Liefeng found me in the eastern garden three days later, while I was attempting what Liu Ruyan generously called "light exercise" and what I more accurately described as "walking without collapsing."
"Little brother," he said, his tone formal but not cold. "Do you have time to speak?"
I nodded to Liu Ruyan, who discreetly moved to the far end of the garden, close enough to intervene if I stumbled but far enough to give us privacy.
"I've made my decision," Liefeng said without preamble. "About the smithing."
I waited, reading his body language. His shoulders were set with determination rather than resignation, his jaw firm rather than clenched. Good signs.
"I'll do it. Learn smithing, lead the second forge. But I have conditions."
"Name them."
"First, I continue training with weapons daily. I will not let my combat skills atrophy completely. Second, the forge produces weapons I can personally test and approve. My name goes on nothing that doesn't meet warrior standards. Third, I retain command of our defensive forces in any actual crisis. Being a smith doesn't make me any less capable of fighting."
All reasonable conditions. "Agreed to all three. Anything else?"
"Yes. Master Han teaches me properly—not as clan lord's son receiving token instruction, but as true apprentice held to same standards as Feng or Jin. If I produce inferior work, he corrects it harshly. If I fail to learn quickly enough, he pushes harder. No special treatment."
I recognized what he was really asking for—legitimacy. He needed to earn this role through genuine skill, not family privilege.
"I'll speak with Master Han. But Brother, you should know—he already respects your decision. He suggested this role specifically because he believes you're capable of mastering it."
Liefeng looked surprised. "Master Han suggested it?"
"He recognized that your combat experience combined with smithing knowledge would create something valuable. This wasn't about finding you busy work—it was about positioning you where your unique combination of skills has maximum impact."
My brother was quiet for a moment, processing. "I thought... I assumed you were trying to politely remove me from military leadership because our forces are inadequate."
"Our forces are inadequate for large-scale conflict. But that's not your failure—it's resource limitation. You've trained them as well as anyone could. But training twenty men to elite status won't save us from a gang of a hundred. So we need different strategies. Strategies that include superior weapons designed by someone who actually fights."
"The warrior-smith concept," he said slowly. "It's not common in the Murim world. Most smiths are craftsmen, not fighters. Most fighters consider smithing beneath them."
"Which is exactly why it could be our advantage. Differentiation through unconventional combination of skills."
He nodded, decision made and settled. "When do I start?"
"Tomorrow, if you're ready. Master Han is expecting you at dawn. He says the first week will be basic instruction—understanding metal properties, heat management, tool usage. The physical demands are significant but different from combat training."
"I'm not concerned about physical demands." He paused, then added with rare vulnerability, "Thank you, Hanxing. For seeing a use for me when I thought I'd become irrelevant to the family's survival."
"You were never irrelevant, Brother. Just underutilized. Now we're fixing that."
After Liefeng left, I continued my walk with Liu Ruyan, feeling a sense of satisfaction mixed with exhaustion. Another piece of the clan's transformation was falling into place.
"That went well," Liu Ruyan observed.
"Better than expected. He needed purpose, and now he has it."
"And 少주 needed to solve a staffing problem while preserving family harmony. Everyone benefits." She steadied me as I stumbled slightly on uneven ground. "Though 少주 has been walking long enough. Time to rest."
"I'm fine."
"少주 is pale and beginning to sway. This one can see the signs before少主 feels them. Inside. Now."
I wanted to argue but recognized she was right. My body's warning signs had become familiar—the slight dizziness, the tremor in my legs, the way sounds seemed to come from farther away. Pushing past them would only result in collapse.
As we walked back to my chambers, something shifted in my perception. The world seemed to... sharpen somehow. Colors became more vivid, sounds more distinct. The Memory Treasure Vault interface flickered at the edge of my vision, then suddenly expanded to fill my awareness with blazing clarity.
'MEMORY TREASURE VAULT'
'CRITICAL THRESHOLD ACHIEVED'
'INTEGRATION COMPLETE: 90%'
'UNLOCKING: ADVANCED ANALYSIS PROTOCOLS'
'UNLOCKING: ENHANCED PATTERN RECOGNITION'
'UNLOCKING: PREDICTIVE MODELING CAPABILITIES'
'WARNING: INCREASED COGNITIVE LOAD'
'RECOMMEND: IMMEDIATE REST AND ACCLIMATION PERIOD'
The influx of new capabilities hit like a wave. Suddenly I could see not just individual facts but complex relationships between them. Market trends extrapolated into probability curves. Resource allocation optimized across multiple variables simultaneously. Human behavior patterns forming predictive models based on limited observation.
It was exhilarating and overwhelming in equal measure.
"Hanxing?" Liu Ruyan's voice seemed distant, concerned. "Your eyes... they look different. Are you alright?"
I tried to respond but the enhanced processing was consuming all my attention. I could see the compound's future in probabilistic branches—this decision led to thirty-seven percent chance of crisis, that allocation improved long-term stability by fourteen percent, this relationship dynamic would strengthen or fracture based on twelve identifiable variables...
Too much. Too fast.
My legs gave out.
