Chapter 44: Chapter 44: Super Smooth Silk Stockings

Zhao Chi hadn’t been idle recently.

It wasn’t just about developing his territory.

He was also experimenting with his Hidden Talent, "Transplantation."

Whenever he saw any information, he would randomly click all over it.

But the interface that allowed him to transfer information never appeared again.

Based on his experience.

It could only be triggered when he was presented with a choice.

That wasn’t too difficult.

Later, as his territory developed, he would gain Technology Points.

The Technology Points system was full of technologies that required him to choose a path.

’He figured that would be his chance to really let loose.’

Aside from that.

He had also discovered that "Transplantation" was helpful for crafting.

He hadn’t had a chance to use it before, but today he could finally give it a real try.

He entered the tailor shop.

Feng Xiu and the others were sewing Leather Armor and were surprised to see Zhao Chi.

"My Lord, do you have any new orders for us?"

Zhao Chi smiled. "Don’t mind me. I’m here to make an improvement on a fashion item."

As he spoke, he took out a pair of silk stockings and the materials needed for the improvement.

Feng Xiu asked, "My Lord, is that for the ’Super Smooth Silk Stockings Improvement Technique’?"

"That’s right."

"Huh? That improvement technique is very difficult. We were just talking about it. We have no idea what Level we’d need to reach to master it."

Zhao Chi smiled. "It is difficult, but don’t worry. Just build up your experience slowly. Your Attributes are very high, far stronger than ordinary people’s."

This wasn’t just a compliment.

It was what he truly thought, and it was a fact.

High Attributes were also a huge help to craftsmen.

After all, when crafting items, all sorts of attributes came into play simultaneously.

They would grow faster, have higher crafting efficiency, and produce better quality products than ordinary Human Race craftsmen.

Under the five female tailors’ astonished gazes, Zhao Chi entered crafting mode.

System Prompt:

[You have entered crafting mode]

[Please select a crafting action]:

[1. Craft]

[2. Enhancement]

[3. Improvement]

[4. Enchantment]

[5. Repair]

Zhao Chi selected [3. Improvement].

At that moment, his head began to feel slightly dizzy again.

The next moment, he felt himself enter a very strange state.

It was like he was zoning out.

His eyes were fixed on the silk stockings in front of him, and he felt a strong urge to improve them.

In his peripheral vision, he could see Feng Xiu and the others continuing to craft the Leather Armor, but they kept glancing at him curiously as they worked.

Zhao Chi had experienced this sensation many times back at the academy, but it always felt magical.

He cleared his mind of distracting thoughts, focused his Energy, and began the improvement.

The improvement process was complex.

It required disassembling and reassembling the original fashion item without destroying it.

Then, using new materials, he had to perform various combinations.

The quantity of materials, the weaving method, the timing of each join, the direction of the threads, the amount of force applied—every single variable was different.

A professional tailor would need to accumulate a vast amount of experience just to get the basics down.

However, Zhao Chi had accidentally discovered some "hints."

Although "Transplantation" couldn’t be activated, he could see data that couldn’t be transferred.

The data was pale gray and very hard to make out.

But he was certain that this was also hidden data.

Among them were two key data points.

They seemed to be related to the success rate and the quality of the output.

When his technique was correct, the success rate would increase significantly, and the quality would also rise slowly.

If his steps were wrong, the success rate would clearly drop, and the quality would decrease along with it.

The strange thing was, however...

...the success rate and quality weren’t completely in sync.

Sometimes the success rate would clearly rise, but the quality would suddenly plummet.

Other times, the success rate would be near zero, but the quality would be surprisingly high.

It left him completely bewildered.

But he wasn’t a professional tailor right now; his Sewing Skills were very low.

He couldn’t grasp the mysteries behind it.

He could only try his best to raise the quality while maintaining the success rate.

After all, successfully completing the improvement was the most important thing right now.

If the crafting failed, the materials would be wasted. The Silk Stocking Fashion item itself might even be destroyed.

As for quality, that was something to consider only after he could successfully perform the improvement.

Zhao Chi worked on the improvement with great focus.

