"What?"
"A cleaver?"
As a cleaver emerged from the wooden box, its back flat, its blade straight, and its handle short and round.
Its appearance was undeniably that of a kitchen cleaver, no different from those found in any street-side store!
Upon seeing the cleaver's true form, everyone present froze for a moment, then erupted into a cacophony of laughter and sighs.
The boisterous laughter came from the reporters from the islands and overseas, particularly those from the Xiluo Continent, who were as excited as if they had swallowed golden flies. They frantically snapped photos and filmed.
For them, reporting on the ancient country's embarrassment was a surefire way to boost viewership at home, making the long journey worthwhile.
The sighs, on the other hand, came from the locals. Seeing Wang Yu so casually produce a cleaver clearly indicated he was giving up, throwing caution to the wind.
"If you don't have the skill, don't take on the job!"
Even if he couldn't match the prestige of the islands, at least he could have been more formal. What was the meaning of casually bringing out a cleaver?
It was a monumental embarrassment, broadcast to the entire world!
Even the people from the Ice Bear Kingdom beside them lamented. Both professionally and in terms of national pride, they were undoubtedly on Wang Yu's side.
These burly men from the Ice Bear Kingdom had been ready to shout encouragement. Even if the outcome was certain defeat, they would at least fight with spirit and not be outmatched in momentum!
But now, with Wang Yu presenting a mere cleaver as a token effort, how could they cheer?
In their utter helplessness, all they could muster was a long, drawn-out sigh.
"Little factory manager, if you're really unable to do it, why don't you let us help? Our steelmaking technology might not be as good as the islands', but it's still presentable and wouldn't result in such an embarrassing defeat!" Andre whispered quietly beside him.
Yamazaki, meanwhile, displayed a victorious smile. "This is your creation, Wang-kun? It's truly... unique."
Yamazaki chose the adjective "unique" because, at that moment, there were simply no other words to describe it.
Compared to Yamazaki's reserved demeanor, Takemoto was utterly unrestrained, clutching his stomach as he roared with laughter.
"Hahahaha, is this the creation you confidently challenged us with? Are you planning to cut vegetables with this cleaver? Oh, right, or perhaps slicing cucumbers to go with drinks would work too. I can't take it anymore, I'm dying of laughter. If you intended to make us die of laughter through this method, I must admit you've won! Hahahaha!"
Takemoto's unrestrained laughter caused everyone to frown slightly.
While Wang Yu's actions were indeed somewhat undignified, wasn't Takemoto's reaction a bit too exaggerated? Weren't the people from the islands known for their politeness?
Some reporters from the Xiluo Continent, with a glint in their eyes, turned their camera lenses towards the laughing Takemoto. Perhaps this victor's smile would make for excellent fodder for gossip columns...
"Alright, Takemoto-kun," Yamazaki said, frowning slightly as he stopped Takemoto's outburst. If it weren't for Takemoto's status as a protégé sent by the higher-ups for experience, his presumptuous behavior would have been enough to earn him a demotion to toilet cleaner.
"Let's wait and see Wang-kun's creation. Perhaps this cleaver of his will give us an unexpectedly shocking effect?"
Yamazaki's words were polite, but his veiled sarcasm was more cutting. It had to be said that he was a leading supervisor at Tianyi Steel Company for a reason, not just through bragging.
Yamazaki's remark triggered another wave of laughter.
Amidst all the laughter, Wang Yu remained silent. He simply lowered his head and took the cleaver out of the wooden box.
The cleaver was entirely black, appearing unremarkable. However, as it was gently swayed in the light, its edge revealed a subtle, almost imperceptible sheen.
"Not bad!"
Wang Yu tapped the back of the blade near the edge with his finger, a look of satisfaction on his face.
"Bzzzz—" A clear ringing sound suddenly echoed.
The sound was low, but it carried a sharp, low-pitched overtone that seemed somewhat jarring against the backdrop of laughter.
Upon hearing this sound, Dr. Aoki, who had stood silently like a robot serving as a backdrop, his face expressionless, suddenly underwent a dramatic change.
Astonishment, confusion, surprise, disbelief – various emotions flickered across his dark complexion.
Among the audience in the steelmaking plant, a small number of experienced old masters also had their expressions change.
That sound...
"Wang-kun, what is this..." Yamazaki's face also showed a hint of unease. The experienced Yamazaki seemed to sense that something was amiss.
"Everyone!" Wang Yu suddenly spoke loudly, drawing everyone's attention.
"In our country, there's an ancient legend of a divine sword called the Seven-Star Dragon Abyss."
Hearing Wang Yu suddenly speak, everyone was taken aback. Why was he suddenly telling a story?
However, no one interrupted him. They watched with curiosity as he continued,
"There are several allusions and legends regarding the origin of the Seven-Star Dragon Abyss. One very obscure one states that this divine sword was forged by a master swordsmith using seven pieces of meteorite iron from beyond the heavens. On the day the sword was completed, dragons wailed in the mountains and rivers. Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang, wielded this sword to slay a serpent, establishing the Han dynasty's four-hundred-year reign. Hence, the sword was named the Seven-Star Dragon Abyss..."
"After all this nonsense, are you admitting defeat or not?" Takemoto couldn't help but interject.
"Apologies, that was a bit long-winded. But perhaps this will be somewhat difficult for you to accept, as the founding of our Han dynasty coincided with your ancestors migrating east from us."
Wang Yu chuckled, which caused everyone to smile knowingly.
Only the reporters from Xiluo were confused. However, seeing the displeased expressions of the people from the islands, they wisely refrained from asking further questions.
"Wang-kun, what exactly are you trying to convey?" Yamazaki asked with a gloomy expression. "If you intend to concede, do so quickly. Our time is valuable!"
"Heh, my apologies," Wang Yu said, shaking his head with a smile. He swayed the cleaver in his hand and then slowly walked over to the long sword that the islands' representative had directly plunged into the ground, and pulled it out.
"I just want to tell you that we, the descendants, have failed to uphold our ancestors' craftsmanship. To forge a sword by integrating seven different meteoric irons from different planets... is perhaps too complex and variable. However, I can still manage to mix and smelt ordinary metals."
As Wang Yu spoke, he held the long sword from the islands horizontally, blade facing upwards. The sharp edge flashed with a cold, clear glint.
"Smelting seven kinds of metal? What do you mean by that?"
Dr. Aoki, the man who had remained silent until now, spoke for the first time, his eyes filled with disbelief and uncertainty.
"What I mean is..." Wang Yu smiled faintly and brought the unremarkable cleaver in his hand down with a swift swing.
Clang!
A crisp sound rang out, sparks flying. The blades of the two swords collided, and then immediately sprang apart.
Then, all eyes were fixed on the two swords.
To their astonishment, the sharp edge of the long sword from the islands now bore a nick the size of a soybean!
And Wang Yu's dark, ordinary-looking cleaver... was completely unharmed!