His workshop, tucked away on the industrial edge of the city, was a graveyard of things people had forgotten. To most, it was a mess of jagged edges and orange decay. To Elias, it was a library. He was a professional seeker of used metal, a man who didn't just buy scrap—he bought potential. The Search for the Core

He bypassed the heaps of aluminum siding and tangled copper wires. Instead, he headed toward the "heavy ferrous" section. He knew that was what he needed—medium carbon steel that was thick, machinable, and held its strength through the most brutal heat.

As the yard manager tallied the weight on a rusted scale, Elias wandered toward the smaller bins. This was where the "treasure" lived.