Old Ke Smithy

Old Ke Smithy

Seeing this, Dole perked up. He had practiced Basic Fist Technique before. Although this Cross Fist Technique was not something one could learn at a glance, he could still grasp the main ideas behind its design. Though it focused on blocking, any fist technique was something he could not learn outside without spending money. He felt as if he had found a treasure.

With that in mind, he carefully read through the fist technique, earnestly memorizing the moves, key points, precautions, and everything else. He studied it intently, memorizing as he practiced the motions.

Aoduo lay in the doghouse, watching Dole practice. He quietly breathed a sigh of relief. He had finally set the kid on the right path. As long as Dole was willing to train, and Aoduo used magic to condition his body at night, it should not take long for him to reach Apprentice Level. Once he reached Apprentice Level, he could find a proper job and would not have to work in the mines.

Over the past few nights, Aoduo had wandered around the mining grounds. Seeing the conditions there, he sighed inwardly. This was only a place to survive, not a place to make money. Besides, Dole was still young. His wages were barely enough for one person to live on; he could not even afford to fall ill. How could he go on living like that?

As his lifesaver, Aoduo felt it was necessary to improve his life. Fortunately, Dole was not the sort of hopeless fool who could not be molded. He knew how to strive forward. With only a little guidance from Aoduo, the fellow had found his way himself. Not bad.

Emmm, tonight he would search again and see whether there were any other small veins of Magic Crystal Mine around. Absorbing them felt so good that he was almost getting addicted.

Awooo! This was the life!

Changing mines had not been as distressing as Dole had imagined. The wages were actually higher, and his body was getting better too. As long as the pay kept up, his life was even better than before. He was not as frightened as he had been either. As for that damned Aoduo, Dole figured that as long as he avoided him, there was nothing to fear.

What he feared now was someone informing on him and revealing his whereabouts. With Aoduo's vindictive nature, Dole would probably get no good out of it.

Yet five or six days passed in a row, and Aoduo still did not find Dole. Meanwhile, Dole's Cross Fist Technique went from clumsy at first to proficient.

Life seemed to be heading in a better direction.

On February 1, Dole was awakened by the sound of raindrops hitting the canvas roof. Hearing it, he sprang out of bed and rushed to the window to look outside. In the still-dark morning, raindrops the size of beans fell from the sky, striking the ground and forming puddles. Where the puddles grew too numerous, the water overflowed and ran into the narrow ditches, filling his ears with the gentle sound of flowing water.

It was raining. Damn it, he could not work today.

Rain meant he would be unable to work for two or three days. He would have to live off his savings. At three copper coins a day, he would need at least ten copper coins. Thinking of this, Dole wailed inwardly.

He had finally saved up thirteen copper coins, and now it was all going to be gone again.

Even the heavens were against him. His face filled with misery as he thought that his hard work over the past few days had been for nothing. He could endure rainy days before, but now that he was training in fist techniques, he needed to eat a great deal every day. How was he supposed to endure that?

With a sigh, Dole lay back down and considered what he could do on a rainy day. He could not just sit around and eat through his savings. If he really lay around for three to five days, would he still be able to buy that dictionary?

What a dilemma.

Thinking of this, Dole sat cross-legged on the bed and remained there until dawn.

He had grown accustomed to the sitting posture. His legs would go numb, then gradually stop feeling numb. After sitting for a while, his whole body relaxed, which was also greatly beneficial for rest. After practicing for a long time, Dole did not feel particularly sleepy. He was full of strength from head to toe. There was only one downside: he got hungry easily.

Growing required food, and practicing fist techniques required food too. He already did not have enough money to eat well. If he took three to five days off and had no income, Dole felt he would go mad.

As he thought, dawn arrived.

Just then, a string of clanging sounds startled him. It was the sound of a smithy hammering iron, especially loud in the early morning.

Dole's mind immediately became active. He could go to a smithy. With his current build, he would definitely be able to apply as a laborer. He had applied before, but they had casually dismissed him with a few words, saying his body was not strong enough. Now it would definitely work.

Smithies were also a specialty of Duomeng City. There were two kinds of smithies in the city: those that forged ore and those that forged various iron goods.

Smithies that processed ore were called official shops, meaning only the authorities could operate them. They bought ore from the major mines, refined it themselves, and smelted iron ore into iron ingots. It was an exclusive business.

Of course, raw ore did not necessarily have to be smelted in Demon County. Every year after winter, merchant caravans came from elsewhere to buy ore and haul it away for smelting. It was simply that private smelting was not permitted within Demon County.

The second kind of smithy was far more common. They made weapons and farm tools, repaired carriages, forged all sorts of odds and ends. There were several near the slums, and they often hired laborers.

The pay for laborers was low, only three copper coins a day, but they provided meals for the entire day. To Dole, that was an absolutely perfect job.

With that in mind, he put on his ragged clothes, greeted Aoduo, pushed open the door, and rushed into the icy rain.

Duomeng City was not large. Supported by the mines, most people in the city lived fairly well, aside from those in the slums. People elsewhere all had decent lives.

Leaving the slums and following the street farther inward led to Duomeng City's ordinary residential and commercial districts. This was the largest area of the city. Early in the morning, clanging sounds came from all directions, decorating Duomeng City's dawn. Normally, this was when mine workers headed to work, and the streets would be bustling with people. But today, rain poured down and not a soul could be seen outside. Only a few workers from the smithies could be seen still hammering iron beneath their sheds.

Dole was an old hand around here. He often wandered about the area and knew which places were cheap, which were expensive, which had plenty of work, and which did not. He was not deliberately trying to learn any craft. He only wanted to work a few days as a temporary laborer, so naturally he chose whichever place paid the most.

Before long, he arrived at the entrance of Old Ke Smithy through the rain.

By then, he was soaked through. His hair and clothes were dripping with water, so he hurried over beside the furnace.

The smith recognized Dole as well. While tending the fire, he teased, "It's you, kid. Why are you here today? Not going to the mines?"

"With rain this heavy, how could I go? I came to ask whether you need laborers. Daily pay. I can work for a few days." He rolled up his sleeves, revealing his sturdy shoulders and arms.

The smith froze. He had been about to mock him, but when he saw Dole's exposed arms, he raised his brows. Not bad. Then he smiled honestly. "Wait here. I'll go ask Ha." With that, he set down the bellows and headed toward the back.

Old Ke Smithy was divided into two sections: the front stall and the rear workshop. The rear workshop was in the back, mainly used to reprocess and purify purchased iron ingots, and was generally not open to the public. The front stall was where the actual ironworking took place.