Chapter 1
Chapter 1: The Job Hunt
Chapter 1: The Job Hunt
"So, you're here for the job? What's your name?"
"Leon... Lyon Lane."
Lane?
At the mention of the familiar surname, the bored female interviewer sitting behind the desk raised her eyebrows and looked up at the pale-faced, gaunt young man standing in front of her.
"Lane... as in the Lionheart family?" she asked, slightly taken aback.
"No, it's not like that..." Lyon replied, already accustomed to being asked about his name. He shook his head slightly and explained, "Although the pronunciation is the same, my surname comes from the 'Lane' in Lane County, where my ancestors were apparently commoners."
"Oh... I see," the red-haired woman nodded, finding her own sensitivity to the matter amusing. Considering how that family took pride in their pure golden hair, it was unlikely they would have any descendants with different hair colors, let alone black hair and eyes. How could someone from such a family end up here seeking employment?
She examined Lyon's attire, noticing his coat was clean but frayed at the edges, revealing the lining of his old overcoat. Losing interest, she turned her attention back to her paperwork, tapping her quill against the desk as she spoke in a disinterested tone, "Just fill in 'commoner' for family status, and then tell me about your education level, religious beliefs, whether you've had cyborg enhancements, if you have any micro differentiators implanted under your skin, and..." she trailed off, tapping her quill again, "and what specific crime you committed."
Huh? Wait a moment! What crime did she just mention?
Lyon couldn't help but pause, a hint of confusion in his voice as he asked, "Excuse me, did you say 'criminal history' just now?"
"?"
The red-haired woman furrowed her brow at Lyon's question, then rapped her knuckles sharply on the desk. "Let me make this clear," she said bluntly, "this is the Cleansing Bureau, not a court of law! Unless you've committed a capital offense worthy of the gallows, why would you come here for a job? Just tell me what you did, and don't try to pull the wool over my eyes!"
What?! I'm just looking for a job, how did the gallows come into this?!
Tsk, trying to hide something, huh? It's obvious you're no good!
Lyon, unsure how to respond, was met with a disdainful hum from the red-haired woman. She rapped the desk again and glared at him like an interrogator, "Let me make this clear once more: this is the Cleansing Bureau, not a court!"
"I'm not interested in judging you, nor do I have the time. The reason I asked about your crime is that we need to remove your name from the kingdom's wanted list. So, it's best you come clean! Don't cause trouble for yourself, understand?' at the end of your response."
Wanted list?
Lyon's eyes widened slightly as he processed the woman's words, then cautiously asked, "Please, could you confirm... is this the Capital City First Cleansing Bureau?"
"..."
Cleansing Bureau?
This time, the woman's expression turned blank as she realized something. She looked at Lyon's thin frame, a result of long-term malnutrition, and after a brief silence, she straightened up and pointed out the window, lowering her voice and frowning, "You've come to the wrong place. This is the Sixth Anomaly Cleansing Bureau, an external department of the Police Department. The Cleansing Bureau you're looking for is under the Road Management Department, so it's in the building across the street, where you'll see a long line of people waiting."
"Oh!"
Lyon exhaled, realizing he had come to the wrong place.
(End of Chapter)In the blink of an eye, I was scared shitless. I wanted to be a street cleaner, but I had to be wanted first before I could get the job. Turns out this isn't the cleaning bureau I was aiming for.
Wait, weren't they only hiring ten people this time? Why is the line at the cleaning bureau so long? Is there really such a high demand for street cleaning jobs?
"Sorry to bother you."
After politely apologizing, Leon peered through the window, glancing once more at the long line across the street, then, for some inexplicable reason, he turned his gaze towards the red-haired woman. With a glimmer of hope in his eyes, he asked softly:
"Well, if you're also short-staffed..."
"You're not suitable."
"..."
Seeing the man, who looked to be only sixteen, suddenly fall into a gloomy state, the red-haired woman hesitated for a moment. Then, she opened her mouth to explain:
"The cleaning bureau does offer good pay, better than most municipal civil servants. But there's an approximately 8 per mille mortality rate. Unless you're truly desperate, it's best not to come here."
8 per mille?
After hearing the somewhat chilling term "mortality rate," Leon was not deterred; instead, a small glint of delight appeared in his eyes.
This is just under 1 percent!
If it were in his previous life, he would have let it go. But in this strange world, where steam carriages roam the streets, workers engaged in jobs like furnace tending, mana infusion, and potion purification face a baseline annual mortality rate of nearly 2 percent. The number of those disabled by machinery or poisoned by fumes is several times higher.
Given their average "years of service" of around thirty years, it's almost impossible to find workers who can go through their entire career without illness or injury. Yet, with a mortality rate of less than 1 percent per year, this cleaning bureau...
"I may not have been clear enough earlier."
Noticing Leon's slightly moved expression, the red-haired woman shook her head and explained:
"The mortality rate at the cleaning bureau is calculated monthly, not annually."
"..."
Calculated monthly... 8 per mille per month, so nearly one-tenth per year?! This anomaly cleaning bureau loses about one-tenth of its employees every year?!
Seeing Leon's shocked expression, the red-haired woman shook her head slightly, then waved her hand to shoo him away:
"Now that you understand, please leave. We only accept those who have committed capital crimes or have controllable 'anomalies.' Ordinary people like you can't handle the work at the cleaning bureau; this place isn't suitable for you."
"Then... sorry for disturbing you..."
As the red-haired woman's gentle yet unyielding refusal echoed in his ears, Leon felt a sharp pain in his head, followed by an unbearable buzzing sound.
[You have failed to secure a job for the twentieth time, activating the Black Iron Badge "Unemployed Youth."]
[Unemployed Youth: Young individuals who are temporarily unemployed due to factors such as inadequate education, lack of experience, or economic recession.]
[Equip Effect: When your parents talk to peers, the special state 'Evade Topic' will be automatically triggered, avoiding discussions about you.]
[Progression: If you continue to wear this badge for more than two months without finding employment, and provided you still live with your parents, this badge will automatically advance to the Bronze Badge "Parasite Child."]
[Hidden Trait (No Equipment Required): Upon activating the "Unemployed Youth" badge, if your family's total assets are below 2,000 Gold Wheels, your chances of finding a romantic partner through dating will automatically decrease by 80%.]
"..."
End of Chapter.
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