Twenty-four years old, and a mercenary.

Chen熵 read through the recruitment notice issued by the Megacorporation Consortium with forced patience. The notice claimed that the Consortium had decided to open up recruitment for the Abyss Expeditionary Force to civilians, offering exceptionally generous salaries—basically enough to buy a house after just two months of work.

Knowing that those people couldn't possibly be that kind-hearted, Chen熵 made a phone call to Black Alice:

"Good morning, Miss Hacker~ Have you checked out Twibo?"

"Hahahahaha, I saw it, I saw it! Those people are hilarious!" As soon as the call connected, Chen熵 heard Black Alice's breathless, wild laughter: "Hahaha, I can't—haha—let me catch my breath—haha..."

"What's so funny?" Chen熵 asked.

"It's that recruitment notice on Twibo!" Black Alice replied. "I hacked into their expeditionary force's internal network to investigate, and found out that yesterday their army lost thousands of elite soldiers overnight—all of them were thrown into a psychiatric hospital!"

"That intense?" Chen熵 raised an eyebrow, marveling, "Was that monster's doing?"

"Yeah, the megacorporations have already withdrawn from the Dead Tomb District, and this attack dealt a heavy blow to them," Black Alice answered. "To prevent further losses of elite soldiers, they're now preparing to recruit cannon fodder from the civilians to pave the way for them."

"So the purpose of the recruitment really is just that~" Chen熵 snapped his fingers, indicating complete understanding. "Still, they really have the heart for it. After all, the wages they're willing to offer aren't low at all, and they even pay weekly."

"Well, you have to survive long enough to collect it~" Black Alice laughed. "They certainly don't plan on providing you with insurance or death benefits. You'll go mad and end up locked in an asylum before you even get your first paycheck~"

"True, that sounds exactly like something the megacorporations would come up with." Chen熵 stretched lazily, took off his pajamas, and put on his school uniform. "I'll go apply after school and pick up a weekend job."

"You actually want to go?" Black Alice asked.

"Why not? I have to go there to figure out a few things." Chen熵 slung his backpack over his shoulder and left his room.

...

After school, Chen熵 changed into casual clothes ahead of time and put on a prosthetic silicone face mask for disguise.

The recruitment office for the Abyss Expeditionary Force was set up in the Barren Smelting District. As soon as Chen熵 stepped out of the vehicle, he spotted the poster beneath a neon billboard, featuring a man in a suit pointing forward, complete with a guide map to the enlistment registration site drawn at the bottom.

The registration spot wasn't exactly overflowing with massive crowds, but there were at least a hundred people present, most of them drawn in by the high salaries promised by the Abyss Expeditionary Force.

Chen熵 casually filled out a registration form, joined the queue of applicants for a simple physical fitness test, and then stood at the back of the line to wait for his interview.

"..."

The interviewer scanned the registration forms skillfully and perfunctorily, processing applicants like an assembly line. The queue shortened at a visible rate, and soon it was Chen熵's turn.

"Mr. Luojie, you've passed the interview. You can report for duty tomorrow."

After reviewing a male applicant's form, the robotic interviewer in military uniform waved at Chen熵: "Next..."

Chen熵 stepped forward and handed over his registration form and physical test report.

However, the interviewer didn't look at the form right away; instead, the light on its mechanical mask swept back and forth across Chen熵 a few times.

"Hello, your name is Chen Rui, and your age is... twenty-four?" The interviewer checked the age on the registration form, a look of confusion manifesting on its mechanical mask.

"That's right, I am twenty-four, I just happen to look rather young~" Anticipating the confusion, Chen熵 quickly put on an aggrieved yet eager expression and replied naturally.

"But you don't look anywhere near of legal age," the interviewer asked warily. "Our Abyss Expeditionary Force is an official organization of the megacorporations, and we cannot recruit minors."

Even though Chen熵 was wearing a disguise mask, his build and skin still couldn't completely hide the fact that he was a child. Since the Abyss Expeditionary Force represented the face of the megacorporations, they naturally weren't willing to openly engage in anti-human acts like recruiting child soldiers.

