I'm Really Not the Lord of the Abyss - Chapter 3

“Puff…cough, cough, cough!”

Donald pushed open the door of the archive room, waving away the dust that had risen in the air. He couldn’t help but explain awkwardly to Lu Mi, who was following behind him.

“We’ve only recently purchased this old manor, and many places haven’t been cleaned yet. I’ll help you tidy up in a bit.”

This room, dirty and seemingly sealed for years, was hard to even set a foot in.

Donald placed half of the documents he was holding onto a table nearby, then turned around to look for cleaning tools.

Lu Mi put down the other half of the documents and turned around to examine this larger space.

Bookshelves were placed against the walls and in empty spaces, and the corner was piled with some old tables and chairs, along with a few broken ladders.

— This place must have originally been the manor’s library.

The original books had been moved out, and now it was quite suitable to be used as an archive room.

“Isn’t there anyone managing this place?” Lu Mi originally thought that the archive room was a department, and there should be several employees at least.

Donald, who was bending over and muttering “where did the broom go,” paused, looked at him somewhat awkwardly, and said, “No, you are now the only employee in the archive room.”

“…”

Lu Mi suddenly realized something, his silver eyes narrowed slowly and he asked, “May I ask, how many people are there in this branch now?”

Donald touched his nose, glanced at him cautiously, and answered, “Well, including you, there are four in total.”

After he finished speaking and saw that Lu Mi had no reaction, he couldn’t help but show a “don’t give up” expression, and urgently added, “Although there aren’t many people, the structure is still complete. I’m in the action department, Sikes is in charge of the technology department, medical department, and personnel department. Originally, only the archive room was short of people, but now that you’re here, this last vacancy has been filled!”

Lu Mi: “You’ve only mentioned three people. Who’s the fourth?”

Donald: “The fourth is our president. Oh, and Sikes is also the president’s assistant.”

Lu Mi: “…”

Poor Sikes.

He easily accomplished things what he couldn’t even do.

Lu Mi respected him, but that didn’t mean he wanted to become a workaholic.

He was here to pursue a leisurely and comfortable life, and that’s why he found this place hidden in the corners of the thousands of Extraordinary Guild recruitment on the Star Network.

“So,” Lu Mi asked, “What is my job?”

Donald replied, “Organize, classify, and keep these documents, input them into the terminal for backup, and provide them when we need them… just these for now?”

“You don’t need to be too anxious.” Donald, looking like a veteran, tried to comfort Lu Mi—

“Once you become a formal employee, as long as your strength meets the standard, you will eventually transfer to the action department! Then you will become a frontline staff, receiving more tasks! Once you have more opportunities to show yourself, it’s not impossible to get promoted to the headquarters!”

Donald thought he understood the thoughts of young people very well. Who wouldn’t want to show their abilities in their prime?

Lu Mi immediately said, “No, it’s good as it is now.”

Donald, however, looked at him with admiration in his eyes. “I understand—”, not impetuous, a good colleague indeed!

While Donald found the broom and was looking for the dustpan, Lu Mi turned his attention to the documents that needed to be classified.

He casually flipped open the top one and realized that it was a record of abyss creatures that had appeared in the world so far.

He skimmed through it and found the two that had just been taken into the operating room—

[Monster Category: Fish Bug]

Danger Level: E (Lowest)

The introduction was similar to what Sikes had said. The ones typeset with the Fish Bug were all E-level abyss species, which was also the level with the most records.

Then it went to D-level.

[Monster Category: Flying Octopus]

Danger Level: D

Introduction: It looks like an octopus and has a pair of retractable meat wings, capable of short-distance flight. The ink it sprays is highly toxic, and it can shrink itself to the size of a palm.

Handling Method: It is strongly advised not to deal with it alone without auxiliary tools. Even if killed, the toxins from the corpse need to be handled in a special way.

Further back, C-level was even rarer. Each C-level also listed the times it appeared in history, basically every time was a city-wide evacuation.

There were many on this that Lu Mi had never seen before. But it was understandable, after all, the abyss was so big, there were countless monsters, he couldn’t possibly recognize each one.

But correspondingly, he also knew many abysscreatures that he had encountered but were not recorded here.

“Since I’ve decided to work in the archives…” he thought casually, “Maybe I can consider completing these records a bit?”

Lu Mi wanted to continue to look at the more powerful B-level, and even A-level.

However, after C-level, it was blank.

He paused slightly, and asked Donald, who had come back with the dustpan, “Is there nothing after this?”

“Ah? Let me see…” Donald leaned over to look, “It’s this. Because B-level and above are top-secret information, branches like ours don’t have access. But if you’re interested…”

He hesitated and pursed his lips, “I can help you ask Sikes, he might have a way.”

“No, no need.” Lu Mi wasn’t so unreasonable.

