Fusion System: Rebirth in a Courtyard - Bird Fighting Chronicles

Chapter 23: Forging Crisis Conceals Hidden Arrows; Alloy Blade Unravels the Mystery

The 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month, the Little New Year. Thick black smoke billowed from the chimneys of the Red Star Steel Rolling Mill, making the leaden-gray sky even heavier. In the forging workshop, each slam of the massive steam hammer sent a shiver through the ground, mingling with the sharp clang of clashing steel, creating a cacophony of the industrial age. Lin Chen was squatting beside a pile of scrap metal, scanning a dark bluish-green metal block with his system. A line of data appeared on the panel: "Contains 12% tungsten, 8% chromium, and trace amounts of vanadium; suitable for manufacturing high-strength tools."

"Master Lin, Director Zhou wants to see you in his office!" Apprentice Xiao Zhou ran over breathlessly, his forehead smeared with black grease. "He said it's an urgent task, and he mentioned Master Yi and Master Liu."

Lin Chen's heart skipped a beat, and he stuffed the alloy scrap into his work clothes pocket. He'd overheard reports last night that Yi Zhonghai and his associates were planning to tamper with the technological innovation evaluation. Now, with Director Zhou suddenly summoning him, things probably weren't so simple. He dusted off his hands and strode towards the workshop office, hearing from afar the sounds of arguing coming from inside, a mix of Yi Zhonghai's angry shouts and Liu Haizhong's explanations.

Pushing open the door, the office was filled with smoke. Director Zhou Jianguo sat behind his desk, his brows furrowed deeply, the ashtray overflowing with cigarette butts. Yi Zhonghai stood to the side, hands behind his back, his eighth-grade fitter's work certificate hanging in front of his chest, his face ashen. Liu Haizhong, his neck stiff, clutched a blueprint, spitting as he spoke: "Director Zhou, you be the judge! This batch of crankshaft forging work, according to the normal procedure, should take at least three days. Lin Chen, just promoted, dared to boast that he could finish it in one day—isn't that absurd?"

Yan Bugui was also there, sitting in a corner chair, a small notebook in his hand, seemingly calculating something. Seeing Lin Chen enter, he adjusted his glasses, a barely perceptible sneer playing on his lips. Lin Chen instantly understood; this was a trap set by Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong—crankshaft forging was notoriously difficult in the workshop, requiring not only precise control of the forging temperature but also extremely high mold hardness. The original molds would crack after only three consecutive uses, and Yi Zhonghai had deliberately assigned the urgent task originally allocated to Group Three to Lin Chen's precision group.

"Lin Chen's here just in time." Zhou Jianguo pushed the blueprints on the table over; the crankshaft dimensions on the blueprints were densely marked. "This batch of crankshafts is being rushed to a heavy machinery factory. They're pressing for delivery; it has to be ready the day after tomorrow. Master Yi said you're skilled and recommended you to take the lead. Do you think you can handle it?"

Yi Zhonghai immediately took over the conversation, his tone feigning concern: "Xiao Lin, I know this task is difficult, but you're young and capable. Everyone witnessed your skill in repairing the forging press last time. If you really find it too strenuous, don't push yourself. I can help you share some of the burden. It's just that I have a technological innovation project to catch up on, and I'm afraid I won't be able to be in two places at once."

These words, seemingly considerate, actually blocked Lin Chen's path to retreat. If Lin Chen said he couldn't complete it, he would not only lose Director Zhou's trust, but also give Yi Zhonghai grounds to say that he was "young and impetuous, and not up to the task." However, if he accepted the task, it was impossible to complete it in a day with the existing molds and equipment—this was precisely Yi Zhonghai's insidious move: to use an impossible task to make Lin Chen suffer a major setback before the technological innovation competition.

