As Sky stood before the goddess, towering majestically on her throne and pointing at him, his heart trembled with awe. Instinctively, he straightened his posture, his attention fully captivated, as he awaited the question she might pose.
Ever since he knew he'd be interviewed by the goddess, Sky had been contemplating the possible questions he might face. They could be about faith, worldviews, or even world peace. Now, as he stood on the brink of hearing her query, his heart inevitably began to race with nervous anticipation.
Schiso 007 lowered her arm and asked in a slow, measured tone, "Are you willing to become my assistant in this world, to serve me loyally through sickness, danger, or hardship, until death?"
"Eh?" Sky found the question strangely familiar.
"Are you willing?" Schiso 007's expression remained impassive, her divine majesty exuding an overwhelming aura.
"Willing… I guess," Sky replied, his voice quivering slightly.
"Bingo, correct answer," Schiso 007's intimidating presence vanished in an instant, replaced by a warm, friendly smile. "You've passed the interview. From now on, you're an official employee of the divine kingdom."
"Eh?" Sky, along with Lumiya and Lilianna, was dumbstruck, with Sky feeling as though he had been coerced into a marriage.
Ignoring their reactions, Schiso 007 continued, "Now, you're officially part of our organization. Your position will be Goddess's Assistant, with a monthly salary. Time is calculated according to the standard time flow of this world.
Based on your current level and years of service, you'll have a base salary of 500 per month, a perfect attendance bonus of 300, and additional performance-based bonuses. Work hard, and as your level increases or your service time accumulates, we'll raise your base salary.
According to our organization's rules, there's a three-month probation period for new recruits, during which your base salary is halved. After the probation, 20% of your monthly base salary is automatically deducted as a contribution to the public security fund of our organization members – think of it as mandatory labor insurance.
I know the salary isn't much for someone new, but our benefits are excellent. Listen carefully: we reimburse all work-related expenses and losses. If you need reasonable materials and funds for official duties, you can submit a report for approval. There's also a year-end bonus and annual goods.
The key point is that our salary and reward system is all about transparency and fairness, with everything clearly defined in our regulations."
With a gesture, a semi-transparent screen floated in front of her. Clearing her throat, she beckoned Sky over, "Come here, let's get the contract signed. The detailed organizational rules are in the annex, totaling 387 pages. You can take your time to read them later. Leave me your usual email address, and I'll send a copy to your inbox."
Bewildered, Sky approached the goddess, who handed him an electronic pen.
"Sign here," Schiso 007 pointed to the bottom right corner of the screen.
Sky reached out to sign, then hesitated and turned to ask cautiously, "Can I ask a question first?"
Schiso 007 frowned impatiently, "What's it now? You're quite a handful, aren't you? Hard to trick. Out with your question."
Sky's mouth twitched slightly. 'Directly admitting you're tricking me, great goddess?' he thought wryly.
He coughed lightly before asking, "What exactly does our organization refer to? And about the salary and bonuses you mentioned, what currency are they in?"
"Ah, asking about the currency unit, smart thinking for a young man," Schiso said, patting Sky on the shoulder. "The currency unit is Universal Divine Points, useful in any world – a real hard currency. As for our organization? Its formal name is 'Eyes of the Deep Void,' a large coalition of deities within the Void God System."
"Void?" The word sparked immediate interest in both Sky and Lilianna.
Schiso 007 paused, then turned to Lilianna and Lumiya, saying, "Almost forgot about you two. Well, the assistant position here is filled, but we can't have you leave empty-handed. How about intern positions? No salary, but you get performance bonuses and enjoy the same benefits as regular employees."
Lumiya, ever direct, asked, "What kind of benefits?"
Schiso 007 chuckled, "Seems like you're in tune with our corporate culture. Our 'Eyes of the Deep Void' isn't an old-fashioned deity system like 'Voices of the Ancients,' nor do we run on love and faith like the 'Holy Light.' We focus most on employee welfare and benefits. Some think serving the gods is a noble and sacred duty that shouldn't involve personal gain. Such outdated notions are deeply despised in our Void system.
We are a fresh, warm, and vibrant organization. Though not as ancient as some deity systems, we are full of energy and ambition. Youth brings hope and potential for growth. We're in a phase of rising, developing, and expanding. Every young member here has opportunities to shine and advance.
Work hard with us, and you'll carve out a future beyond your wildest dreams."
This rousing speech left the trio in awe. Lumiya murmured, "Sounds a bit like a pyramid scheme."
The goddess stood up swiftly, apparently energized by her speech, and waved her fair hand, "Let me show you some of the benefits our organization offers."
