"Ugh, not on my already bruised ribs, please. It hurts like hell."
I genuinely wondered why these people loved giving me their "lovely" punches so much. Was there something shiny on my body making them jealous? Fuck, I hate pain.
"Get used to it. There will be more punches and kicks in your future, too. Better than dying, of course. Oh, I forgot. They call me Adam. It's Adam Salim. Nice to meet you."
He looked formidable, sporting a strict jawline and a perfectly proportional body. He wasn't massive, maybe around 185 centimeters tall, with a lean, muscular build—not quite a bodybuilder, but close enough. And, of course, he wore that same black, shiny suit.
But what the hell was this? Extending a hand for a handshake after deliberately rupture-testing my precious liver? Did they forget basic manners in this place? Was there a single sane person alive who hit you first and then expected a polite greeting?
"Edgar. Edgar de Lankat. Pleased to know you, Adam," I wheezed. Even if I hated his guts, I needed to shake his hand. No more enemies meant no more beatings, right?
"Nice. Now... follow me. I need to take you to your department. Any questions?"
"Ah, I've been wondering since earlier... why do people here like to throw a punch or k—"
THUD!
"Ah, you mean like this?" Adam smiled.
Before I could even finish my sentence, a fist landed on the exact same spot he had struck earlier. Damn it, he was actually smiling while hitting me. I guess that head of his was just for decoration. I desperately hoped I could claim insurance after this—FUCK. I forgot to check the contract details. Was there even health insurance on it? Curse me. I guess my head was just for decoration, too.
"N-no more beating, please..." I gasped, clutching my torso. "To be honest, I don't even know what kind of place this is. And CAD Solutions? I've never heard of it before. Mind explaining it to me?"
"What I can tell you is that this building is owned by the CAD Corporation," Adam said, turning on his heel. "As for what kind of company this is and why you received an offer from Madam... that's not mine to answer. You'll find out the rest later. For now, just follow."
I dragged myself slowly behind him. As we walked, I realized this building was incredibly heavy-duty. The corridors were white, futuristic, and lined with thick hydraulic doors. It looked like some high-security research center, but the thing that truly caught my attention was the architecture. The corridor was narrow—about two meters wide—but the ceiling loomed exceptionally high, at least four meters up.
And why did I feel like those little electronic nodes placed every five meters along the ceiling, which looked deceptively like speakers, were the exact things blocking my senses? Without them, I knew I could have tapped into the pole's magnetic wavelengths. I couldn't explain it; I just felt it instinctively.
"Hey, Adam," I said, unable to contain my curiosity. "Why is every door here so absurdly thick? And isn't it common sense to have glass walls in a modern building? Why is everything concrete and steel?"
I threw the question out, not really expecting a straight answer.
"Hm, those doors? They're for security," Adam replied casually. "You need a specific keycard to enter those rooms. Not even all the employees have them. Meaning, if you get inside, you can't get out unless the superior who owns the card lets you out. It's basic procedure here. As for the walls? I don't even know what's hidden inside them, so don't expect me to answer everything, you curious little cat."
"And those tiny electronics on the ceiling?"
"Beats me. I don't even know what they are. This building isn't our sector anyway, so why should I care?"
Adam kept walking until we reached an elevator. Stepping inside, I watched him press the button for the Ground Floor. I had no idea which floor we had actually started on, but with my ribs actively turning black and blue, I figured it was better not to ask.
Ting!
"Now, we're taking a shuttle to get to the other building. Get inside the car."
What the hell? Even the shuttle's windows were covered with thick metal plates. Just what kind of place was this? I desperately hoped they weren't organ dealers. I still loved my kidneys very much.
Shreekk.
The vehicle stopped not long after, and the heavily armored door slid open from the outside. The building we arrived at wasn't as towering as the first one, but the compound itself was massive. No wonder we needed a shuttle; it looked like a complex of multi-story buildings surrounded by a thick, towering concrete wall.
"Good morning, Mr. Adam. Please come inside."
The person opening the door was a girl—no, a very pretty lady in her mid-twenties. Her hair was cut into a sharp short bob just above her shoulders, and she wore a tailored formal suit, exactly like a high-end personal assistant. And oh gods, her scent... Ugh, can I bury my face in her neck? That would be amazing.
Adam merely nodded, walking right past the gorgeous woman without a single glance. Just as I thought: his head was entirely for decoration. His little guy down there must be microscopic.
"Edgar, get inside," Adam called over his shoulder. "You need to be assessed by our support team management first. And... welcome to the Cleaning Department. I hope you suit yourself."
With that, the bastard left me alone with the pretty assistant, disappearing down a corner that led to—I DON'T KNOW, bitches!Why the fuck do you need me to explain everything to you? I'm just as new to this place as you morons reading this!
"Mr. Edgar, please follow me," the assistant said with a polite smile. "We need to check your measurements first."
"No need, pretty," I smirked, flashing her a wink. "It's nineteen centimeters long and six-and-a-half in diameter. But just for you, you can call me Babe."
Hehe, it had been a while since I got to tease a pretty girl. And oh gods, what was that smell? Cherry peach? Oh, shit. I think I've been in love with her since the exact millisecond we met. Cultured looks and a delicious scent? Perfect combo. I could easily last a five-hour streak with her. Mwehehe, should I ask for her number?
"I apologize, Mr. Edgar, but please follow me," she replied smoothly, completely unfazed. With a professional gesture, she led me into a room labeled Cellular Measurement.
Shhhss. The hydraulic door slid open, and she motioned for me to step inside.
"Well, who do we have here? Hmm. Before the test, I need you to introduce yourself and state what you are best at."
Another woman appeared from behind a partition, wearing thick glasses. While she wasn't quite as stunning as the assistant, she wasn't bad either. She actually reminded me of Lucy, just a little older and with a similar shade of yellow hair.
"My name is Edgar de Lankat," I said, flashing a wide, blinding smile. I stood tall, trying to look as devastatingly handsome as possible. No lady could resist my godly looks. "And what I do best is make a pretty lady reach her climax multiple times. In a row."
The woman stared at me with a completely blank expression. Slowly, she adjusted her glasses, turned around, and walked toward a steel cabinet to retrieve a massive, terrifying syringe. God only knew what kind of chemical was inside that thing. She marched right back over to me.
Suddenly, the atmosphere in the room felt incredibly dark. Was I just imagining things?
"Ah, I cou—"
Before I could even finish my sentence, the massive needle plunged straight into my neck. Shit! Just what is wrong with this place? Where is the basic etiqu—
The last thing my fading consciousness registered was the scientist sighing.
"Good grief. Another one with a blocked head without wearing his pants. Great... May as well get this over with so I can take my break."
"Shit, I forgot about my.." Darkness rushed in, and the world went completely silent.