"Alright."
Durin gritted his teeth, pulled another copper circle coin from his pocket, and handed it over.
Then, he took the fresh carrot and paused to glance at the task board as he passed by.
He wanted to see if he could find an easy and safe daily-paid job for tomorrow, Sunday.
After all, earning some extra money is always good.
1. Clear out rats from the Third Avenue sewers — 18 copper circle coins/time
Durin immediately ruled out this job. First of all, the Zaun sewers are not a place for humans. Who knows how much industrial wastewater is in there? How can the rats living there be bigger than house cats? It's ridiculous! Moreover, there are dozens in a nest, making it impossible to clear them all. Eighteen copper circle coins for one time is simply not worth it.
Besides, if he remembered correctly, isn't there a rat hero in Zaun?
Has that guy been born yet?
Durin wasn't sure, and he didn't dare to go into the sewers to find out. It was too dangerous.
2. Currently recruiting a repairman who understands how to repair most mechanical devices, possesses certain mechanical knowledge and repair experience. Work location is at Mid-level Plaza, Ben Suo's Grocery Store — Salary negotiable
This job is out too. Since transmigrating, Durin only knows how to disassemble things. As for repair knowledge, he's completely clueless. His Engineering proficiency is still not maxed out at 25 points.
3. Recruiting a Mage Assistant, requires a certain level of literacy, good patience, and other excellent qualities. Experience as a Mage Assistant preferred. Work location at 753 Third Avenue. — Daily pay: 20 copper circle coins.
Mage Assistant?
Durin scoffed at this. His painful experience of becoming a test subject before made him unable to trust these slightly deranged mages ever again. Especially these poor mages who can only recruit assistants in the Slums!
Moreover, how desolate must a mage be to live, and live on Third Avenue, a gang-ridden area at that.
4. Recruiting temporary gang thugs — 8 copper circle coins/day. Note: Gather at Sixth Avenue in the Lower District at 1 PM. First come, first served. Only 25 people needed.
Eh?
Although Vander is the leader of Zaun, his gentle nature makes him unwilling to manage Zaun's gangs. Coupled with the fact that most of these gangs are backed by Alchemist Barons, and behind the Alchemist Barons are always those damned Piltoverianss interfering.
Therefore, the gangs that are blooming everywhere in Zaun frequently have small skirmishes to compete for the limited territory.
Thus, temporary thugs naturally emerged. However, Durin knew that this daily-paid job seemed dangerous, but in fact, nine out of ten times, a fight wouldn't break out. Usually, after throwing a few bottles and cursing a few insults about each other's mothers, they would disperse.
Even if a fight did break out, temporary thugs like them were always arranged at the very back; they just needed to fish in troubled waters.
It seems I need to wake up early tomorrow.
After confirming, Durin left in a hurry, returning to his residence.
Leaving the grocery store opposite the alley corner, Durin walked towards the alley passage.
On the dark alley passage wall, a huge tiger claw shape was painted with red and green spray paint. This was the symbol of the Tiger Claw Gang, and also a warning to other gangs that this was their territory.
Most of the houses in the alley were two-story structures with gray concrete walls. Each house was divided into five or six rooms, and apart from the shared kitchen and bathroom, there was no other space.
Of course, there would also be a shared narrow staircase for going up and down, only wide enough for one person.
Durin arrived at the middle section of the alley passage and walked up the stairs, finding a group of people gathered in front of his rented house. They were all his co-renting neighbors.
"Uncle Wright! Sister-in-law Martha! Katha!"
Durin greeted them one by one, asking, "Why are you all out?"
"It's nothing but..."
A plump woman wearing a linen skirt and a mask sighed.
"Shut up! Sigh, Durin, just see for yourself!"
The ones called "Uncle Wright" and "Katha" were a father and son. Uncle Wright was a cooper, and the money he earned each month was enough to support his family.
At this moment, the father and son moved aside, creating a gap for Durin to step forward and see inside.
He saw:
In the shared rented house, next to Durin's room was a woman in her twenties. She was not beautiful, belonging to the indistinguishable crowd. She wore a thin mask on her face, and her brownish-yellow short hair was loosely draped over her shoulders. She was wearing a patched long dress and stood cautiously at the doorway.
Standing in front of her was a man in his thirties, wearing a respirator, with graying temples, accompanied by two burly followers. The followers had tiger claw tattoos on their arms and flintlock pistols at their waists.
The man, wearing a respirator, spoke in a muffled voice: "Everyone listen up!"
Durin knew him. He was a mid-level manager of the nearby Tiger Claw Gang and the landlord of this part of the Slums, including Durin's room.
