The afternoon was so bright and slightly dry. Birds circled above the roof of this blue planet, their voices like a small choir hanging in the air.

Humans passed by living their lives; the streets were full of cars carrying people in suits, buildings pierced high into the sky, and smoke from the shops billowed like the breath of a city that never sleeps.

This is the city where I live now—crowded, busy, filled with people from all over the world. Among them, there is one being who isn’t even from this world.

Me.

Christopher Manjalev.

An alien, at least that’s the definition I understand when something is not from Earth.

“Oy! Manjalev! Are you awake? Open the door! Or I’ll break it down!”

“Yes, yes. Just a second!”

The familiar rough voice echoed from behind the door, accompanied by a strong thud that made the frame vibrate. I opened the door, and a bright red face immediately filled my vision. His eyes glared at me as if he wanted to devour me.

That was Paykiter Jindan. Friend. Partner. Source of noise every morning.

“What is it, man? I just opened my eyes and you’re already threatening my ears.” I stared at him blankly.

“Oy, you should already be at work! What are you doing here?” His jaw tightened and his face reddened a bit.

“I’m leaving now…”

“Hurry up! Our boss said some… unpleasant things.”

“Alright, alright. I’m getting ready.”

“Please be quick. I’ve been waiting here for a long time.”

I frowned. “Wait… why did you come here if you were already at the office?”

He took a deep breath. “I already told you. The boss said unpleasant things. And they were directed at you.”

“Hah… troublesome.”

I quickly cleaned myself up: washed my face, changed my shirt into a suit, then brushed my hair as best as I could.

When I closed the apartment door, Jindan was pacing back and forth in front of it while checking his watch, sighing repeatedly as he always did. We left using his car.

The road was only slightly jammed. I spent the time chewing on bread while chatting. From the window, I saw a man running in panic, chased by a woman. The man tripped over someone’s foot, then got beaten up badly by the woman. Before I could see the end of their story, the car had driven away.

After seeing the man beaten by the woman on the sidewalk, our car continued until the building where we worked appeared in the distance. The building was tall, towering, making anyone who wanted to see its peak have to tilt their head past the point of comfort.

From the outside, it looked like any other fancy office building, shiny glass, metallic walls, automatic doors that always seemed busy welcoming guests. Nothing truly special. No signs that inside it held things the public must never know.

Its “ordinary” appearance was exactly what was most misleading.

Jindan parked the car right in front of the entrance. We got out, and the receptionist greeted us briefly when we entered. A white hallway lined with awards welcomed us as if trying to convince anyone who entered that this was just a normal professional office.

Even though both of us knew very well… nothing inside was “normal.”

We entered the elevator. Jindan pressed several numbers, and the elevator shot upward at an uncomfortable speed—faster than a regular elevator.

When the doors opened, a row of people was already waiting outside. They stepped aside as we walked past.

Gray corridors with glowing blue lines greeted us, long as if they had no end.

Eventually we arrived at a room marked A1. Jindan opened the door, and I stepped inside first.

Inside, many people were already seated at a long metal table. The atmosphere was different—silent, but not a soft silence. This was a heavy silence, like the air itself was holding its breath.

Several pairs of eyes glanced at me briefly then quickly looked away. Some straightened their posture, some suddenly rearranged papers for no reason.

My steps felt heavier.

Jindan’s footsteps behind me echoed, cutting through the silence like a hammer striking an empty room. The blue light from the wall lines reflected off the metal table, creating long shadows that shifted with every step I took.

The air here was colder. Not just from the AC—more like the cold that comes from someone staring at you.

At the end of the table, a sturdy man was looking at me. His gaze was sharp, silent, unblinking, as if measuring something I couldn’t see. His aura was heavy, almost pressing against my chest.

I recognized that gaze.

A gaze that meant trouble.

And that trouble had something to do with me.

When I stopped before them, the room fell completely silent. Only the faint hum of machines behind the walls could be heard.

Then the man finally spoke.

“You’ve finally arrived, Chirtopher Manjalev. The cleaner.”

"This time, you'll be completing the mission with a new partner," the man at the far end of the table said, a thin smile playing on his lips that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Her name is Vely Haliant. She’s my superior's daughter, and she’s highly reliable."

I glanced at the woman beside him. She stood rigid, smaller in stature than the Boss, but her gaze was fixed straight ahead as if she were staring right through the wall. No movement, no emotion. The moment our eyes met, her brows knitted together.

"You won't be a dead weight, will you?" I asked.

Instead of a friendly reply, the corners of her mouth curled downward. "I’m far more capable than you think."

"Explain the mission," I cut in.

"A difficult one," the Boss said, interlacing his fingers. "But seemingly nothing the 'Cleaner' can’t handle. You’re to sanitize a corporate office building that’s been trending for all the wrong reasons lately. The new owner is Lenshin Dioper—a two-faced brat more preoccupied with women than business."

I let out a long sigh. "Troublesome."

