...
Of course, even though Chen Zhou felt pretty good and thought that he wielded his hammer as fast and powerfully as the old blacksmiths,
he was, after all, just an outsider when it came to this profound and complex craft of forging.
Without the support of experience and skills, even if he swung the hammer beautifully, this iron block would not easily transform into the shape he desired.
...
The long initial forging lasted for over two hours.
The strong and robust Chen Zhou drank at least four pounds of water during the process.
The muscle fatigue was not the main concern; it was the high temperature and enclosed space that made him feel uncomfortable, as if it was not the iron block being forged in the furnace, but himself.
Without a mirror, Chen Zhou knew his face must have been roasted red already.
The two natives had it even worse.
Saturday, who was adding coal, had a blackened little face full of sweat streaks.
