The Void!

Void Keeper Rank D

Everything would have been unremarkable if I hadn't suddenly remembered my dream from last night. Strangely, what's shown on my watch's screen resembles that dream, except the dream had more details and was designed like a game.

I look at the electronic screen on my watch again, slapping my cheek a few times to make sure I'm not dreaming.

But there's no explanation other than a coincidental overlap or a prophetic dream, yet I still wish the interface on the watch was as user-friendly as the game in my dream.

[ Do you agree to synchronize Admin data with Void Keeper data? ]

[ Yes ] [ No ]

I fall to the ground startled as the strange notification from my dream suddenly appears before me. I thought there was a three-dimensional display here, but when I asked the staff helping me up, they said they saw no display or interface window at all.

Odd, if it's a hallucination, it feels too real to be one, touching the button felt just as fictitious as in the dream. The interface window fades away afterwards, and I begin to realize something unusual is happening in my life.

I focus my thoughts once more, and as I try to visualize the interface panel, it reappears before me as anticipated.

"So, I thought it was a dream, but now I understand. Because I don't have to focus my vision on anything when I close my eyes, that's why I can see the interface."

I touch each option with my finger to test, and indeed, it works exactly as expected.

Cool, after everything I've been through, it's not too surprising that I possess some sort of superpower. But this feels utterly useless... how is this ability supposed to help me?

"Hey... is that kid disabled?"

"Shh, quiet, he's a Void Keeper now"

"So what, he's just a D-rank."

"Just waving his hands around and mumbling to himself, poor thing, must be because of a terrible assessment outcome."

The chattering of the people around gradually pulled me out of my own thoughts; perhaps I should not interact with my powers in front of a crowd if I don't want to end up detained in a mental institution.

So, I waved my hand to make the interface disappear and left.

Just stepping outside the interrogation room, I immediately encountered numerous employees from various small corporations. However, when they looked through my profile and saw "Rank D" glaring at them, they immediately ignored me.

Regarding the appearance of employees from corporations, currently, Keepers, after being officially recognized as a Void Keeper by the association, have many options. The most basic is that after signing the contract, they will work for the government and be paid hourly like any other normal civil servant, hence the problem arises: there is manpower but the salary is too poor, and the job is so difficult that it could threaten life.

From there, a new sector for investment by corporations has emerged, namely the Void Keepers. Corporations will pay a corresponding amount to recruit a Void Keeper they are interested in, negotiate salary, and benefits as per the desires of both parties. Their job is to protect the areas under corporate management or carry out assigned missions. If Void disasters occur in other areas that a company or local government, or even the central government, cannot handle, they will pay the corporations to resolve them.

Thus, the competition for strong Void Keepers gradually formed and large corporations have continuously invested to recruit skilled Keepers to work for them. In addition to the combat sector, Keepers also have a tremendous influence in terms of media, brand promotion, and numerous other beneficial aspects.

But surely with a useless power that only I can see and the glaring letter D, it’s going to be a while before I can join a major corporation. At least I need to make a name for myself and get out of Rank D.

"Now I have to work for the government during office hours, with a measly salary of just 1000 dollars and only get a raise when I move up a rank. I want to quit!"

I sighed, walking towards the office where I would meet my colleagues and my supervisor.

"What did they say I have to do earlier... a full penetration dangerous element monitoring test at 100%?"

Time to buck up, the first thing to do is to make a good impression on the colleagues to build relationships. I fumbled at the Paradise vending machine with countless Paradise labels beside it, amid a mountain of what seemed to be coffee packs or something, I decided to pick a green tea packet. Though not too fluent in Paradise language but surely this pack is green tea powder, it’s too late for morning coffee, what's better than a cup of tea at noon?

I took a few packets into my bag, smoothed my hair and straightened my tie, straightened my back gathering all the courage for the first day at work, I swung open the door into the office and declared confidently.

"Hello everyone, I'm the new guy, looking forward to your support!"

Inside that office, there was nothing but two empty desks placed next to each other. The girl from the morning subway ride sat on the desk, swinging her legs, turning to look at me as the sunlight brushed through her silvery-blond hair, blooming into a smile.

"Oh... hi..."

"Uh, why is it you?", I was confused.

"Why not?", she replied with a mischievous smile.

"Wait, you know Emerald?"

"If Woodrow didn't know, why would she come to Emerald?"

"Right..."

I looked like a fool asking such senseless questions, but it seemed to amuse her, as she had been laughing since then.

"So... you are..."

"The boss, you have to call Woodrow 'boss'!"

"Woodrow?"

"That's my name. Now, new employee, won't you bring something to greet your superior, Woodrow?"

"Wait, you don't look like a superior at all!"

"Do you want to be fired?"

"Ah, yes, yes..."

I bowed my head like a dog, took the kettle nearby, poured it into a porcelain cup, and hurriedly grabbed a green packet from the vending machine.

"Wait, what are you doing with that?"

"Making tea."

"Tea? It's mustard, wasabi!"

I suddenly realized the contents didn't seem much like powder, then bowed my head in shame, feeling more humiliated than a dog. Now, I just wished the window was open so I could jump out and end it all.

"You're quite adorable!"

"Uh...", I dared not lift my head to look.

Suddenly realizing something was off, if I didn't do well in my job, I should have been taken to the detention room for monitoring, not fired. This kid must be lying.

"Wait, you're not really the boss here, are you?"

"Woodrow is really the boss!"

I pinched the brat's cheek and forced to check the information on the kid's watch. But it felt like being dragged by a race car, the girl struck my hand away forcefully, making me fly through the office wall, back hitting the corridor's outer wall.

A loud noise as the wall was destroyed startled the recruiters outside, while I lay bruised in a pile of debris.

"What's this? Both of you are new and already causing trouble?"

The man in a black suit who escorted me earlier appeared and sighed. Meanwhile, Woodrow sat inside the office pretending to be unrelated.

"That kid claimed to be the boss, I tried to grab her watch to check the information, and she did this!"

"You, touching other Keepers' watches is prohibited, didn't you know? If you wanted to check information, you could have looked at the name badge on her chest."

"Woodrow Finn, Void Keeper, Rank D.", I stared at Woodrow's name badge as I recited: "Right... I have one of those badges too..."

"Seriously, can you stand up?"

The man in a black suit kindly offered his hand, and although a bit hurt, it wasn't so bad that I couldn't stand. I took his hand and stood up.

"I'm Raymond Payne, from now on, I'll be in charge of the two of you."

"What do you mean by 'in charge'? Are you a supervisor?"

"No, I'm the manager, just responsible for things like notifications, escorting, and dealing with paperwork and orientation for the two of you. Hey, don't tell me the supervisor hasn't arrived yet."

"Ah, well, aside from me and Woodrow, it seems like no one else has arrived yet, right Woodrow?"

"It's Finn!" Woodrow jumped in from the table.

The manager leaned in to whisper to me: "In Paradise, you can only call someone by their first name when the two of you are close enough."

"Ah, sorry, Finn!" I apologized awkwardly.

"Good job!" Woodrow cheekily replied.

"Damn this kid!"

And just like that, I was teased by my young colleague all the way down to the entrance of the headquarters...