Immortality: Grinding Experience Starting as a Paper Craftsman

Chapter 1 The Apprentice in the Paper Making Shop

The winter solstice of the thirty-sixth year of the Great Wei Dynasty.

The biting north wind swept through the streets of Changning County like a knife, whipping up withered leaves and paper money from the ground, sending them flying everywhere.

As soon as it got dark, the streets were deserted.

The world is not peaceful these days. There are peasant uprisings outside the city and gang wars inside the city. I heard that at night, there are even man-eating demons and evil spirits that roam around.

For ordinary people, once the sun sets, this place is like the gates of hell.

In a secluded spot in the west of the city, a shop with white lanterns hanging above its doors was still open.

Under the dim light of an oil lamp, Gu Yan sat on a bench with his neck hunched over, skillfully bending and binding a bamboo strip in his hand.

His hands, exposed to the cold air for a long time, were covered with purplish-red chilblains. The backs of his hands were cracked, and the oozing blood mixed with paste, congealing into dark red lumps.

But he dared not stop.

This is a paper offering shop; they deal entirely in the business of the dead.

Gu Yan has been in this world for three months.

From initial fear and confusion to current numbness, life has long since smoothed out the rough edges of him as a modern person.

His previous life was that of a vagrant who starved to death by the roadside. He was picked up by Old Xu, the owner of this paper-making shop, and sold into servitude, becoming an apprentice without even wages.

In this chaotic world where human life is as cheap as grass, having food to eat and a place to sleep under the shelter from the wind and rain is already a blessing that countless people dream of.

"alright."

Gu Yan let out a long breath and put down the bamboo strips in his hand.

In front of him stood a paper figure about half the height of a person.

The paper figure was dressed in a bright red and green floral jacket, its face painted deathly pale, but its cheeks were so red they looked like they were about to bleed.

It didn't have eyes yet; the empty eye sockets stared straight ahead, looking particularly eerie under the dim light.

These are the boy and girl figurines commissioned by the wealthy Wang family in the east of the city. The funeral is tomorrow morning, and Manager Xu is urging them to finish quickly, otherwise they won't have any food tonight.

Gu Yan rubbed his stiff fingers, picked up the brush beside him, and dipped it into the ink that had already solidified in the inkstone.

The finishing touch is the most crucial step in the paper craftsmanship.

The older generation says that you shouldn't randomly dot the eyes on a paper figure, because once it has eyes, it gains a spirit and is easily attracted to unclean things.

In Gu Yan's previous view, such feudal superstitions were pure nonsense.

Gu Yan now believes that since something as absurd as time travel has already happened, what's a little more spiritual communication through paper dolls?

He held his breath, and although his wrist trembled slightly, his pen moved very steadily.

With a gentle touch of the pen tip to the paper figure's left eye socket, a jet-black pupil leaped onto the paper.

Next was the right eye.

The moment both eyes were drawn, the lifeless paper figure seemed to gain an eerie radiance.

It stood silently in the shadows, seemingly watching Gu Yan coldly.

Just then, Gu Yan's vision suddenly blurred for a moment.

A pale blue light screen, visible only to him, appeared in the air without warning.

Name: Gu Yan

Lifespan: 17/45

[Skill: Paper Making (Beginner)]

[Progress: 99/100]

Looking at the numbers on the progress bar, a barely perceptible smile finally appeared on Gu Yan's sallow face, which was sallow from malnutrition.

This was his only hope of surviving in this hellish world.

This panel appeared three months ago when he completed his first paper craft piece.

This is a very basic proficiency panel. There is no intelligent voice or task assignment. Its only function is to reward you for your practice.

Each complete paper-making process causes the progress bar to jump a little.

No matter how tired, hungry, or cold he is, as long as he sees the progress bar moving, he can feel a real sense of peace.

In this chaotic world filled with deception, betrayal, and uncertainty, only this panel wouldn't lie to him.

The idea that every effort will be rewarded is something that was a luxury even in a past life.

