Remember to read the contract before joining the company

Greetings, Sea City.

I am King Mite, a monarch you hardly hold in high regard, and once more, a monotonous day is poised to unfold across this supposedly hopeful metropolis.

I despise this city, much as you might loathe your own father.

Recall how he once locked you in a room filled with nothing but homework; now that you’ve grown, he treats you as little more than an ATM.

Every hiring season, this city sees the influx of hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of so-called ‘talented graduates’ and ‘workers.’

Yet, only a precious few manage to last a year or two, and even then, only if they’re lucky enough to find a good employer.

Why do they risk life and limb to come to Sea City?

Is it not because the average income here is more than five times the national average!

To earn big money, buy a car, buy a house, buy… oh, no, to marry a wife!

But remember this: the honest ones work themselves to death, while the shrewd ones get rich quick.

Alas, money makes the world go round, and the wealthier one becomes, the longer and merrier their life seems.

Mere firearms and artillery could likely not even scuff the clothes of these esteemed gentlemen.

Do you know where all the young people full of dreams end up congregating?

In the mental asylum.

In our metropolis, heroes are judged solely by their wealth, and whether you survive depends entirely on your intellect.

This is Sea City, the City of Laborers.

****

This was the city Yu Wangxin called home: Sea City.

Just as the broadcast proclaimed, it was a glittering, international metropolis of decadent pleasures, its ancient and thriving transportation networks bolstered by its coastal and riverside location.

As the bus gradually transitioned from the suburbs into the city proper, the scenery underwent a dramatic transformation.

Gleaming skyscrapers ablaze with lights, slick, polished hovercars, and the ‘corporate drones’ on the streets, many of whom had undergone partial mechanical augmentation, all came into view.

Their very presence unequivocally declared this to be a distinctly cyberpunk locale.

Ironically, however, this bustling metropolis boasted an exceptionally low crime rate, standing out globally as one of the safest cities in the world.

The reason was straightforward: even though people could freely modify their bodies, the brain remained the primary component.

The mental stability of those working in the city was constantly monitored.

Individuals exceeding a certain threshold (100) were advised to arrange for isolation or face exorbitant treatment costs, while severe cases (150) were forcibly arrested and detained.

Ubiquitous cameras, patrolling autonomous drones, and vehicle-mounted perimeter detectors permeated the city, ceaselessly monitoring human actions and internal security.

In terms of law enforcement, not only were there highly mobile security robots and combat drones, but most police officers working in Sea City signed a ‘safety contract’.

Through the implantation of tactical chips and semi-mechanical augmentation, they gained strength far surpassing that of ordinary humans.

Furthermore, they were equipped with Level 3 or higher belts, possessing formidable defensive and offensive capabilities, allowing them to transform at will and crush any defiant rioters with their superhuman prowess.

Not to mention the heroes available on call; both the Hero Headquarters and several renowned hero companies maintained their prominent facades here.

Undoubtedly, if one were to imagine strutting around with a semi-automatic rifle or a large-caliber sniper rifle, they would likely be apprehended and thoroughly ‘packaged’ before even stepping out the door.

Even the magnates residing here were terrifying entities themselves.

Mechanical body modifications were merely cheap tricks for them.

Genetic engineering granted them extended lifespans, and their bodies could withstand powerful assaults while simultaneously self-repairing.

Concurrently, companies like [Karma Lotus], [Abyss], and [Nuclear Amber Dragon], all possessing cloning technology, offered high-priced, customized security insurance contracts to their clients.

These ensured that the moment their physical bodies met an irreversible end, their consciousness could instantly transfer to a new vessel.

They, too, were undoubtedly equipped with transformation belts, yet these were not the mere Level 3 or 4 belts that police forces could aspire to.

These were far more advanced, surpassing even military-grade equipment.

Level Six! Damn it, Level Six!

Bestowed with the moniker of [Conglomerate-tier], positioned above even the [Military-tier], it truly showcased its terrifying power.

AI-assisted combat coupled with automatic transformation triggered by danger perception, combined with the overwhelming might to stand as a one-man army, perfectly underscored the owner’s status and identity.

These potent artifacts, once the fervent dream of countless children aspiring to be heroes, had now been developed only to become mere symbols of ostentation for these ‘nobles’.

