The elevator leading to Z1 was old and rickety. Unlike any Yue Ge had seen before, it was built from steel mesh. Through the gaps, he could glimpse the outer walls. A dim yellow bulb hung from the ceiling. The control panel had only two buttons: up and down.
This elevator, the kind found only in old districts or construction sites, offered Yue Ge no sense of security. As he stepped inside, he felt it sway slightly. The floor and mesh walls showed patches of rust under the flickering light.
Yue Ge studied the elevator silently for a long moment. After reassuring himself it wasn’t a trap, he finally entered. He pressed the down button. The steel mesh door clanged shut. The elevator descended slowly. The clanking of gears and chains echoed clearly in his ears.
Just deal with whatever comes my way. Even if it was a trap below, Yue Ge believed he could escape. Besides, he doubted the Organization would go to such lengths just to eliminate him.
So… why bring him here at all?
While Yue Ge pondered this, the elevator jolted to a stop. The layered mesh doors slid open. Beyond lay a pitch-black corridor. No lights lined the walls. Only the exit at the far end was visible. Yue Ge stepped out. A cold wind hit his face, carrying a strange, metallic scent.
A freezer room?
He didn’t dwell on it. He walked forward. Exiting the corridor, the space opened up abruptly. Before him stretched a cavernous chamber, larger than A6. It seemed endless. Even the ceiling vanished into darkness high above.
The corridor exit opened onto a circular walkway suspended mid-air. From here, vast expanses of white filled the view. Massive ice blocks dominated the space. The cold radiating from them was palpable. Wisps of white vapor drifted slowly downward.
"Yue Ge?" A middle-aged man leaned against the railing, turning to look at him.
He appeared around forty, with stubble on his chin. Dressed in plain casual clothes, he looked utterly ordinary—like any random uncle on the street. His voice confirmed he was the "boss" Crow and Illusion had mentioned, the one who’d summoned Yue Ge to Z1.
Slightly different from what Yue Ge had imagined.
Honestly, the man wasn’t unattractive. He even carried a certain charm, hinting at his younger self. But seeing this figure in such a role caught Yue Ge off guard. He’d expected a far more serious conversation.
"Don’t look so tense. Relax," the man said with an easy smile. He waved Yue Ge over.
"Are you the interviewer?" Yue Ge sighed, walking to his side. He mimicked the man’s posture, gazing down at the ice blocks. Inside one, a huge, blurry shadow loomed—but details were obscured, as if the ice itself was treated to block vision.
"Call me that, I suppose. But I won’t grill you like others. You don’t need my approval. Bai Ya chose you. Even if I refused, she’d keep you anyway." The man shrugged, a hint of exasperation in his voice.
"Then why summon me here?" Yue Ge asked calmly.
The man didn’t answer directly. He pointed at the ice blocks below. "Do you know what’s inside?"
"No." Yue Ge shook his head. The ice seemed veiled, impenetrable to sight.
"Nothing extraordinary. Just remains. Remains of High Danger Class monsters that couldn’t be processed into Essence. We store them here, frozen." The man’s tone was steady as he stared at the ice. "I spent three years building the Fate Organization. Twenty more to reach this scale. I believe one day, this place will overflow with the carcasses of those arrogant beasts. Everything we’ve lost, we’ll reclaim tenfold."
"Like trophies?" Yue Ge remarked noncommittally.
"Exactly. Every High Danger Class we kill is a step closer to our ultimate goal. One day, even beings as mighty as the ‘Reaper’ class won’t be invincible. We’ll reclaim our lost territories. Rebuild on the ruins." The man’s voice wasn’t loud, yet it held a magnetic pull, painting a vivid future.
"Is that… the Organization’s purpose?" Yue Ge was starting to understand.
"Yes. That’s the meaning of ‘Heavenly Mandate.’ Humans once ruled this continent. We will again. We’ve never dominated the food chain through brute strength alone. We evolve. Essence is our new chance. With this evolution, we’ll reclaim our place." The man reached out toward the void, as if grasping for something unseen.
Yue Ge stayed silent, just listening. He couldn’t judge if this vision was right or wrong. It felt distant. To him, monsters were just monsters. Humans were just humans. He couldn’t muster any sense of mission.
Saving humanity… that felt too far removed. Like when the Reaper said he’d become the new Reaper someday—Yue Ge felt the same indifference. He simply wasn’t interested.
"Maybe I’m getting ahead of myself," the man said, sensing Yue Ge’s disinterest. He chuckled lightly, shifting topics. "I’m Lingkong. Leader of the Fate Organization. Welcome aboard."
"Is that it? I’m in?" Yue Ge asked.
"You were in from the start. I just wanted to meet you. I watched your fight with Crow earlier. Yue Ge, I want you to join the Support Squad."
"But I’m Bai Ya’s assistant," Yue Ge said, puzzled.
"No conflict. Bai Ya will leave soon. You can prioritize her tasks first. The Organization’s work can wait." Lingkong shook his head. "Think it over?"
"What does the Support Squad actually do?" Yue Ge considered, not refusing outright.
"Handle what the Operations Force can’t." Lingkong replied. "I’ll assign tasks via tablet. Free time when no missions. Think of it as a covert unit. No personal records in Organization files. You only follow my orders."
Yue Ge tilted his head slightly. "What’s in it for me?"
He understood now why the Support Squad needed such strength. Without top-tier power, completing Lingkong’s tasks would be impossible.
"Benefits?" Lingkong laughed, half-amused. No one had bargained with him like this in years. "What do you want? Salary? Something else?"
"I don’t know." Yue Ge shook his head. "I’m not sure what I need."
With Bai Ya around, material things held little appeal. Nothing felt worth selling his life to Lingkong for.
"I see." Lingkong wasn’t surprised. "Understood. I won’t pressure you. Return to Bai Ya for now. If you change your mind, contact me anytime. I’ll leave my details on your tablet."
"…I’ll think about it," Yue Ge sighed.