Liu Ruyan caught me—had been prepared for it, I realized through the haze of information overload. She was always prepared, always watching for signs of collapse.
"Help," I managed to whisper. "Too much."
She understood immediately, supporting my full weight and calling for assistance. Servants appeared, helping carry me to my chambers, laying me on the bed. Liu Ruyan's face hovered above mine, worried but steady.
"Breathe slowly," she instructed. "Focus on this one's voice. Not on thoughts, not on plans, just on breathing."
I tried to follow her guidance, but the enhanced capabilities were still flooding my consciousness with analysis and predictions and patterns that I couldn't turn off.
"System," I thought desperately at the Memory Treasure Vault. "Reduce. Pause. Something."
The interface responded:
'PROCESSING USER REQUEST'
'IMPLEMENTING GRADUATED ACCLIMATION PROTOCOL'
'REDUCING INFORMATION FLOW TO MANAGEABLE LEVELS'
'ADVANCED CAPABILITIES WILL PHASE IN OVER 72 HOURS'
'USER SAFETY: PRIORITY ONE'
The overwhelming flood reduced to a manageable stream. My breathing stabilized. The room stopped spinning.
"Better," I gasped. "It's better now."
Liu Ruyan's hand found mine, squeezing gently. "What happened?"
"The system—the thing that gives me knowledge—it just... upgraded. More capabilities but I wasn't ready for them all at once. It's adjusting now."
"Will this happen again?"
"I don't know. Maybe when it reaches complete integration. But now I know to expect it, to ask for gradual adjustment rather than immediate full access."
She helped me drink water, her hands steady despite the worry in her eyes. "少주 frightened this one. Your eyes went unfocused, you stopped responding, then you collapsed."
"I'm sorry. I didn't know it would happen."
"This system of yours—is it dangerous? Could it harm you permanently?"
I considered the question honestly. "Potentially. But so far it seems to have safety protocols. It just reduced the information flow when I asked. And it's prioritizing my health over capability deployment."
"That is marginally reassuring." She settled into her chair, clearly not planning to leave my side. "Rest now. Your body needs to adjust to whatever just changed."
I closed my eyes, feeling the new capabilities settling into place more gradually. The predictive modeling was still there but muted, accessible when needed rather than constantly active. Pattern recognition enhanced but not overwhelming. It was like having new senses that I was learning to control.
A knock at the door interrupted my rest. Wenxuan entered, followed by Father and Uncle Qingsong.
"We heard you collapsed," Father said, concern etched on his face. "Should we call the physician?"
"I'm alright. Just... pushed too hard. My body protesting as usual."
"We can postpone this discussion," Uncle Qingsong offered.
"No, please. I can listen even if I can't sit up." I gestured weakly to chairs. "What did you need to discuss?"
Wenxuan exchanged glances with the others, then spoke. "The mine situation. We've completed the minimum repairs Uncle Qingsong recommended. The lower shafts are now accessible for assessment. What we found is... complicated."
"Complicated how?"
Uncle Qingsong leaned forward. "The flooding isn't natural water accumulation. There's an underground spring feeding directly into the lower tunnels. Previous managers apparently knew about it but couldn't solve the problem, so they just abandoned those levels. Your drainage improvements would need to account for continuous water flow, not just standing water removal."
With my newly enhanced analysis capabilities, I could see the implications clearly—continuous flow meant constant pumping requirements, which meant mechanical systems that needed maintenance and power sources. More complex and expensive than anticipated.
"Can it be managed?" I asked.
"Yes, but at additional cost. We'd need a proper drainage channel cut to divert the spring water away from mining areas, plus regular maintenance of the system. Total additional cost: eight taels, not the two we budgeted for minimal repairs."
Eight taels. Combined with the four to six for structural repairs, we were looking at twelve to fourteen taels beyond our original budget. Money we absolutely didn't have.
I activated the enhanced analysis, keeping it at low intensity to avoid overload. The probabilities flowed clearly:
Option one: Delay mine improvements entirely, focus all resources on forge expansion. Probability of success: 68%. Risk: lose competitive advantage in raw material access.
Option two: Proceed with mine improvements using borrowed capital. Probability of success: 54%. Risk: debt obligations compromise future flexibility.
Option three: Phase the improvements more aggressively, using increased forge revenue to fund mine work sequentially. Probability of success: 71%. Risk: extends timeline, leaves us vulnerable longer.
"We phase it," I said. "Complete the second forge first, use increased production revenue to fund mine improvements in stages. The spring water isn't going anywhere—we can access those lower levels when we have the capital to do it properly."
"That's a three to four month delay on mine improvements," Uncle Qingsong said.
"But it's sustainable. We maintain financial stability while still moving toward both goals. And it gives us time to plan the drainage system properly rather than rushing it with inadequate resources."
Father nodded slowly. "Conservative but sound. The mine has operated at current capacity for years—a few more months won't destroy us. But the forge expansion is critical for near-term revenue growth."
"Agreed," Wenxuan said, making notes. "I'll adjust the financial projections accordingly."
After they left, Liu Ruyan looked at me with an unreadable expression. "少주 made that decision very quickly. Usually you deliberate more."
