The Legend of the Fishermen of Sicily

The next day at the fish market.

Enzo relayed Aurelio's reply, asking if Leo would be willing to explain in Messina who made the harpoon.

"No problem," Leo asked expectantly, "How's his skill level?"

Enzo's very objective assessment:

"Many fishermen have ordered fishing gear from him, but he is definitely not comparable to a professional blacksmith."

Leo gestured a few times with his right hand in front of him, and then said:

"If my needs are more complex and my requirements are higher... can he handle it?"

Last night, Leo had already decided what kind of harpoon he wanted.

Enzo replied decisively:

"Then I suggest you find someone else, or find a professional blacksmith to forge it."

Leo pressed further:

Where can I find a blacksmith?

Enzo thought for a moment and replied:

"They have them in towns and cities, but they're all in larger places. However, they can't handle urgent jobs within a few days; you'll have to wait in line. Custom-made jobs aren't cheap either."

Leo weighed the options:

"Would it be convenient for you to meet with that person first and discuss things?"

......

As evening fell, Leo found Aurelio's house at the address Enzo had given him.

Although he arrived at the destination, he didn't dare to knock on the door, but instead circled around the area twice.

He had passed by this house many times and assumed it was a factory because there were always clanging and banging sounds coming from inside.

He wondered how Marzamemi could have such a profitable factory, with people working overtime even after dark.

However, the reason this place is mistaken for a factory is because of its large scale.

The thought that this was a fisherman's home made Leo even more determined to make a good harpoon.

Fishing is really profitable; look at this impressive house.

......

the other side.

Despite Aurelio's grandstanding, he packed up his ships early today and tidied up the workshop inside and out, fearing that Leo wouldn't hire him to make harpoons because of the dirty and messy working environment.

I'm so itching to show my skills!

After finishing the cleaning, Aurelio waited anxiously, but no one came.

I couldn't sit still any longer, so I opened the door and went out for a walk, worried that Leo might get lost and not be able to find his way.

Unexpectedly, when he pushed open the door, he saw Leo circling around his house like a dog.

Aurelius was horrified!

Is this Leo really the kind of outsider who would covet my old nautical memorabilia?

......

Leo had seen Aurelio at the fishing competition, and upon seeing him, he immediately went over to greet him and explain why he hadn't gone in.

"I'm worried I've gone to the wrong place."

Aurelius, preoccupied with his babies, suddenly didn't want to spear Leo anymore, because the guest had a strange request—he had to be present during the forging process.

But since they're already here, we can't just send them away immediately:

"Come in."

Aurelius remained silent and led the way.

Leo didn't dare to speak, silently following along while glancing around to observe Aurelio's house.

He was stunned the moment he stepped inside.

There were more than a dozen ship rudders of different sizes on the wall in front of us.

Various types of compasses were used to fill the gaps between the ship's rudders; some had blurred dials, while others still had rotating needles.

The seams between the rudder and compass were filled with ship parts such as brass bells, broken ship nails, and ship lights.

On the other side of the wall hung a huge, broken ship plank, and below it was a set of low cabinets filled with rolls of yellowed paper.

Next to the low cabinet was a wooden chair with peeling paint, on which was a half-open nautical map. The navigation routes on it were densely drawn in black and red ink, making it dizzying to look at.

Every room in Aurelio's house is in the same style—

There wasn't an inch of empty space; every wall, every corner, and every countertop was completely filled with tattered and broken things.

This house is great! Even a mouse wouldn't be able to find its way into the kitchen for three days and three nights without getting lost.

Elena, who has obsessive-compulsive disorder, would be driven crazy if she walked in and took a look.

After passing through the extremely luxurious house and a small garden, we finally arrived at Aurelio's forge.

But he didn't let Leo in; instead, he sat down in the garden.

This was the "reception area" that Aurelio had meticulously prepared to secure this big deal, but he wasn't in the mood for receiving guests right now.

After the two sat down, he got straight to the point:

"As you can see, the furnace is in my house, so it's not very convenient for you to be present during the forging process."

Leo nodded, indicating his understanding:

"I understand. I mainly came here to talk to you, but there's no guarantee we'll be able to collaborate."

Aurelio scratched his palm and asked Leo:

"What kind of harpoon do you want to make? Although we may not be able to cooperate, I can give you some advice. I've made quite a few things."

Leo had the same idea; he desperately needed a professional to guide him.

The main purpose was to tell him whether the requirements could be implemented and whether they were too far-fetched.

Sitting face to face, Aurelio's expression was quite serious, instantly reminding Leo of his old days at work.

He cleared his throat and recited the harpoon design requirements that he had already mentally reviewed many times.

"I want a harpoon that can be used for both high-mast fishing and diving fishing. You can think of it as a multi-scenario solution. To make it easier to understand, I will elaborate on the core pain points when I talk about the requirements, so that it will be more focused."

My first pain point is that the existing harpoons don't have enough piercing power.

Swordfish have thick skin and flesh, and a missed shot would waste time and create potential dangers. In the future, I may go to deeper waters and face larger schools of fish, so this harpoon must be extremely sharp.

The second pain point is the balance between hardness and toughness.

Large fish will struggle and be dragged frantically when speared. The spear needs to be both hard and flexible, neither too brittle nor too soft. Ideally, it should be "hard as porcelain and flexible as vine".

The third pain point is the length of the harpoon.

High-altitude throwing requires long weapons, but if they are too long, the center of gravity will be unstable, and if they are too short, they will not be suitable for the high-altitude working environment. I hope that this harpoon can be used for high-altitude throwing, can also be used to stab fish in the seabed, and can also meet my height, weight and usage habits.

The fourth pain point is durability.

Harpoons that are in contact with seawater for a long time are prone to corrosion or deformation, and the harpoon I'm using now is like that.

I hope—

Leo suddenly stopped and looked at Aurelio, who was covered in sweat.

During Leo's briefing, Aurelio first took off his hat, and then unbuttoned one button on his shirt.

But he still seemed hot, and was drinking large gulps of cold water, even finishing the glass in front of Leo.

"Did I make it too complicated?" Leo asked cautiously.

Aurelio quickly shook his head:

"No, no, no, it's not complicated at all. You explained it very clearly."

Leo continued to ask:

"Are my needs too idealistic?"

Aurelius, feeling extremely hot all over, waved his hands repeatedly:

"It's normal to be a little idealistic about something this important. I think your idea is very good, please continue!"