A Manager's Struggle

"I didn't realise that this was actually the business of a high elder. I apologise for the mistake."

The woman took a deep breath, then stood up straight and bowed towards the man. If everyone was shocked before, then now they were dumbfounded.

Just who was this man?!

Shia was thinking of something else though. Earlier, didn't this man bow to Zhan?

"Let's go." Zhan nudged Shia gently, then ignored the police captain and turned to leave. The police captain looked like she wanted to say something and multiple policeman kept their weapons trained on Zhan and Shia. He glared at them, but this only made them more aggressive in return.

The captain had to yield before the high elder, but this young man with the spear…didn't appear to be in the syndicate. Not only that, but he cut off the hands of her officer! Even if a member of the syndicate did this, they would still be punished by the law, albeit much more lightly than normal.

"You brutally cut the hands off one of my men, you can't just-"

"Miss police captain, are you sure that you wish to further antagonise number 1?"

The captain slowly turned towards the man. His faint smile now appeared to be that of a demon in her eyes. Hearing him say 'number 1', her body trembled and her legs almost gave out.

"Given that your officer shot at him first, not to mention cutting off his hands, it would be entirely reasonable for number 1 to slaughter him, along with each of his subordinates for such a transgression. And today, not only is he number 1, but he is also the highly valued client of the syndicate. If you wish to further intervene in this matter, I'm afraid that I will be forced to cut off your unit."

The captain trembled further and intense fear filled her eyes.

Anyone who understood the true role of the syndicate also understood the meaning of the title 'number 1'. This was the title given to the current reining champion of the arena. A person who had stepped through slaughter after slaughter, risking their life time and time again in order to reach the top.

Not only was number 1's personal power beyond human, but his position was above that of even a high elder in the eyes of the authorities. He was a person who was valued by elites from across the globe, he was their favourite 'sportsman' without a doubt. Not only that, but the current number 1 was said to be particularly overbearing, and he was even rumoured to have some relationship with the syndicate leader…

"I apologise deeply on behalf of my subordinates' actions, and for my rude words, please forgive us!" She turned and dropped to her knees, then placed her head on the floor and yelled at the top of her voice so that Zhan would hear. Given that she was facing towards him, it was clear that her words were meant for Zhan.

Although she seemed to be talking to the suited elder at a glance, in truth, she was bowing and speaking towards Zhan.

The police officers felt confusion, but also shame. Why was the captain acting this way? Where was her honour and dignity as a police captain?!

As for Shia, she didn't think she could get an even bigger shock today, but it seemed that she was wrong. She stopped and looked at Zhan, forcing him to reply to the police captain. He sighed, then glanced back and said:

"Whatever, just get out of here, you're disturbing everyone." With that, he turned back and entered the building under everyone's watchful gaze.

Naturally, many residents had noticed the commotion and watched from the lobby or their windows. Not everyone could make out the two figures, but once they got inside, everyone recognised them.

"Manager!" Many of the staff cried out. They glanced at Zhan fearfully, but only lowered their heads and didn't say anything. They knew that he still wanted his identity to be kept a secret…because it would be a hassle if people knew he was the landlord and kept asking him for reductions on their rent.

"I'll see you later then." Zhan saw that Shia was busy and nodded to her, then turned to leave. She was dazed and stared at his back for a moment, but then blinked and snapped out of it, running after him.

"What 'I'll see you later then' you, you, you stupid landlord! Scarred muscular body! Mysterious person! Stupid! Way too strong! Dumb! Brutish! Decapitating police! Stupid! Sort of cool! I, I mean, stupid, reckless, criminal!"

Now, it was Zhan's turn to feel shocked. Shia just about caught up to him and the lift door shut behind her, but she then exploded outwards with this series of…insults? Or compliments? A mix of both perhaps?

She yelled this at the top of her voice and was even panting by the end of it. When the lift door opened, Nui was already there in the corridor waiting for them.

"I was watching from the window, but it was too far and I couldn't see too well, but I think that Zhan was really amazing, right?! Eh, are you alright, Shia?"

"I…I'm fine." She cleared her throat and straightened herself up. After releasing her pent up frustration on Zhan, she felt much better. Still, she turned to him and glared.

"Alright, I get it now. So you're actually supposed to be someone really amazing or something, right? Well, I-I don't care, not at all!"

"You sound like you care." Zhan smiled oddly. This was a side of Shia that he had never seen before. Or maybe, this was a side of herself that she didn't even know existed, until Zhan pushed her over the edge and she snapped.

At this moment, he remembered that to most people, that situation with the police right now would probably be quite nerve racking. He imagined himself in Shia's shoes, weak, completely confused, unable to deal with anything…yeah, he would probably be uneasy.

"Shia, why don't you take the rest of the day off. I'm sure the other staff will understand and work harder to make up for your absence." Zhan smiled.

"That…" She hesitated and bit her lip. "But the residents will need some sort of explanation, and-"

"Shia, it's fine." Zhan interrupted her. "You were at the core of the issue, so it wouldn't make sense for you to try and calm everyone down. But anyway…in less than three weeks, this small matter will be forgotten by everyone."

Shia blinked and slowly nodded.

Truthfully, she knew that she didn't need to continue working so hard to maintain the apartment as it was now. She didn't need to sort out the bills, or do the taxes…but it had been distracting her. Distracting her from the ever approaching date of the apocalypse, the apocalypse that she still hoped was not going to happen.

"Fine…" She muttered. She suddenly felt tired. She wanted to sit down and rest. To relax for a while.

"So, so what happened after all? I heard a gun shot, is everyone ok?!" Nui exclaimed. She felt afraid, and she wasn't even down there! She couldn't even imagine how Shia felt!

She also couldn't forget how Zhan had leapt up and sprinted down when he found out that Shia was in trouble.

'It isn't like me to care so much…' Zhan sighed as he sat down. Whilst Nui was daydreaming about whether or not he would do the same thing if it was her in trouble, Zhan was wondering why he cared enough to get irritated on someone else's behalf anyway.

He wanted to kill that policeman, but why? Because he was making trouble for Zhan, making trouble for his employees? He could pretend that this was the reason, but the truth was obvious; he cared about Shia.

'First Miu and now Shia…really, I'm going soft.'

Only Zhan could have such a thought after cruelly cutting off a man's hands to assure that he would die in the second wave.

Buzz…

"Hmm?" Zhan felt his phone buzzing in his pocket. It was rare for him to be texted by someone…or rather, this was the first time he had ever received a text message. He mostly just contacted the old syndicate leader, who was an old fogey that couldn't deal with modern technology. He sometimes phoned other people in the syndicate, but these were one off calls, he didn't text them.

Thinking this, he wondered who it could be.

'Ah, so it was Miu.' He smiled slightly as he opened the text.

Hey Zhan! Is it alright if I come by on Saturday? Since there's less than three weeks to go now, I thought that we should start making plans. If this is too soon then just let me know. Miu xx

His first text, and it was from a girl who ended the message with kisses! He almost felt a shred of warmth in his cold dead heart.

Tomorrow's fine. You bringing your sister? He replied.

Great! I was going to come by before going to find my sister, I just need to check something first. Oh, should I bring my clothes and stuff? I guess I should, right? I doubt you have any women's clothes ahaha. xx

Zhan pondered, then said:

Bring your clothes if you want, but I can get anything you need if it's too much trouble packing.

They continued back and forth for a while. Miu seemed to want to keep the conversion going, but ended it after it got late and she needed to sleep.