The man stood to the side, his dark short jacket a bit disheveled. He didn't forbid the crowd from watching, or rather, this was exactly what he wanted to see. He said impatiently, "I'll repeat it again! Starting next month, the rent for all the houses you live in will increase. Everyone's rent will go up by fifty percent!"
"Ah?"
Someone in the crowd immediately asked, "Why?"
"Hmph, why so many questions? It's not just our gang raising the rent; the entire Zaun is raising rent," the manager said somewhat mockingly. "And, if you can't pay the rent, move out as soon as possible. Otherwise, if you dare to resist, it will be resisting the Tiger Claw Gang!"
After speaking, the man waved his hand and left with his two followers. The crowd scattered as he passed, as if avoiding snakes and scorpions.
Watching their retreating figures.
The onlookers dispersed, each with a melancholic expression. A 50% increase in rent was a frustrating amount for every household living in the Slums.
"Sigh!"
"Sigh!"
"Sigh!"
Durin glanced at the neighboring girl. He didn't have much contact with her, only occasionally lending a hand to help, supporting each other. For example: occasionally helping to take out the trash, or inviting her to eat together after cooking. These were small acts of kindness between neighbors.
In his impression, her job was cleaning in a tavern. She worked herself to death every month for only 2 silver ring coin. Her rented room was even smaller than his, about three square meters, roughly the size of a toilet. Even so, it cost 1 silver lun coin.
If the rent increased by 50%, her rent next month would be 1.5 silver ring coin. This was not a small amount, especially since there were still food and living expenses each month!
When the neighboring girl saw Durin, she pursed her lips, an expression of wanting to speak but hesitating.
Durin knew what she was thinking. He waved his hand helplessly and said proactively, "I really don't have any extra money to lend you."
The neighboring girl's eyes immediately dropped, and she turned silently to enter her room.
In response, Durin could only silently open his room with a key and enter it.
Everyone was struggling; after all, living in the Slums of the Outer District meant every household was barely getting by, with no spare resources.
The reality was: beyond sympathy, nothing could be done.
The room was not large, probably only five square meters, and the overall appearance was no different from an unfinished apartment, with gray sand-and-stone walls, dim, and damp. Moss could even be seen growing in the corners, and the room could barely fit a 1.6-meter single bed, a small desk with a matching chair, some boxes piled in the corner, and two pots of green radish.
The two pots of green radish were responsible for filtering toxic gases from the air. So, Durin took off his mask upon entering the room, as the air inside was relatively fresher than the street outside.
The small desk and matching chair were cheap second-hand items Durin had later bought himself, costing him 80 copper circle coins, about a quarter of his salary.
This was also the cheapest second-hand desk and chair Durin could find.
The items in those boxes were his personal belongings, including daily necessities and changes of clothes.
After closing the door, Durin's mood suddenly became irritable. A 50% increase in rent meant he would have to pay 2 silver ring coin and 25 copper circle coins next month. How dared these people even say such a thing? He knew that a room in the Mid-level Plaza, where he wanted to move, cost around seven silver ring coin a month, and this dilapidated house, after the price increase, was already one-third of that.
The living conditions of the two were a world apart!
But Durin dared not refuse to pay, nor did he dare to raise objections at this time, because he remembered a prostitute who had moved in two months ago. This prostitute was a local of Zaun and had once been the mistress of the manager he had just seen. But when he grew tired of her, he kicked her out.
Last month, this prostitute was directly and brutally evicted from her room by three gang thugs because she couldn't pay the rent, leaving her homeless.
Last week, Durin saw her body in an alley.
There was no other way; expenses had increased. If he couldn't solve the problem of the increased expenses by addressing the people causing them, then he could only resort to finding ways to increase his own income. Durin had considered changing jobs, such as becoming a repairman, which would earn him at least more money than he did now each month.
However, the job of a repairman was not something an amateur like him, who knew nothing, could learn. It required finding a master willing to teach him everything.
Careless repairs could easily lead to explosions!
Moreover, outsiders were pouring into Zaun every day, and the area was only so large. The places that could provide work were also fixed, so finding a job was getting harder by the day.
Last week, Durin took a part-time job delivering a barrel of coal to a tavern on Sixth Avenue in the inner part of the Lower District, and he was almost robbed halfway. He only received 4 copper circle coins in the end.
It was like a joke; he remembered that when he first arrived, such a job would pay 12 copper circle coins.
Involuntarily, Durin once again thought of the job opening for a Wizard's Hand he had seen on the task board outside the grocery store. Originally, he didn't want to take that job, but the various events he encountered today made him re-evaluate.