Lin Chen picked up the blueprints, his gaze quickly sweeping over the key parameters. The system automatically matched the blueprint data with the performance of the workshop equipment, and a prompt popped up: "The existing mold strength is insufficient, and the mold material needs to be improved; the pressure of the forging press is unstable, and the pressure transmission structure needs to be optimized. Completing the task will earn 1000 points in the 'Technological Breakthrough' category and unlock the 'Mold Optimization' blueprint."

"I accept." Lin Chen put down the blueprints, his tone calm. "But I have two requests: First, grant me the authority to access all the alloy scraps in the waste pile; second, I can use the old storage room on the west side of the workshop, and no one is allowed to interfere."

The office fell silent instantly. Yi Zhonghai, thinking he'd misheard, raised an eyebrow and said, "Xiao Lin, have you thought this through? This is no joke! If there's a problem with this batch of crankshafts, delaying the heavy machinery plant's schedule, our entire factory will be affected!" Liu Haizhong scoffed, "I think you've been blinded by your last success. Don't even mention a day, even two days, and you still can't produce a qualified crankshaft!"

"Whether it can be completed or not, we'll find out by this time tomorrow." Lin Chen looked at Zhou Jianguo. "Director Zhou, can you meet my request?" Zhou Jianguo stared at Lin Chen for a long time, recalling the scene when Lin Chen saved the day when the forging press malfunctioned, and gritted his teeth, saying, "I trust you! I'll give you all the authority. Anyone who dares to interfere with your work will be marked absent without leave!"

As Lin Chen stepped out of the office and reached the workshop entrance, he saw Qin Huairu standing in the cold wind, clutching a cloth bag in her arms, her cheeks red from the cold. Seeing Lin Chen, she quickly came forward and handed him the bag: "Comrade Lin, these are cotton gloves I made overnight, stuffed with new cotton. They'll keep you warm while you work. Thank you so much for yesterday."

Lin Chen opened the cloth bag; inside were two pairs of gray cotton gloves with fine stitches, and the fingertips were even double-layered, clearly showing care. He looked up at Qin Huairu and noticed that the fine lines around her eyes were less pronounced than usual, and her face no longer wore the feigned weariness of the past, but instead radiated a more grounded glow. "Sister-in-law Qin, how's your technical training going?"

Mentioning this, Qin Huairu's eyes lit up: "I practiced the chiseling technique you taught me yesterday all night. Although I'm not proficient yet, I can already chisel along the lines! Master Yi even praised me for my rapid progress today, but..." She paused, lowered her voice, "Master Yi just told me that if you mess up this mission, he'll let me take your place and be in charge of the precision group's technical guidance. He also said he'll help me with the certification exam."

Lin Chen understood immediately. Yi Zhonghai had even schemed against Qin Huairu, trying to distance herself from him with a vague promise. He smiled and handed one of the gloves to Qin Huairu: "Keep this pair of gloves too. It's cold in the workshop; don't get cold while learning the skills. As for Master Yi's words, just listen to them. Skills are your own; you can't hold onto a position given to you by others."

Back in the workshop, Lin Chen immediately called a meeting with his colleagues in the precision forging group. When he announced that the crankshaft forging task would be completed within a day, the workers were in an uproar. Veteran technician Uncle Wang slapped his thigh anxiously, "Master Lin, it's not that we don't believe you, but the crankshaft's hardness requirement is HRC58. Our factory's molds can only withstand three passes at most, and just changing the molds takes up most of the day. How can it possibly be completed in one day?"

"I'll handle the mold problem. Everyone just needs to control the forging temperature and pressure according to my requirements." Lin Chen took out the tungsten alloy scrap from his pocket. "I'm going to use this scrap to make a new mold, more than three times harder than the original mold, enough to support continuous forging. Now, everyone, divide the work: Uncle Wang will take two people to the scrap pile to sift out tungsten and chromium alloy scraps, Xiao Zhou will go to the warehouse to get refractory clay and coke, and the rest of you will come with me to clean the old storage room, which will be used as a temporary forging room."

