him and sent representatives to inquire if he was interested in participating in some restoration work for their collections or discussing the possibility of acquiring some valuable refurbished items from him.
Jiang Tao remained cautious about these invitations. While participating in artifact restoration could enhance his social standing, it also carried significant risks; his abilities could easily be exposed. He politely declined for now, citing “limited energy and a focus on running my shop.”
However, rising fame brought not only opportunities and wealth but also accompanying troubles.
As Jiang Ji became increasingly popular, rumors about Jiang Tao’s “wealthy status” began circulating in the streets, embellished to suggest that he had become a millionaire by scavenging. In the early 1980s, being labeled a “millionaire” carried considerable weight.
This newfound fame and wealth naturally attracted the attention of unscrupulous individuals.
One night, as Jiang Tao and Lin Wei locked up the shop and walked home, Jiang Tao keenly sensed several shadowy figures following them at a distance through a dimly lit alley.
His heart sank as he discreetly tightened his grip on Lin Wei’s hand and quickened his pace. At the same time, he subtly activated his limited Mental Power to scan their surroundings vigilantly.
The figures behind them also quickened their pace, subtly closing in.
“This is bad!” Jiang Tao realized that their intentions were likely hostile! He whispered to Lin Wei, “Stay calm; follow me!”
He pulled Lin Wei sharply into a narrower passage piled high with debris while pulling out a short piece of thick wire left over from his work earlier that day.
“Stop! Hand over your money!” A rough voice shouted from behind as three masked individuals armed with knives or iron rods blocked the alleyway.
Lin Wei’s face turned pale with fear as she clutched Jiang Tao’s arm tightly.
Jiang Tao positioned Lin Wei behind him and faced the three apparent robbers with cold eyes. This was his first encounter with such direct violent threats since his rebirth; he had dealt with harassment, schemes, and business competition before but never like this.
“Damn it! Just finished dealing with Ma Guoqiang, and now these clueless robbers show up! Do they really think I’m an easy target?!”
A long-buried fierceness honed through special projects in his past life surged within Jiang Tao.
“You want money?” Jiang Tao spoke coldly, his voice low yet carrying an undeniable sense of pressure. “Let’s see if you have what it takes to take it!”
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