As soon as these words were spoken.

Supervisor Shen Qiu's mouth formed an "O" shape, and he stood frozen in place in utter shock.

He even suspected that he was experiencing auditory hallucinations because he was too nervous.

"Master Ou Yezi, you... what did you just say?"

He stammered it out again, his voice filled with disbelief.

"We... aren't leaving?"

He couldn't understand.

Everyone present, without exception, consisted of lifestyle Classer who lacked the strength to truss a chicken.

Staying here, besides waiting for death, what other meaning could it possibly have?

However, he ultimately didn't dare to directly clash with this uniquely talented Master Blacksmith. Instead, he asked politely in a near-pleading tone, "Sorry, Master Ou Yezi, I... I don't quite understand what you mean. Can you be more specific?"

Zhou Huai, controlling Ou Yezi, cast his gaze around the hall at the forgers who were also casting confused looks.

He gathered his thoughts and then slowly said:

"Although we are lifestyle Classer, we can still play our own role."

His gaze became sharp, as if it could pierce straight through people's hearts.

"Right at this moment, right upon our city wall, countless combat Classer are fighting in a bloody battle."

"Many of them might not even have a higher Level than us, nor better equipment than us."

"Yet they haven't retreated. To protect this city and to protect us, they are fighting regardless of their own lives."

"And what about us?"

Ou Yezi's voice suddenly rose, carrying a force that cross-examined the soul.

"Yet here we are, like a group of startled mice, packing up our belongings and plotting how to escape?"

"Are you all not part of Donghai City?"

"Aren't your families and friends in this city?"

"If you just walk away, won't your consciences truly hurt?!"

"I..."

Zhou Huai's words were like a thunderclap, exploding in everyone's heart.

Supervisor Shen Qiu's face instantly turned the color of pig liver. He opened his mouth, but couldn't spit out a single word.

He admitted that every single word Ou Yezi said was like a red-hot branding iron, fiercely burning into his heart.

Shame and utter humiliation.

But... but human nature inherently seeks advantages and avoids harm.

He was afraid of death.

He truly couldn't be like Ou Yezi and completely disregard life and death.

Watching Supervisor Shen Qiu's struggling appearance, Zhou Huai knew he shouldn't push him too far.

He softened his tone, and his voice returned to calmness.

"Of course, I don't mean to force everyone to stay."

"Everyone has their own aspirations, and I won't force it."

"But personally, I will not leave."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the busy forgers who were packing up, his voice heavy.

"Right now, many of the defending soldiers on the city wall might still be holding ordinary white-tier equipment bought from shops."

"On their bodies, there isn't even a single piece of fine-quality defensive gear."

"Even so, they still stood upon the city wall without hesitation, shedding blood and sacrificing their heads for Donghai City!"

"I want to stay."

Ou Yezi's voice was resolute and decisive, without the slightest bit of hesitation.

"To forge better equipment for them. Even if my individual ability is limited, I must do my utmost."

"I ask for nothing else, only... a clear conscience!"

As soon as his voice fell.

"Well said!"

A vigorous and full-bodied exclamation of praise came from the doorway of the second-floor office.

Gu Yan, the president of the Blacksmiths' Guild, had walked out at some unknown time.

His face, which always carried a hint of majesty, was currently filled with undisguised appreciation.

He slowly walked down the stairs, came before them, and heavily patted Ou Yezi's shoulder.

"The rise and fall of the world is the responsibility of every citizen!"

"So what if we are a lifestyle profession? We likewise have our own responsibilities!"

Gu Yan's gaze swept across the hall, his voice loud and clear.

"Just a moment ago, I have already decided!"

"To take out all the remaining seventy-two epic-quality equipment and more than five hundred rare-quality equipment from our guild's warehouse!"

"And send them to the fighting soldiers on the city wall!"

"What?!"

Supervisor Shen Qiu revealed an expression of disbelief.

He blurted out in exclamation:

"President! That... that is all the family fortune of our guild!"

"How can you..."

"Shut up!"

Gu Yan suddenly turned his head, letting out a furious shout that interrupted Supervisor Shen Qiu's words.

In his cloudy old eyes, a startling sharp gleam burst forth at this moment.

"Family fortune?!"

"Donghai City is about to be gone, and people are about to die! Do I want to keep those pieces of scrap metal and take them down to the netherworld for King Yama to see?!"

