The Ruobber company was one of the trendiest topics among senior high school students right now. All of those students who still hadn't found a company to sponsor them were looking at the Ruobber company as if it was the last saving grace that they could ever find. It was the last shot for a lot of people.
Students who didn't have any backing or didn't excel in school were the people who were having trouble with their future. They were always being rejected by companies, they were being picked last by groups, and even the school couldn't help them get internships.
If they don't get any internships from companies, then they won't be able to get any Teqx. And without any Teqx, then they could kiss their dreams goodbye. They won't be able to enroll in universities and be forced to live a normal life filled with mediocrity. It was the worst fate for people who had big aspirations in life but weren't able to have the means to complete it.
Then came the Ruobber company. They were one of the only companies that were offering internships to anyone who applied to their headquarters. It didn't matter if your grades were flunking, it didn't matter if no one knew your name, it didn't even matter if you couldn't run a 100-meter dash to save your life. They were accepting applicants no matter their qualifications.
As long as you were willing, then you could join the Ruobber company.
Not only that, as long as you joined their internship program, then you were guaranteed to receive a Teqx of your own after 1 year of service. This was a very lucrative offer for a lot of people. After all, most companies didn't promise Teqx even after the internship was over. Usually, only those who performed well on the internship could have the chance of receiving employment with the company and receiving their Teqx.
Companies could only give out a very limited amount of Teqx in a year. The amount varied depending on the capabilities of their leader. The stronger and further the leader was in achieving his dream, then the more and better quality Teqx he could give out every year.
If the Ruobber company was willing to give out Teqx to every student who applied to their internship without ever rejecting anyone, then that could only mean that the CEO and boss of this company must be a really strong person.
On the day of internship applications, the Ruobber company headquarters was swarmed by desperate students trying to get a Teqx of their own. This was their last chance, so most of them stormed the headquarters hoping that they would be one of the lucky ones that get chosen for the internship.
It was only later that they found out that there was no limit to the internships. Anyone and everyone could join the internship. Everyone can join, become an intern for 1 year, and receive a Teqx.
The students even looked through the contract, and they saw that the contract did indeed state that they would be entitled to a low-class Teqx at the end of the internship. Even if it was a low-class Teqx, it was infinitely much better than no Teqx at all. And for most of these students, without the Ruobber company, that would have been their ending.
Most people thought that this was too good to be true. After all, could a philanthropic company really who gave out Teqx to anyone who wanted it, exist in real life?
The answer to that one was a resounding no. However, for most people who got hooked on the Ruobber company scam, it was too late to get out. One youth named Andres was one such unlucky man who got caught up in the whole thing.
"Hey, Andres. Good job on cleaning the toilet. I did a number on that one earlier," said his superior."
"Hey, Andres. Go to my house and clean my laundry, will you?" the other guy commanded.
Andres wanted to say no because his workload was too much. After going to school and being mentally exhausted from studying, he had to go to the headquarters and continue his internship with the Ruobber company. If he missed even one day, he'd lose the internship. He had put in too much of his blood, sweat, and tears to give up now.
"Can I pick them up tomorrow? I still have to prepare for the Physicality Tests we have tomorrow. I have to reach at least 20th place." Andres pleaded.
The superior raised his hand above Andres' head, making him flinch. "I don't care what you have in school. You are in company time right now, which means that you have to do what the company tells you. And since I am your superior, then whatever I say is your only mission in life. If I say you have to do my laundry, then you have to do my laundry."
Andres had no choice but to relent to the impossible situation. "Alright."
"20th place, urgh. Even when I wasn't that much into shape, I could place in the top 10th in my sleep. With your ability then you should be thankful that you got accepted by the Ruobber company at all."
This was a vicious trap. Because he was doing too much for the company, he would run out of energy for his school, which led him to drop his grades even further. And because he now had terrible grades, he would be less and less desirable to other companies. Since no company wanted him anymore, he would be forced to stay in the Ruobber company.
So, interns like him would be forced to keep on doing the internship, even if it was literal torture. They had no other choice. If they wanted to continue with their dreams, then they had to bear with all the hardships for one entire year, only then will they be rewarded with a Teqx of their own.
However, not all of them were cut out for this kind of thing. They couldn't take the hardships they were forced in this company because it had nothing to do with their dreams at all. If they wanted to become a Lawyer, then why did they have to scrub toilets and clean laundry?
Andres was one of those people. He wanted to stop. He wanted to end it all.
After picking up five laundry baskets for five different superiors, Andres was finally allowed to return home.
However, just as he was going to the bus stop, he suddenly saw a brand new Einstich T-1000 hovercar land right next to the curb. This was one of his dream hovercars, something he wished he could buy after he got rich in the future.
He wondered what kind of hardships in the future he had to endure so that he could afford that car. When the car door opened and revealed who was driving it, Andres was surprised to see that it was a fellow youth who didn't look much older than him.
Upon closer inspection, he recognized the face. It was one of his old classmates just a year ago. He was surprised that a young guy like that was able to afford such a high-end hovercar. Not only that, he distinctly remembers the guy as having the same class standing as him. This was also a loser!
So, how did this supposed 'loser' suddenly change his life and become so much more successful? He even saw that the guy was wearing an official Atlas uniform, meaning that he was currently employed under them.
"Hey! It's me, do you remember me? We sat a few chairs away from each other last year."
Surprisingly, the guy also recognized Andres. He didn't think that the successful guy would waste his time and talk to a loser like him.
"Oh, hey. How've you been?" asked Andres, hiding his envy.
"I'm doing good. I'm extremely lucky to have made it this far. I even thought I'd have to live in the streets, but look at me now," the guy said.
But Andres didn't believe it. How could the guy have such a drastic change? His voice was hoarser than before, but it was still him. This guy didn't have any good grades, didn't perform well in physical education, and was infamous for being bad at his dream job. So, what happened to him?
"Can I ask you a question? How? I want your life. I can't do this internship with the Ruobber company anymore. I want to give up! Tell me how I can escape this nightmare."
Andres' backed-up emotions finally burst open. He desperately wanted to change his life for the better like this guy. However, he didn't know how to do it. But if this guy could do it, then it gave him a little hope that he could also become like him: happy.
The successful guy sympathized with Andres. It wasn't long before, he also felt this way. He decided to help him out.
The guy took out a paper from his car and wrote down something on it and gave it to Andres.
"Visit this guy and ask him for help. He changed my life. Say that Grammo sent you."
Andres took the paper and read the name on the address.
This guy can help me change my life?