"Mining was the second highest-paying endeavor on Planet Noon. If someone was saddled with a debt of one million Tox, they could realistically pay it off within ten to fifteen years through the mines. Anything extracted from the depths was converted into Tox, with twenty-five percent allocated to the worker—provided they were a slave. Criminals, on the other hand, received a fixed daily wage regardless of how hard they worked."
"Planet Noon was classified as an artificial world, named for the giant chunk missing from its structure—it resembled a fractured half-moon fitted with massive technical arrays and industrial machinery across its surface."
"I walked up to an officer and declared my decision. Before doing anything else, they fitted two heavy band-like cuffs around our wrists and locked a thin metal collar around our necks—an explosive fail-safe programmed to detonate if we ever rebelled. The officer stared at me with a faint, pitying smirk, though reading his expression was tough given that he was a long-snouted alien."
""What makes you think you can handle two jobs at once?" he sneered. "Farming demands six to eight hours a day, while a mining shift lasts ten to twelve. Looking at you, you'll collapse two hours into your first mining run!" To the naked eye, Yuta looked like an ordinary human, but his specific genetic branch set him apart from baseline humanity."
"Their defining trait was environmental adaptation: their bodies and minds rapidly modified their physiological state to match whatever surroundings they were thrown into. A mere heap of flesh and blood shouldn't be able to adapt to deep space—yet space was just another environment, so why couldn't it?"
""No, sir. I want to take on both jobs," Yuta replied in an even tone."
""Fine by me. It's your funeral," the officer shrugged. "Mining starts tomorrow evening at 8 PM sharp. If you miss roll call, you lose two days of food rations and you'll be forced to work an unpaid shift.""
""And for farming, you'll need to report to the Death Garden, where you'll receive your assignment." The officer had softened slightly after taking in Yuta's young age, but Yuta held firm in taking on both duties."
"The following day, Yuta set off toward the Death Garden. His mother and sister had also chosen agriculture, but opted for a single job rather than burning the candle at both ends—a decision born partly from resignation. Yuta's mother, despite being in her nineties, looked under thirty thanks to their specialized human lineage. She could have easily handled both jobs. "Pihu, why didn't you sign up for two jobs as well?" Yuta asked casually."
"Yuta spoke in a normal tone, completely forgetting that he was the reason they were stuck here in the first place. Glaring daggers at him, Pihu snapped, "My career is over! Even if we ever manage to leave this dump, I'll never be able to become a Galactic Officer!" Her voice flared with anger. "And it's all because of you!""
"Pihu had already given her brother a sound tongue-lashing and a beating earlier, but bringing it up sent her temper spiking all over again. Yuta was nineteen years old, while Pihu was two years his senior."
"In the galaxy, nineteen wasn't considered particularly old, though adulthood thresholds varied wildly across species. Yuta was legally recognized as an adult, which meant his sister could physically vent her frustration on him without facing battery charges—not that it mattered much, considering she was already serving time."
"The transport Yuta's family rode was an electromagnetic rail system spanning the entire planet. Stepping off at the station, they were greeted by a lush, green landscape—a terraformed anomaly engineered through crude technological workarounds."
"Patches of green, purple, and black soil stretched across the fields, each tailored for specific crops. The green soil was suited for human cultivation—a discipline where humans excelled, though they were allowed to attempt other soil types as well."
"Navigating the administrative hustle, they met a local trader who assigned them a fifty-by-fifty-meter plot. The three of them were expected to expand this plot and decide what to cultivate. Growing native Earth crops was out of the question, as those seeds existed nowhere else in the galaxy."
"Yuta knew only as much about farming as any average person. Working from dawn until dusk on basic land preparation, they managed to clear only half the plot. They decided to plant a standard galactic staple consumed by human populations—a hardy grain ground into flour, similar to wheat."
"Yuta was exhausted, but he refused to give up. He still had his night shift in the mines ahead. Leaving the rest of the field in Pihu and his mother's hands, he prepared to head out. Man, I really don't know a thing about farming... When Pihu was learning agriculture back home, I should've paid attention. I wouldn't be struggling so much today!"
"Prepping half the field had taken them six grueling hours, with a mountain of work remaining. With his mining shift starting at 8 PM, he had a brief window to rest. Yuta set a timer on his wrist device and collapsed onto the soft soil of the field. Pihu had cooled off by now; deep down, she knew Yuta hadn't acted out of malice—he had been framed."
"She looked down at Yuta lying in the dirt and sighed. "It's not entirely your fault... We should have paid closer attention to what was happening.""
"A moment later, a sharp beep rang out from Yuta's wrist device, snapping him awake. He felt a sudden jolt of disorientation, but opening his eyes, the harsh reality of where he was came crashing back."
""Yuta! Yuta!" a voice called from behind."
""Pihu Didi? What's wrong?" Yuta asked, sitting up."
"Pihu stepped closer, her face a mix of conflict and hesitation. "I gave up back there because I was angry... But even after everything that happened, you haven't thrown in the towel. You're ready to keep pushing, even though as the older sister, that was my job.""
""So... you're not mad at me anymore?" Yuta asked cautiously."
"Pihu glared at him, but her eyes lacked their previous venom. "Yeah... I forgive you.""
"Yuta let out a massive sigh of relief. Then, his eyes darted down to his watch."
"There were only forty minutes left before 8 PM. Yuta scrambled to his feet, panic setting in. "Didi, I have to go! We need credits to buy proper tools and fertilizer for the farm, or we won't finish the plot. I signed up for two jobs today, and my mining shift is about to start!""
"Yuta rambled rapidly as he gathered his gear. "Yeah, yeah, you already told me! Now stop babbling and run before you get hit with a penalty!" Pihu urged."
"The next second, Yuta took off toward the station at top speed. His body possessed three times the physical density and endurance of a baseline human, allowing him to maintain a blistering sprint all the way to the transit hub without breaking a sweat."
"Checking the mag-rail timetable, Yuta boarded the transport and arrived at the mining sector just in the nick of time."
Will Yuta manage to earn enough credits to fund their farm, or does danger await him deep inside the mining sector?
Stay tuned for the next chapter of... The Unemployed CEO!