"Just do it. There’s a bonus involved, and I’ll overlook the pay cut for your tardiness this morning," the Boss tilted his head, his eyes demanding a deal.

"Fine. As long as I get what I need."

That’s just how it works on this planet. They kill for ambition, then embrace for convenience. I stepped out of the room, which was thick with the stench of intimidation, followed by the woman... what was her name again? Pel? Ah, whatever. As long as she’s useful.

Blue lines along the corridor walls pulsed as we walked. I could feel her gaze stabbing into my back. Every time I caught a glimpse of her out of the corner of my eye, her brow was furrowed. I clenched my fists, trying to steady a breath that was starting to fray.

We stopped in front of a room marked with a garment icon. Inside, I found my locker. A brown suit with fine black pinstripes was waiting. On the locker door, a screen flickered to life, displaying a gallery of faces. I picked one, and instantly, the skin of my face shifted, reconfiguring itself to match the digital template.

In the next stall, my new partner was also gearing up. When I stepped out, black briefcase in hand, she was already waiting with a sour expression.

"You’re slowing down the mission," she said without looking at me, turning sharply toward the elevators.

Our footsteps echoed rapidly down the hall. As the elevator doors slid open, I stepped in first. Vely followed, her breath coming in short huffs like an engine being pushed too hard. But just as the doors were about to hiss shut, a withered hand caught them.

An old man stepped in. His skin was a roadmap of deep wrinkles, his hair almost entirely white, and his grey eyes looked dim. He was hunched, trembling over a wooden cane. He flashed me a smile—a strange, unsettling curve of the lips—and Vely acknowledged him with a curt nod.

The lift began its descent. The gravitational pull spiked suddenly, pressing against my chest. Vely immediately white-knuckled the metal handrail, eyes squeezed shut and forehead creased against the nausea. But the old man beside me? He stood perfectly upright. His wrinkled skin fluttered slightly in the AC draft, but his body remained static, like a statue bolted to the bed of a speeding truck.

The elevator chimed open. The sudden stop sent Vely stumbling, nearly hitting the floor, while the old man remained motionless.

I glanced at my watch. "There’s still time."

I broke into a light jog through the subterranean corridor. However, the jolting began to wreck my internal rhythm. My head throbbed. My vision blurred, and my stomach suddenly roared as if a thousand needles were stabbing my gut.

Damn that bread.

My stomach acid was surging. This human body is always demanding more, even after I thought I’d tamed it. My neutralizing meds were back at the apartment. Jindan really screwed me over this morning. I squeezed my lower abdomen, and with a sharp flick, my fingernail elongated slightly—forming a natural needle—and injected a shot of green fluid directly into my vein.

Thump. The pain receded slowly. A heavy slap landed on my back, jarring me upright. I instinctively whipped my sharp claw backward, nearly grazing Vely’s face.

"You’re wasting time. Why are you just standing here?" she snapped.

I didn't answer. I strode toward the reception desk, snatched the car keys that had been laid out, and hurried to the parking garage. Behind me, the click of Vely’s heels trailed relentlessly.

I stopped. Scanned the surroundings for a second. Took a deep breath, then let it out completely.

I clicked the remote. A double beep greeted me from a sleek black car with a long hood—the typical chariot of a corporate shark.

Just as I reached for the door handle, a raspy, unfamiliar female voice stopped me cold.

"Wait, what is this? Why are you approaching my car?"

"Huh—" I exhaled through my throat, emptying the air from my lungs.

I pressed the car remote once more. The amber lights flickered and a sharp beep echoed. The source was unmistakably this vehicle.

"Where did you get that?" The woman’s jaw tightened, her brows knitting together. The muscles in her neck strained, indicating high physical tension.

"Oi. Get in," I said to Vely.

Vely immediately headed for the front passenger seat. As I reached for the door handle, the woman grabbed my hand and shoved it away. Her palm felt hot.

"How do you have those keys? This is clearly my car." The woman gripped the handles of her bag until her knuckles turned white.

"Because I took them from the reception desk," I replied.

I pulled the door open, sat down, and slammed it shut. The solid thud of the door sealed off all access from the outside. I ignited the engine. I gripped the synthetic leather steering wheel, eased off the clutch, and floored the gas pedal.

I watched the woman through the rearview mirror. She was clutching her phone to her ear. Her gaze remained locked onto the car until the hair on my arms stood up; an inefficient biological reaction of this human vessel. Gradually, her figure faded as the car reached the automatically lifting exit gate.

"Can you move any faster? You're so slow." Vely turned her sour face toward me. "Mission time is being wasted because of you."

I activated the car’s monitor. The text `Good Afternoon` appeared. While waiting for the data to process, I jerked the wheel toward a narrow alley only wide enough for a single vehicle. It was cluttered with plastic bins, stacked wooden crates, tarpaulin tents, and people occupied with transactions. Their mouths hung open, some dropping their belongings as they saw the nose of the car bolt inside.

