"In this video, I've hidden the location within my words. I don't know who you are—good or bad—so I leave everything in your hands now!"
The video cut to black. Yuta had gotten so lost in thought mid-clip that he had to replay it a couple of times to catch every detail.
Once the full picture clicked, Yuta felt like doing a victory dance right then and there—though he restrained himself, worried the unstable ledge might crumble beneath his feet. Still, nothing could dampen his spirits!
Yuta knew a standard gene fluid fetched anywhere from 100,000 to one million Tox. But this key led to one of the most elite, high-tier gene fluids in existence—its market value could easily range from one billion to a staggering one hundred billion Tox!
Yet, the researcher's final words echoed in his mind. The man wanted it to go to someone noble. If Yuta sold it off and it ended up in the wrong hands, it could trigger catastrophic consequences across the galaxy. Yuta had his quirks and could be a bit airheaded at times, but he possessed a good heart.
He took the dead man's plea to heart. Besides, Yuta couldn't even sell it right now if he wanted to—he was trapped in a prison colony where every inmate was thoroughly searched, meaning it would simply be confiscated.
A soul manifests and matures according to the host's genetic blueprint. The A.Z Fluid can reinforce my genetic foundation and unleash a powerful soul energy!
If I grow stronger, I can break out of this place far sooner. But first, I need to get out of this damn chasm!
Setting aside wild fantasies, Yuta exercised caution and resolved not to do anything reckless. Rewatching the video multiple times, he extracted the crucial detail: the A.Z Fluid was buried inside a grave in the Death Garden. The researcher had even named the grave—an officer named Ronaljes, who had perished in a massive mining explosion years ago.
That explosion had been catastrophic, causing entire subterranean tunnel systems to collapse and trapping workers below. Due to structural instability, entry had been banned. Emergency crews recovered as many bodies as possible, but with unexploded charges still scattered throughout the rock face, the mining sector was shut down indefinitely.
When the researcher had triggered the detonators to cover his escape, the remaining charges exploded, ripping open the massive fissure Yuta was currently sitting in.
As Yuta pieced all this together, a sudden realization hit him: he was sitting right next to a corpse! If a rescue team came down, they'd spot the body immediately and haul him in for interrogation. He might be able to hide the micro-key, but he'd have to abandon the watch.
Yuta decided to dispose of the body first. His initial thought was to bury it, but he had neither tools nor soil on this bare stone ledge. Besides, the corpse was old, decayed, and downright creepy—Yuta barely wanted to touch it. So, he made up his mind to throw the body into the abyss.
First, he wiped the video file clean from the watch. Then, fitting the device back onto the dead man's wrist, he dragged the body toward the edge.
"Sorry, buddy, but I don't have a choice," Yuta whispered. "Besides, you won't be alone down there—that brute Jonathan fell into the abyss earlier. Keep an eye on each other! And don't worry about the fluid, I'm one of the good guys. Bye!"
With a heave, Yuta pushed the alien's corpse over the ledge. As it vanished into the dark, Yuta dusted off his hands, feeling a wave of relief, acting as if nothing had ever happened.
An hour later, a signal pinged on his wrist monitor—an incoming transmission indicating a rescue unit was approaching his coordinates. A prison guard was on his way. Within ten to fifteen minutes, help would arrive.
Yuta's worst fear—being abandoned in the dark—didn't come to pass. Fifteen minutes later, a compact search craft hovered through the narrow fissure, steering clear of jagged rock walls. Built for low-altitude extraction, the vessel held just enough room for two or three occupants.
The hatch slid open, and Yuta climbed aboard. Two officers immediately conducted a physical check. Seeing he was unharmed, they proceeded with standard protocol: a thorough search and medical checkup.
The key was designed with compression tech, collapsing down to the size of a tiny microchip. Yuta had tucked it into a hidden lining at the bottom of his pocket, completely undetected.
The officers did find the Golden Ruby crystal he had dug up earlier. After inspecting it, they handed it right back to him—since it was an official mining find on record, they couldn't confiscate it legally.
The transport ascended through the access shafts and broke out onto the surface of Planet Noon under the bright sky. Yuta squinted at the horizon. Ah... it doesn't look half bad up here compared to the nightmare down below!
Shortly after, they arrived at the Planet Noon police precinct. An officer debriefed Yuta, took his statement, filed a report, and cleared him to leave. Before heading out, Yuta asked about Jonathan, confirming that the half-giant had indeed died in the fall.
During questioning, Yuta told the exact truth about everything—except for the researcher, the watch, and the body.
Now that Yuta is back on the surface, will he manage to unearth the hidden A.Z Fluid, or will his daily struggles as an inmate swallow him whole?
Stay tuned for the next chapter of... The Unemployed CEO!