Although everyone had doubts, remembering how Lin Chen had repaired the forging press with his homemade wrench last time, they all sprang into action. The old storage room was filled with discarded tools and parts, covered in a thick layer of dust. Lin Chen opened the system, scanned the storage room's space data, quickly planned out the forging and cooling areas, and then used the system to exchange for a "high-temperature thermometer" (consuming 200 points) to ensure precise control of the furnace temperature.

As dusk fell, Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong sneaked out of the storage room and peered through the crack in the window. Inside, flames roared, and Lin Chen was using a pair of homemade long-handled pliers to hold a red-hot metal block on an anvil. Several coworkers beside him were wielding sledgehammers, repeatedly hammering the metal in accordance with his instructions. The air was thick with the smell of rust, mixed with a strange metallic odor.

"Hmph, just putting on an act," Yi Zhonghai sneered. "Using scrap metal to make molds? That's wishful thinking! Original molds are forged from professional alloy steel. These junk pieces of his are just for show; they'll crack as soon as the crankshaft gets hot." Liu Haizhong chimed in, "Once he embarrasses himself tomorrow, Director Zhou will definitely fire him. Then, won't the position of head of the precision group be up to you, Master Yi?"

As the two were talking, they suddenly heard a crisp "clang" coming from the storage room, like the sound of metal breaking. Yi Zhonghai's eyes lit up, and he quickly pulled Liu Haizhong to a corner. A short while later, Lin Chen came out carrying a broken mold, his brow furrowed. Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong exchanged a glance, suppressing their laughter, and pretended to be passing by to greet him: "Little Lin, the mold broke? I told you scraps can't make anything great. How about I lend you my spare mold? But I've used that mold several times already, so I can't guarantee it will work."

Lin Chen glanced at them, a meaningful smile playing on his lips. "Thank you for your kindness, Master Yi, but it's no need. That was just a trial molding, and I found a few problems. I'll adjust the material ratio later, and it'll be fine." With that, he turned and went back to the storage room, leaving Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong standing there, their faces alternating between pale and flushed.

In fact, Lin Chen deliberately caused the mold to break. The system prompted him that the previous alloy formula had too high a tungsten content, which increased the mold's brittleness. The breakage just now was to verify this. He readjusted the formula, mixing the tungsten alloy with ordinary steel in a 3:7 ratio, and added a small amount of vanadium selected from scrap materials. This ensured both hardness and enhanced toughness.

The workshop was silent in the dead of night, except for the light in the storage room. Lin Chen had been working continuously for eight hours, his mental energy was greatly depleted, and he felt extremely dizzy. He leaned against the wall, took out the mental energy recovery potion he had redeemed from the system (costing 300 points), and drank it. A cool sensation slid down his throat, and his fatigue instantly lessened considerably. At this moment, the door to the storage room was gently pushed open, and Qin Huairu walked in carrying a steaming bowl of sweet potato porridge: "Comrade Lin, I noticed you haven't eaten, so I cooked some porridge. Please drink some while it's hot."

Lin Chen took the bowl of porridge, the warmth spreading through his fingertips. A few red dates were placed in the porridge, filling it with a sweet aroma. "It's so late, why aren't you resting yet?" he asked. Qin Huai lowered her head, twisting the hem of her clothes with her fingers: "I...I'm worried you won't be able to make the mold well, and that Master Yi and the others will give you a hard time tomorrow. When I was learning the technology in the workshop, the old technicians told me that vanadium can increase the toughness of metals; I don't know if it will be useful for you."

Lin Chen's heart skipped a beat; he hadn't expected Qin Huairu to go out of her way to inquire about these things for him. Looking at this woman who had once made a living through scheming, now filled with genuine concern, he couldn't help but recall her tragic end, freezing and starving to death in his past life. "Thank you, Sister-in-law Qin, this information is very useful." Lin Chen put down his bowl of porridge and pointed to the cooling mold. "Look, I've already added vanadium; it'll be set in another hour."

