"Not going?"

Master Kong, who had been examining the blueprint with his head bowed, looked up expressionlessly, "Why not?"

Lou Feng was briefly stunned.

Bewildered.

He didn't understand what was wrong with his refusal, which seemed so natural to him; likewise, he didn't understand why his teacher was taking it so seriously.

"It just feels unnecessary, right?"

"..."

Master Kong didn't speak.

He silently finished reviewing the blueprint in his hands, marked the construction highlights and suggestions, set down his pen, and finally turned his gaze to the restless student sitting beside him.

A soft sigh.

"I finally understand why I've always felt that you were lacking something."

She spoke with realization, "Your life is still too comfortable."

"Ah?"

Lou Feng was dumbfounded.

"I don't want to say that you can't tell wheat from chaff or that you don't know hardship, being from a distinguished family like the Lou Family, researching those things might even make people laugh."

Master Kong spoke slowly, "These past few days, you've at least tasted a bit of the hardship and suffering you should have. I only ask you one question—if you were anyone from the Recovery Department faced with this situation, what would you choose?"

Lou Feng was suddenly silent.

He didn't know why, but he found it difficult to answer.

As he pondered, if he put himself in their shoes, he would certainly feel there was no need to wade into these troubled waters, but when he imagined the situations of others, he hesitated for the first time.

At a loss for words.

And it was this hesitation that disappointed Kong Qingyan.

The days of hard labor hadn't touched Lou Feng's heart at all. From the emergency that unfolded this afternoon, while he showed a bit of spirit and decisiveness deep down, after so many days, he hadn't even come to understand his colleagues...

Faced with this question, some people would nod without hesitation, and others would refuse outright. It was never a question with a standard answer.

Regardless of Lou Feng's response, it wouldn't be wrong. The only mistake was not to answer.

Because he didn't know.

Kong Qingyan, however, could understand the reasons behind Lou Feng's refusal.

Staying safe and sound in the workshop, fully focusing on honing skills and research, wasn't it better than risking life and limb for a measly reward?

After all, he was a young master of the Lou Family, with the conditions, financial resources, and qualifications to follow the process step by step, accumulating knowledge steadily, and then become a standard craftsman.

Mediocre.

Safe and risk-free, and in an absolutely ideal state, the future would grow steadily more unremarkable.

Indeed, these were opportunities and treatments others could not even beg for; yet at the same time, they were cages that Lou Feng was destined never to break free from.

As a teacher, he could only silently watch and sigh.

From the prolonged silence, Lou Feng finally mustered the courage to ask, "Teacher, I just don't understand where I went wrong."

"You did nothing wrong."

Kong Qingyan slowly shook her head, "Many times, discussing right and wrong is meaningless because people can't see the long-term and the future is unpredictable.

At best, these are just different choices."

If his own apprenticeship had offered such a fantastic opportunity, it's not just about hesitating; even if it meant taking a loan to join, she wouldn't have frowned.

With the new talent from the Tong family taking the lead, the Security Bureau forming the team, many powerful members of the Heavenly Origin System supporting, and even the Heavenly People overseeing.

People would be envious of such an opportunity, yelling for you to come share in the profits. Regardless of the output, it was a guaranteed gold mine.

No one would stab you in the back over money, nor would they form cliques to push you into danger, nor would they fight and kill each other over poorly divided spoils...

If this happened to any other apprentice, they would wonder if you're describing something too good to be true or if it was a scam.

"What do you think of me as your teacher?"

Kong Qingyan suddenly asked, not waiting for his answer, she waved her hand and continued, "What about Ye Xian?"

Lou Feng was speechless, not knowing what to say.

"It's okay, I know, you don't understand, and I can't say I understand deeply enough either."

Kong Qingyan rubbed the bridge of her nose, and with a self-deprecating smile from beneath the lamp light, she said, "That person became an apprentice at seventeen, acquired her craftsman's license at nineteen, and at twenty, she rebelled against her master. Everyone thought she was naive and ignorant, but no one expected that by twenty-four, she would have achieved the rank of master.

At that time, what was I doing?

I was still taking care of my teacher's children."

Her eyes dropped, and she reflected silently, "I remember the child was clamoring for firewood porridge, and I had to light the stove.

I've forgotten the rest, but I only remember the smoke everywhere, holding half a sheet of newspaper, looking at her picture and news, tears falling without knowing if it was from the fire or something else.

For the first time, I felt what envy and madness were—"

"At that time, I just wanted to know, why her?"

Kong Qingyan looked up, "What do you think she had?"

"... Talent?"

Lou Feng was uncertain, "Effort?"

Kong Qingyan laughed, a bitter laugh.

Everybody has talent, everyone can work hard.

There were plenty with overwhelming talent; were those who could become masters really lacking in that? Was anyone's effort really less?

Just because you have talent, should other craftsmen offer you their most precious techniques and theories, and data that they would never share publicly, like candy?

There is only one answer.

Fight for it, vie for it, and use every means to scrape and plunder.

Without investment, seek out investment, plead for assistance or make false promises. Without support, seek allies or coerce them. Without secrets, then seek out those with secrets but no talent...

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