He had a rough understanding of the world’s classification standards for abyss creatures. In this way, he might be one of the humans who knew the most about those high-risk existences.

This job was quite suitable for him.

The two of them had quickly cleaned up the archive room.

However, due to the large number of bookshelves, they later went to clean up Lu Mi’s dormitory for the night, so the archive room was not completely cleaned.

By the time these tasks were done, it was already dark.

Of course, this branch didn’t have a cafeteria, everyone had to fend for themselves. So, Lu Mi, who was new to the place, was invited by Donald to share a meal.

“It’s self-heating fast food.” Donald stated a cruel fact, “No one here knows how to cook.”

That was fine. After all, Lu Mi hadn’t eaten many normal meals in this world anyway, so he didn’t mind.

During the meal, Donald recommended a forum to Lu Mi.

“This is a forum specifically designed by the alliance. Basically, those gathered inside are Extraordinaries, or those who are engaged in related professions and have close contact with us.”

They say that the best way to understand a circle is to find a related forum or post bar and lurk there for a month or two.

Lu Mi gladly agreed.

But when he saw the terminal that Lu Mi took out, Donald couldn’t help but be surprised, “Eh, isn’t this a third-generation terminal, you…”

–You should know that the terminal has now been updated to the seventh generation, and the third-generation terminal, apart from surfing the internet and making calls, can’t run any slightly larger software or games—it’s not even collected in the second-hand market.

Although Donald stopped his words in time and scratched his head apologetically, Lu Mi didn’t mind.

“I’m broke.”

Lu Mi was very open about the fact that he was now a pauper.

Donald couldn’t help but look at him sympathetically, while wondering how Lu Mi had ended up in such a miserable state.

He then thought of the current state of the K8 branch, which seemed to have led Lu Mi into another pit of fire.

Ignoring Donald’s hesitant gaze, Lu Mi let him go to rest first and stayed behind to clean up the table.

He threw out the tied-up garbage bag, and on the way back, he casually opened that forum—

The densely packed posts fully displayed the liveliness and activity of this forum. One post after another was topped, and soon, in the dizzying movement, they were brushed down by later posts.

Only the ones with the highest heat could persist at the top.

Lu Mi casually scanned it and saw:

<A1 branch discovered a new abyss rift, all A branch presidents will hold an emergency meeting tomorrow.>

<It is said that the C4 branch has produced a genius with a psychic power level of six! He is definitely going to be in this year’s headquarters recruitment, the pressure on those people at the headquarters has increased again.>

<Headhunting company: Private hiring order for 20 million star coins, looking for a level five Extraordinary, three missing one.> [This post has been deleted! The administrator reminds you that accepting private orders is illegal! Please cherish your life and don’t be tempted by money!]

<Something happened at the Tartarus Prison again! A few D-level and one C-level that were being held escaped, I have to work overtime again! Are those prison guards eating shit!!> [This post has been deleted! The administrator reminds you, please do not leak confidential information!]

<The new special attack weapon designed by the General Science Academy is not good at all, and it’s so expensive!>

…….

Lu Mi’s lips curled up slightly, and he lazily remarked, “It seems that the outside world is still quite lively.”

He guessed that only this guild, which he had carefully selected, could be so peaceful and calm.

Closing the interface, Lu Mi thought for a moment, then turned and walked towards the operating room.

At this time, in the operating room, two monsters strictly controlled in a water tank were staring at each other.

— What brought us together in the ICU?

Probably because they were both monsters fallen from grace, two different species of monsters, which would not normally coexist peacefully, began to communicate through psychic power.

This communication was extraordinary:

–Good heavens! You were also beaten in here!?

The Flying Octopus, a cephalopod-like monster, had just come out of the abyss not long ago. It hadn’t seen Lu Mi, but it had felt Lu Mi’s power.

The Fish Bug, on the other hand, had lost contact with the abyss for a long time, but it had seen Lu Mi with its own eyes.

Each monster held half of the information, and then, like two pieces of a puzzle coming together, everything suddenly became clear.

So when Lu Mi walked in, the two monsters were already trembling and huddled together.

The Flying Octopus was the first to howl. “It’s him! It really is him!”

The Fish Bug cried in the wind. “I’m really sorry for offending you before! I was blind and ignorant, please give me a chance to reform!”

Lu Mi rubbed his ears, “It’s noisy.”

Everyone else had just gone to sleep, and he didn’t want to cause trouble on his first day on the job.

The two monsters instantly shut up, looking at him pitifully.

Lu Mi glanced up, looking at the Flying Octopus through the glass, “I came to ask you, how did you come to this world?”

He had originally left the abyss by his own power, and it was only after he got outside that he found out that this world had always had abyss rifts.

In history, there have been abyss creatures that came to this side through the rifts, but he seemed to have bad luck and never encountered them.

