Tweaked world

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 Chapter One  

In a large office, desks were arranged side by side, creating a passage in between. The air was filled with the rhythmic clicking of keyboards as workers, both old and young, typed away with focused concentration.  

Occasionally, a worker would stand up from their workstation and carry a stack of papers into the adjoining office—this was the boss's office. The company, Globe Publishing Company, was one of the top 30 ranked publishers in  Urrn City of Nero Country. It boasted of publishing nearly a third of the books in the city. However, this rating was not enough for them—they aimed to dominate the publishing world. To achieve this dream, they had been scouring the city for aspiring writers with the potential for greatness.  

The office buzzed with activity as employees worked tirelessly to meet the demands of their patrons. At this moment, two workers—a man and a woman, aged 30 and 40, respectively—were taking a break.  

"Have you gotten a call from our dear old Gino? That guy is such a pain in the ass. I wonder why we still lead him on when there’s basically no hope left for him,"the woman said, addressing her colleague, who was munching on chips while fanning himself with a piece of waste paper.  

Upon hearing this, the man chuckled mockingly. "If it weren’t for the fact that our company likes young blood, who would even consider picking up such trash? Have you read the last manuscript he submitted? Boy! It was so cringeworthy that I had to set it aside for two weeks before reluctantly picking it up again to resurrect it from its hopeless end. Say, Lily, shouldn't we just kick him off the waitlist already?"

The woman, Lily, tapped her fingers on her desk, deep in thought. Her furrowed brows showed how seriously she was considering the situation. This was one of the qualities required in an editor—thorough thinking before making changes to an author's work.  

"Drix, as much as I’d love to end Mr. Gino’s writing career in this publishing house, shouldn’t we at least guide him on ways to improve? Especially in the aspect of creating a realistic world for his characters. I hate to admit it, but that young man has some untapped potential," Lily said, her expression softening as she took a sip from a bottle of water.  

Just as the man was about to respond, the office door swung open, and a tall, handsome young man around 23 years old walked in. He had striking brown eyes and jet-black hair, which could easily pass him off as a foreigner. However, the way he carried himself made it evident that he was a native.  

The editor on break threw another chip into his mouth and sighed, muttering to his colleague, "Speak of the devil."  

Lily let out a teasing laugh, her eyes gleaming mischievously.  

All eyes turned toward the newcomer as he scanned the room with purpose. When his gaze landed on Lily and Drix, he strode toward them in just a few steps, his long legs covering the distance effortlessly.  

*"Good day, Mr. Drix. Nice to see you again, Miss Lily,"* the young man greeted, flashing a smile that could only be described as a killer smile—one that would have made many women melt on the spot. He shook hands with both editors, his movements exuding the confidence of someone who had rehearsed this encounter many times before.