Big Man, Big Boss

After entering the warehouse, Mark quietly accompanied Aaron further inside the ever-expansive stomach of the building. The air was filled with a formal solemnity, soldiers on the side made way, making Mark almost feel respected. 

It was too bad their eyes were washing over him, and instead, they locked onto their senior with reverence. 

They approached the warehouse wall, where a door led outside the room. 

Two guards stood to the side of it, each one held an automatic rifle. 

Aaron stopped and looked at Mark with the austerity of a rock. 

"From this point on, I can't do much to help you. Let me tell you now that the boss should not be underestimated by any means. Don't screw this up, for both of our sakes." 

He scratched his head.

"It would be quite embarrassing if the person I had been vouching for turned out to be a fraud."

Mark nodded, then blinked his eyes.

"You told him about me!?" 

The gangster laughed. He gripped the handle with sheer confidence and opened the door wide. 

Mark thought that the door led outside. The room they were just in was already big enough. 

So it was a surprise to pass through the door and enter yet another gargantuan room. 

A few crates formed a barrier around the front of the door, probably as some countermeasure against invaders. 

Aaron cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled.

"Boss! I'm back early today! Oh- I brought a friend too!" 

While only echoes responded, rapid footsteps resounded behind the giant crates. The whole situation was slightly nerve-wracking, but Mark followed his friend's example and remained pensive. 

Four guards came around the crates- two held carbines while two held shotguns. 

After taking a glance, they retreated.

Shortly after, a manly voice resounded through the room. 

"Come out." 

Mark's eyes widened to the size of saucers. 

'God? Is that you?' 

That voice sounded inhumane.

It could be described as deep and thunderous, but those two words didn't do any justice. There were even echoes, and that made it seem even more menacing! 

No, it felt like a higher being had just addressed him. The sound was utterly terrifying, but not threatening in any way. 

He heard a suppressed chortle. 

Aaron was looking at him humorously, then signaled for Mark to follow as he began walking. 

They went around the crates and came to an open space. The sight- well, it was equally a surprise. 

A handful of guards stood behind the crates, and in the open expanse of the warehouse floor, there was only one thing. 

It was a chair. A normal-looking wooden chair. Just in the middle. Nothing more special than that. 

On it sat a tall man dressed in casual attire. His hair was whitening to the color of his skin and he was wearing glasses. His face looked slightly hardened but nothing more stood out. The man looked like a stone statue come to life. There were no flaws about him, but no special or unique trait stood out either. 

Perhaps the only thing that set him apart from others was the intimidatingly muscular man who attended to him. 

The ordinary guy on the chair looked up at the two newcomers. His face was ever-so stoic while he regarded them. 

Seeing this, Mark felt like scratching his head but held himself back out of respect. 

Then the man on the chair opened his mouth. 

"Who is this?" 

The mountainous voice resounded and echoed through the warehouse once more, nearly making Mark shiver. 

Aaron coughed. 

"It's the guy I told you about, remember? He will make a great addition, trust me!" 

The intimidating attendant scoffed, but the man on the chair remained expressionless. 

"We'll see." 

Turning his head, the boss regarded Mark. 

Silence filled the room, Mark looked at the seemingly ordinary man. The soundlessness became awkward. 

'Wait- is this where I introduce myself?'

He blinked.

'Oh shoot- it is!'

Mark hurriedly brought himself to a deep bow, he instinctively stretched out his mind to draw out forgiveness from the boss. 

"I'm Mark! It's a pleasure!" 

It felt weird- like he was bowing to a random stranger. Aside from the voice, the man didn't have a boss-like aura. Compared to the leader of the Spheks, this man didn't seem very dominant, as if he were just another person. 

The boss sighed.

"What brings you here?" 

Slowly bringing his head up, Mark responded automatically.

"Money- there's no other available jobs. I also need to make sure that I can feel safe within this territory"

Hearing this, the boss nodded monotonously, as if he had heard such words thousands of times.

"And why should I have you here?" 

Mark thought for a second. 

"I have enough experience in dealing with others, but the most useful thing I can do is help in verbal affairs.

The boss nodded. 

"Good, good."

He then adjusted his glasses and put his elbow on the chair handle, his fist became a resting spot for his face while his eyes started to ponder. 

Still remembering his impromptu introduction, Mark was a bit worried about how his first appearance looked- and how much it had ruined his chances. 

'No, there's no way such a silly mistake would cost me my only means of surviving right? No. nonono. That can't be. I will get into this gang, no matter what!' 

Knowing that this was his final chance to make a semblance of a living, the pressure was fully on. The small gap between flying and dying was laid out. 

Mark stretched out his mind, bolstering the boss' confidence and willingness, hoping that the ordinary-looking man would believe in Aaron's words and accept him. 

Then, the boss moved, addressing the guards. 

"One of you guys, get over here now." 

The armed men scrambled to sort themselves out and elect someone. 

After a small scuffle, a fairly muscular man came out. 

Acknowledging the guard's presence, the ordinary-looking boss regarded Mark. 

"Let's see if you have what it takes."