And starting a few years ago, abyss rifts have been appearing more frequently, like a dormant volcano suddenly entering an eruptive period.

At this time, the Flying Octopus naturally knew everything and said without hesitation. “Don’t you know yet, there’s a rift in the palace.”

The palace?

Lu Mi quickly went through in his mind what he had read in the travel guide on the passenger ship.

After the New Calendar 2277, all countries joined the “Peace Treaty” and formed an alliance. Territories were marked by star regions.

And including the K8 Sector and its surroundings, it belonged to the Vero Empire. This empire was known as the Blue Steel Empire because it was rich in a mineral called blue steel.

The K1 Sector was its capital, so when it came to the palace, it could only be there.

Lu Mi thought for a moment, “Besides you, are there any other abyss creatures that have come out?”

“Yes, there are a few weaker ones. But not long after they came out, they were caught by a group of Extraordinaries. Only I escaped to the sea.”

And then just as he was about to fill his stomach, he was flipped over.

If Lu Mi’s K8 Sector was considered to be the poorest and most backward deep mountain old forest, then the K1 Sector where the royal city was located must be the imperial capital treatment.

Naturally, the K1 Extraordinary branch equipped there, theoretically, could throw this place several Mariana Trenches. Dealing with a few suspected E-level monsters, naturally, was easy.

Lu Mi was instantly relieved.

Very good, everyone can be self-reliant, there’s no need for him to worry unnecessarily.

The tentacles of the Flying Octopus moved softly, rubbing back and forth on the glass.

Lu Mi glanced at it, which seemed to want to say something, and in a rare good mood, he opened his mouth, “Is there anything else you want to say?”

The Flying Octopus was as if pardoned.

Of course, an octopus’s sticky appearance was not cute, and the Fish Bug, who was extremely agitated behind it, directly gave it a flying kick. The Flying Octopus, which was in a state of extreme tension, had no reaction to getting angry at all.

“We… we want to join your ranks…”

Lu Mi: ?

He was confused for a moment, as if he hadn’t heard clearly, “What did you say?”

His question seemed to give the other party some imagination, and the Fish Bug rushed up in a panic, explaining anxiously, “Ah ah ah ah, it’s not that we want to sign a contract with you! Of course, we are absolutely not unwilling to give up our names, it’s just that we are not qualified to be on par with those lords, if you need it…”

It was very clear about how strong the possessiveness of the demon species was.

The demon species were born monsters in the abyss, and those gathered around this man were even more monstrous among monsters.

To be honest, the fact that Lu Mi could exchange real names with so many demons and still be safe, in the eyes of the Fish Bug, was tantamount to being a god!

But precisely because of this, it couldn’t form the same relationship with Lu Mi—who knew if those demons would think it was a ragtag and not pleasing to the eye, and then casually get rid of it.

While Lu Mi was in a state of continuous confusion, the Fish Bug had already ended the babbling with the Flying Octopus’s echo.

“In short, everyone is saying that the abyss is about to become chaotic.”

The collision of the world is coming.

No, it has already happened. With more and more abyss rifts appearing, the balance is already precarious.

They all pleaded in unison, as if chanting.

“So, the ruler of the Supreme Four Pillars, the future Lord of the Abyss—as one of the most powerful contenders of this era, please let us offer our humble strength to your great cause!!”

Future what? Great what? What cause??

He didn’t know…wait!

Lu Mi suddenly reacted, and couldn’t help but recall when he left the abyss—

“I’m tired of being here.”

On the high cliff, the young man with an unclear face slowly spoke, his black and white robe fluttering in the wind.

“Do you have a new plan?” A respectful and low voice came from the non-human monster kneeling and bowing behind the young man.

“Plan? Kind of.” The young man said, “I want to leave here and go outside.”

“Is that so, do we need to accompany you?” The humanoid monster with sheep horns leisurely curled up his lips, not doubting the young man’s words at all.

Its eyes were pitch black, and a pair of crimson vertical pupils stared unblinkingly at the figure in front of it.

It was beyond doubt that it would execute any decision of the other party.

Evil and loyalty were unified in it, like a charm.

“Of course not.” The young man glanced at him.

This glance made the monster couldn’t help but tense up the firm and undulating muscles on its body, and slowly clenched its five fingers. The electricity buzzing and flowing in its veins was heard, making its blood without temperature boil and hot, and the overwhelming excitement almost broke out its wings behind it.

And in the end, it just bowed its head more respectfully, grinned and said, “As you wish, I won’t let them disturb you.”

At first, Lu Mi was relieved to have such a sensible demon butler, but now it seems—!

[I really wanted to retire, but you thought I was going on an expedition.]

No wonder he has been able to live peacefully in the world until now.

So now there’s only one question left:

How much longer can those guys bear before they come knocking?