It seemed that finding a higher-paying job was now urgent.
He felt that he had to give it a try tomorrow, no matter what.
At the very least, so that he wouldn't be kicked out by a gang one day and would have a place to sleep at night.
…
Dawn broke, and the morning light appeared.
The entirety of Zaun is divided into three parts: Promenade Level, Mid-level Plaza, and Lower District, basically arranged vertically.
Durin, as a former Wizard's Hand, at least lived in the Mid-level Plaza.
However, this new Wizard's Hand job was in the Lower District on Third Avenue. Although it was located in the most prosperous central area of the inner Lower District, it was still the Lower District. It seemed this wizard was not as distinguished as the previous one.
Most of those living on Third Avenue were gang members, and the buildings along the street were mostly taverns, brothels, gambling dens, and weapon shops.
Therefore, Durin had to walk out of the Slums of the Lower District, then weave through various narrow streets and alleys, repeatedly detouring.
After leaving the Slums, Durin arrived at Third Avenue in the inner part of the Lower District.
Compared to the main road of the Slums, this place was truly clean… at least, apart from the perpetually uncleaned trash cans, the never-repaired gas streetlights, and the Zaun urchins who stole everywhere, there were no hissing leaky pipes.
Several drunkards cursed at each other on the street, there was a girl with a respirator clutching a paper bag full of food, hurrying away, and a couple arguing on the street about their child calling the next-door neighbor 'Dad'.
This made the woman's husband think that his child was not his own.
The woman's explanation was: the child was less than a year old, so how could he have cognitive abilities? You could even make him call any cat or dog 'Dad'.
At the same time, advertisements were playing on a loop from the loudspeakers on both sides of the street:
"Glasc Industries kindly reminds you that your respirator is outdated. You can visit the nearest store for repairs, and for a limited time, we're offering the latest fourth-generation respirator with a 15% discount for appointments…"
"Are you still worried about the Zaun explosion from a year ago? Are you still afraid of the increasing number of armed individuals on the streets? The Midarda Family of Piltover has just launched a new anti-terrorism insurance…"
As Durin walked on Third Avenue, he subconsciously checked if the weapon at his waist was still there. This was the only thing that gave him a sense of security in Zaun. Along the way, he couldn't see any buildings taller than three stories; as far as his eyes could see, all buildings were two stories high.
The further he walked, the more he noticed that people inside always carried a flintlock rifle or a long knife, all wearing respirators or masks, and their footsteps were always quick.
Following the address, Durin stopped at building number 753.
From the outside, it looked similar to other buildings, a two-story building surrounded by a wall on all sides to prevent easy entry. The entire wall looked heavily damaged, presenting a charred color.
Durin first pushed open the iron gate of the wall, then walked inside, and then passed through a revolving door, walking along a corridor.
As soon as he stepped in, he felt the air inside the entire house become fresh, as if the outside haze was blocked out.
Durin looked around and saw a complex and intricate runic array faintly glowing green above his head. It should be magic at work, shielding the haze from outside.
So, he pulled down his mask and, seeing a cleaner mopping the floor, couldn't help but ask, "Excuse me, may I ask something?"
The cleaner replied without looking up, "Turn left and go up the stairs. Kreslin the Mage is upstairs."
Durin walked up the stairs, the wooden steps creaking under his weight, making him worry that he might fall at any moment.
He already saw two men sitting on chairs outside the door, seemingly filling out a form.
"Hello."
Durin greeted them politely.
But the two men ignored him and continued filling out their forms. Just then, the door opened, and a man in a black linen shirt walked out with a silent expression. A male servant in a gray linen long coat stood at the doorway, holding a clipboard.
The servant expressionlessly handed Durin a piece of paper and a pen, and said in a deep voice, "Fill out the form and wait."
"What?"
Durin was stunned, taking the pen and clipboard, and watched as the next interviewee entered the room.
Leaning close to the door, Durin faintly heard voices from inside. He couldn't help but lean in to try and eavesdrop on what they were discussing, so he could have some idea and make some preparations.
Creak!
The wooden door was suddenly pushed open from inside, startling Durin. The interviewed man walked out, his face showing disappointment, as if the interview had not gone well.
"Next."
A deep, middle-aged man's voice came from inside.
Durin looked back at the two men sitting on the chairs. They were also staring at him, as if startled by the previous scene, hesitant to respond to the call.
"Where is he?"
The male voice asked with some impatience.
"Right here, Mr. Kreslin."
The servant immediately responded, then gestured for Durin to enter the room, closing the door tightly behind him.