"It would be ten dollars."
Rob grimaced slightly and used the mobile app on his phone to scan the payment. Ironically, finance was one of the areas this world was advanced compared to earth.
In fact, the phone in his hand didn't exactly look like a smartphone, but it did have a QR scanner. If he had been a little technically savvy, he would be breaking his brain to find how it worked. But, to a man like him, it was yet another thing that you use but don't exactly understand.
It had been a week since Rob attended his disastrous interview. He knew that he had to make a decision soon. Usually, in a transmigration novel, the protagonist would already found a good job and would be using his cheat to earn money by now.
Three weeks had gone by since he was relocated to this body, and yet, Rob is still to obtain a job or find a cheat for him to miraculously overturn his fate overnight. It left a sour taste in his mouth and he lamented to himself that he must have been the most pitiful transmigrator to ever exist.
The most worrying part about his current situation was that the savings of the original owner of the body were running out. At most, he could manage another one or two weeks before he becomes destitute. It was not a situation he wanted to be in.
The week after the interview, Rob had been in a crazed state. After his humiliating ejection from the interview, he had been obsessed with getting into the pro-wrestling circle. As a result, for the past week, he had been searching online for any pro-wrestling-related job to apply for.
The funny thing about these kinds of obsessed states was that the fuel in which they run is pure motivation and obsession. Reality is a harsh taskmaster and the rebellious feelings he had towards the world were promptly stomped out when he met closed doors one after another in succession.
Currently, he was running on fumes. Unwilling to concede defeat; yet unable to make an inch of progress. It was a harsh place to be in. If he had the mindset of the original owner, who had just turned twenty, he would be glad to stake it all and duke it out with reality with a burning passion.
Alas, his mind was of someone who was in his late-thirties. An age when even passionate people would become pragmatists. His life experiences told him that relying on dumb luck to gain an entry into the pro-wrestling circle was a fool's quest.
He needed money to survive. He needed money to put his plans into action. If he wanted to concentrate on pro-wrestling alone, then he must have sufficient capital to bank his time and effort into it. Unfortunately, one needed a stable job to earn such insurance first. His dwindling supply of cash was like the cold, hard slap of reality.
When he had transmigrated, the original owner was working as a delivery driver. In his haze during his early days, he had not paid attention to his job. As a result, he had already been fired from the job and was now currently unemployed.
He didn't mind it much when he first realized that he was unemployed because he was already planning to capitalize on his transmigration to earn more money in the shortest time possible. Alas, it had ended as a daydream and he was currently stuck in this hard place.
He needed a job urgently. Once he had a job and some cash to spare, he could slowly try to figure out a way to enter the pro-wrestling community. It was much less risky compared to his current harebrained plans. So, he knew what he must do – find a job.
But, knowing something and doing something are entirely different matters. While he knew it was unrealistic to gain a prominent position in the pro-wrestling circuit in a short while, he didn't expect even the entry gate looked firmly shut in front of his face.
For a niche sport in this world, the pro-wrestling scene was far too difficult to participate in. Most of the promotions he came across were looking only for wrestlers and even the small majority that didn't weren't interested in a newbie like him. He never got another call asking him to come to an interview since that day.
Sometimes, Rob idly wondered whether AWF was his golden chance and he had missed it. After all, it was a miracle indeed that AWF even called him for an interview. So, he was now stuck in dilemma, unable to determine how to proceed further in his life.
As Rob walked dispiritedly back towards his room, the phone in his pocket rang. He glanced at the number and found that it was not in his contacts list. He stopped and looked curiously at the unknown number that was being displayed on his phone screen.
This was the first time he had received a call from an unknown number after he had transmigrated. Curiosity piqued him and he clicked attend.
"Rob Williams?"
A cultured voice asked in a businesslike manner.
"Yes"
"Hi Rob, this is Steven. I am sure you don't know who I am. When we met last time, I wasn't able to introduce myself to you. I was one of your three interviewers,"
"Yes," Rob answered hesitantly wondering why a guy from AWF would be calling him.
"I can understand if you are angry. But, here me out first. Have you landed a job yet?"
Rob felt that the question was poking at his sore point. So, he gritted his and replied in negative.
"That's good," the guy replied happily.
Rob almost cursed him in return.
'What the hell!!! Why is this guy so happy to hear that I am unemployed!!! What did I do to him?' Rob thought angrily as he gnashed his teeth.
"Don't take me wrong, it's good that you aren't tied up with any other work. This would make things easier. I can tell from the way you spoke in the interview that you are passionate about pro-wrestling,"
Rob's heart began to beat faster.
'Is this what I think it is? Is AWF offering me a job? Did that mean they saw merit in my point?'
Rob's thoughts ran a mile a minute.
"To be frank, I thought that your idea of booking clear-cut good and bad guys was a novel one. In fact, I think it has great potential."
A goofy smile adorned Rob's face as he listened to the man praise his idea. While he knew that his idea would work, it was good to hear that confirmation from someone else. Especially, from someone who was high in the pro-wrestling circle.
