Oakland was a frontier town, a small commercial hub that had developed despite its proximity to the savage Northern tribes and the Beastmen, largely due to its lack of significant strategic value. Its location near the Sunset Mountains also drew in a varied clientele: adventurers and profit-driven merchants passing through.

Consequently, inns, blacksmiths, and various other weapon vendors gradually became a primary source of income for the small city of Oakland. Even the armies of the Four Seas Empire would issue a small portion of their contracts to Oakland.

Qian Jin did not return to his dormitory immediately after leaving Rodriguez. He still needed bedsheets; he couldn't just lie down on the mattress at night. Moreover, he needed to find another job.

Ever since being knocked unconscious by that strange hat that fell from the sky during the last trial, Qian Jin had locked himself in his dorm for three consecutive days. He hadn't worked at Old Ford's Tavern, which, by agreement, counted as automatic termination. He had to find another part-time job just to get by. The allowance provided by his family was barely enough to cover food, let alone the necessary nutrition to regain his strength.

Walking through the bustling streets of Oakland, Qian Jin quickly located a shop where he bought a cheap sheet for a few copper coins. Then, he began wandering the streets near the school, hoping to find part-time employment.

However, at the Oakland Warrior and Magic School, Qian Jin was not the only student short on funds. The easily obtainable jobs were almost all taken in advance by other students from the school.

Turning down several streets, every time Qian Jin entered a shop to inquire, the answer was always the same: "We don't need to hire anyone right now. Why don't you try asking at another place?"

"We really don't need anyone else..."

The same reply rang out again. Qian Jin sighed and turned to walk toward the door, lacking the energy to even listen to the latter half of the speaker's sentence.

"You could try asking at that blacksmith shop down the street... I think they were still hiring..."

The leg Qian Jin had extended out of the doorway froze abruptly. Blacksmithing, unlike most other trades, required not only brute strength and the ability to withstand the intense heat of the furnace but also a certain level of skill, offering significantly higher wages than other professions.

Qian Jin still remembered that when he first enrolled, some students who couldn't find work near the school had gone to the Franklin Blacksmith Shop at the corner. They went in thinking that merely being able to swing a sledgehammer would suffice, only to discover that smithing demanded technique. After several students met a wall there, everyone learned one thing: the work at the blacksmith shop was not suitable for students of the Oakland Academy.

"Blacksmith... smithing..."

Qian Jin muttered the words to himself, recalling that strange virtual game, Endless World. He had spent sixteen hours smithing in there, and the old smith, Black, seemed rather satisfied with him. Perhaps he should try that smithing job that other students had failed to secure?

Qian Jin turned back toward the middle-aged man behind the counter who had offered the suggestion and bowed slightly. "Thank you."

The man behind the counter was momentarily stunned. Although students from the Oakland Warrior and Magic Academy often worked odd jobs, they carried a certain air of self-importance. Upon graduation, they could at least secure a position as a street patrol inspector, which was considered a low-level public service post within the Empire. Few students would offer thanks for such a small courtesy.

Furthermore, due to the existence of the Demon Race Empire, warriors and mages were considered the primary defense force for the Four Seas Empire and all humanity, which significantly elevated their social status. Even as students, most possessed an inherent pride.

Qian Jin quickly moved past the shops lining the street, soon hearing the sound of a hammer striking metal—a sound that might seem monotonous to others but possessed a peculiar rhythm to him.

"Huh?" Qian Jin stopped, standing outside the Franklin Blacksmith Shop, his expression tinged with confusion.

Previously, Qian Jin had walked past the Franklin Blacksmith Shop many times, and the sound of hammering had always been jarringly monotonous. Why did the sound today seem so unique? Though seemingly chaotic, upon closer listening, the blows of the hammer carried a distinct, underlying rhythm.

The Franklin Blacksmith Shop occupied nearly five times the footprint of other establishments. The row of crude, unappealing hiring notices posted at the entrance simply read: Now Hiring Blacksmiths.

Four simple characters, with no mention of wages. Qian Jin stepped into the smithy, and the sound of the hammering from the back room became clearer.

"Hey, little warrior, what are you looking to buy?"

A man towered over Qian Jin by a head, broad-shouldered and solidly built, his bare, sweat-soaked chest displaying firm muscles. He held a heavy hammer in one hand and had a damp towel draped around his neck. His short, golden hair was beaded with sparkling sweat, and his rough voice carried a hint of boldness.

Qian Jin paid close attention to the hammer in the man's hand; by rough estimate, it looked to weigh around thirty pounds. The wrapping of cloth and leather around the grip indicated it was an old tool.

"I'm not here to buy anything," Qian Jin admitted, having to crane his neck up to look at the burly man. He pointed toward the door. "I saw you were hiring, so I came to apply for work."

"You?" The big man narrowed his blue eyes into slits, his expression highly doubtful as he scrutinized Qian Jin. "A student from the Oakland Warrior and Magic Academy?"

Qian Jin grabbed the lapels of his warrior uniform and shook them lightly. "Yes, I am."

The man's look of disbelief intensified, and he shook his head repeatedly. "You better go look for another job. We don't hire students from Oakland."

"Huh? Why not?"

Qian Jin froze. He had finally found a potential source of income; how could he be dismissed so easily?

"Why not?" The big man grabbed the towel from his neck and wiped the sweat from his face. "Don't you know? Since the Franklin Blacksmith Shop was founded, not a single student from the Oakland Warrior and Magic Academy has ever been successfully hired here. We need blacksmiths, not apprentices who come in with an arrogant attitude, thinking smithing is easy, only to prove completely incompetent."

Qian Jin was surprised. He had assumed only his classmates from that year had failed to secure a position. He hadn't realized that in all the years the Oakland Warrior and Magic School had existed, no student had ever succeeded in an application at the Franklin Blacksmith Shop.

: No one is feeding me today, how miserable... and I'm too lazy to cook, even more miserable. So I thought, I'll splurge and go out! But when I walked down six flights of stairs, I found it was so cold! It made my nose run and eyes water profusely. Thinking about retreating home under these conditions—wouldn't that make the six-floor trek downstairs pointless? Such effort shouldn't be wasted! Braving the severe cold, I walked two street crossings and ate a bowl of tomato and egg noodles! Finally, I'm back... Updating one chapter, asking for recommendation votes, subscription clicks, and favorites... C