Yu Wangxin’s workplace was none other than [Golden Wall Tower], a colossal structure here.

True to its name, it was an extravagantly shimmering, golden edifice, a behemoth soaring to 256 stories.

Possessing a ‘Hero Recommendation’ — a form of social welfare — gaining entry into this company was not difficult.

However, starting from a lower rung than others also inherently meant a diminished status.

Barely two weeks after joining, he had been demoted to a mere cleaner, undertaking tasks that rightfully belonged to cleaning robots.

And the magical girl mascot?

It had vanished shortly after helping Yu Wangxin enter society, as if mirroring the disappearance of his youth and freedom.

[Beep. Identity verified. Paramecium-tier employee: Yu Wangxin. Mental stability: 52 points. Fit for work. Welcome back.]

“Oh, look, that unlucky fellow is here again.”

“How pathetic. Why doesn’t he just get out of this city? It’s no place for trash, you know.”

“He can’t leave even if he wanted to, can he? After all, if you work less than ten years, there’s a 500,000 breach of contract fee.”

“Speaking of which, he only makes three thousand a month.”

“I truly don’t know how he survives, haha.”

[Splash!]

“Oh dear, the coffee’s spilled! Hurry up! Clean it up quickly! Otherwise, the section chief or the boss will surely give you a good kicking, won’t they!”

“Haha, that’s just too tragic.”

Upon arriving at the company, even among these elite-educated talents, some employees would deliberately provoke Yu Wangxin, much like now, to make him miserable.

Yet, he couldn’t retaliate; any physical action would likely result in demands for compensation, adding insult to injury on his already meager finances.

The moment one signed the contract, they became company property—a dog, perhaps a cat, but all the same.

There was only one thing they could do: pledge loyalty! Pledge loyalty to the boss!

Indeed, everyone was so alike, yet why did they harm each other, tormenting a poor soul like Yu Wangxin, who already led such a difficult life?

Was it the cruel pressure, the indifferent society?!

Ah, no, actually, none of the above.

There was no need to ponder such dark and twisted matters; it was ‘simply’ because he had caused all the toilets across five entire floors to be replaced from modern sitting commodes with old-fashioned squat toilets.

The sole reason for this was another senior cleaner in the company.

Initially, leveraging his higher rank, he had forced Yu Wangxin to clean his assigned floors as well.

Then, while Yu Wangxin was busy cleaning, he had stolen the toilet seats and covers from the restrooms on Yu Wangxin’s designated floors, causing the employees on those floors such misery that they had to resort to using restrooms on other levels.

More critically, a significant client had once come to a meeting on Yu Wangxin’s floor.

Suddenly feeling unwell, the client sought a restroom, only to find all of them lacking seats and covers.

Searching the entire floor, and even the levels directly above and below, yielded no results, and the elevators were busy.

The accompanying secretary and company employees could only fret helplessly.

“Eugh—!!”

They didn’t know why the client had screamed, but in the next moment, they understood, and quickly covered their noses.

An embarrassment had occurred, a monumental embarrassment! The company’s largest and most heinous diplomatic incident in history had just unfolded.

From that day forward, no one was willing to hold meetings on the five floors Yu Wangxin was responsible for cleaning.

Even when Yu Wangxin attempted to defend himself, upon opening his locker, he found it inexplicably stuffed with various toilet seats and covers.

Soon after, all the sitting commodes on those five floors were removed and replaced with squat toilets, and he himself was branded with the moniker [Toilet Scapegoat].

The very instigator of his disgrace was none other than the old man now approaching Yu Wangxin.

Appearing to be in his late sixties or early seventies, with messy, unkempt hair, a full beard, and a face covered in wrinkles, he looked every bit the mad old man.

Most likely, he too had entered the company through a ‘Hero Recommendation,’ just like Yu Wangxin.

His fierce, menacing expression instantly sent the mocking employees scurrying away.

“What are you doing?”

“Cleaning, Senior.”

“When you’re done, come with me to the restroom.”

“Yes.”

Having no right to refuse, he had no choice but to head to the restroom after cleaning the coffee stain.