The screen flickered to life. I typed 'Lenshin Dioper' into the search bar. An office name appeared Lêvytec Dê Pregitô.

I fixed my gaze straight ahead. "Destination, Lêvytec Dê Pregitô."

`Location coordinates acquired. Sending traversable route.` The screen displayed a jagged red line cutting through building blocks toward the office.

I slammed the gas. My body vibrated violently from the impact of the tires against the uneven alley floor and the deafening roar of the engine. My chest thudded, making my ribs quiver; I could not immediately synchronize the frequency of this heart rate with the vehicle's tremors.

"You're absolutely insane!" I glanced at Vely with my left eye while my right eye remained locked on the narrow gap ahead. Vely’s forehead creased deeply, her eyelids clamped shut until they trembled.

I rolled down the window on my side.

The end of the alley came into view. The doors of the buildings beside the windows seemed to vanish backward into blurred lines. It was a sharp left turn. I shifted to a lower gear, slammed the brakes until the calipers screamed, and whipped the steering wheel. We entered the turn. The rear of the car felt weightless, sliding wildly to the right before the tires regained traction.

I floored the gas again. At that exact moment, a man carrying his child emerged from a doorway directly in front of the car's path.

"Do it," I muttered, while rolling the window back up.

The car leaped like a frog. The hydraulic suspension discharged a massive burst of energy, launching the vehicle into the air. Our bodies lifted until my back left the seat. Vely instinctively gripped the inner door handle until her fingernails turned white.

The car landed with a heavy impact that vibrated from the chassis to my tailbone. Vely’s head jerked toward the dashboard, nearly striking the hard surface. From bracing against the sudden shock, my neck muscles felt heavy and my glutes turned stiff due to the gravitational hit.

`Detected. We apologize for any inconvenience. You are using a limit, minus one. Seven limits remain.`

I resumed driving without breaking rhythm. In the rearview mirror, I saw the man standing frozen, pointing a trembling finger in this direction. His mouth was wide open, likely shouting, but the cabin's sound insulation neutralized all external noise.

As I focused my optics on the remaining path, a ceramic flower vase fell from the upper floor of a building. It struck the windshield dead-on, creating a spider-web pattern of cracks that obscured the view.

"Clear it. And increase speed." I gripped the wheel tight, feeling the texture sink into my palms.

The cracks and debris from the pot shifted bit by bit. The windshield split into two sections, sliding sideways like automatic windows. Every obstruction was hurled left and right by centrifugal force.

A fierce blast of wind hit my face, forcing my eyelids to narrow and making my hair stand straight. Then, the two glass panes disappeared into the edges of the hood. Due to the relentless air pressure, my visual focus distorted; I could not clearly see the objects blocking the path. Suddenly, a metallic explosion echoed. New glass emerged from the center of the hood, sliding shut symmetrically from the center to the sides with a precise_clack.

I lowered the side window again.

The car suddenly tilted, throwing my body and Vely’s violently to the left. My side of the vehicle sank lower, nearly touching the asphalt. The scent of burning rubber and the aroma of grinding metal against concrete began to permeate the cabin.

I leaned my head out to look down. The wheel rim was sparking as it scraped against the road.

"Ah... These tires are truly weak." I scratched my head, feeling sweat at the hairline. "Replace."

`Replacing.`

The sound of screws being loosened by a mechanical driver echoed behind the wheel well. My seat gradually rose back up. The smell of scorching metal was distinct, filling my nostrils. The chassis finally returned to its normal position after the new tire was automatically fitted while the car remained in motion.

Finally, I could see the path clearly. This human body began secreting fluid from its pores, wetting my palms until they felt slick against the steering wheel. This fluid is truly hindering my functionality.

I checked on Vely. Her hair was a mess, sticking out in all directions like wild grass after a storm. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, the sound of her heavy breathing loud in my ears, overpowering the engine. Her face was pale, coated in a thin layer of cold sweat that reflected the monitor's light.

Suddenly, her hand struck my shoulder repeatedly. Her other hand covered her mouth tightly. My motor coordination was disrupted by the jarring force of her hits. I did not understand what stimulus she was trying to convey.

Vely reached for my ear and pinched it hard. The tug forced my head to turn toward her. She pointed out the window with a trembling left hand while her right hand kept her mouth sealed.

I pressed the button to lower the window on her side. As soon as the glass went down, Vely thrust her head out. Ahead, I saw a wooden building door suddenly swing wide, directly in the path of her head. I jerked the wheel to the right, avoiding the door before it could strike her skull. Vely was snapped back into her seat by the G-force of the sudden swerve.

"Damn you," Vely’s voice sounded hoarse. She grabbed several tissues from the dashboard box and wiped her lips with a rough motion.

`Limit minus three. Remaining usable limits four.`

I drew a deep breath, letting oxygen cool my heated lungs, then increased pressure on the gas pedal. Based on the digital map visualization, I would soon pass through an area with a higher level of obstruction. A new problem has emerged.