Solus went back to the resource collection station the next day. He headed straight to the manager's office. The manager was preoccupied with his work, but he paused when he noticed Solus.
"Oh, you're here. I was not expecting you to come today." He sighed before continuing, "I understand why you are here...you can leave if you want."
"Who mentioned anything about quitting?"
"...You are not here for that?"
"I came here to get my new job. Since my previous team is gone, you should assign me to a new one."
The manager blinked a few times. Solus' willingness to do his job was not unusual, but he did not expect to be able to overcome his trauma in a single day. The manager rose from his chair and walked to the door.
"Okay, follow me. I will give you a new job."
Solus followed him and they both got into the elevator. The manager pushed the button on the bottom floor and began descending.
"You are now an observer. It is the easiest job because no one is required to do anything, but it is also the most difficult to obtain. All you have to do is walk around and observe others' movements."
"Surveillance drones were designed for that purpose."
"You are right, but people are smart. They have been surrounded by technology since birth, and they know how to have fun while avoiding drones. That is why a few people are down there, keeping an eye on them and reporting back.
As I said, no one can get this role because it is too easy. But I am giving it to you in appreciation for your willingness to work here. Take your time with this until you can start a new role. No need to rush. This job might be simple, but someone has to do it, and right now, that's you."
A bell rang in the elevator before the doors opened. Solus returned to the busy area, where thousands of people were walking around.
"Alright, kiddo. Have fun," said the manager, offering a half-hearted wave before the elevator doors shut behind Solus.
Solus walked down the stairs quietly, then began walking among the people on the floor. There were two sides on the floor. One side was for people who traveled to various planets to investigate and record unknown materials, mostly researchers, surveyors, and analysis teams. They wore gray suits and usually carried data tablets or scanning gear. The other side was the collection port, where large rockets were launched with heavy machinery to collect the materials. Noise levels were high, the air smelled faintly of burnt fuel and lubricant.
Solus made it to the collection port after walking two kilometers. There were no shortcuts—just endless steel walkways. Rockets were launched, and large cargo ships loaded with various materials landed in designated bays. Cargo drones then transported the materials to ascending buckets in the distance, which climbed rails leading to the upper levels for sorting and redistribution.
"Hey, aren't you the one who came back alive with Gaia yesterday?"
Solus looked to his left and noticed a tall, lean man wearing a sleeveless top. His arms were covered in grease and faint scars. His hair was short and black, and he had a few bruises on his face that looked fresh. His eyes had that aggressive friendliness only found in people who had been in the field too long.
"I heard Gaia died while being treated. We used to know each other, but that is now history. Look at you, I didn't think you would show up today." The man spoke enthusiastically.
Solus did not respond, instead returned his gaze to the rockets. He knew Gaia was going to commit suicide, so he did not have to worry about getting caugh. If he had killed her there as well, it would have raised suspicions. Why would everyone die as soon as he joined and only he came back alive? That would make him appear to be the true culprit. Someone had to drown in a sea of death with all of the evidence.
"Acting tough, huh?"
Solus fixed his gaze on another man dressed in the same brownish-yellow suit he had previously worn. Compared to the person with short black hair, his face was clear and calmer. They were both taller than Julius' physique, both built like they used to lift heavy machinery without exosuits.
"Do you think coming here today will make you a mystery, kid? Well, you're wrong. We don't give a damn who dies here."
"Brune, why are you rubbing your butt here? Go do your damn job!" The man with short hair exclaimed angrily.
"Why are you defending him?" Does that make you look tough, too?"
"Why are you picking up on him in the first place?"
They argued for a moment before a woman shouted from a distance.
"Brune! What the hell are you doing over there?! Come here!"
"Tsk, you are in luck, kid. But we will talk again."
Brune turned around and walked away towards a landing pad.
"Don't mind him. He is like this. Just do your own work."
The short-haired man replied before walking away. Solus looked at Brune and his team members. There were four male and four female members. They were explorers who only examined materials, and their planet destination would be low-risk.
"Laugh as much as you possibly can. There would not be a second time."
Solus hacked their spaceship's system and changed the destination coordinates to another dangerous planet. They would most likely die before reaching the surface.
The controller's tab remained unchanged because Solus had changed the ship's system directly. The controller double-checked everything on his tab before signaling for others to enter the ship. A few seconds later, the spaceship rose from the ground and moved towards the tunnel.
"It is not my fault if Brune and his teammates die. He should not have picked up on me. Only those who strike first win."
Solus was watching everything from his vantage point when someone approached him and tapped him on the shoulder.
"Are you Julius?"
"Yes."
"Come with me. The manager is calling you."
Solus asked no questions and quietly followed the man to the elevator. As it ascended to the top floor, they went to the manager's office. The man opened the door and peered inside before politely saying, "Sir, he has arrived."
A moment later, the man poked his head out and motioned Solus to enter. Solus opened the door to discover another person sitting on the opposite side, facing the manager.
"Julius, this is Officer Keaton. He's here to know about yesterday's incident. Just explain everything you have seen."
Solus did not need to see the officer's face because he recognized the person just by hearing his name. Keaton was the one who killed him once.
He walked to the corner of the table and sat in a chair, facing both Keaton and the manager. Keaton's expression hardened, and he slowly turned around to face Solus.
"Good to meet you, Officer. How was your day?"
Keaton simply nodded, but it appeared he had no desire to do so. He appeared to be completely immersed in his thoughts.
Solus began describing the situation word by word. There was no reason to lie because he did nothing during the attack. The monsters were responsible for killing the others.
"In the end, Gaia and I were able to survive because of the leader."
The manager paid close attention, but Keaton was already comparing the situation to another. The reason for this was that monsters never attacked at random. The technologies were developed, and everything was done flawlessly. It was almost impossible for something like that to happen unless it was done on purpose.
However, Keaton simply listened because it was his job. He was already going insane over his mother and sister's murder mystery. He could not find a single clue other than that footage.
Solus stared blankly at his face while laughing inside. It appeared to be enjoyable to watch someone suffer and forget about their happiness in life. He had the power to elevate suffering to new heights.
Solus took control of the wall-mounted telephone. It was left that way because of its uniqueness rather than using wireless communication technology. The telephone rang as Solus instructed, and the manager stood up from his chair and walked quickly to it.
"Do you really believe it was all an accident?" asked Solus.
Keaton furrowed his brow as he looked at him. "What do you mean by that?"
"You should already know since you are a detective."
Solus gave him a menacing smirk.