Temporary Recruitment

Back at his rented room, Su Ran carefully wiped down his newly acquired [Mithril Staff] and leaned it against the bed, where it would be easiest to reach.

The arcane energy at the head of the staff, like a miniature nebula, flowed slowly in the dim light, lending the cramped room an air of mystery.

He opened his Personal Terminal out of habit, wanting to see if there was any news from Shield Guard and the others.

It had been over a week since they had hurried back to Linhai Town. In the meantime, Su Ran had focused on improving himself and had barely contacted them.

Yet the profile icons of Shield Guard, Spearman, and the others remained dim in his contacts list, showing that they had been offline for more than 168 hours.

Su Ran frowned slightly. More than a week without any news was unusual in an age when communications were relatively advanced and class holders generally relied on terminals for information and contact.

Unless... they were somewhere completely cut off from any signal, deep inside some high-risk dungeon, or...

He remembered what Shield Guard had said when he left: otherworldly creatures were roaming loose, and things seemed to be looking grim.

Linhai Town was near the Misty Sea, a large dungeon area, and it was common for low-level monsters to slip out and cause trouble. But for the town to issue an emergency recruitment order, and for Shield Guard and the others to go silent for more than a week after returning...

The situation was probably more serious than expected.

A trace of worry quietly crept into Su Ran's heart.

Though he knew that people in the world of awakened ones came and went without warning, he could not forget the time when he had first started out as a [Scholar], the weakest support class, with no combat power and nearly every pickup party turning him away.

It was Shield Guard's team, themselves struggling at the bottom, who had taken him in without hesitation and given him their trust from the start and a chance to fight alongside them.

He remembered the helping hand they had extended in his darkest hour.

"Linhai Town..." Su Ran murmured the name. He was now a Lv.3 Mage, well equipped and skilled in his abilities, far stronger than he had been back then.

Perhaps... I can help?

But reason immediately doused the thought as soon as it surfaced.

The creatures that escaped from the massive Misty Sea dungeon, even if they were only stragglers that had slipped through the net, were nothing like the Lv.2 fierce tigers on [Crouching Tiger Slope].

That was a true frontline region, and the levels, types, and danger of the monsters roaming out of it were hard to predict.

With his current strength, if he rashly ran off to an outlying town where the situation was unclear and which might already have become a small-scale battlefield, his own safety would be in question, let alone his ability to help.

As a Lv.3 Black Iron Tier Mage, he could do very little to change the course of a potential crisis on that scale.

A sense of helplessness left Su Ran silent for a moment.

Just then, several recruitment notices marked in red and bold caught his attention in the trending information section of the local awakened ones' channel, automatically pushed to his Personal Terminal.

[Iron Cross Guild Emergency Recruitment Notice]

In response to incidents involving abnormal creatures roaming the areas around Linhai Town on the eastern coast, and to ensure public safety and eliminate the threat, our guild is now openly recruiting temporary combat personnel.

Requirements: Lv.3 or above, a stable combat class and skills, complete equipment, and obedience to orders.

Duties: cooperate with the guild's main force to clear and scout the areas around Linhai Town and establish temporary defensive lines.

Compensation: base pay settled daily, depending on contribution; supplies consumed during the mission will be covered by the guild. Those who perform exceptionally will have a chance to obtain full membership in the Iron Cross Guild directly, subject to assessment!

For the registration location and further details, click...

[Steel Fist Brotherhood Temporary Recruitment]

Combat personnel wanted for a clearing mission in the Linhai Town area...

[Guard Hall Notice: Expansion of Auxiliary Defense Force Recruitment]

In light of the situation in Linhai Town, recruitment for the auxiliary defense force is being expanded...

It wasn't just the Iron Cross Guild. Several well-known local mid-sized guilds, and even the official Guard Hall, had posted similar recruitment notices!

All aimed squarely at Linhai Town!

It seemed the situation in Linhai Town really was grim enough to have prompted the local community's core forces to intervene.

The major guilds and the authorities were taking the opportunity to recruit temporary personnel, partly to supplement their numbers and partly, perhaps, to identify and take in promising talent.

Su Ran's gaze stayed fixed on the Iron Cross Guild's recruitment notice, particularly that last line.

Those who perform exceptionally will have a chance to obtain full membership in the Iron Cross Guild directly, subject to assessment!

The Iron Cross Guild!

It was one of the top three local mid-sized guilds in terms of strength, renowned for its strict discipline, generous benefits, and clear paths to advancement!

Compared with the smaller guilds he had encountered before, which came with all sorts of restrictions, Iron Cross was several levels above them in strength, reputation, and prospects for growth!

If he could distinguish himself on this temporary mission and join the Iron Cross Guild directly...

That would mean reliable logistical support, intelligence on higher-level dungeons, opportunities for systematic skill training, and a relatively fair team environment!

More importantly, by joining a guild like that, he might be able to use its strength to improve himself more quickly, and, when he was capable in the future,

better repay people like Shield Guard and the others who had helped him.

Besides, this mission was to Linhai Town! It was dangerous, but perhaps... he would have a chance to ask about Shield Guard and the others, or even help them indirectly?

Risk and opportunity went hand in hand.

Su Ran's eyes lit up. His earlier helplessness and worry for Shield Guard and the others seemed to have found a practical outlet.

He hesitated no longer. He immediately opened the link to the Iron Cross Guild's recruitment details and carefully read the registration requirements and mission description.

The level requirement was Lv.3 or above. He qualified.

A stable combat class and skills: Mage, Energy Missile Lv.3, Berserk Lv.2, Lesser Healing Spell Lv.2, Light Spell Lv.2, and the Tiger Might Headband for crowd control.

Complete equipment—the Mithril Staff (fine), Mana Ring (fine), Arcane Focus Bracer (fine).

Tiger Might Headband (rare), Mind-Calming Jade Pendant (fine), Cloth Robe (fine), Rabbit-Skin Boots (fine)...

This set of gear was luxurious not just for a Lv.4, but even among Lv.5 and Lv.6 class holders.

As for obeying orders, he didn't consider himself a troublemaker.

He met the requirements perfectly!

"This is the one!" Su Ran made up his mind.

He immediately filled out the electronic application form as instructed, attaching some equipment information he could disclose and descriptions of his skills.

He left out the specific attributes and the sources of his rare items, and scheduled a preliminary screening and interview for the next day.

After closing the terminal, Su Ran leaned back in his chair and let out a long breath.

Joining the Iron Cross Guild and taking part in the Linhai Town mission. This might be a turning point.

He would have a chance to enter higher-level circles and acquire resources, while also seeing if he could find out where Shield Guard and the others were.

He glanced at the [Mithril Staff] leaning against the bed, then touched the [Tiger Might Headband] on his forehead.

I hope everything goes smoothly.