After hours of reading the system panels, Jack closed the laptop to pretend he was finished. He pushed back from the desk and resolve flickered in his eyes.
Minutes later, he was inside the elevator of GH Security Tower. The building rose fifty stories above ground, with ten more buried beneath.
Another thing he learned was that while most floors were for regular employees, a few were known to be exclusive to the Awakened. Some floors operated the ordinary operations with the ordinary public, while some worked for awakened-concerned cases.
Just like he initially thought, the truth about humanity wasn't entirely hidden from the world. The government actually knew everything and worked hand in hand with Awakened companies to regulate the awakened, national security and public order.
One such entity, the Association, even operated as a global, government-run network that monitored and regulated Awakened activity across nations.
Thanks to the speed reading skill, Jack had absorbed all this after hours of reading, storing the information in his system interface. But compared to everything else, what truly caught his attention were the contracts.
'A stable income, benefits, insurance, more insurance… this is too good to pass up.' He'd repeated that thought to himself countless times. 'I have to sign a contract.'
The elevator chimed: 48th floor. Then the doors slid open.
The hallway was sleek and spacious. According to Lucy—and the manual—this floor exclusively belonged to the Vice-Executive. If Jack wanted to see Brian again, this was the place.
A secretary sitting near the glass doors looked up. One test of the appraisal skill and Jack almost choked on his own words.
'Again question marks…' he thought.
[Riza Jane.]
[Level: ???]
[Age: ???]
[Kill count: 18]
[Race: Dryad 20%, Veilshade 12%, Human 41%...]
"Is Grandfather inside?" Jack asked, creating the most polite smile in his face.
The pretty but scary woman blinked.
"Grandfather? You mean…" she paused for a long while, and clarified, "the Vice-Executive?"
The entire time Jack gave her a sheepish smile that said yes. It felt awkward, but he needed any advantage he could get. Pretending a family connection wasn't ideal—but desperation rarely cared about pride.
Even so, he shamelessly thought, 'I'm not exactly lying…'
Curling her eyebrows, the secretary hesitated, glancing between Jack and Lucy as if deciding whether they were mad or she had gone mad. Finally, she picked up the company phone as if she was between scared and confused.
A short call later, Jack was ushered in, and the Secretary could not stop stealing glances at him, before looking up as if trying to remember something from the long past.
The interior of the office was vast, lined with glass that overlooked the city skyline. Only then did Jack realize GH Security Tower that he was actually inside one of the tallest in the country.
Moving past shelves of thick books, Jack immediately saw a heavy-looking desk where a tall broad-shouldered old man with great hair sat, imposing, and silent.
'…'
Jack swallowed as he discreetly activated his appraisal skill, hoping for different results than last time. The moment he did, that strange pressure emanated around the room again as if invading his system. 'I've never seen anyone with this many question marks…' he thought before unsummoning the system.
Meanwhile, Brian studied him in silence.
'What is he doing here all of a sudden and to think he even brought Lucy? Why is he so obedient? And he even called me grandfather? Is this really the same scary boy I knew?'
Brian was silent.
The young man before him did look very different than before—ordinary, out of shape, and lacking the cold, calculating aura he once had.
Then Jack spoke.
"I have something to discuss."
His tone was calm, his gaze steady. He tried to make it that way.
"After thinking it over… I want to come back. I want a contract."
For a moment, Brian froze.
Then his lips parted—and a booming laugh erupted, echoing through his wide office. Hearing the loud sudden laughter, the secretary outside almost jumped from her seat. Then she was even more surprised when she realized it was her boss laughing. Even Lucy blinked in disbelief.
'Vice-Executive Brian, codename 'Giant,' has a reputation of being a ruthless cold character among the awakened and even in the academy… so much for rumors,' she thought.
Meantime, Jack forced a polite smile, hiding the thoughts running through his head. After all, the old man's no real grandfather of mine. He was even a murderer among murderers.
Jack continued, "As for the contract, Grandfather—I want a new one."
Brian's laughter faded and turned to business, curious. "A new one?"
"Yes. I don't want the responsibilities of a special rank anymore. I just want an ordinary position."
"…"
He had read about every rank. Special ranks came with privileges—but also mandatory calls to fight, to serve in missions that risked life and limb, especially in cases that threatened or may threaten national security.
Jack would just die if he got assigned such missions. "I'll take the lowest rank. Rank 1 employee. That's the one for me."
Brian tilted his head. "Rank 1?"
"Yes. Rank 1 employee."
A long silence followed.
Brian studied him for several seconds, as if trying to figure out whether this was a joke or a test. Finally, he gave a small nod. "Very well."
Moments later, Jack was back in his quarters—contract in hand and a grin spreading across his face. He sat down, flipping open the paper and pulling up his System interface simultaneously.
[Welcome User, Rank 1 Employee: Jack]
[Current Income: 0 Credits]
[Expected Income Next Month: 50,000 Credits]
Jack quietly giggled to himself. "Fifty thousand credits! I'm rich!"
He skimmed through the benefits section again: medical, hazard pay, mission incentives, dormitory privileges. It was more than he'd ever earned—or even imagined earning.
But as he flipped to the last page, his grin faltered.
The codename, [White], was gone—replaced by his real name, Jack. Yet the goat avatar remained, faintly pulsing in the corner of his System panel. For whatever it was, it seemed like the goat avatar was fixed.
He stared at it for a long while before sighing. 'There's too much I don't know. But at least I have money now!'
Jack bitterly smiled and shook his head. From now on, he was not unemployed anymore and even had a high salary. It was the best thing that had happened.
A soft knock pulled him from his thoughts.
Lucy stood in the doorway, now dressed casually—hoodie, jeans, sneakers. She looked less like a corporate aide and more like a college student ready to head out.
Jack blinked, surprised for a moment, then smiled. "Let's go."
She tilted her head. "Go?"
"Home," he said simply. "The real one."
And for the first time in what felt like forever, he meant it. 'I could not wait to tell my parents the good news.' He thought.
***
I'd really appreciate your Power Stones, guys! I'm currently preparing for an exam, so I can only post one chapter a day for now. Bear with me.