Is it here…? No, not here… Maybe this one…? Still not. 

Ah, here it is. After finally finding the mailbox, I reached into my backpack and pulled out the envelope. I slid it in carefully. Alright, now this is the final delivery. Once this is done, my duty is over. I didn’t expect today’s work to finish this early. I looked at the last remaining envelope in my bag. This envelope… ugh, it’s for that underground place.

But well.. once I deliver this, it’s over so let’s just hang in there. I put the final envelope back into my bag and began walking toward the delivery location. The streets were packed with people today. Well, with Christmas around the corner, it’s normal that everyone’s out shopping. The weather’s been getting colder day by day. I should’ve worn something thicker and warmer today.

As I walked, I glanced around at the people and Lumen nearby. Everyone was busy with their own things, going back and forth. I looked up for a moment and I could see a patch of blue sky up there, but with the rooftops covering most of it, I could barely get a clear view.

This city keeps changing year after year with more rules, more restrictions. Sometimes I wonder what the world outside these walls is really like. Is what the people say even true?

 "If you step out to the outside world, you'll end up becoming one of those lumens."

It's hard to fully believe that. But still, most people here are too afraid to even think about the outside. I kept walking, lost in thought, until I reached a crosswalk. The light was red. Carriages and vehicles passed by in front of me while I waited.  I looked around aimlessly. Yeah… looks like they’re going to do that thing again this year too. I glanced up at the overhead railway, where Christmas gift boxes were being delivered, and let my thoughts drift once more.

The light turned green. I crossed to the other side along with the flow of people heading in the same direction. Come to think of it, it’s been a while since we received any letters from the underground sector. Usually, people over there get their mail routed through the pipes, so hand-delivered letters like this are quite rare. I didn’t really feel like going there, but work is work I’d just have to deal with it.

As I kept walking along the sidewalk, something nearby caught my attention, a shop I hadn’t noticed before. Is this one of the new places they’d advertised recently?  I have a bit of time left, so I figured I might as well check it out. I turned and started walking toward it. Sure enough, this was the spot where they announced the opening two weeks ago,

“Mr. Lancleon’s Curio Shop.”

I glanced up at the hanging sign above the entrance. Through the outer glass window, I peeked inside. Hmm… not many people there. Maybe because it’s newly opened?  I wonder what kind of things they sell. Guess I’ll take a quick look. I pushed open the shop door and stepped inside. The store was lined with all sorts of goods, neatly arranged across shelves and displays. Though the space was a little narrow, it felt clean and cozy, not bad at all.  My eyes quickly landed on something displayed on a raised platform.

No way… do they actually have that rare pair of goggles?  A beautiful deep blue tint, slim frame, elegant design clearly built for comfort and style. And the best part? On the right side, there was a small button. Double-press it, and a secondary lens would slide out, turning it into a high-range viewer that could spot objects too far for the normal eyes. Incredible. It was like something out of a dream.

"Welcome, young man. Are you looking for something?"

A voice came from beside me. I turned and saw someone approach a man dressed in a navy-blue vest and maroon trousers. He carried a red-brick colored satchel that looked finely crafted, clearly custom-made. Covering one of his eyes was a monocle, and a neatly groomed curled mustache framed his face. Judging by his look, he has to be the owner of the shop.

“I was just wondering about the price of this one,” I said, pointing toward the goggles.

“Oh, that one?” He said with a smile. “That’ll be $558,900. It’s a limited edition, and actually, the last one left in the store.”

$558,900?! Is he serious?! Sure, it was rare and high-end but that expensive? I barely made $50 a day… How many days  no, how many months would I have to work just to afford that?

“…I see,” I muttered, my voice dipping with disappointment.

He gave me a gentle smile. “Don’t feel too down,” he said kindly. “We’ve got other items that are both affordable and useful.”

Affordable and useful?

“Let me introduce you to this little guy!” He reached down and held up a small device. 

“It’s lightweight, easy to carry, and you can slip it into your pocket or clip it wherever you like. Press this button on the back, and the front lights up!”

So basically… it is just a flashlight…, I couldn’t help the slight frown forming on my face. Compared to those dream-like goggles, this felt like a joke.

“If you think it’s just an ordinary flashlight,” the man added quickly, 

“you’re mistaken.”

Huh? There’s more to it?

“If you press this red button on the side,” he continued, “the light changes color!”

…Seriously? That’s the big feature? What a ridiculous idea.

“So? Pretty cool, right?” he asked proudly.

Well… the design was kind of cool, I’ll give it that. But still I had absolutely no reason to use something like this.

“How much is it?” I asked.

“This one’s just $5.54.”

Hmm… fair enough. At that price, I guess I’ll get it.

“Thank you for your support!” he said cheerfully. “And here, take this.”

He handed me another item.

“What’s this?” I asked.

“You’re actually our first customer of the day, so I’d like to give you this 50% discount card.”

Whoa… Looks like I ended up getting something useful after all.

I stepped out of the shop, the newly bought flashlight dangling from my shoulder bag. As I walked down the road, a bit of frustration crept in, still thinking about the goggles I didn’t buy. Maybe I should ask for more pay for this job? …No, that wouldn’t work. For a delivery job like this, there’s really only so much I can ask.

Maybe it’s time to look for something else on the side. Another job, maybe. Something with better pay. Lost in thought, I kept walking. After about ten minutes, I finally arrived at the elevator that would take me down to the underground area.

A sign hanging by the door read,

“⇩ To The Deep Vault ⇩”

I glanced at it and stepped inside. Checking the address on the envelope, I reached out and pressed Number 3 on the panel.  Level 3, the lowest floor.

