Omega Manual chapter 6

Departure

Since the other party had directly pointed out the topic, Shelley didn’t intend to beat around the bush anymore.

“Do you know how to drive?” Shelley asked.

“I do.”

“Car, motorcycle, or bus?” Shelley asked.

“I can handle all of them,” Irey said lazily.

Shelley nodded, “What about your hygiene habits?”

“I shower once a week because Lansai only supplies hot water once a week,” Irey said. “If there’s hot water every day, I wouldn’t mind showering every day.”

“Do you have any bad habits?”

“Does smoking count?” Irey asked.

“It does,” Shelley frowned slightly, “One last question, how is your physical fitness?”

“I’ve won the marathon and the 100-meter sprint,” Irey said leisurely. “In a fight, someone twice my size wouldn’t be my match.”

“Good,” Shelley’s eyebrows relaxed, seemingly satisfied with the answers, “Then there shouldn’t be any problem. Bring your luggage tomorrow and come again. Don’t worry about the procedures, my people will have you sign the contract. It’s a hundred percent legitimate employment.”

Irey chuckled, examining the Omega in front of him with interest.

According to the law, Omegas couldn’t be employed by any company rated three stars or above, but there was indeed no rule stating that Omegas couldn’t hIrey others.

The loophole in this rule made Irey find it somewhat amusing.

“But, Mr. Shelley Manta,” Irey used a respectful tone, while propping up his legs and leaning back, “Why do you think I will definitely accept this job?”

Shelley raised an eyebrow, “Do you have a reason to refuse? 400 yuan a day, just need to drive for me, accompany me out of the city, and handle miscellaneous matters when necessary. This kind of job opportunity isn’t something you can find in Lansai.”

“What if I refuse?” Irey crossed his arms.

“…You have no reason to refuse,” Shelley said stiffly.

“But what if I do refuse?” Irey continued nonchalantly, “I’m just guessing. People don’t do things without a purpose, so your sudden appearance in Lansai wasn’t without reason. You need an Alpha to mark you who you don’t know and won’t have any conflicting interests with, so you can bypass the regulations and leave the city freely. So if I refuse, you’ll have to wait until the marking period is over, then find another Alpha from a different city who has no connection to you… Well, that would cost you a lot.”

“What do you mean?” Shelley looked at him warily.

“These costs should be more than 400 yuan, right?” Irey made a gesture of counting money lazily. “I want 1000 yuan per day, otherwise, no deal.”

“Are you insane?” Shelley suddenly raised his voice, standing up from his seat, “Your job is just to drive for me and accompany me out of the city, any security guard from my family can do better than you!”

“Then go find your family’s security guard,” Irey also stood up, picking up his coat from the back of the chair and heading out.

Shelley’s delicate cheeks twisted in anger, but Irey knew it wasn’t about the money, but the attitude he was trying to leverage.

“Alright!”

As Irey was about to step out of the private room’s door, Shelley spoke up.

“A thousand it is, once we finish eating, we’ll sign the contract immediately. Be here tomorrow afternoon by three sharp, any delay, and get ready to lose some money.”

Irey immediately hung up his coat, sat back at the table, and gave a rather unrefined salute across the table. “Your call, boss. Oh, one more thing—”

“What?” Shelley’s patience was wearing thin.

“All this food on the table, can I take the leftovers home?” Irey gestured towards the dining table.

Late in the night, around nine, Irey returned to Lansai.

The Monroes were already asleep, and water was dripping from the pipes in the yard. Angus’s rocking chair was empty, swaying lightly in the wind.

Most of the laundry in the courtyard had been taken in, except for a quilt hanging above his house, proudly covering the window of his house.

Irey picked up the broomstick, lifted the quilt, and threw it directly under the leaking pipe.

He entered the house, opened the musty wardrobe, and began packing his luggage.

He didn’t have many clothes, and they all fit easily into the suitcase, but after some thought, he only took a suit he hadn’t worn much.

Then came fresh underwear, toiletries, a razor, and cold medicine.

Before going to sleep, he took a final look around the apartment.

Photos of Jenny and Caroline were on the dining table, there was a cross pendant that Mrs. Jones had forced on him on the shoe rack, and a bunch of dusty artificial flowers stuck in a whiskey bottle on the windowsill, as if a bartender had insisted on giving it to him during the opening of some bar.

Apart from that, the furniture was old, the decorations were minimal, and mold grew in the corners—a place even mice would disdain to visit.

After packing everything, Irey stood in front of the table and looked at the two photos for a while. Then he walked over, turned the frames upside down on the table.