The old man was already waiting at the restroom door, and as Yu Wangxin approached, he grabbed him by the collar, dragged him directly inside, and pinned him against the wall.

With immense, crushing force, Yu Wangxin was as helpless as a chick, utterly unable to resist.

“Hand it over.”

“I don’t have any money, Senior. You’ve seen my locker, haven’t you? I don’t even have a wallet in my clothes, just an old, unwanted feature phone.”

“So you’ve gotten smart, huh? Not carrying money out anymore, are you?”

He rebuked Yu Wangxin furiously, showing not an ounce of sympathy for his predicament.

Indeed, this was true.

If he carried money, it would undoubtedly be ‘borrowed’ by the old man, every last cent.

The best method, apart from storing money on a touchscreen phone, was to use a transit card for commuting and keep his living expenses at home.

Unfortunately, even after all this time, Yu Wangxin’s current savings were only enough to sustain himself with a decades-old button-operated feature phone.

His transit card, too, was completely depleted.

“I’m sorry, Senior… my finances are empty at the end of the month. I’m literally living on spare change.”

“Are you messing with me? If you have no money, why don’t you ask your family?”

“I… I can’t do that. Only that kind of thing…”

A surge of killing intent filled the air.

Expecting a blow, Yu Wangxin instinctively turned his face and raised an arm to block, only for the old man to release his grip, sparing him.

His collar was a little crumpled, but it was nothing significant.

“Stay late tonight, don’t rush off. And make sure my floor is cleaned properly, or you’ll regret it!”

With that, the old man pulled an old-fashioned lighter and a cigarette from his pocket, silently moving to the window to smoke.

“Yes.”

Leaving without delay, Yu Wangxin wondered why he had been spared, yet he sensed an unspoken meaning in the old man’s words.

‘Perhaps he wasn’t truly a bad person?’

After all, the company no longer needed ‘cleaners’; a single cleaning robot’s efficiency far surpassed that of a human.

‘And if the old man truly was a former hero, as Yu Wangxin suspected… what kind of hero could he have been?’

Harboring his questions, Yu Wangxin glanced at the old man.

However, true to a former hero’s intuition, his gaze seemed to be quickly detected.

Under the furious stare, he could only sheepishly grab his bucket and make his escape.

“Hey, did you try that online gacha?”

“Isn’t that just Steel Dragon Company selling off their unsellable plugins as lucky bags?”

“You can draw once for 5,000; it’s not much of a loss.”

“A loss! A huge loss! Guess what I drew! A frying pan plugin! At most, it generates a portable frying pan, which you can buy online for less than 1,000!”

“Guess what I got? An R-tier plugin: [AR Armament].”

“Doesn’t that mean you can directly generate an assault rifle? I remember that thing being really expensive.”

“Exactly. The lowest online price for just this one accessory is 500,000! And, depending on the belt’s level, it can grant different effects and abilities too.”

“Then you’ve hit the jackpot! That price is enough to buy you ten new belts.”

‘Yes, if I had 500,000, I could buy my freedom too.’

Yet, such thoughts were mere pipe dreams.

Listening to the employees’ chatter and contrasting it with his own meager salary, the gap between people became immeasurably vast.

Their monthly income was no less than 200,000, and an expenditure of 5,000 seemed hardly extravagant to them.

Belts, easily acquired for 50,000, were naturally within their grasp; most possessed Level 2 belts, with many even reaching Level 3.

Most of them had probably never even witnessed a transforming rider.

Perhaps for them, the belts were nothing more than symbols of wealth and status.

For Yu Wangxin, acquiring his first belt for 50,000 might have been the sole dream of his fleeting youth.

While this might be easily achievable for most passersby in Sea City, he was currently burdened by a 500,000 contract.

“I really wish I had my own belt…”

But speaking of 500,000…

Yu Wangxin couldn’t help but recall the signed card of ‘Xin-chan’ he had seen in a child’s hand that morning.

Apparently, one of those was worth 30,000?

‘Wouldn’t that mean if I just bought some low-rarity signed cards and sold a few dozen, I’d be free?’

‘”My handwriting is terrible.”‘

A pang of sharp discomfort shot through Yu Wangxin’s heart.

After a moment’s consideration, he decided against it.