The gate of the cleaning team screeched as Enjin pushed it open, the metal vibrating into a dirty song, welcoming Rudo Shuaburekk – the first person to set foot in this place.
"Go straight, don't look sideways," Enjin said, his voice as dry as burnt coal.
Riyo Reaper stepped close behind Rudo, his eyes wary but not hiding his curiosity. Zanka Nijiku put his hands on his hips, looking at the rookie like he was looking at a breathing garbage bag.
The air was so full of things that could explode at any moment. But right now, the most dangerous part of the silent house was… sitting with his chin in his hands.
In the corner of the yard, a long rose bud slid down like a stream of emotionless thread.
The ends of his hair touched his knees.
The roof of the plane covered a pair of motionless pink eyes.
The whole body was like a flower blooming in the middle of a junkyard, but no one wanted to get close because this flower had a habit of… shooting first and asking questions later.
Rubekkia.
Riyo swallowed, stepped forward, and whispered,
"Don't do anything to scare people. That new recruit just arrived."
Rubekkia didn't turn around.
"I never said I scared," she said softly, but the edge of her voice carried the scent of gunpowder.
"Scare is a gentle act. I'm not gentle."
No one wanted to test whether that was true or not.
The shell of her left elbow opened a small line, as if the metal joint was breathing. That alone was enough to make Zanka take half a step back.
"Hey, Rubekkia, calm down," Enjin said, his hand squeezing Rudo's shoulder to hold him back.
"This isn't some mobile trash for you to test fire."
Rubekkia finally turned her head toward Rudo.
Her gaze swept over him like a knife testing the sharpness of another knife.
"What's your name?"
Not a question, but a decision being considered: keep, discard, or destroy.
"Rudo."
She was silent. A very slight smile crossed her lips, but it wasn't a friendly smile.
It was more like the smile of someone who had just seen something interesting to take apart and see what was inside.
"Long arrow. Easy to miss," she remarked.
"No one shot him!" Riyo reacted, hitting Rubekkia on the shoulder.
Rubekkia turned her eyes to her friend.
"I didn't shoot him," she replied, her voice oddly serious.
"I was just… testing his popularity. What if it exploded."
Rudo was sweating.
Zanka folded his arms and chuckled.
"Welcome to the team. If you survive three days with Rubekkia, you're a real person."
Rubekkia stood up. The trash under her feet rattled.
"Three days?" she said.
"Zanka, don't underestimate him. If you're not careful, one day will be enough."
Her Riyo-style blouse fluttered slightly. The pink ends of her hair brushed the ground behind her, leaving a long trail like a warning sign.
She stepped in front of Rudo, stopping at a distance where he could hear the sound of the iron moving in her elbow.
"Rudo Shuaburekk," Rubekkia said, her voice as low as the sound of a trigger being pulled.
"Don't run. Don't be afraid. Don't cry."
Her pink eyes widened for a moment, shining like a freshly sharpened bullet.
"If you can keep those three things, I won't treat you like trash."
The wind carried the scent of hot metal.
A new recruit had just been brought in.