He had been living here alone for four years, but leaving didn’t seem to evoke any nostalgia.

After all, he had lost his home long ago, and now he was free, free to go anywhere at any time, with no one waiting for him.

The next afternoon, he arrived in Nantes on time.

Although a train ride took half a day, it was the Omega who paid for the ticket, so he didn’t mind making extra trips.

The address he received this time was different from last time, a private residence two streets away from the Manta Hotel.

An independent villa, a three-story building, with an outrageously spacious garden, and you could vaguely see a swimming pool in the backyard from the front door.

In less than five minutes, Shelley Manta came down from upstairs, followed by a man carrying his luggage.

He had changed into a dark green coat, not as luxurious as the one he wore at the restaurant yesterday, but more practical, yet equally exquisite in craftsmanship. Looking at that garment, Irey couldn’t help but think about how much compensation he would demand if someone splattered mud on it.

Shortly after, another man drove a shiny red sports car out of the garage. Irey’s gaze followed the car as it drove onto the road until Shelley took the keys from the man and threw them to Irey.

“This is the car you’ll be driving during this time. The tank is full, keep the keys safe, you can’t afford to lose them.” Shelley said.

Irey looked at this car, which was flamboyant in every aspect. “So, you have a private sports car.”

“Three of them.” Shelley glanced at him from the corner of his eye, “This one is my favorite.”

Irey nodded. He should have guessed.

After the meteor shower, oil resources became extremely precious, and the price of gasoline soared, now comparable to liquid diamonds. This resulted in a large number of cars becoming scrap overnight, and modern transportation such as electric cars and subways gradually ceased operation.

But obviously, scarce resources would be prioritized for wealthy people in the upper city.

“Are you sure you want to drive this car out of town?” Irey asked.

“Is there a problem?”

“No, it’s fine. Whatever the boss says goes.” Irey opened the car door and sat in the driver’s seat.

The feeling of his hand on the steering wheel was both unfamiliar and familiar, giving him a momentary illusion of going back five years.

“Now let me tell you the travel plan.” Shelley sat in the passenger seat, “We’ll leave the city from the north exit of Nantes, pass through Leisau, Duhaat, Marwen, and Fuba Port, then take a boat north from there, bypassing the radiation zone. The final destination is located here, Mount Yinbu.”

“Mount Yinbu?” Irey looked at him intently.

“Yes, Mount Yinbu.” Shelley said.

“Are you out of your mind?” Irey stared at him, his voice uncontrollably rising, “Let’s not talk about how high Mount Yinbu is, how far away it is from here, let’s talk about these places we’re passing through, Leisau and Duhaat? The most chaotic and unsafe areas in the lower city, and Fuba Port, where the nearby seawater is permeated by meteor radiation. Even further east is the high-risk radiation zone. Even if you safely pass through these areas, how do you plan to climb Mount Yinbu? It has been a high-altitude uninhabited area since five years ago, and those who are not professionally trained…”

“Arctic suits, climbing boots, ice axes, climbing ropes, all these equipment can be bought in nearby towns.” Shelley stared at him straight in the eye, “And let me remind you, you signed the employment contract in black and white. A thousand yuan a day, do you think it’s easy money?”

Irey calculated everything, but didn’t expect to be outplayed by the other party here.

He impatiently reached into his jacket pocket for a cigarette, but before he could light it, he was coldly stopped by Shelley.

“Also, no smoking in my car. If you want to smoke, go outside.”

“…,” Irey glanced at him, opened the door and got out of the car, slamming the door behind him.

The sun was shining outside, the plants in the villa garden remained evergreen throughout the year, and Nantes and Lansai seemed like two completely different worlds, with no resemblance at all.

Perhaps he should turn around and leave now. Leave Nantes, leave this inexplicable Omega young master, go back to his familiar world, and leave behind all the cars, nobles, and the crazy plan to go to Mount Yinbu, draw a clear line.

But when the cigarette burned halfway, Irey realized, deep down inside, a part of him longed to escape this absurd and oppressive world, to embark on a meaningless wander.

Otherwise, why would he have taken a ten-hour train ride to Nantes?

Why would he have interfered that night, saving a stranger Omega?

He flicked the cigarette butt to the ground, crushing it with his foot, and then opened the car door and sat back in.

“Can I ask why you had to go to Mount Yinbu?” he asked.

The Omega glanced at him, showing no intention of answering.

“I shouldn’t ask questions I shouldn’t ask, right, got it.” Irey rolled up the window and pressed the accelerator.

The red sports car shot out like an arrow, speeding along the flat asphalt road.