"It's genetic mutation, Mr. Interviewer!" Chen熵 pressed his right palm against his chest, assumed an exceptionally sincere posture, and rambled persuasively: "Actually, I really am twenty-four years old; my development is just a bit delayed because I lived in a medium-radiation zone."

The interviewer nodded, appearing to half-understand, and didn't seem ready to question Chen熵's words. After all, Chen熵's physical test report showed that his physical fitness had indeed reached the adult tier.

Of course, this was also thanks to the chaotic order of Night枢 City and the lack of residential ID cards; otherwise, Chen熵 would have had to get the hacker girl to forge an ID for him in advance just to muddle through.

With that, the interviewer stamped the application form and handed Chen熵 a stack of documents: "About when can you report for duty?"

"Is the day after tomorrow okay?" Chen熵 calculated—the day after tomorrow would be Friday.

"No problem. Thank you for your support of the Abyss Expeditionary Force. Your joining is a contribution to all of humanity!"

After delivering a set of standard corporate clichés, the interviewer shifted his gaze to the next applicant.

...

After school on Friday, Chen熵 returned home to pack his personal belongings.

The Abyss Expeditionary Force would probably issue them a set of combat gear, but whether that gear came equipped with GPS tracking systems or self-destruct devices was anyone's guess. To be safe, Chen熵 still needed to prepare his own set of tactical equipment.

After packing several guns bought from the black market and some healing medicine into his backpack, Chen熵's gaze shifted to the Book of Curses resting in the corner of his room.

After a moment of thought, Chen熵 shoved it into his backpack as well.

With his backpack in tow, Chen熵 left his room and ran right into Nayuta, who was cleaning the living room.

"Little sis, I'm heading out for the weekend and won't be coming home." Chen熵 said straight to the point.

"What is big brother going to do?" Nayuta furrowed her brow, asking with a hint of worry.

"Going out to experience life." Chen熵 snapped his fingers and replied casually.

"Then... then big brother, please be careful." Nayuta nodded slightly, reminding him.

Perhaps because Chen熵 frequently wandered off for inexplicable reasons, Nayuta's tone was increasingly resembling that of an overbearing mother, yet she had also grown less inclined to pry into the root causes.

"Alright, don't worry about me so much~" Chen熵 pushed the door open and stepped outside, the smile on his face rapidly fading.

He dialed Black Alice's number and spoke into the phone: "I'm infiltrating the megacorporation's troops over the next two days, and then we'll proceed according to plan."

"You want to hack into the Abyss Expeditionary Force's headquarters?" Black Alice said.

"Correct, exactly that." As he spoke, Chen熵 pulled a few button-sized mechanical devices from his pocket.

"The megacorporations' firewalls aren't pushovers. If you want to hack in, we'll have to use a method similar to last time," Black Alice instructed. "Do not lose these interference devices. When the time comes, you'll need to bring them to the designated locations so I can help you hack in."

"No problem." Chen熵 nodded, preparing to hang up.

"Oh right, the Megacorporation Consortium seems to have already started guarding against hacker attacks, so the firewall level of the Abyss Expeditionary Force has been raised to the maximum." Black Alice warned him.

"What does that have to do with me~?" Chen熵 shrugged and laughed. "As long as you can hack in, right~?"

"My point is, my job this time won't be easy," Black Alice suddenly laughed meaningfully. "You'd better prepare a very hefty reward for me, you hear me~?"

"You're not actually going to harvest my kidney, are you?" Chen熵 guardedly covered his waist and abdomen.

"What the fuck... why are you always fixated on your kidney? How much is that pathetic body of yours as a shut-in high schooler even worth?" Black Alice suddenly grew somewhat exasperated. "I haven't decided on the reward yet, but you better be prepared~"

"Playing this card on me again?" Chen熵 couldn't help but chuckle. "Don't worry~ As long as your request is something I can accept, I'm game~"

"Are you stuck on loop or what?" Black Alice let out a soft snort of laughter and hung up the phone.