With Schiso 007's gesture, a colorful orb of light appeared in front of her. The orb's brightness intensified, seemingly summoning something from the void. After about 5 seconds, a massive force materialized from nowhere, pouring into the original orb.
As the light dimmed, it coalesced into a giant page made of countless light dots. The text on the page, initially in strange runes, automatically translated into a language understandable to Sky and his companions.
At the top of the page, in bold letters, was "List of Divinity Exchangeable Items," with a small note underneath: "Only items exchangeable in this plane are displayed."
What followed was a long list of categories: Eastern Cultivation Techniques, Runes, Martial Skills, Magic Abilities, Meditation Techniques, Fighting Qi, Weapons, Armor, Magical Items, Rare Materials, and more. This was just the catalog.
Sky's curiosity was piqued by 'Eastern Cultivation Techniques,' a field he had never explored, unlike magic skills which he could at least imagine.
The text on the giant page began to change, focusing on a detailed list of Eastern Cultivation Techniques.
"Look, look, landlord, check that out!" Lumiya suddenly pointed excitedly at one of the items listed on the page.
Formularbeginn
Sky followed Lumiya's pointing finger and saw the name "Divine Thunder Command of Shenxiao" listed.
As he focused on it, the text on the page shifted, revealing more details in a dropdown menu: "Exchangeable stages include: Innate Phase, Human Detachment Phase, Golden Core Phase, Nascent Soul Phase, True Self Phase. Missing: Primordial Spirit Phase."
"Wow, oh my gosh, they have this kind of technique? Awoo!" Lumiya was so excited that she even slipped into her native werewolf language.
Although Sky was unfamiliar with the "Divine Thunder Command of Shenxiao," Lumiya's reaction indicated it was something extraordinary.
At that moment, Lilianna tugged on Sky's sleeve and pointed to another technique, "Look at that one."
Sky followed her finger and saw "Yin Yang Bagua Technique" listed.
He asked in surprise, "Your vampire clan studies this?" However, he still shifted his focus to the technique.
The dropdown menu revealed more: "Exchangeable items include: 'General Principles of Yin Yang,' 'General Principles of the Five Elements,' 'I Ching,' 'Lianshan' (incomplete), 'Guizang' (incomplete)."
Sky noticed Lilianna's breathing became heavier.
"What's wrong?" Sky asked her.
"We've seen something incredible," Lilianna said with a serious and earnest expression.
Lumiya, puzzled, asked, "Isn't this a divination technique from the cultivation system, mainly used for fortune-telling? How do you know about these? Shouldn't vampires be more into crystal ball divination?"
Ignoring Lumiya, Lilianna respectfully turned to Schiso 007 and inquired, "Goddess, can the items on this exchange list really be obtained with something else?"
Schiso 007 smiled at her, "Yes, they can."
"Is it the Divine Points you mentioned earlier?" Lilianna continued.
Schiso 007 nodded.
Without hesitation, Lilianna declared, "If Goddess does not mind, I am willing to follow you and join 'Eyes of the Deep Void,' contributing my strength to the organization's power." Her tone was sincere and her attitude serious.
"Quite smart," Schiso 007 chuckled, "Don't be so serious. As I said earlier, 'Eyes of the Deep Void' is a new divine system. If you really join, you'll be a part of our system, under my command. In this world, you can call me Officer Schiso 007. But remember, joining 'Eyes of the Deep Void' isn't something anyone can just do. I currently have only one official position available. Unless this guy with the explosive hairstyle doesn't sign the contract, I can only offer you a temporary position for now. As I mentioned, there's no base salary, but performance bonuses are paid in Divine Points. Are you willing to work for that?"
"I am!" Lilianna replied resolutely.
"Good," Schiso 007 nodded in satisfaction, then turned to Lumiya, "What about you?"
"I'm willing too! I want to earn Divine Points to exchange for the 'Divine Thunder Command of Shenxiao,'" Lumiya said excitedly, wagging her tail.
Schiso 007 waved her hand, and the semi-transparent screen reappeared, floating before her. She pushed the display towards Sky, "Everyone else agrees, now it's your turn to sign."
"Eh? Why should I sign just because they agreed?" Sky asked.
"Once your official position is activated, I can use it as a reason to apply for temporary positions for them in our organization," Schiso 007 explained matter-of-factly.
After a brief consideration, Sky signed his name at the bottom right corner. He didn't see much need to ponder. Firstly, such a powerful backing was a boon for a novice like him. Secondly, it seemed he wouldn't be able to leave without signing. He wasn't foolish; it was clear Schiso 007 had prepared everything to recruit him. Whether or not to sign wasn't really his choice to make.