But he knew the quality probably wouldn’t be very good.

After all, he wasn’t a professional.

It was like giving an ordinary person a piece of sheet music and asking them to play it on the piano on sight.

It was very difficult.

Just being able to play it through would be a great achievement.

Zhao Chi didn’t expect to be able to create a standard-grade improved version.

As long as he could keep the quality at the "Crude" level, he would consider it a success.

If it turned out "Inferior," he could accept that too. At least it was better than a complete failure.

With this mindset, Zhao Chi relaxed.

The success rate also increased a little.

He didn’t know how long he had been working.

Two system prompts appeared:

[You have successfully improved the "Super Smooth Silk Stockings."]

[Your Level has increased to Level 2. You have gained 1 Enhancement Point.]

Zhao Chi let out a sigh of relief and exited crafting mode.

’I leveled up.’

Crafting items also awarded experience.

The greater the difficulty and the higher the quality of the craft, the more experience was given.

Zhao Chi had successfully improved a Super Smooth-type fashion item. The difficulty was high, so the experience was naturally substantial, allowing him to level up directly.

He chose to enhance his Life, which increased by another 5%.

Next.

Zhao Chi picked up the pair of pale white silk stockings and carefully examined their attributes.

[Name] Super Smooth Silk Stockings

[Quality] Crude

[Durability] 3.8

[Color] Translucent Pale White

[Attributes] Female Only: Movement Speed +7.5%

[Improvement] Female Only: Defense +37.5%

[Explanation] The ultimate smooth improved version of the Silk Stocking Fashion item. Greatly enhances the stockings’ smoothness, allowing them to deflect a large amount of enemy attacks.

’Crude quality! Just as I expected!’

’Not bad at all.’

Zhao Chi looked at the silk stockings in his hand, which were as thin as a cicada’s wing and virtually weightless, and found it magical.

’To think such a soft and fragile fashion item could provide so many bonuses.’

Ordinary silk stockings had no bonuses.

The Silk Stocking Fashion item had a Movement Speed bonus.

And this Super-Improved version added a huge Defense bonus on top of that.

If it were standard quality, the Movement Speed increase would have been 10%, and the Defense would have been 50%.

But that was fine. After all, the difficulty of this improvement was too high, so Crude quality was already very good.

The stockings were mostly translucent but with a faint white tint.

It was the color of the cotton and silk threads.

They could be dyed.

They could be dyed nude, black, or any other color.

The stockings’ Durability was only 3.8 points; a standard quality item would have had 5.

But whether it was 3.8 or 5, both were very low.

An enemy could slash through them with a single blow.

Zhao Chi could also tear them with his bare hands.

Fortunately, fashion items had their own separate equipment slots.

They were independent of normal equipment.

You could switch between fashion mode and equipment mode at any time.

The equipment displayed on your character would change accordingly.

In equipment mode, your Armor would be displayed and your fashion items hidden.

In fashion mode, your fashion items would be displayed and your Armor hidden.

But regardless of the mode, both types of equipment were effective simultaneously.

During battle, you could hide the fashion items. Only after an enemy broke through your Armor could they hit the fashion items.

It was a way of protecting the fashion items.

After finishing the improvement on the pair of silk stockings, Zhao Chi felt mentally exhausted.

Crafting required concentration and continuously consumed Energy.

Since he had been crafting with his entire focus, the Energy consumption was even greater.

"My Lord, are you finished with your crafting?"

A soft voice drifted over.

It was Feng Xiu.

Zhao Chi nodded wearily. "Yes. Did you need something?"

Feng Xiu said, "We’re about to go eat dinner. You should come with us, my Lord."

"Dinner?"

Zhao Chi looked outside in surprise.

The sun had already set.

"How long was I working?"

"About four hours."

"Four hours..."

’That’s slower than the standard speed.’

’But I had to ensure success and raise the quality as much as possible.’

’I had no choice but to slow down.’

’But it’s okay.’

’There are still a few days left for crafting. I should be able to get all the female soldiers equipped with these high-Defense silk stockings.’