Apocalypse: System of lotteries



Ming's heart ached, thinking of those who labored in the mines day and night. So much of their effort was wasted in just half a day.

A headache...

Sigh...

Ming leaned back on the sofa, watching a few lively froglings.

"Your Merlin hops to your side, coming into your embrace, looking up at you, Ming. Frowning like that isn't good, you know? It'll make you age faster."

"Your Da Vinci nudged Foodie. "Quick, perform a special trick to cheer up Ming." Foodie nodded. "Alright." Napoleon crouched nearby, "I want to watch too."

Foodie suddenly engulfed Napoleon in its mouth.

Napoleon, wide-eyed, never expected to be part of this trick...

"~~"

Ming smiled, pulling the froglings close, leaning back into the couch, deep in thought.

Activating his Puppeteer's Vision, he directed a zombie to the first floor. The room beside the lobby was the landlord's usual residence. There must be paper rental agreements there. He rummaged through the room until he found a stack of rental agreements and some termination contracts.

Checking the rentals, but no Janice.

The termination contracts... there he was!

Indeed, he once lived here. Although he had moved out, this confirmed Ming's suspicions. Following this lead, he headed to Janice's company.

This time, Ming chose not to control the zombie but rode on Raoul's back straight to the destination. If the city posed no danger, there was no need to expend resources unnecessarily.

An hour later, Ming landed on the company's rooftop. Using the fire escape, he entered the building and summoned Euryale, the black-haired pig demon, and the red knight.

In most companies, employee contracts were in paper form, requiring a thumbprint. Typically, the HR department was in charge and had a designated storage place.

Finding Janice's contract would reveal her detailed information. Especially in a large corporation like this, employee records were meticulously maintained.

"Begin the search, floor by floor."

"Alright, boss."

They scattered, each beginning their search.

[The puppet black-haired pig demon found an unopened bag of snacks in a break area. As it snacked and searched, it saw Euryale and was instantly petrified.]

[The puppet red knight passed by, shaking its head. "The boss is great. The boss is really great."]

[Puppet Euryale navigated through the office area, the space seeming a bit cramped for her, forcing her to proceed with caution.]

"HR... HR..."

Ming hastened his search. As he moved through the office space, he noticed it was in disarray, yet there was no sign of zombies or corpses. It was exceedingly strange.

In the deep of night, a bolt of lightning slashed across the sky, as if bridging one end of the horizon to the other. Then, a rumbling thunder followed.

Ming glanced out of the window just in time to see a massive wave sweeping across the ground, rushing between buildings, followed by another... and another. 

A tidal surge?

He observed that the water had risen, submerging up to the second floor.

Rain began to pour, beating down heavily.

Looking in the distance, Ming was relieved. Their camp was located on higher ground and quite a distance away; it should be relatively safe.

"Everyone, pick up the pace! Black-haired pig demon, if I catch you slacking, remember how much money you've got in your pocket. Red knight, stop singing my praises! If you can't find what I've asked for, I'll turn you into a purple-green horse!"

"Boss, what does purple-green mean?"

"Do you see my fist? Understand now?"

"Got it."

[The red knight immediately darted off in search, thinking: The boss is kind. The boss is kind.]

[The black-haired pig demon approached Euryale again, saying, "Please, don't petrify me anymore. I promise, for a while at least, I won't express my admiration for you. Even though you are the most beautiful serpent I've ever seen, I want you to be free. I love seeing you happy. I..."]

[Euryale spared a glance at the now petrified black-haired pig demon and continued her search.]

[The black-haired pig demon vowed to win Euryale over. "If I don't," he thought, "I'm no longer human."]

[The red knight passed by, remarking, "You were never human to begin with." Sensing impending violence, he theatrically collapsed to the ground, feigning fragility. "Hit me if you dare. What if I foam at the mouth when I fall?"]

[...]

Ming strolled between the two.

Instantly, the pair pretended as if they were the best of friends.

"Found it!"

Euryale peeked from the stairway entrance, "It's downstairs."

"Let's go."

Ming followed her down to the 18th floor.

Flash! Lightning streaked across the night sky, illuminating the surroundings.

Boom! Thunder rumbled, and rain poured ferociously.

"Right here."

Euryale pointed to a door label and then to a room; it was the archive room.

Ming gave the order to search for 'Janice.'

"Boss, I'm curious. Why are we looking for this person? Is he that important?"

The red knight asked, flipping through the files.

"Focus on your own search. Some matters are best left undiscussed," the black-haired pig demon teased, turning to Ming with a grin. "Right, boss?"

"It's this one, right?"

Euryale handed over a stack of contracts.

Ming quickly scanned the details:

Name: Janice

Department: Project Team

Position: Lead Front-End Developer

Employee Number: Y230912-12-023.

...

Residential Address: 3-1203, Building 3, Seventh Avenue.

"Excellent!"

Ming's excitement was palpable. He had finally tracked him down.

"We passed the Project Team floor earlier," Euryale noted instantly.

"Let's go!"

Without hesitation, Ming led the way. Upon reaching the 21st floor, the 'Project Team' was located. Ming swiftly sought out Janice's workspace, finding his designated spot in a corner based on the employee number.

He observed the desk: three monitors, a single keyboard, and a somewhat cluttered work area. Among the items, is an eye-catching photo frame with the image of a young girl.

Silence engulfed the room.

Ming, the black-haired pig demon, and the red knight all looked at Euryale, simultaneously questioning, "Why is your photo here?"

Euryale gently picked up the frame, her gaze settling on the intertwined nicknames below the photo: 'The Ocean & The Beach.'

Euryale's eyes welled up with tears. An overwhelming emotion was evident in her eyes. The past, memories, love, regrets... everything seemed to surge in that moment. It was as if her entire life was unfolding before her, just from that single photo.

"That...,"

The black-haired pig demon tried to console her but was petrified by Euryale's grief-stricken gaze. The red knight, sensing the gravity of the moment but unsure how to react, was also turned to stone.

Ming watched as Euryale walked towards the window, holding the photograph close to her heart. The shattered window allowed rain and wind to gust into the room. Ming could tell there was a deep and untold story behind Euryale's reaction.

Without a word, Ming turned his attention back to Janice's desk. He meticulously combed through every piece of paper and note, hoping to find a clue to his main objective. Yet, he was unsuccessful.

"Senior Manager," Ming thought aloud.

His gaze shifted to an office located at one end of the floor with a plaque that read: 'Project Manager'. Determined, Ming walked in, hoping to find something useful. He flipped through documents, opened drawers, and scanned every piece of paper.

"Hmm?"

In his hands, Ming held a draft document. The cover read:

"Initial Draft of Game Level Narratives: The Apocalypse Descends"

By Janice.

"I found it!"

Ming, sitting on the cold floor amidst scattered documents, couldn't help but break into a smile. The piece he was searching for was finally in his grasp.