When Qin Feng first started working at E.N.D., they took everything he owned - from his wallet and IDs to his smartphone. They assigned him the cleaning lady job, providing him with his personal phone, different from his old one, and he was given 3 rules:
1. All contact with the outside world is strictly prohibited.
2. The pursuit of knowledge, learning, or any form of education is strictly forbidden.
3. Under no circumstances shall anyone leave the company premises.
He could only use this one phone to contact people working for the company. Qin Feng doesn't know if there were real people besides him working for E.N.D.
Although he was forced into the position he was now in, these entities still followed formalities. They provided him with a contract stipulating his responsibilities and benefits. Looking into it, Qin Feng couldn't help but comment on how loose the rules were and how the benefits were too good for a simple cleaning lady.
To be exact, the benefits were enough to let him live a luxurious life.
His main title was cleaning lady rather than a janitor or maintenance worker. He could somewhat gauge the level of understanding these creatures have of the world they took over. They knew a bit too much to a degree that they understand human complexities, and use words used in daily conversation rather than formal ones typically used in businesses.
It's just that Qin Feng couldn't tell whether this means they know too much that they were able to talk more freely, or that they don't understand how languages are used in business.
He was assigned to clean the topmost level of the company building. Initially, he thought it was the top floor where the boss should have his office, but he belatedly realized just how literal these creatures speak. He was assigned to clean the rooftop.
Barely anyone comes to the rooftop, and cleaning it every day was both a hassle and useless. But since he was getting paid either way, he never questioned it.
And because no one comes to the rooftop, it surprised him to find the man in a yellow buttoned-up shirt.
Qin Feng didn't know who this man was or what his relationship to the company is, but he knew they were related and knew this guy had some information about the E.N.D. But he was unable to voice any question.
"The world out there is no longer what it used to be," The man said, staring at Qin Feng. "The company wishes for you to forget that world and completely integrate yourself."
Qin Feng furrowed his brows, unable to understand what this guy meant by saying it. "Has the company ever asked about my thoughts?" It was a bit presumptuous to ask this of a stranger who seemed to possess a high position, but he felt the indignation growing in his heart.
Qin Feng was the type of guy to go with the flow, never making the final decision himself. He relies on others' opinions to formulate his own and get the best possible result. The only unshakable thing about him was his resolute belief. He believes people deserve to live the life they want, not to be forced to do what they hate. He was a free spirit who followed his heart. What the man said truly made him unable to hold his tongue.
The man hummed. He played with a pair of marbles in his right hand before saying. "This is not a rule you must follow; it is a fact that even if you managed to reach the exit, the world will no longer be the same." The man walked towards Qin Feng, tucking the marbles in his pocket and using that hand to hold Qin Feng's jaw. "When the time comes, I will be waiting for you." He tightened his grip before adding. "You will answer all my questions."
Before Qin Feng could even understand what he said, the man was gone.
Qin Feng looked down and found the pair of marbles from where the man was. He picked it up and looked at it. One marble has the hanyu 口 and the other has the hanyu 火. Kou and huo.
After his first shift, Qin Feng was sent to the employee living quarters. He couldn't remember how he got there, but was sure this room was near the ground floor, where the company's main entrance was. But, even if he knew he was close to an exit, he was faintly sure that he couldn't escape.
Ting
Ting
Ting
The phone provided by the company vibrated in his skirt. He pulled it out and saw a new message from an unknown sender. Considering that one of the rules was that he was not allowed to contact people outside, he knew this was a message from a person in a similar situation to him.
[Hello?]
[I'm Yuhan, I was stationed near the boss's office as his assistant.]
[If you're a real person, please tell me]
Three consecutive messages were sent to his phone.
Qin Feng wanted to reply, but he didn't know if this was a real person or just one of the entities working for this company. To him, a person accompanying him in these times would be great, but that is if that other person is human.
Another ting came from the phone, this time even he was confused.
[I was the head disciple of Palace Master Wei. These creatures abducted me and refused to tell me the reason. I was assigned as that person's assistant. I have been trying to leave this place, but by the third floor, I was stumped.]
[It requires multiple people to pass the challenge. When I remembered that these things provided me with a communication device, I immediately thought that maybe there was someone else to form a group]
A series of messages, yet it doesn't fit the modern situation.
It looked more like a communication done in those cultivation novels. Qin Feng was familiar with it because he was one of those rotten women/men in STEM who aren't a stranger to xianxia. He likes the action and storytelling from these books and has even chosen to read rather than eat.
Qin Feng decided to reply. Whether the other person is human or not, it would still be good to gather more information.
[Hello? I'm Qin Feng. I'm stationed at the rooftop of the company.]
He saw that the other person was typing, then the message popped up.
[Hello Friend!! Is it possible for us to talk in person? I'm afraid that the people who gave us these devices are listening in.]
[If I am not mistaken, you and I are in different stations in different worlds. The "company," as they call it, connects different worlds, but the floors that we must pass are the same.]
[I cannot explain it here in full. If possible, please meet me on the first floor.]
Qin Feng agreed. After that, the other person no longer replied.
Qin Feng saw a notification. It was another message from a stranger. The message was simple.
[If you wish to try your luck in leaving, you may ask the Pink Demon Cassandra for information.]
[However, your duties and responsibilities must still be done; otherwise, we will remove some items from your room.]
Speaking of the items in his room, Qin Feng was really impressed by just how complete the set of necessities they provided was. All the clothes provided were to his size. He has hygiene products for everything, a TV, a computer, and some cards. They don't seem to be any different than what he had back in his apartment.
I seems that his job as a cleaning lady will have no end. And based on this message, he can now tell that the other person messaging him a real person. Just not from the same plane of existence as he is.