"I know that interest in pro-wrestling has been waning of late. I personally think that our stubborn desire to cling to traditional ways and not explore new ways to present the product is the root cause. Your idea of changing the way we book and present wrestlers might just be what we need to revitalize the industry. That's why I think giving you an opportunity would not go to waste. What do you say? Are you interested?"
"Yes, yes, I am interested. Very much so," Rob replied eagerly.
His face had a bright smile and felt as if he was injected with chicken blood. All the gloominess in his heart was gone and he felt as if he could see the light at the end of the tunnel.
"When do I need to report at the AWF building?" Rob asked eagerly.
"Ahem!"
The guy at the other end coughed awkwardly. Rob felt as if he had been dragged back to earth when he heard that awkward cough. A feeling of unease crept up in his heart. His smile that was bright a moment ago, stiffened.
"Well,… How do I say this?.... I am sorry if I mislead you, but the opportunity I am speaking of is not in AWF," Steven finished awkwardly.
Rob felt his mind blank for a moment, but he quickly rallied. He closed his eyes and steadied his breath.
"Oh," Rob replied simply. The previous enthusiasm in his voice was gone.
"Look, here's the deal. I am on good terms with the owner of LWC. I have told him about you and he has agreed to give you a chance. If you are interested, you can go and meet him on Monday at 3 PM. What do you say?"
Rob bit his lips as he mulled his options. Frankly, it wasn't as if he could refuse this offer. But, somehow he felt uncomfortable hearing that it was an LWC offer instead of AWF's. Even then, it wasn't a guaranteed offer, but a recommendation.
Initially, he had thought that he had impressed this guy from AWF enough for him to take initiative and call him. That meant, this guy had seen the value in his ideas. But now, it felt as if he was being given a handout. It left a sour taste in his mouth.
He knew, to a newbie outsider like him, this was a great chance to enter the pro-wrestling circles. But, what he worried about most was that he would be seen as just another helping hand and not be given any chance to implement his ideas. That was what worried him the most.
He had read stories about talented people being buried under politics and other stuff in pro-wrestling when he was on earth. He was afraid that he would be just another cog in the wheel if he accepted this offer. After all, how much importance would the owner of LWC pay to a guy like him who came under someone's recommendation?
"Listen, kid," Steven interrupted his thoughts with a sharp tone, "you need to understand your situation first. You Are A Nobody. A Nobody! I am not telling you this to humiliate or anger you. To the people in the business that's what you are. Nobody is going to give you their time and money just because you think you have some smart ideas."
"Provided," Steven paused as if he was gathering his thoughts. "Provided, the ideas you have are unique and no one has thought of it yet. I give you that. But, as long as you are an outsider, no one is going to listen to you. I know what you are thinking. You are worried about being not able to shine in LWC right?"
"Let me give you a frank advice kid. LWC is far better than AWF for you. If you want to change the way this business is done, the LWC is the place you need to go. While they aren't as old or popular as AWF, the owner of LWC is more pragmatic and willing to change than these people here at AWF."
"Here, you would be buried under politics and no one would give you any chance to implement your ideas. Did you know that what you went through was a sham interview? The candidates were already determined and even if you haven't offended Roger with your talk about changing the business, you wouldn't have been selected."
"Did you really think that Gary picked on you for how you wore your shirt? No, it was his nephew who was given the job. Stay away from this cesspool kid. I am telling you this for your own good. I see that you have a bright mind. I don't want you to become dull and routine. That is what you will become here. That's why Andy left AWF. He would understand you far better than anyone else."
"All you need to do is learn the craft. When Andy thinks you are ready, he will give you a chance to prove yourself. Then it would be your time to shine. I have said what I needed to say to you. Now, give me your answer, are you interested or not?"
"I will go," Rob replied in a subdued tone.
"Good, be at LWC at 3 PM on Monday. Hope you don't disappoint me, kid. I have high hopes for you. Take care."
Steven cut his call. Rob stood on the sidewalk as rewound Steven's words in a loop. He had to admit, Steven was right. He was a nobody. No one cared about him or his ideas. It didn't matter how good his ideas were, unless they were implemented, they would just be that – ideas. And Steven was right when he said that no one will give him and his ideas a shot as long as he was an outsider.
As for that interview being a sham, Rob didn't care about it much. He had failed it. Whether it was due to the interview being a sham or his ideas were too radical, it didn't matter now. What mattered was he was being given an opportunity now. A chance to get into the pro-wrestling circle.
He could have refused and clung to his pride, but pride didn't put food on his table. He was close to being broke and he had no other skillset. Steven was right in saying that he was providing him with a great opportunity.
Moreover, if what Steven said was true, then AWF was a place that one needed connections to survive. He didn't have them. And coming from an ordinary background, it would take years for him to cultivate those connections on his own. So, AWF didn't really suit him.
In that case, what about LWC? Steven was very optimistic when he spoke of LWC. While he didn't know what kind of place LWC was, Rob knew it was worth giving a shot.
"LWC huh? Let me see what kind of place it is. Will I realize my dreams there or be another spoke in the wheel? Only, time can tell what it will be," Rob murmured as he looked at the evening sky.
He stood there as if he was in a daze for a few more moments. His face alternated with complex emotions before he let out a sigh and started walking towards his destination in slow, ambling steps.