Volume 7: The Awakening Spring Thunder, Chapter 7: Bait_3

Sitting quietly by the desk, Komer gazed at the round wood stem resting on a wooden tray, the fruit of his diligent labor over the past two-plus months. But before any testing, it was unclear if this would prove to be a worthless piece of junk or a treasure beyond value; even Komer couldn't be sure. Regardless of its worth, it was a gem in Komer's eyes, having expended all his effort these past months from design to material selection, from sourcing ingredients to commencing production, almost entirely a solo endeavor. Not to mention the energy spent, the cost of even a small amount of raw material made Puber tremble so much it made his lips quiver. But everyone understood the significance of this device—if they wanted to secure a partner on the Nether Sea, they needed to first cozy up to the neighbors to the east.