The elevator slowly began to move and descended downward. I stood there holding my bag. ‘The Deep Vault’ some people call it the Shadow Market. Level 3 is the lowest floor. It’s also the most crowded area and the place with the highest number of lumens. It’s not that I dislike places filled with lumens… but every time I come here, I can’t help but feel uneasy. 

The BM-1, a giant machine still operating and transporting all three underground levels makes me wonder, how much longer can it endure carrying such immense pressure? The person who invented this massive, life-saving machine must have truly been a genius.

“Ding.”

With the chime, the elevator arrived at Level 3. As the doors slid open, I let out a deep breath and began walking like someone heading into a mission. As usual, the place was crowded. The entire area buzzed with shops and frenzied people. Street food stalls were overflowing with customers, and the walkways were packed with marketing vendors. I should stick to the less crowded route.

I slipped away from the crowd, heading toward a quieter alley. While walking, I accidentally bumped into a flashy-looking Lumen.

“Sorry about that.”

“Watch where you're going, will you?”

“I really am sorry...”

He was just another intoxicated Lumen. Honestly, he bumped into me, not the other way around.

I finally reached a more deserted path. Even though it was peaceful, the silence made it feel a little suffocating. I continued walking toward the house where I have to deliver the message. The street was eerily quiet, and I caught sight of a couple of rats darting across the ground.

I have been to Level 3 a few times before, but each visit always came with something unpleasant. Last month, I remember delivering a letter to a house overrun with spiders. Thanks to me, they ended up crawling out into the streets, scaring the hell out of everyone. On another occasion, I helped a drunk man who suddenly threw up all over my favorite outfit.

Honestly, I don’t have any good memories of this place. The authorities above should really do something to improve this area... it deserves better.

After a few more minutes of walking, I finally stepped out of that silent alley. Hmm... I think it's this way. I kept searching for the house until eventually, I found it. Finally... this must be the one.

“Blue rooftop, reddish-brown front door”  yeah, that’s exactly what was written. No doubt about it.

There was no mailbox, so I’d have to slip the letter through the door slot. I started walking up to the house. It was tucked away in such a quiet part of the district. I honestly didn’t expect to find a neighborhood this peaceful down here.

I reached into my bag, pulled out the letter, and carefully slid it through the thin slot in the door. That’s it, today’s job is done. Now, time to head back home... and grab something to eat.

“A–Ah hey! Is… is someone there?!”

Just as I was about to leave the house, I heard an older man's voice, raspy and strained. Is he calling me? Where is he? I could hear him clearly, but I couldn’t tell where he was coming from.

“Hey! Is… is anyone nearby?! Please… help me…”

I searched around the house for the voice I had just heard.

“Back here!”

I made my way to the rear of the house and there he was. A man… wedged awkwardly between the fence and the side wall of the house, completely stuck.

“...”

“Ah— kid! Help me out, will you?”

He called out to me in a pitiful voice, clearly in distress. How in the world did he even get himself stuck in there?

I helped the old man who had been stuck between the fence, and somehow… It took us nearly 30 minutes to get him free. The two of us were now lying on the grass, catching our breath, completely exhausted.

“Thanks, kid. You really saved me back there,” he said, still panting. “I was poking around behind the house last night cause I saw something strange out there. Ended up backing into the fence without realizing it… and, well.. got stuck.”

Wait, was he seriously stuck there all night? If I hadn’t come along, that could’ve ended badly.

“So, are you a mail carrier or something?” the old man asked, turning to me.

 “Yeah. I am.”

“Well then, little postman, you helped me out of quite the mess. Let me return the favor.”

 “Oh no, really, you don’t have to.”

 “No no, it's no trouble at all. Come on.”

Judging by the way he said it, I didn’t feel like I had much of a choice. So, I followed him. He opened the door and picked up the envelope I had left earlier. I followed in behind him. His house was a bit cluttered, honestly. I couldn’t help but wonder, what does this guy do for a living? I saw him unfold the letter and start reading it right away. I didn’t try to peek, of course respecting his privacy and all.

“Hmm… looks like it went through,” he muttered quietly to himself. 

Then, turning toward me with a small smile, he said,

“Have a seat, have a seat. I’ll go get you something to drink. Maybe a little snack too.”

I gave a polite nod and sat down on the nearest chair. He disappeared into another room, leaving me alone in the living room. It was messy but not dirty. It felt more like a place full of... things that mattered to someone. I noticed piles of books and carefully organized stacks of letters. Some were old, some looked almost new. This wasn’t just any ordinary house. Something about it feels… lived-in. Like every item has a story. It seems like that man might be a writer living in such a quiet neighborhood, with a messy house. But… doesn’t he seem a bit too unorganized to actually be a writer?

"I'm sorry for making you wait," 

the man said as he walked in carrying a cup and a few light snacks in his hands. He set them down on the table in front of me.

"No problem."

He began tidying up the scattered papers and scribbled notes that cluttered the floor.

"Ah, right, we haven't introduced ourselves yet."

"My name is Ruiqulin Mancher. You can call me Mr. Mancher, too."

"I'm Zerun."

"Alright then, help yourself."

I gave a small nod, picked up the cup from the table, and took a sip.

Bitter!

The old man chuckled as he saw my reaction.

“Hahaha, can’t handle a bit of bitterness, huh?”

I gently set the cup back down and reached for a cookie from the plate. A question lingered in my mind. Should I ask? Would it seem like I was prying into something personal?

“Can I ask you something?” I finally said.

“Sure, what is it?”

“Earlier, you mentioned... seeing something strange last night.” … “What exactly did you mean by that?”

The old man looked at me and spoke with a slight chuckle.

“Well.. I’m not exactly sure either. But I’m about to go find out what it really was."