Chapter 3: Continuous Coating Supply Technology

Arriving in a different world through transmigration, Duke was uncertain about the specific way to address it.

In his previous memories, the Seven Pagoda Federation marked the limits of his knowledge. Even what the Federation represented, its size, and its political structure were all mysteries to him.

He only knew he lived in Snakehead Town beneath the Chenjiao City.

This town was also the domain of the Black Serpent Family. Most of the town's industries were under their control, despite the family having a small population and few direct descendants.

However, he knew one thing: this world possessed extraordinary power.

Ordinary people could unlock one of the three seas - the Sea of Qi, the Sea of Blood, or the Sea of Spirit - and cultivate extraordinary power, ascending to a powerful position above regular individuals.

"I have already failed to open the Sea of Qi and the Sea of Blood. It is difficult to have a second chance. Thus, the only hope I can place is within this boundless starry sea!"

In the realm of his dreams, Duke roamed freely.

His eyes were fixed on the two brilliant clusters of light - one resembling a cellphone and the other a handgun.

"I was playing with a gun at the Falcon Club on the eve of my transmigration, having just received a client call. An explosion occurred outside... I can't ascertain the exact situation, but without a doubt, my cellphone and gun transmigrated with me. They're suspended within my Sea of Spirit, waiting for me to unlock them." His gaze remained locked ahead.

The cluster of light shaped like a cellphone was composed of complex and densely packed lines of light, intricate and seemingly patterned, with no lines intersecting.

No matter how many times he stared, they remained independent and extended infinitely.

As for the other cluster of light shaped like a handgun, it consisted of a simple line of light, forming a circle that was then twisted into the shape of a handgun.

"These lines of light are composed of spiritual energy, forming energy circuits - rings!"

Within the system of spiritual magic, a ring was the core key to spiritual energy, much like DNA. Only with a complete ring could an incredible and extraordinary power be unleashed.

A closed energy circuit represented one ring.

"This handgun is one ring. As for the cellphone, the lines of light are far too intricate. I can't discern how many closed circuits are present. In any case, there should be numerous rings."

Duke tentatively reached out to touch them.

Yet the multi-ring cellphone and the single-ring handgun remained unresponsive. He had tried various methods in his dream last night but hadn't managed to activate even a bit of them. "So, I must open the Sea of Spirit to access my 'cheat code'!"

...

"Cock-a-doodle-doo!"

The large rooster in the neighboring household crowed before dawn, in sync with Duke's internal clock, waking him. After hastily eating breakfast, Duke rushed to work.

Being an apprentice at the card repair shop was currently his sole source of income.

Until he found an alternative source of income, he couldn't afford to lose this livelihood.

"Before transmigration, I was also the owner of a small factory. Unexpectedly, after transmigration, I've ended up in a 996 work schedule (9am to 9pm, six days a week)..." Reflecting on the difficulties of life, Duke conscientiously wiped down the machines.

9:15 a.m.

As usual, card repairman Bast arrived at Little Sam's card repair shop, punctual to the minute.

"Coffee, Duke!"

"Right away."

"Pay attention and learn attentively!" With his coffee finished, Bast was in a good mood. He didn't berate Duke with excuses this time but instead invited him to learn the skills of card repair alongside him.

As a card repairman who had unlocked his Sea of Spirit, Bast wasn't afraid of Duke learning core techniques.

After all, the core techniques of card repair required support from the Sea of Spirit.

"Open up the embossing machine for preheating. We'll be coating the cover of the spiritual cards later." Bast quickly repaired a slightly damaged spiritual card and signaled for Duke to apply a coating to its cover.

Spiritual cards were intricate objects that required protection through coating.

"Understood, Teacher."

Duke skillfully initiated the preheating process and then took the spiritual card, placing it into the machine.

The coating nozzle emitted a buzzing sound as streams of heat flowed out, followed by transparent coating that sprayed onto the surface of the spiritual card like adhesive.

Both sides were evenly coated, requiring five minutes.

Duke mechanically operated the machine out of boredom, his thoughts drifting to how he could make money. Unconsciously, his hand trembled, causing the spiritual card to skew, and the coating to become uneven.

"Oops." Duke quickly stopped the embossing machine.

Bast turned his head, immediately infuriated, and began a furious barrage of scolding. "Idiot! You've managed to ruin even the coating, truly an idiot! Wasting coating on me... Get lost! You're not worthy of learning card repair!"

Taking the card from Duke, Bast peeled off the ruined coating and personally reapplied it.

In truth, the coating wasn't expensive, but it couldn't come into contact with air. It needed to be sealed within specialized boxes, which were disposable and costly.

By saving on coating usage every month, Bast managed to withhold a few coating boxes from the shop, resulting in an extra income of two to three silver dragons per month.

Wasted by Duke once, naturally, Bast had to berate him.

Duke displayed the obedient demeanor expected of an apprentice, but underneath his lowered head, his eyes suddenly lit up. He had thought of a way to make money.

...

In Duke's perspective, the embossing machine was akin to a printer.

Though their functions were different, they both required ink or coating. In the case of printers, they used ink cartridges, while embossing machines utilized coating cartridges.

In this regard, ink cartridges could be disposable or refillable, and there were even continuous ink supply systems.

However, the coating cartridges of the embossing machine were strictly disposable. Once used, they came into contact with air, making them impossible to refill. They had to be discarded.

"If I design a continuous coating supply system for the embossing machine, won't I be able to earn a significant sum?"

The technical difficulty of a continuous coating supply system wasn't high. It was merely an undiscovered idea, inspired by Duke's understanding of printers and how they worked.

"But whom do I sell it to?"

From his previous memories, Duke recalled that the Seven Pagoda Federation placed great importance on patent rights and the conversion of spiritual magic technology into societal applications.

"It seems that if I want to register a patent, I have to go to the Knowledge Tower in the city."

The spiritual magic system was vast, and there were various types of Arcane Mages.

Among them, there was a class of Arcane Mages known as the Scholars, who specialized in developing various applications of spiritual magic in society - similar to products like the Spirit Rice Cooker or the embossing machine, which were inventions of the Scholars.

Likewise.

The Knowledge Tower established by the Scholars, was responsible for managing all patents within the Seven Pagoda Federation, where strictness exceeded that of Earth.

"But here's the problem."

Duke stroked his chin, which was still hairless and devoid of a beard: "I'm just an ordinary person, and I'm only fifteen years old. Can I successfully apply for a patent on the continuous coating technique?"

In his memories, his previous self had lived in Snakehead Town all his life and hadn't been to Chenjiao City.

His understanding of the Seven Pagoda Federation was mostly vague information from others. He was unaware of how the true federation operated or the societal norms of this world.

"Even in Snakehead Town, most industries are monopolized by the Black Serpent Family. Regular folks like me have no chance of getting involved... The law of the jungle, survival of the fittest, remains an eternal truth."

"If I recklessly go to Chenjiao City, I might not even get past the gates of the Knowledge Tower."

"If I ask scalpers for help, will they steal my patent?"

Applying for a patent was an enduring investment, but the greater the benefit, the greater the risk. This was especially true in this supernatural world, where ordinary individuals like him had little defense against potential ill intentions.

"I need to be careful!"

After much contemplation, Duke decided to abandon the route of applying for a patent: "All I need right now is a startup capital of twenty-three silver dragons. Everything else can be discarded."

With a clear plan in mind, he felt a sense of relief.

"If that's the case, then I should go find Old Sam."