The Bottom Line That Was Destined to Be Broken (Seeking Follow-up Reads!)

"Hawk, take a look at this data."

"One-oh-eight."

"Hawk, I need to head to the SL lab. Grab the stuff on my desk for me."

"No problem."

"Hawk—"

Today was Hawk's twentieth day working a summer job at Osborn Bio-Industry.

But he still hadn't found a chance to get into Dr. Connors' lab.

Because in these twenty days, forget about reaching Dr. Connors' lab—he hadn't even stepped foot out of the Bio-Electrical Engineering Department's door.

From the moment work started to the moment it ended, he was either checking data for someone or on his way to check data for someone else.

And then there were times like now, tidying up someone's desk.

Hawk watched the engineer who'd just rushed off, then walked over to that engineer's workstation.

Even though he'd been at Osborn for twenty days without finding an opportunity to visit Dr. Connors' lab, he wasn't in a hurry.

For one thing, good things come to those who wait.

For another...

Sure, it was busy here, but the pay was seriously good.

Eight hundred bucks a week, and the cafeteria on the eighteenth floor served breakfast, lunch, and dinner buffet-style.

Sure, Hawk had thought about robbing a bank last month, but he never actually went through with it.

Most importantly.

Even if lines were meant to be crossed, as long as Hawk hadn't crossed this one yet, he still figured he'd avoid crossing it early if he could.

Because he was scared.

Hawk didn't know what he'd become once he crossed that line.

Everyone knows.

Transmigrators are always creatures with especially flexible moral lines, carrying a bone-deep indifference toward everything and everyone.

Hawk was no exception.

That's why he never socialized—because sometimes, when he looked at people, it felt like he was looking at NPCs.

How to put it... like everyone else was drunk and he was the only one sober.

The reason he was still willing to follow the rules after awakening his Cosmo was actually simple.

The education he'd received in his past life told him to be a person—not necessarily a good one, but don't be a villain.

That was why Hawk still lived a pretty frugal life even after awakening his Cosmo.

Another transmigrator would probably awaken their Cosmo on day one and declare to the world on day two: those who follow me thrive, those who oppose me perish.

Of course.

The most important point might be—because he was kind!

Too bad...

Hawk felt that no matter how unwilling he was to cross that line, he'd have to soon.

But for now, he was still happy to stick to it.

Having worked ten days and gotten familiar with the Bio-Electrical Engineering Department's rhythm, Hawk quickly sorted the scattered documents on the engineer's desk, then carried them to the filing cabinet and put them away in order.

Just then, the office phone rang.

"Hawk—"

"I'll get it."

Hawk answered first, walked over, and picked up the receiver. "Bio-Electrical Engineering Department."

"Oh, Hawk?" A familiar voice came through the line.

Hawk raised an eyebrow. "Gwen?"

He hadn't seen Gwen since she'd brought him to the Bio-Electrical Engineering Department ten days ago to check in.

After all, he was busy.

And Gwen was even busier.

Even stuck in the Bio-Electrical Engineering Department, Hawk had heard the rumors—these past few days, Dr. Connors had been doing experiments like a madman.

They weren't counting lab mice by the individual anymore; they were counting by the crate.

Crazy.

Gwen hummed on the other end.

"It's me. By the way, our lab just had a voltage fluctuation. Dr. Connors wants you to send someone over to check it out."

"Okay, coming."

Hawk hung up and passed the news to the head of the Engineering Department.

The fifty-year-old, completely bald supervisor, with an air of utter detachment, glanced around the empty office. "Every lab's been reporting voltage instability today. Probably the resistors again—we just swapped them out yesterday... Forget it. Hey, you, take Hawk and head to Dr. Connors' lab. Help them swap in a new resistor."

Hawk followed the supervisor's gaze to a man nearby—simple expression, dark skin, the very picture of an honest soul. The future Electro.

That's right.

An honest man.

Max Dillon really was an honest man, nothing like the sly, shifty types you'd expect from someone of his complexion.

Hawk had seen it clearly over these twenty days. If the Bio-Electrical Engineering Department had an award for the hardest-working ox, Max Dillon would win it hands down.

If Max had even a shred of political savvy, he wouldn't have just kept his head down and worked, to the point where even his own boss couldn't remember his name.

But Max himself didn't seem to mind. Maybe he'd gotten used to being called "that guy." So when he heard the supervisor's order, he just nodded and turned to grab the parts from the warehouse.

A little while later.

Standing at the entrance of the Bio-Electrical Engineering Department, waiting for the honest man Max, Hawk watched him approach. "Mr. Dillon."

Max's body jolted. His pupils seemed to contract in that instant.

His voice trembled as he looked at Hawk. "You... know my name?"

Hawk smiled. "Of course, Mr. Dillon."

He hadn't planned on getting too chummy with the future Electro, but that didn't mean he was unwilling to plant a seed of goodwill with the current Max.

Do good for others, and good comes back to you.

Hawk thought to himself, then said to Max, whose eyes seemed to glisten with tears, "Mr. Dillon, let's go. Dr. Connors' lab just called again to hurry us up."

Max snapped out of it and nodded repeatedly. "Right, right. Let's go."

Hawk chuckled inwardly and followed Max toward the elevator bank nearby.

Finally, he could get into Dr. Connors' lab.

As he stepped into the elevator with Max, Hawk watched the upward indicator and felt a pang of emotion.

Over these twenty days, he'd thought of a dozen ways to sneak into Dr. Connors' lab.

But not a single one had worked.

It wasn't like strolling into a grocery store.

Did he really think a lab that Osborn Bio-Industry had poured millions into—hoping to develop Regeneration Technology and corner the future market—was just open for anyone to walk into?

Later, when he'd finally calmed down and let things take their course, bam—the chance to visit Dr. Connors' lab landed right in his lap.

See?

Mindset matters. You can't rush anything.

Hawk silently reminded himself, checking off his daily self-reflection.

Soon.

The elevator doors opened.

"Hawk." Gwen, already waiting in the elevator lobby, lit up at the sight of him. She hurried over. "What took you so long? Dr. Connors is already losing his temper."

Hawk opened his mouth to respond.

But Gwen had already grabbed him, tugging him urgently toward the lab.

Hawk was stunned.

But at the same time, he looked toward the lab in the distance.

His heart stirred.