"The new capabilities. Enhanced analysis. I could see the probability outcomes clearly—it made the optimal choice obvious."
"That seems useful. But also concerning. What if the enhanced analysis suggests choices that seem optimal but ignore human elements?"
It was an astute observation. The system could calculate probabilities and optimize outcomes, but could it account for morale, loyalty, pride, and the thousand other intangible factors that made humans unpredictable?
"You're right to be concerned. I'll need to balance the analytical capabilities with human judgment. Use the system as a tool, not a replacement for understanding people."
"This one will help remind 少주 when analysis becomes too dominant over wisdom."
I smiled weakly. "You're very good at keeping me grounded."
"Someone must. Otherwise 少주 would optimize himself into exhaustion or calculate his way into problems that numbers cannot solve."
Over the next two days, I rested while the enhanced capabilities gradually phased in at manageable levels. The predictive modeling became more intuitive, pattern recognition more refined. I learned to engage the analysis deliberately rather than letting it run constantly.
The system provided new insights:
'MEMORY TREASURE VAULT'
'INTEGRATION STATUS: 90%'
'ADVANCED CAPABILITIES: ACTIVE AND STABLE'
'USER ACCLIMATION: PROGRESSING WELL'
'NEXT MILESTONE: 95% (ESTIMATED: 3-4 WEEKS)'
'CLAN SURVIVAL PROBABILITY: 81%'
'NOTABLE IMPROVEMENTS: STRATEGIC PLANNING, RESOURCE ALLOCATION, RISK ASSESSMENT'
'AREAS REQUIRING ATTENTION: PHYSICAL HEALTH SUSTAINABILITY, DELEGATION BALANCE, ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIP DEVELOPMENT'
The fact that the system was now tracking romantic relationship development was both helpful and slightly embarrassing.
On the third day after the threshold, I felt stable enough to visit the forge site. The second forge's walls were rising steadily, and Liefeng was visible among the workers, his muscled frame bent over an anvil as Master Han demonstrated hammer techniques.
"He's a quick study," Master Han said, joining me at the observation point. "Strong, focused, doesn't complain about the physical demands. He'll make a proper smith if he maintains this dedication."
"How is he handling the transition? Emotionally, I mean?"
"Better than expected. This one thinks he was relieved to have clear purpose again. Warriors without wars to fight become restless. Now he channels that energy into creation rather than endless preparation for conflicts that may never come."
We watched Liefeng work for a few moments. His hammer strikes were already developing rhythm, though still lacking the precision of an experienced smith.
"Master Han," I said carefully, "the advanced techniques we've been implementing—the improved temperature control, the flux usage, the systematic quality testing—they're working well. But I want to document everything. Write down the principles, the specific procedures, the reasoning behind each modification. So if something happens to me, the knowledge doesn't die."
The old smith turned to look at me directly. "You speak of your death casually for one so young."
"I speak of contingency planning. My health is fragile. This body may not last as long as others. But the clan should benefit from these improvements even if I'm not here to oversee them."
"This one will help document everything. The clan's knowledge should outlast any individual." He paused. "But Young Master Hanxing—plan for a long life, not a short one. The clan needs your wisdom for years to come."
After Master Han returned to training Liefeng, I stood watching the forge construction and thinking about futures. The predictive models showed multiple paths forward, each with different probability distributions. But none of them captured the human element—the loyalty, the love, the stubborn determination to protect what mattered.
Liu Ruyan appeared beside me, as she always seemed to when I was deep in thought.
"少주 is contemplating futures again."
"How did you know?"
"You get a specific expression. Distant but focused. As if looking at things this one cannot see."
"I can see probabilities now. Possible outcomes branching from each decision. It's useful but... unsettling. Makes the future feel both more knowable and more uncertain simultaneously."
"Perhaps that is wisdom—understanding that you can see possibilities without controlling outcomes." She moved closer, her shoulder nearly touching mine. "This one prefers to think about one future at a time. The one where the Iron Lotus prospers, where the people we care about are safe and happy."
"That's a good future to focus on."
"It is the future 少주—Hanxing—is building with each decision. One day, one choice, one improvement at a time."
We stood together in comfortable silence, watching workers build the forge that would secure the clan's future. The enhanced capabilities showed me optimization paths and efficiency gains, but standing beside Liu Ruyan, I understood that the most important future wasn't the most optimal one—it was the one where the people I cared about could thrive.
That future was worth building. And worth fighting for.
---
'MEMORY TREASURE VAULT'
'INTEGRATION STATUS: 90% STABLE'
'USER HEALTH: RECOVERING WELL FROM THRESHOLD EVENT'
'PSYCHOLOGICAL STATE: HEALTHY AND BALANCED'
'STRATEGIC FOCUS: APPROPRIATE'
'RELATIONSHIP DEVELOPMENT: PROGRESSING POSITIVELY'
'CLAN STATUS: TRANSFORMATION ADVANCING SUCCESSFULLY'
'TIME TO REGIONAL ASSEMBLY: 6 WEEKS'
'RECOMMENDATION: MAINTAIN CURRENT TRAJECTORY'
---