Chapter 16: Sparks and Sweat
The air in the tool shed was thick with heat and tension. Sparks danced like fireflies as grinding wheels met steel, and the steady hum of retrofitted machines filled the space with a hypnotic rhythm.
Chen Rui leaned over the lathe, carefully adjusting the angle.
The brake disc prototype was taking shape — slowly, imperfectly, but undeniably real.
"Slow it down, Li Wei. You're overheating the edge," Chen Rui called over his shoulder.
"Right," Li Wei wiped sweat from his brow, correcting the pressure on the clamp.
It wasn't ideal. Their machines were outdated, some decades old, and prone to jamming. But Chen Rui had mapped each one's quirks in his system-aided memory. That gave them a fighting chance.
[SYSTEM TIP – TOOL LIMIT DETECTED]
Lathe Model: YX-2B (1981)
Max Precision Tolerance: ±0.7mm
Upgrade Suggestion: Replace spindle housing and belt tensioning system for stability.
Optional Task Unlocked:
🔧 "Patchwork Engineering" – Reinforce old machinery to meet current demands.
Reward: Minor Efficiency Boost, Skill Points +2
"We're pushing these machines harder than ever before," Chen Rui muttered.
"It's like trying to win a race with wooden shoes," Li Wei said, half-joking.
Chen Rui grinned.
"Then we sharpen the wood."
Break Room – Later That Day
A few of the old factory hands sat in a circle, whispering. Their eyes darted toward the workshop.
"He's got us making our own parts now? Using junk machines?" one grumbled.
"We're not a parts factory. We assemble. That's how it's always been."
"Chen Zhong is letting his son play boss," another muttered. "It's dangerous."
Not everyone welcomed the change.
Meanwhile, back in the workshop, the final brake disc prototype spun silently in the test rig.
Chen Rui crossed his arms.
"Run the wear test. High torque, 3-minute burn."
The rig buzzed to life.
Steel spun. Heat built. The disc glowed faintly orange — but held.
"No warping. Surface integrity stable," Li Wei read off the system monitor.
"We've got a working unit," Chen Rui said quietly.
"You just made your own brake disc in a repurposed assembly factory," Li Wei said.
Chen Rui didn't smile.
"No. We did. Now we make it ten more times — exactly the same."
[SYSTEM TASK COMPLETE – Prototype #1: Brake Disc]
✔ Passed Quality Test
✔ Approved for Pilot Production
Progress: Factory Autonomy Path – 8.7%
Skill Unlocked: Workshop Coordination (Lv. 1)
Effect: Slight increase in team efficiency when working on mechanical projects.
Chen Rui turned to Li Wei.
"Tomorrow, we start on the clamp brackets. And I'll have to deal with the old hands. They're starting to resist."
Li Wei raised an eyebrow.
"You going to fire anyone?"
Chen Rui shook his head.
"No. But I'll show them this isn't a game."
"How?"
"I'll let the results speak."
"And if they don't listen?"
Chen Rui's eyes narrowed.
"Then I'll make them."