With a wave of his large hand, his aura was like a rainbow.

"Not only am I going to send the equipment, but I am also staying!"

"To continue forging more equipment for them!"

Having said that, the anger on Gu Yan's face turned into a hint of self-mockery.

He spoke in a near-joking tone, "I haven't touched that old partner in a long time, and I don't know if these old bones of mine can still take the beating."

Looking at the old man before him, Zhou Huai also revealed heartfelt admiration in his eyes.

"Master Gu Yan, what great righteousness!"

Gu Yan, however, chuckled and waved his hand.

"I am an old bag of bones with the yellow soil already buried up to my neck; my death is not to be pitied."

He turned his head and looked intently at Ou Yezi, his gaze filled with expectations and appreciation for the younger generation.

"On the contrary, you, Master Ou Yezi, your forging talent is the only one I, Gu Yan, have ever seen in my life!"

"With your talent, in the future, you will definitely become a Divine Artisan renowned throughout the Great Xia Nation!"

"Even a proud son of heaven like you is willing to stay for this city, so what are these old bones of mine worth?"

Gu Yan took a deep breath and straightened his somewhat stooped spine.

At this moment, his voice became incomparably solemn and reverent.

"An artisan may die."

"But the artisan's spirit lives on forever!"

As soon as these words were spoken, they struck heavily upon everyone's heart like a great bell and drum.

Inside the hall, the originally noisy packing sounds and discussions eerily quieted down at this moment.

Quite a few forgers who were packing things up stopped their actions one after another.

The expressions on their faces were complex.

There was confusion, struggle, shame, and even a trace of... a newly ignited flame.

They were forgers.

Ever since the moment of their class transfer, their life trajectories seemed to have been fixed.

What they faced every day was cold metal, scorching flames, and boring, repetitive hammering.

Life was numb.

When the beast tide came, when the shadow of death shrouded the entire city.

The first thought that welled up deep inside was fear, was escape.

They had never thought.

That a mere "blacksmith" like themselves, who only knew how to hammer iron, could do anything to protect this city.

And at this moment.

Ou Yezi's words, Gu Yan's words, were like lightning piercing the darkness, illuminating their long-dust-covered hearts.

That's right.

Those combat Classer could risk their lives on the city wall to protect them.

What right did lifestyle Classer like them have to comfortably cower in the rear, thinking only of escaping for their lives?

In the crowd, a young forger quietly put down the package filled with materials in his hands.

He glanced at his companion beside him who was also full of struggle, and a look of relief suddenly appeared on his face.

"I'm not leaving."

His voice wasn't loud, but in this quiet hall, it appeared exceptionally clear.

"Master Ou Yezi is right."

"I grew up in Donghai City since I was a child. My parents and my friends are all here."

"Everything I have is here."

He took a deep breath, as if using all his strength, and completely roared out the fear in his heart.

"Now Donghai City is in trouble, and I don't want to just look out for my own escape!"

"Even if I am just an Elementary forger, even if I can't forge any good equipment, I still want to stay!"

"To contribute my share of strength!"

His companion was a stout man with a full face of whiskers.

Hearing his words, the stout man was stunned for a moment, then grinned, revealing a row of white teeth, and heavily punched him in the chest.

"Good lad! You've got guts!"

The stout man laughed loudly, his laughter filled with unspeakable boldness.

"If you fucking aren't leaving, how could I have the face to see you later if I ran?"

"Damn it! Stay! I'm staying too!"

He fiercely slammed the luggage stuffed full in his hands onto the ground, producing a muffled thud.

"If Donghai City can really be defended, when I brag to people in the future, I can stand straight and say!"

"Back when Donghai City was defended, I fucking contributed my effort too!"

Having said that, the two smiled at each other, as if letting go of all the anxiety and fear in their hearts.

Without saying another word, they silently turned around and walked toward their own forging rooms, filled with dust and sweat.

"Bang!"

The door of the forging room was pushed open.

Immediately following.

"Bang!"

"Bang!"

"Bang!"

One forging room door after another was pushed open in succession!

One, two, ten, twenty...

More and more people put down their luggage.

And silently walked toward their workstations.

On those faces that were originally filled with fear and panic, the exact same flame was now burning.

That flame was named responsibility.