Byrne's thoughts pulled back from his memories, his gaze returning to the ring in his hand.
The Lainean family—an old noble bloodline that had collapsed nearly a century ago, slaughtered by the Inquisition with only one survivor escaping. These pieces of information swirled in his mind, gradually connecting with the bones in the tunnel and that eerie furnace. With Selena's explanation, those remains in the tunnel were likely the descendants of the Lainean survivor. As for the furnace that produced prophecies after being restarted, it remained a mystery.
Forget it, no use dwelling on it.
Byrne pinched the bridge of his nose and placed the cleaned ring into his desk drawer. He then pulled out the energy bar Uncle Huck had given him and tore open the packaging. A dry, harsh texture made him frown, but he forced himself to swallow it. After finishing the meal, Byrne turned off the desk lamp and lay back down on the bed. After waiting a few minutes, drowsiness finally arrived, and he slowly closed his eyes.
Hopefully, everything goes smoothly with the induction tomorrow.
The next day, 9:00 AM.
Outside the Tax Bureau building on White Pine North Street, Upper District.
Byrne adjusted his clothes and stepped into the building. The lobby was spacious and bright, the floor paved with polished white stone slabs. Placed upon the walls were solemn plaques inscribed with the articles of the Imperial Tax Law, the calligraphy neat and imposing. Most of the staff passing by wore uniform deep-grey attire, walking with hurried steps.
After scanning the surroundings, Byrne headed toward the front desk. The receptionist was a pleasant-looking young woman in a well-fitted uniform, a Tax Bureau badge pinned to her chest.
"Hello, sir. How can I help you?"
"I'm here for my induction. Here are my credentials." Byrne stepped forward, took out the appointment agreement from his coat, and handed it over.
The receptionist took the agreement and scanned it with a small device Byrne didn't recognize. Seeing the green light flicker on, she looked up and said, "Please wait a moment. I will contact the specialist in charge of your coordination."
"Morning, Byrne."
Byrne turned around to see Selena walking toward him. She had changed into a fresh, crisp outfit, her long hair tied back into a sharp ponytail, making her look quite efficient. Byrne stepped forward to meet her, his gaze lingering briefly on her before pulling back. After all, following the "ring gifting" blunder from the previous day, he still felt a bit of lingering awkwardness facing her.
After Selena submitted her own agreement, the two began chatting. Before long, a slightly stout man wearing the same uniform—his shoulder straps sporting an additional silver stripe—walked over quickly.
"Are you two the new recruits here for induction?"
"Yes," Byrne and Selena replied in unison.
"I'm Hall from the Personnel Department. I'm responsible for the induction of your batch. Follow me; I'll take you through the procedures and introduce you to the Bureau's operations along the way."
After the introduction, Hall turned and headed toward the stairs on the west side of the lobby. Byrne and Selena followed close behind, observing as they walked. The internal structure of the Tax Bureau was very orderly. Most office doors along the corridors were tightly shut, creating a solemn and oppressive atmosphere that stood in stark contrast to the noisy chaos of the Lower District.
"Our Blackstone City Tax Bureau is under the Imperial Ministry of Finance. We are primarily responsible for the tax collection and management of the core regions of Planet Koror. Internally, we consist of the Collection Department, the Audit Department, the Personnel Department, the Finance Department, and..."
For some reason, Hall stopped abruptly, as if he had hit a snag.
Byrne asked curiously, "Why did you stop? What else is there?"
Hall snapped out of it and quickly covered, "Oh, nothing. I was saying there are two others who arrived earlier than you and are already waiting. Let's keep moving; we're almost there."
The cover-up was too deliberate. That momentary hesitation and the evasive look in his eyes, though fleeting, were caught by Byrne.
The three of them reached the fifth floor and walked to the end of a corridor to a door labeled "Newcomer Reception Room." Hall pushed the door open and looked back. "Go on in. The others are already here. In a bit, someone from the Collection Department will come to get you."
Byrne entered the room and saw two familiar faces. They were both candidates who had taken the test with them, though this duo had arrived back in the city later than Byrne and Selena.
One of them was a tall, fierce-looking young man named Evan. Back in the desert, he had been involved in a violent conflict with another group, acting with extreme ruthlessness. The other was a short, chubby man with a somewhat cowardly personality—Evan's partner, Colin.
Evan was currently leaning back in his chair with his eyes closed. Hearing the door open, he glanced at the entering pair, let out a cold snort, and closed his eyes again. Colin, sitting nearby, was nervously clutching the hem of his jacket. Seeing them enter, he stood up to offer a greeting before quickly sitting back down.
Byrne gave a nod to Colin in response and found a seat far away from Evan. Selena followed, sitting right beside him. As soon as she sat down, she leaned in and whispered in Byrne's ear, "I didn't expect their group to arrive on the same day. Having to work with someone like that is going to be a headache..."
During the first few days of the desert test, the two groups had already clashed. At that time, seeing that Byrne had more water than them, Evan had tried to use his size to take it by force. If Evan hadn't been unaware that a pistol was hidden in the backpack's lining, Byrne and Selena's remaining water might have been stolen.
Byrne responded in a low voice, "Just bear with it for now. We just started and don't know the Bureau's rules yet. We'll deal with it later."
Just as they finished speaking, Evan suddenly opened his eyes and looked at Byrne. "What, surprised to see me here?"
Byrne met Evan's gaze with a flat tone. "It's alright. After all, surviving the desert isn't easy for anyone." He didn't act weak, nor did he provoke him; he simply stated a fact.
Evan sneered and sat up straight, crossing his arms over his chest with eyes full of disdain. "Heh. What do you mean 'not easy'? I think you just got lucky. You brought a delicate noble lady with you; maybe you secretly hid some good stuff to last until the end."
The provocation and sarcasm in those words were undisguised. Selena's face darkened instantly. Just as she was about to retort, she saw Byrne shake his head at her.
Byrne then looked at Evan and mocked, "Luck is part of strength. It's better than some people who only know how to survive by stealing from others."
Hearing Byrne's mockery, Evan's anger flared up instantly. He slammed his hand down and stood up, roaring, "Say that again, you bastard!"
Colin turned pale with fright and quickly tugged at Evan's sleeve. "Evan, don't be impulsive. This is the Tax Bureau, not the desert..."
"Get lost!" Evan shoved Colin's hand away, his eyes locked onto Byrne.
Byrne didn't back down and stood up as well. Although he was half a head shorter than Evan, he showed no fear. "The Tax Bureau is an Imperial institution, not a place for you to act out. I suggest you stay in line."
Completely enraged by Byrne's lack of fear, Evan clenched his fists until the knuckles cracked. He was about to step forward to give the kid a beating.
In that moment of tension, the lights in the reception room suddenly flickered violently. Following that, a bizarre scene emerged.