"Okay, we're short on manpower, but a newbie is better than no one at all," a goggled monk said, pushing a tool cart. His tone was calm but steady. His name was Zhang Hao, one of the most reliable technicians in the workshop, responsible for mentoring the newcomers and serving as Hong Xiu's right-hand man.
Zhao Shi glanced up and down at Xiang Fan, then curled his lips. "How useful is this little guy? Don't let him collapse before you even pick up the tools."
Xiang Fan felt a little embarrassed by being stared at, and quickly straightened himself, trying to make himself look a little "stronger", but soon gave up this futile effort and honestly introduced himself: "Hello everyone, my name is Xiang Fan, please take care of me in the future."
Zhang Hao was straightforward. He waved his hand and said, "You're welcome. Get familiar with the environment first. The workshop isn't big, but you have to remember the rules: the equipment must be marked with its status. Don't get stuck in a repair and lose track of which part is working. If something goes wrong, no one will take the blame for you."
Xiang Fan nodded repeatedly, thinking, "Compared to the Lingxiao Sect's cookie-cutter rules and regulations, there are actually a lot more here."
Though the repair shop was a mess, Xiang Fan was dazzled by the mecha parts and equipment. His gaze swept over the various components—the psychic plates, the psychic wires, even the half-broken mecha arm—all of them filled him with yearning. He carefully picked up a psychic conduction component, his fingertips rubbing the smooth rune grooves, his eyes filled with concentration, as if at that moment the entire world consisted only of the parts before him.
Seeing this, Zhang Hao couldn't help but tease, "Hey, this kid really likes these scrap metals."
Hong Xiu laughed out loud: "As long as you like it, it's good. In our line of work, if you don't have some interest in it, you really can't continue."
Zhao Shi waved his hand dismissively, "Liking something is pointless; being able to fix it is a real skill."
Xiang Fan ignored the jokes. His fingers slowly traced the rune patterns on the component, his mind automatically reflecting on its structure, purpose, and even possible failure points. This knowledge came from the countless mecha repair books he had secretly read in the Lingxiao Sect. Although he had never had a real chance to practice while in the sect, now he could finally put those theories into practice.
After a day's work, Xiang Fan dragged his aching body to the rest area, feeling every muscle protest. His job involved basic mecha maintenance: cleaning parts, troubleshooting, and lubricating equipment. It seemed simple, but for him, who had never done heavy physical labor, it was more tiring than fighting a magic battle.
Zhao Shi came over with a lunch box, grinned, and threw a bottle of water to him: "Boy, don't say you are a cultivator, your physical fitness is not as good as that of an ordinary person, you are really skinny."
Xiang Fan took the water and said with a wry smile, "Thank you... Actually, I don't want to be so thin..."
"Don't worry about whether he can do the heavy work," Zhang Hao also came over and patted his shoulder, "as long as he doesn't slack off, we welcome him."
Xiang Fan nodded gratefully, feeling a little touched. In Lingxiao Sect, he always felt like a marginalized person who was not valued. But here, even though he was just a newbie, the attitude of his fellow workers made him feel a little warm.
Hong Xiu came over from a distance and waved at them: "Alright, stop making trouble. We have a big job tomorrow. Go back and rest early."
Xiang Fan raised his head and looked at the damaged mecha wreckage in the workshop. His eyes did not show any fatigue. Instead, he felt a long-lost sense of satisfaction. "At least, there are things here that I like."
He slowly stood up, patted his pants stained with motor oil, twisted his stiff neck, and grinned: "Tomorrow, try harder."
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