Qin Huairu looked in the direction he pointed and saw that the new mold had a dark luster and a smooth, flat surface, showing no signs of being forged from scrap materials. "It's amazing," she exclaimed sincerely. "I used to think that I could survive by playing the victim and being clever, but I only realized after learning your skills that only real ability is reliable. Jia Geng even told me today that he wants to be like Uncle Lin and become a skilled person."

Lin Chen smiled but remained silent. He knew that Qin Huairu's change was just the beginning, and the layout of the courtyard house would gradually change through these repeated power struggles.

The next morning, as the first rays of sunlight streamed through the workshop windows, Lin Chen's new mold was finally completed. He scanned it with the system, and the panel displayed: "Mold hardness HRC62, excellent toughness, can be forged more than 20 times continuously, meeting the requirements for crankshaft forging."

Zhou Jianguo, Yi Zhonghai, Liu Haizhong, and others arrived at the workshop early, with Yan Bugui following behind in a notebook, ready to record the "evidence" of Lin Chen's failure. When Lin Chen installed the new mold onto the forging press, Yi Zhonghai couldn't help but mock, "Little Lin, this mold of yours looks all black and unreliable. If you break the forging press, can you afford to pay for it?"

Lin Chen ignored him and nodded to the coworker operating the forging press: "Raise the temperature to 1200 degrees, adjust the pressure to 800 tons, and prepare for forging!" The coworkers immediately got to work, and the huge forging press started running, steam hissing as it pushed the red-hot steel billet into the mold.

"Clang!" The steam hammer slammed down, the sound making everyone's eardrums ache. Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong stared intently at the mold, anticipating the sound of it cracking. However, the forging press smoothly completed the forging, leaving the mold intact. When the formed crankshaft was removed, everyone was stunned—the crankshaft was precisely sized, with a smooth surface, without a single flaw.

"Impossible! This is absolutely impossible!" Liu Haizhong rushed forward, picked up the crankshaft and examined it repeatedly, then tapped the mold. "How could this mold be so sturdy? Did you secretly use the original alloy steel?" Lin Chen took out the material analysis report generated by the system and handed it to Zhou Jianguo: "Director Zhou, this is the material test result of the mold. The components inside were all screened from the workshop's waste pile, and there are detailed usage records."

Zhou Jianguo looked at the report, then at the new mold, a look of shock on his face: "Xiao Lin, this is a major technological breakthrough! Making high-strength molds from waste materials—if this were widely adopted, how much cost could it save our factory!" He turned to Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong, his face darkening, "You two, yesterday you were saying Lin Chen wouldn't complete the task, what do you have to say now?"

Yi Zhonghai's face flushed crimson, and he couldn't utter a single word. He never imagined that Lin Chen would actually use scrap materials to create a mold even better than the original. This not only completely thwarted his scheme but also further solidified Lin Chen's position in the workshop. Yan Bugui also put away his notebook, lowered his head, and dared not look at Lin Chen again.

In the following days, Lin Chen led his colleagues to continuously forge the crankshafts using the new molds, completing the forging task in less than a day. After inspection by the quality control department, the pass rate for all crankshafts reached 100%, even surpassing the precision of those produced by the original manufacturer. Upon seeing the finished products, the acceptance personnel from the heavy machinery plant immediately signed a long-term cooperation agreement and expressed their intention to recommend Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill's technology to other manufacturers.

At the end of the workday, Zhou Jianguo announced at the workshop's general meeting: "Comrade Lin Chen, with his outstanding technical skills, successfully completed the emergency task and made a great contribution to the factory! After deliberation by the factory management, it has been decided to promote Lin Chen to the position of foreman of the precision forging group, enjoying the treatment of a level six worker, and also awarding him a cash bonus of 50 yuan!"

The workers erupted in enthusiastic applause. Qin Huairu stood in the crowd, watching Lin Chen surrounded by everyone, a genuine smile spreading across his face. Sha Zhu squeezed in, patting Lin Chen on the shoulder: "You're something else, kid! Come to my place tonight, I'll make you braised pork to celebrate!"