Just a little bit more.

Gu Yan put down his pen and glanced at the materials piled up beside him.

Although Old Man Xu only asked him to make a pair of virgin boys and girls, he deliberately kept an extra set of materials.

Instead of resting, he immediately picked up the remaining bamboo strips and colored paper and began making the next paper figure.

This time, he wasn't doing it to complete a mission, but for himself.

Split bamboo, bend it, tie the frame, paste paper on it, and color it.

He performed each step with greater focus and meticulousness than usual.

Although his fingers were frozen numb, the light in his eyes grew brighter and brighter.

For the past three months, he has been stuck at the beginner level.

Even though his paper-making skills were only at a beginner level, the paper figures he made were more exquisite and lifelike than those of ordinary apprentices, which even saved him from being scolded by Old Man Xu many times.

But he had a strong premonition.

Once this bottleneck is broken, a qualitative change will occur.

Time passed second by second, and the wind outside grew stronger, making the old doors and windows rattle and creak.

Finally, the third paper figure was completed.

This is the image of a military general clad in black armor and wielding a long sword.

Although it is only the size of a palm and its workmanship is limited by the rough materials, a sense of solemnity and killing intent can be faintly felt through the paper.

Gu Yan took a deep breath and picked up his pen again.

Ink dripped down.

The finishing touch.

boom.

The instant the pen tip left the paper, Gu Yan felt a sudden roar in his mind, as if an electric current had instantly flowed through his entire body.

The coldness and fatigue that had been building up inside him for so long actually dissipated quite a bit at that moment.

The light screen in front of me distorted violently, the original text blurred and reassembled, turning into new information.

[Skill: Paper Making Technique (Minor Mastery)]

[Progress: 1/500]

[Effect: Psychic Communication (The paper figures you create can be imbued with a trace of spirit, obey simple commands, and can also serve as extensions of your senses, detecting activity within a hundred meters.)]

Gu Yan's pupils suddenly contracted.

psychic abilities?

He subconsciously glanced at the paper figure of the black-armored warrior that had just been completed on the table.

He wasn't sure if it was just his imagination, but just a moment ago, he clearly saw the paper figure, which was only the size of a palm, twitch its fingers slightly.

Gu Yan's heart pounded. He glanced around to make sure that Old Man Xu was already asleep in the backyard before carefully reaching out and gently touching the paper figure's forehead with his fingertips, silently reciting a thought.

"Move a little."

The next second, something chilling happened.

The paper warrior, which had been lifeless, actually turned its neck stiffly as if it were alive, and then took two steps forward on the wood-shaving table with its two paper legs.

Gu Yan watched this scene in shock, and an unprecedented joy welled up in his heart.

This is not an ordinary paper-making technique.

This is magic.

In this world where demons roam and martial artists regard mortals as worthless, he, Gu Yan, finally mastered an extraordinary power.

Although this paper figure looks very weak, it breaks easily when poked and is afraid of fire and water.

But as long as the interface is there, as long as he keeps grinding, he can progress from beginner to intermediate level, from intermediate level to advanced level, and even to perfection.

When that time comes, will this paper figure transform into a true divine general? Will it become invulnerable to swords and spears, and impervious to water and fire?

If that's the case, it wouldn't be impossible to even muster a hundred thousand heavenly soldiers.

Gu Yan stared intently at the panel, his gaze gradually sharpening.

Just then, a series of urgent bangings on the door broke the silence of the night, accompanied by a rude male voice booming from outside.

"Old Xu, stop pretending to be dead in there! Open the door! The Black Dragon Gang is collecting their dues!"

Gu Yan suddenly looked up, glanced at the pitch-black night outside the door, and then at the small black paper figure on the table.

He slowly reached out and put the paper figure into his bosom, hiding it close to his body.

Then, he put on a humble and timid expression and strode towards the door.

"Coming, coming! Gentlemen, stop smashing things, we'll open the door right away!"