Rain hammered against the city like the sky itself was angry. Water streamed down the rusted railings of the bridge while countless headlights blurred past in streaks of white and red, none of them slowing, none of them caring about the lone man standing near the edge.
Kai leaned against the cold metal railing with his hood down, allowing the rain to soak him completely. His phone screen illuminated his exhausted face as he continued scrolling through social media, torturing himself with pictures he should have stopped looking at long ago.
One post showed an old classmate smiling beside a brand-new car.
Another showed a former coworker proudly holding his newborn child while surrounded by family.
Then came engagement photos, vacation pictures, expensive dinners, promotions, celebrations—everyone seemed to be moving forward while he remained stuck in the same miserable place.
Today was his birthday.
Twenty-five years old.
And the only notification he had received all day was an automated message from Facebook wishing him a happy birthday.
No messages from friends.
No calls from coworkers.
Not even a simple "How are you doing?"
Kai laughed bitterly under his breath before locking his phone screen. The dark reflection staring back at him looked pathetic. His eyes were hollow from stress and sleepless nights, his shoulders heavy with exhaustion.
Three months ago, the logistics company where he worked had decided not to renew his contract. At first, he believed he would quickly find another job. He had sent applications everywhere—warehouses, convenience stores, restaurants, construction companies—but nothing came back except silence.
No interviews.
No opportunities.
Nothing.
The older he became, the more he realized how disposable people like him truly were. Men without money, status, education, or connections simply vanished into the background of society. The internet mocked people like him every day—jobless men living meaningless lives, unable to provide anything to anyone.
Dead weight.
That was what Kai had become.
His younger sister Sarah was already overworking herself at the diner just to help with expenses, while his mother continued living in a small village with his grandmother because they could not afford better conditions. Sometimes Kai wondered if everyone would secretly feel relieved if he simply disappeared.
The thought should have terrified him.
Instead, it only made him feel tired.
Kai slowly stepped closer to the railing and stared down at the dark river below. The rain distorted the surface into endless ripples while icy wind brushed against his skin.
One step.
That was all it would take.
Then a voice suddenly spoke behind him.
"Rough night, son?"
Kai froze.
His heart skipped violently as he turned around.
An old man stood several meters away beneath the dying glow of a flickering streetlamp. Long silver hair rested over his shoulders, while a thick beard partially hid the wrinkles covering his face. His clothing looked strange—dark robes with silver patterns resembling something worn by medieval nobles rather than modern people.
But what unsettled Kai the most were the old man's eyes.
Sharp.
Calm.
Watching him as though he already knew everything.
Kai frowned cautiously. "Who are you?"
The old man ignored the question and slowly approached through the rain.
"Tell me," he said in a deep, gravelly voice, "have you ever wished your life could completely change?"
Kai almost laughed at how absurd the question sounded.
"What kind of scam is this?"
A faint smile spread across the old man's face. "The kind that changes fate."
From inside his robe, the old man pulled out a plain white card and extended it toward Kai. Despite the rain pouring around them, the card remained perfectly dry.
Kai hesitated before taking it.
The paper felt strangely cold in his hand.
"What kind of job are you offering?" he asked carefully.
But the old man had already turned around.
"You'll understand tomorrow."
"Wait—"
Before Kai could stop him, the old man disappeared into the darkness beyond the bridge lights as if swallowed by the rain itself.
Kai stared after him in stunned silence.
For a brief moment, he genuinely wondered if he had imagined the entire encounter.
Then he looked down at the card still resting in his palm.
An address was printed neatly across the center.
Nothing else.
No company name.
No phone number.
No explanation.
The next morning, the storm had vanished completely.
Sunlight reflected off puddles scattered across the streets while the salty scent of the ocean drifted through the docks. Kai stood silently in front of an abandoned warehouse near the harbor, staring at the address on the card for the fifth time.
This was definitely the place.
Which somehow made the situation even worse.
The warehouse looked like the setting of every crime movie he had ever watched. Rust covered the metal walls, several windows were shattered, and weeds had begun growing through cracks in the concrete.
Kai narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
"Yeah… this is how people get kidnapped."
Every instinct told him to leave immediately.
But then he remembered the bridge.
The emptiness in his chest.
The feeling of having absolutely nothing left.
Compared to that… this fear felt manageable.
At worst, maybe someone would kill him inside.
At least then his family would no longer need to worry about feeding another useless mouth.
Taking a deep breath, Kai pushed the warehouse door open and stepped inside.
The building was silent.
Dust floated through thin beams of sunlight leaking from cracks near the ceiling. Broken crates and old machinery sat abandoned in the corners while the smell of rust and damp wood filled the air.
Kai slowly walked deeper into the warehouse while checking his phone again.
Same address.
No mistake.
"Definitely haunted," he muttered nervously.
Then—
SLAM!
The warehouse door crashed shut behind him.
Kai nearly jumped out of his skin.
The sound echoed violently throughout the building before silence returned once more.
Only a single lightbulb hanging from the ceiling remained active, flickering weakly above the center of the warehouse. Everything outside its pale glow disappeared into darkness.
Kai swallowed hard.
"Nope," he whispered. "Absolutely nope."
Then he heard footsteps.
Slow.
Heavy.
Approaching from somewhere within the darkness.
Kai's body tensed immediately. He tried to focus on the sound while resisting the urge to panic. Horror movies had taught him exactly how badly situations like this usually ended.
The footsteps stopped.
Then a figure emerged from the shadows.
It was the old man from the bridge.
For several long seconds, neither of them spoke.
Kai awkwardly cleared his throat. "So… about that job?"
The old man stared at him calmly before asking a completely unrelated question.
"Do you believe humanity is alone in this universe?"
Kai blinked in confusion.
"…What?"
His first thought was immediate.
Cult.
This was definitely a cult.
Seeing the suspicion on Kai's face, the old man sighed.
"Relax, boy. Just answer the question."
Kai hesitated before shrugging. "I mean… aliens probably exist, right?"
The old man stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Hm. Fair answer."
Kai frowned internally.
Then why ask?
The old man's expression slowly became serious.
"The opportunity I offered you comes with a condition," he said quietly. "Once you accept it, there will only be two ways out."
He raised one finger.
"Completion."
Then another.
"Death."
The atmosphere inside the warehouse instantly felt heavier.
Kai stared at the old man carefully. "So I'm joining some kind of criminal organization?"
The old man chuckled softly. "That depends entirely on what kind of man you decide to become."
That answer somehow sounded even more dangerous.
Kai looked around the empty warehouse again while his thoughts spiraled endlessly. Normally, any sane person would have left already.
But Kai's life had already fallen apart.
No future waited for him outside these walls.
No dream.
No purpose.
Nothing.
And maybe…
Maybe that was exactly why he accepted.
"Fine," Kai said quietly. "I'm in."
The old man smiled.
And for the first time since meeting him, genuine fear crawled down Kai's spine.
Because that smile did not look human.