Lin Chen smiled and agreed, then turned to look at Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong in the corner. Yi Zhonghai walked away with a gloomy expression, while Liu Haizhong approached with a fawning smile: "Team Leader Lin, I was blind to your greatness before. Please forgive me. If you ever need anything in the future, just say the word, and I, Old Liu, will never hesitate!"

"You're too kind, Master Liu," Lin Chen said with a faint smile. "We're all working for the factory; let's cooperate well in the future." He knew that Yi Zhonghai would not let this go easily, and this failure would only drive him even more reckless. But Lin Chen wasn't afraid. Through this technological breakthrough, he not only gained a foothold in the workshop but also won the support of his coworkers. More importantly, his system was upgraded to level 4, unlocking the "Mold Optimization" blueprint, which gave him more resources to meet challenges.

Back at the courtyard house, Lin Chen had just reached the door when he saw Jia Zhangshi squatting in the corner, holding a broken bowl. Seeing him return, she hurriedly stood up, head bowed, trying to hide. Lin Chen called out to her, "Aunt Jia, I can let bygones be bygones regarding the egg theft last time, but if you instigate Jia Geng to steal again, or help Master Yi and the others with their underhanded dealings, I'll report you to the authorities immediately."

Jia Zhangshi trembled and stammered, "I know, I won't dare to do it again... Comrade Lin, my son Gengzi said he wants to learn a skill from you, what do you think..." Lin Chen thought for a moment. Although Jia Gengzi was unruly, he wasn't a bad person at heart. If he could be guided onto the right path, it would reduce Qin Huairu's burden. "Have him come to the workshop to see me tomorrow. He can start by learning the basics of rust removal. If he dares to slack off, I'll send him back."

Madam Jia was stunned that Lin Chen would agree, and it took her a while to react before she repeatedly thanked him, "Thank you, Comrade Lin! Thank you, Comrade Lin! I will definitely discipline him properly!" Watching Madam Jia's hurried departure, Lin Chen shook his head. The people in the courtyard were like a tangled mess of yarn; to untangle it would require much more patience and wisdom.

That evening, the aroma of braised pork wafted from Sha Zhu's house. He Yushui also arrived, bringing Lin Chen a copy of "Fundamentals of Mechanical Manufacturing," a very rare book at the time. "Lin Chen, thank you for helping my brother see Qin Huairu's true colors after the egg theft incident," He Yushui said sincerely, taking a sip of tea. "My brother doesn't go to the Jia family so often anymore, and he even said he'd save up to buy me a bicycle."

Sha Zhu scratched his head and said embarrassedly, "I was confused before and was used as a pawn. From now on, I will focus on cooking and saving money to find a good husband for Yu Shui as soon as possible." Lin Chen looked at the harmonious brother and sister in front of him and recalled the smiling faces of his coworkers in the workshop during the day. A warm feeling welled up in his heart.

Just then, a notification popped up on the system panel: "The system has detected that the host has gained recognition from multiple parties, unlocking the side quest 'Courtyard Mutual Aid Plan'. Quest objective: Help three or more courtyard residents solve their core problems and establish positive neighborly relations. Quest reward: 2000 points, unlock the 'Neighborhood Trust' buff (reduces mental energy consumption by 10%)."

Lin Chen was overjoyed. This task would not only improve interpersonal relationships within the courtyard but also yield practical rewards. He looked out the window; lights were on in every household of the courtyard. Although there were occasional arguments and scheming, the atmosphere was full of warmth and life. He knew that to survive well in this era, he needed not only solid skills and the help of the system but also the support of those around him.

As night deepened, Lin Chen returned to his room, opened the system panel, and smiled as he looked at the 1500 points and newly unlocked blueprint. Yi Zhonghai's scheming, the challenges in the workshop, and the conflicts in the courtyard were all merely stumbling blocks on his path to rebirth.