Chapter 001

In a clean clean-looking warehouse, there are crates of items lying on the floor and on the large shelves.

Large tables were set up neatly with different label crates on them, obviously for sorting items, and those crates were full of items ranging from crystals, and different kinds of monster parts.

In this place, several employees wearing white overalls are lined up.

A man wearing an expensive blue suit is in front of them all. 

He walks proudly while looking down on the other employees.

"Who is it!? Who! Is! IT?"

The man wearing a suit angrily shouted.

Some of the employees flinch, and some just don't move, or…

Didn't care.

"Sir Raymond Sir! Can I speak up Sir!"

A middle-aged man with a rugged look, sleepy eyes, big eye bags, and rugged hair sarcastically speaks up.

The way he speaks up look like he is making fun of Raymond.

Raymond's eyebrows flinch and immediately meet in the middle, he feels irritated.

But he still signals the man to continue using his right hand.

"Sir! You already know the answer to your question, SIR!"

The tired-looking guy continues to mock the person in front of him.

Everybody was surprised, including Raymond.

Most of the newbies are even surprised and don't know what to do.

"I have been here for… What!? 10 years now… There are multiple investigations that have already happened, people even got hurt! and several employees were even fired… But in the end, no one finds a trace of this so-called 'stealing' right?"

The man continues to speak in a mocking tone.

Raymond looks pissed as he walks towards the man.

"Oh… I remember! They even audit the 'loot' after they come out of the 'pillar' and monitor it thoroughly. In the end, the 'party' involved received less than the estimated amount of their 'loot'."

"Hmmm… TELL ME MR. VICE PRESIDENT!? Didn't they always receive less than the estimated amount? Didn't the upper management already conclude that the estimator is wrong?"

The man felt so proud, that he looked at Raymond with disdain.

Raymond stops in front of the man and looks at him with disgust.

People could easily conclude that the two don't have a good relationship.

The man smiled at him, seriously wanting to piss him off.

"Do you even remember what happened to this guy?"

The man, using the back of his hand taps the chest of the person beside him.

"He got investigated thoroughly, they monitor his income and expenses, and check if there is anything dubious about it…"

The man shook his head and grinned, he even looked at the other employee and had the facial expression 'Can you believe it?'.

"They even checked the orphanage and shelter where he is volunteering, but none… in the end, they didn't find anything."

Raymond just looked at the man who mocked him, his eyes were sharp and there was even a hint of anger in those eyes.

Then Raymond looked at the guy beside him.

The so-called 'victim of investigation'.

He has black hair and he has an above-average handsome look.

The only defining feature is the scar across his face.

The man didn't react to the comment of his friend.

Raymond grinned, then his eyes glinted and became menacing.

Pak! Pak! Pak!

He slapped the man with a scar three times.

The new employees were shocked but the veterans just looked at the event like it was normal.

'Tsk.'

'Again… he cannot touch Kiel so he goes after Canis.'

'What a jerk.'

People around whispered but Raymond didn't care.

He was proud of what he did.

"If you don't like it, quit!"

Raymond shouted in front of Canis's face.

Some of his saliva even hit Canis in the face.

Raymond's action isn't befitting of his position, he knows it but he doesn't care.

Canis didn't react, he just looked Raymond in the face with those fierce eyes.

Kiel on the other hand looks at Canis with the look 'Here we go again'.

Canis' reaction didn't make Raymond happy.

Pak! Pak! Pak!

Raymond slaps Canis once again.

And again he didn't react, the fierce-looking glare just continued.

Raymond didn't seem satisfied but he had to maintain that dignity of his.

He fixes his suit and looks at everyone.

"When! When we find that 'thief' we will punish him severely! He will wish! That he was dead instead!"

Step! Step! Step!

They waited until Raymond exited the warehouse together with his secretary.

Kiel looks at Canis and then looks at his watch.

"23 minutes and 34 seconds! I guess we broke the record guys! Hahaha!"

Kiel laughed.

The veterans also join him, laughing at the event that happened today but the new employees are still in shock.

One of those new employees asked the veteran.

"I… I don't get it… didn't the VP just slap him several times… why are you laughing about it?"

The veteran taps the newbie's shoulder.

"Oh that, Raymond hates Kiel, but he couldn't touch Kiel because he is the nephew of the President of the Champion Association, so… he targets his friend… Canis… and he always does this every week, there is nothing we could do about it so we just made fun of it."

"What!? I thought Canis was the 'thief'. The way the VP looked at him and harmed him, I really thought he was a suspect."

Another newbie who was listening in immediately replied.

The events that unfold in the warehouse suggest so.

"Don't believe that! They just created a 'rumor' just to harass Kiel, that kind of rumor even started 10 years ago when Kiel fought those people with authority. They could not do anything due to Kiel's position, so they just harassed them instead. In addition, do you really think someone with their right mind will steal from the Association?"

The newbies nod several times.

"Well… anyone who stole from the Association is clearly stupid. Making this agency your enemy is the worst thing you could ever think of."

"Exactly, you will lose the only thing that is protecting you from Champions… you are basically a dead man walking by then."

"So… those things that the VP said are practically a lie?"

A newcomer confirmed it and the veteran nodded and glanced at Kiel.

Kiel is laughing while jumping around with the other veteran.

"Yeah…"

"But to just give you a tip… stay away from Kiel if you don't want any trouble."

The veteran continued.

"Poor Canis…"

One of the newbies reflectively said while facing the group.

