Chapter 6: The Secret

Beyond that door lay the office area of the Raindrop Commission.

Rather than a mere office space, it resembled a warm and inviting lounge with work functions. Beneath her feet, a soft, pale gray thick carpet cushioned each step, making her feel as though she were treading on clouds. After hours of arduous travel, this comforting sensation brought a long-overdue sense of relief.

Though the room housed six orderly individual workstations, each equipped with an office chair and desk, the scattered personal items upon them revealed that this was no rigid workplace. At the center stood a circular sofa set, and along one wall, a plush sofa bed beckoned.

Nearby was a simple refreshment station, laden with various dried fruits and snacks. Remarkably, there was even a dedicated shower and a cloakroom.

She had scarcely imagined such a scene—modern facilities nearly indistinguishable from what she pictured of the twenty-first century.

Compared to the dust-laden, gray skies outside, this place was a rare sanctuary.

Through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows on one side, the bleak, war-torn wasteland stretched beyond, but at this moment, the outside world felt distant and removed.

Within the brightness of this office, Cang Xingyu experienced a profound sense of peace.

“How wonderful it would be to stay here…” The thought arose unbidden in her mind.

Yet reason swiftly quelled this fleeting yearning. She admonished herself to remain calm and not be deceived by mere appearances. After all, she knew nothing about this place.

Still, as her gaze swept over the room’s various amenities once more, the same thought inevitably returned—

How fortunate it would be if she could remain here.

This place stirred a faint memory within her.

“Come, sit,” Hill said casually, settling onto the long sofa and patting the spot beside him, inviting Cang Xingyu to join.

She sat down silently, but deliberately left some space between them.

“No one else is here… perfect. You look like a newcomer. First time at our place?” Hill stubbed out the cigarette in his hand and tossed it into the nearby trash bin.

Cang Xingyu nodded and mustered the courage to voice her greatest question: “What is an agent? And why choose me?”

“Ah, I knew I wasn’t mistaken,” Hill said approvingly. “You have no idea what we do here, do you?”

Cang Xingyu was puzzled.

“You don’t even know what an agent is? That’s just poor common sense. Being an agent is a coveted profession—this place’s only occupation recognized by the Council.”

“Our work, many outsiders think it’s a great honor. But honestly, aside from a steady paycheck, we’re no different from the couriers outside—we do all sorts of odd jobs. Tasks assigned by the Bureau—we handle them. Private commissions—we run errands for those too.”

Hill shrugged and continued, “The jobs vary in difficulty—from delivering a package to taking out an unlucky target. But one thing’s certain: the pay is generous.”

Cang Xingyu hesitated, then asked, “What about the benefits here?”

“Raindrop may be small, but it’s definitely one of the better commissions around. Including me, there are only five of us. After collecting local management fees each week, a fixed salary of about a thousand is guaranteed.”

“Just that?” Cang Xingyu felt a bit disappointed.

Even the most marginal Mutual Aid Alliance charged two thousand weekly rent, and the overseer mentioned it might rise to four thousand.

“That’s little?” Hill looked at her incredulously. “Have you even looked elsewhere? Our agents’ income is among the highest, and that’s because our jobs can be life-threatening.”

“Besides the base salary, there are task bonuses. That depends on your ability. Even beginners can make several thousand a week.”

Hearing this, Cang Xingyu felt a flicker of hope.

After a moment’s thought, she made her decision: “Alright. I accept.”

“Let me be clear first, Xingyu. I can keep your secret, but you must be honest with me,” Hill’s expression suddenly turned serious. “About your identity—I want to hear the truth from your own mouth.”

Cang Xingyu tensed, instinctively denying, “I don’t know what you mean.”

“Don’t play dumb. We both know the truth,” Hill said bluntly. “From your mannerisms and complete unfamiliarity with this place, it’s obvious you’re not an ordinary person.”

“Maybe others wouldn’t notice, but to me, you’re a total novice—completely ignorant of this world.”

Cang Xingyu opened her mouth but found no words to defend herself.

She truly felt alien and out of place here, and Hill’s keen eyes saw through her.

Noticing her discomfort, Hill softened his tone: “I know this might be hard for you, but I want you to trust me. Only through honesty can we build trust and become true companions.”

“Besides, I can teach you how to survive better in this world and how to conceal your identity.”

Cang Xingyu fell silent.

She recalled her experiences since arriving here and sensed she was indeed out of sync with this world.

No matter what she said, it seemed to arouse suspicion and misunderstanding—

Though she did not understand what was strange about her words.

If her true nature was always detected, pretending to be someone else would hardly be easy.

After much hesitation, she finally resolved.

“My secret is…”

Hill watched her expectantly.

“I still can’t control my ability.”

Cang Xingyu met her gaze as sincerely as possible.

Hill’s expression instantly soured, disappointment evident in her voice: “You’re so boring! You clearly know I wasn’t talking about that.”

“Am I not? I think I’ve been quite honest,” Cang Xingyu replied.

She had not lied. Hill’s keen perception would likely detect any falsehood. So she offered a truthful grievance to deflect.

She had just acquired the ability called Information Retrieval, which overwhelmed her with data and continually troubled her.

“Ah, forget it. It’s easier to just go out on a field job!” Hill sighed resignedly, ignoring Cang Xingyu’s struggles, pressing her head down and ruffling her short hair vigorously.

Cang Xingyu felt helpless and tried to push Hill’s hand away but found she had no strength.

Hill’s hand held firm against her head, unmoved by her resistance.

“Let me be blunt—you’re here to experience life as a young lady from a wealthy family, right?” Hill stated confidently, delivering a conclusion that utterly shocked Cang Xingyu.

“...Huh?”

Did they share the same understanding of “young lady from a wealthy family”?