Read Chapter 29: — TOBY REED, ENGINEER

Toby’s transformation was slower and therefore more satisfying.

He still talked too much.

He still bought impractical trainers.

He still treated every group chat as a stage.

But the young man who once believed theory could rescue him from inexperience had become reliable in the field.

During a night pour, a sensor reading suggested a temperature problem. A junior technician wanted to dismiss it as instrumentation error.

Months earlier Toby might have done the same.

Instead he stopped the operation, checked the sensor independently and discovered a cooling-system fault.

The delay cost ninety minutes.

It prevented a much larger quality problem.

Daniel signed the incident note and handed it back.

“Well done.”

Toby looked suspicious.

“That’s it?”

“Yes.”

“No correction? No life lesson?”

“You did your job.”

Toby went quiet.

Then, to Daniel’s horror, his eyes filled.

“Oh no.”

“I’m not crying.”

“You are absolutely crying.”

“Dust.”

“In the office?”

“Very aggressive dust.”

Later Toby was promoted to assistant engineer and assigned two graduates to mentor.

He complained bitterly.

“They ask so many stupid questions.”

Daniel smiled.

“Do they?”

Toby stared at him, then groaned.

“I hate character development.”