OFFICE DESTRUCTION

"Clean those keyboards!" A man's angry voice pierced the air, and Victor hurried over to his cubicle. Rows of interconnected workspaces filled the spacious room. Victor held a mop in one hand and a bucket in the other. His employment was as an office cleaner at Pixelette Technologies, one of South Dakota's most renowned software companies. Victor hadn't chosen this path willingly; it was the only work he could find with just a high school diploma. His dreams of further education were shattered when a tragic car accident left him orphaned and in the care of his demanding grandfather. After high school, he managed to save enough to get a small apartment and has been living independently ever since.

Each day, working as an office cleaner tested his patience, with co-workers bullying him and some even deliberately making messes.

"Could you please allow me to clean your cubicle?" Victor politely inquired.

The man looked at him with disdain as he rose from his chair. "Go ahead, clean it all," he replied rudely, stepping back several paces from the cubicle. Victor accidentally knocked over the mop bucket filled with soapy water as he dipped his mop in it. The soapy deluge spread across the floor as the man quickly retreated from the cubicle. Victor, focused on the area he was cleaning, didn't notice the spill behind him.

Placing the mop under the cubicle, he began to clean the floor. When he turned to dip the mop back into the bucket, he slipped and struck his head against the cubicle, sending the mop crashing into a desktop computer. The impact caused a domino effect, toppling the surrounding cubicles and destroying numerous computers.

Victor lost consciousness. Slowly, he opened his eyes to a blinding white light. "What's happening? What happened? Where am I?" A whirlwind of questions raced through his mind. As he managed to fully open his eyes, a doctor holding a flashlight came into view. The doctor, clad in a sky-blue uniform and glasses, appeared relieved that Victor had awakened, as if it were a miracle.

"Good, you're finally awake," the doctor said with a smile.

"Where am I?" Victor inquired, attempting to sit up but feeling a sharp pain in his head, deciding against it.

"Don't try to get up; you have a severe concussion," the doctor cautioned.

"A concussion? How?" Victor was utterly bewildered; his last memory was cleaning a cubicle before suddenly blacking out.

"Can I speak with him, doctor?" A deep, authoritative voice came from behind. Victor immediately recognized it as Mr. Ahmed, the manager of Pixelette Technologies.

"Of course," the doctor replied before exiting the room. Victor hadn't noticed Ahmed's presence until now. Ahmed pulled up a chair and gazed into Victor's eyes.

"Listen carefully," Ahmed began, his tone stern. "Your negligence today has resulted in significant losses for the company. Therefore, you are terminated, though the company's insurance will cover the losses. However, you won't receive your salary for this month, and you are responsible for your medical expenses. As of today, Pixelette Technologies has severed all ties with you."

Victor was baffled, unaware of the losses he had caused or the reasons for his termination.

"Sir, what losses did I cause? I'm completely in the dark here," he asked, genuinely confused, because he couldn’t remember anything other than he was cleaning before blacking out.

"What!" Ahmed sighed, shaking his head in disappointment. Victor's earnest confusion was evident, and Ahmed explained how he had fallen, causing the destruction of nearly all the computers in the staff department.

Victor's eyes widened in realization, understanding the cause of his blackout and the company's losses.

"I'm leaving now; I hope this is the last time I see your face," Ahmed said angrily, departing the ward.

"Oh my gosh! What have I done? I can't believe I lost my job," Victor grappled with mixed emotions. He had no idea where to begin to find a new job, and he now bore the weight of his hospital bills.

Still in shock, the doctor returned to the ward and handed Victor his bill. Victor requested his cellphone, which the doctor had kept for him. Opening his Wells Fargo account, he discovered he had $1,896, his entire life savings, and the medical bill amounted to $1,400.

Victor broke out in a cold sweat, wondering how he would survive without a job and having to cover his own medical expenses. "Can you process the transfer now? I don't have much time," the doctor urged, eager to discharge Victor as soon as payment was made.

"Sure," Victor completed the transfer of the hospital bill to the hospital's account, feeling like he had lost a significant part of his life. After the transfer, the doctor promptly discharged him, providing him with the necessary medications.

***

Victor walked down the street, a white bandage wrapped around his head, heading back to his apartment. Suddenly, a strange buzzing sound echoed in his ear.

[Ding!]

"What was that?" Victor asked, coming to a perplexed halt.

[Binding the Career Simulator system….]

[10%]

[30%]

[50%]

[70%]

[90%]

[100%]

[Binding complete.]

A transparent screen, visible only to Victor, appeared before his eyes.

"What is this?" Victor was utterly bewildered by the transparent screen. He reached out to touch it, but his hand passed right through it. The object resembled something out of a science fiction movie, but it felt entirely real to him. He wondered why he was seeing it.

[Host: Victor Garcia]

[Body: 50 (Weak)]

[Mind: 40 (Weak)]

[Career simulator level: 0]

[Achievements: Need to upgrade career simulator levels to unlock achievements]

Victor was still flabbergasted by the information displayed on the screen. He had no idea what any of it meant.

[Welcome, host Victor Garcia, to the Career Simulator system. This system is a single binding system and cannot be transferred. Once the host dies, the system will disappear.]

[This system is designed to enable you to work in different career sectors, earn money, and climb the ladder until you become a legend, reaching the highest rank. You will be given various missions, and upon completion, you will be rewarded.]