Alfred smiled.
From the very moment he realized he was being offered a job, Zach had already mentally decided to take it.
This was finally his chance to get his life started as a Seeker, and he definitely wouldn't pass on such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
A blue jade slip floated out of Alfred's coat pocket, hovering just above the table.
~
[Contract Description]
~
A series of glowing words appeared before his dazed eyes.
Zach blinked.
"You've never seen a contract before?" Iris asked with a knowing smirk.
He rolled his eyes and began reading slowly.
It was a one-week contract.
Basically, it stated that he and a group of excavators would rummage through the low-level fissure for one week, bring back their findings, and be paid a sum of—
'What..?'
He rubbed his eyes, blinking hard at the numbers.
One... two... three... 'It's three,' he counted the zeros.
They were going to be paid 1000 gold coins each, plus an additional bonus if someone discovered anything of interest within the ruin.
Perplexed, he stared at the glowing interface.
"H-How can I sign this?" he asked Alfred.
"You just have to place your hand on the words you see before you," Alfred explained.
He placed his hand on the floating contract, and instantly both the words and jade slip turned red.
~
[Contract Accepted]
~
"Now, time for the perks." Alfred raised a finger and an orange bead appeared, floating between them.
This was what Zach had been waiting for all along.
He stared, wide-eyed.
'A Tether link..'
The bead drifted forward until it hovered just in front of him.
His gaze locked onto it, and with trembling fingers, he caught it.
The small orb glimmered softly in his palm.
A surge of emotion welled up inside. This was what he had spent his life preparing for.
His mother's support, his brother's sacrifices, and his own tireless effort—all of it had been leading to this moment.
He was finally a seeker.
Well... more like a Seeker in progress.
He was holding the very thing he had placed on a pedestal for years. If his mother were alive, she would have been proud beyond words.
A bitter smile crept across his face.
If she were here... but she wasn't.
She wasn't here to congratulate him.
Because her corpse was currently rotting outside the city gates.
He had tried to contact his brother yesterday via the phone, but there was no reply.
'He's probably working.'
Still, he wondered how Zain had taken the news of their mother's death—the doctor had contacted him before reaching out to Zach.
It didn't matter now. If this job went well, there'd be enough money to at least buy a decent house. Maybe then his brother would come home more often.
Zain had buried himself in work, only visiting once a month. But if Zach could pull this off, he might finally earn enough to help his brother retire early.
He rubbed his thumb against the bead, lost in thought.
"Anyway, since you don't have an apartment, Ivy is going to show you your hotel room," Alfred said, gesturing toward her.
Ivy nearly choked on her tea. "I thought you were supposed to do that..?" she complained.
"Plans change.." Alfred flashed a cheeky smile and walked out of the glass doors of the empty café.
Just across the street, a black SUV was parked beneath a streetlight. Two burly men in suits opened the door for the middle-aged man.
He climbed in, and the vehicle drove off, leaving Zach and Ivy behind.
"Stop looking at me like that.." she muttered.
"Sorry.." he mumbled.
Zach forced his gaze off the beautiful seeker.
The duo flagged a cab to the designated hotel.
As the car rolled along, Zach's thoughts spiraled toward the future. If he performed well on this exploration, maybe, just maybe, the company would extend his contract.
Or, better yet, maybe another enterprise would notice him.
The possibilities felt endless— so did the chance of being overlooked entirely.
In this world, skill, talent, and even hard work without luck could still leave you stranded in the gutters.
An average person with enough luck could easily surpass a genius without it.
The scenery outside began to shift.
Buildings grew more symmetrical, roads smoothed out, and even the air felt fresher.
'Wait... what?'
They had just left District 832, one of the most underdeveloped areas in the empire.
The Asian continent was divided into a thousand districts, each number reflecting its stage of development.
District 1000 was nothing but slums, where the scraps of society struggled to afford a meal.
District 1, on the other hand, belonged to the royal family—gold-paved streets, towering skyscrapers, and luxury at its peak.
"You've never been outside your district before?" Ivy asked.
He had, but only long ago, when he attended the academy. Since then, life had been a struggle, and he hadn't stepped foot beyond the slums again.
The car screeched to a halt before a massive building.
The night sky cast a glow over the bustling area. Unlike the former district, passersby here wore sharp suits and elegant lavender dresses—clothing he couldn't even imagine affording.
Stepping out of the cab, Zach instantly felt out of place.
As they walked toward the towering building, he realized everyone around was dressed in vibrant suits or stunning gowns, while he was stuck in an oversized, ragged shirt and worn brown trousers that had clearly seen better days.
Unsurprisingly, he drew a few odd looks, each one making him feel more uncomfortable.
"Your clothes reek of the slums. Make sure you change into something presentable," Ivy said bluntly before striding to the receptionist's desk.
A moment later she returned and tossed him a jingling key.
Catching it, he read the small tag: '45.'
"Room 45," she clarified.
"Take the elevator.." With that, she turned and walked away.
"Wait.. I don't know how an elevator works," he panicked.
But the beautiful officer was already gone.
Left standing awkwardly, he noticed a well-dressed gentleman approach a metallic door. Without thinking, he trailed behind him.
'Is this the elevator..?'
The man pressed a blue button, and the door slid open.
Zach stepped inside after him, heart pounding. His eyes flickered to the panel beside the door, where rows of numbers from 1 to 100 glowed faintly.
The gentleman calmly pressed '67' and stood still.
A sudden vibration beneath Zach's feet made him stiffen.
He guessed you were supposed to press the number of your floor and the elevator would take you there.
Gulp.
With shaky fingers, he tapped '45.'
Moments later, the elevator chimed.
Floor 45.
A mechanical voice rang out.
'That's my cue..'
Stepping out cautiously, he found himself in a long corridor with a door marked '45.'
Sliding the key into the lock, he twisted.
Click
The door creaked open.
"Phew.. that's a relief." For a moment he feared it wouldn't work, and he had no idea how to call the elevator again.
Inside, the lights flickered on automatically.
Crystal chandeliers, marble tiles, and furniture that screamed luxury.
"This is.."
His wide eyes swept across the apartment.
Yes—apartment, not room.
White walls trimmed with gold, elegant paintings, snow-like sofas, and a door leading further inside.
He assumed it was the bedroom.
Kicking off his sandals, he stepped in.
A massive plasma TV displayed channels he had never seen before.
Collapsing onto the sofa, he finally let out a long breath.
'Finally..'
From his pocket, he pulled out a bracelet, raising it to the light for a better look.
As tempting as it was to sleep, he knew he still had important things to do...