The others who were looking at him, widened their eyes and one of the new employees pointed 'look at your back' to the person who said it.

When the newbie looks around he notices Canis pass by and glances at them with those fiery-looking eyes.

*****

April 2023.

Champion Association - United Asia.

Sorting Department.

Canis passes by a group of people who are gossiping around.

(Poor me…)

Canis knew what that meant.

Just because he is Kiel's 'friend' that means he will take the anger directed at Kiel.

(I might get hurt, but I don't want their empathy. Especially I am getting something out of it.)

Canis looks at Kiel who is jumping around with his 'friends'.

(Also… we don't have that kind of relationship, If I'm going to describe it… we have a symbiotic relationship rather than being friends.)

Canis remembers the day he approached Kiel in the bar after Kiel's tragic experience.

He planned everything and made a deal with Kiel that put him in this situation.

(The deal is quite simple, I will be his pretend friend, and take all the hate from the higher up, while he will help me get a job here in the Sorting Department by endorsing me to his uncle.)

Canis moves to his station.

He gently touches his cheeks.

The pain is still there, he feels that his face is numbing.

(Freaking, High-Rank Champions, their normal slap feels like I was hit by a 4-inch book.)

Canis shook his head and looked at the workers going back to their station.

(I got beat up almost every week but…)

Canis looks at his table, various red and orange crystals, and monster parts are lying on the table.

(It's all worthy… everything is worthy… I haven't regretted working here a single day.)

*****

"New delivery! Party R-2765!"

Several people responded to the radio call, including Canis who began to walk towards the delivery site.

It is a large open space with a lift and is accessible to trucks.

There is a lot of security in the area, the truck itself has a security guard who is looking at the crates.

Several security guards are also stationed near the entrance of the delivery area.

"Sorting Employees! Coming In"

"Sorting Employees! Coming In"

"Sorting Employees! Coming In"

The guard repeats those words when Canis and his group try to enter the delivery area.

"Ok! Pat down! Canis!"

Two security officers made a pat down check on Canis.

Then he walks into an x-ray machine.

The security behind the machine is so focused on his work.

Then he continued to walk to another security who using the crystal detector stick to check Canis.

"Your good Canis… Move."

Canis walks inside the delivery area then he looks at the side.

There is a whiteboard on the side of the wall.

R-2633 April 3

R-2597 April 4

O-674 April 5

R-2686 April 6

That was the list of party tags and delivery dates.

'How many days did they take to raid it?'

'14 days'

One of the veterans asked the delivery guy out of curiosity.

'Look at that loot, white fur… Snow Wolf? Is this from Snow White Mountain?'

One of the newbies asked.

'Yeah, the party said that they landed on a snowy terrain, they cannot see the famous Snow White Mountain but they assume that it may be in the same region because the same monster who inhabits the Snow White Mountain inhabits their Pillar.'

'Are they prepared? did they scout the pillar beforehand?'

(Scout? That will be expensive. To scout a red pillar means you have to buy a Retreat Stone which is quite expensive for a Red Rank Champion.)

The people began to unload the crates.

(For Red Rank Champions they will not spend money on those items, the reward of red crystal and red rank monster loot is already declining, and using money for unnecessary spending is unadvisable.)

'Unfortunately… they didn't use scouts, so they came unprepared… 7 out 15 people die because of it… that's what they said.'

'That's quite sad.'

The newbie looks authentically sad, death is common for Champions, but no one rejoices about it.

(Sad… but that's reality, the monsters are as strong and evenly matched as regular Champion of the same rank. However, what killed them was the additional challenges in the pillar. The terrain and traps are disadvantageous to Champion while advantageous to the pillar. In this case, the snowy field works against them.)

The loot entered the facility.

There are at least 10 crates dropped in the sorting department.

The crates were stacked on top of each other over a wooden pallet.

"Who will volunteer?"

This means a person will volunteer to tidy up the crate and sort those things.

If no one volunteers, this will be automatically assigned, that's why all Sorting Personnel are required to participate whenever there is a delivery.

'That's quite heavy… they got plenty of loot.'

'Let me pass this one… I will handle the next one…'

'Nah… my shift is almost over.'

Canis raises his hand.

Following the procedure he walks towards the crate.

"Wait! You know the drill, Canis."

One of the security stopped him.

They pat him down, from head to toe, they even check on the private part and the shoes just to ensure that there are no items in that person.

"Continue, Canis."

Canis walks towards the crate and pushes it towards the entrance of the Sorting Department.

Just as he approaches the door Canis, stops.

A security walks towards him and looks at the number of crates.

"Hmmm… 10 crates! Going In! Person to handle Canis Gaudin!"

"Canis Gaudin with 10 crates!"

The security shouted like they were in a prison ward.

PIIIP! Bam!

The large gate opened and Canis entered the Sorting Department together with the 10 crates.

Canis walks towards his station.

There are fewer people around this time because most of the employees are inside the delivery area.

Canis loaded the crates around his station and sat down.

He glances around the area and secretly glances at the CCTV camera that is in front of him, located at the ceiling, this camera is focused on his work table.

He bent down pretending like he was getting something under the large workstation.

He touched the floor and whispered.

"Access."

A white door appears on the ground, parallel to the workstation, and the door knob is located near him.

He opens the door slightly.

Grab several crystals in his other hand and throws them inside the door.

Cling! Cling! Cling!

A clinging sound can be heard inside the room as the items drop to the ground.

"Hmmm… today… I think I will get more crystal more than usual… as a payment for getting hurt."