Chapter 1: Miserable way to go

"Sir Marcus, please, our goods will already become rotten by the time it can exit the port if you were not to sign this still." A girl who was dressed to the nines stood in front of him pleading.

Marcus looked up from his desktop to see the girl. Okay, she looked really fine, but he had better. He closed the tab where he's actually just reading a novel and opened the excel file.

"I'm sorry, I want to help you really, but look, I still have a lot of papers to process. Besides, you still have to que." And as if to show her that he's not lying, he showed her his monitor and the bunch of stacked papers on his table.

"But…" the girl began…

"Missy, if you really want boss Marcus' help, then the only way he can help you is through over time. He can't process your documents now as there are still a lot of people like you waiting in que." Jerome, his bagger stated.

The girl looked at him as if asking if that's for real.

Marcus made a face like he's thinking it through with much difficulty. But finally, he said, "You talk to Jerome. I still have a lot to do here."

"Okay! Thank you ever so much boss!" the girl said.

Marcus smirked when they left and went back to reading his novel.

--

"Sir Marcus, these are my client's documents for the goods they imported. Please see if there are any problems…" a man in his 40's told him.

Marcus seeing that he was already able to transact with the man before received his documents and sifted through it. Then he frowned.

"I think that this is too much undervalued. I won't sign it."

"Eh!? But boss it's not really!"

"You want me to show you how much a pair of this costs in amazon? Don't take me for a fool. I will go and check the goods later."

"No, no need boss, let's just go with over time."

"Hmpft. Be thankful that I want to help the consumers." He said with some conviction.

"Yes boss, thank you thank you!" then the man left.

Marcus smirked. Ah! He's not really a corrupt official, but these businessmen are really bad people always undervaluing goods to evade tax. Anyway, because he care for the masses, he will reluctantly accept their offer. Then he went back to reading again.

--

"Hey Marc, we're going out to grab some drinks tonight, care to join us?" his workmate Ben offered.

Marcus looked at the time it was 5pm already time to tap out, but he still has to work overtime. Oh well, time to make some big bucks.

"I'll join you later, I still have some OT work to do."

"alright then, see you at Gilly's seaside bar later." Ben said as he tapped out.

--

Marcus sighed when he was finally left alone. Really, everyone does this thing on rotation. It has always been the practice since god knows when. Walking to the elevator and waiting for it to come up, he can only do some self-reflection.

Marcus Oliver, a man nearing his 40s and a bachelor by choice. He was born from a well to do family who engaged in business, so he knew from a young age the value of money. As he grew up, he saw that his parents were always harassed by officials from the bureau of internal revenue even when they wanted to pay the correct taxes. At first it was a blame game, their family hating those greedy people but, in the end, his father said that if they can't beat them, then join them.

Coming to that realization, his goal centered on this: be a government official one day and make it big. Thus, when he got accepted for the position customs officer, he was very much elated and overjoyed. Who knew that he would be so lucky to land the job of his dreams?

When he started his job, he quickly learned the ropes and assimilated with people of the same mind. He really enjoyed his work, especially when he started earning the big bucks. He bought the most luxurious items money can buy, bedded some teenagers who saw him as king, and well, just enjoyed his life as a bachelor.

Anyway, he makes heaps of money everyday affording him to live the life of a bachelor with lots of money. Almost everything was already within his grasp, but sometimes when things are too easy, it becomes monotonously boring.

Nowadays, only reading webnovels somewhat gives his life a spark and because of that, all he ever daydreams about was getting transmigrated with a golden thumb.

--

The elevator made a ding signaling that it has arrived. He was still a bit absentminded when he entered it. Nevertheless, he pressed the B button for the basement.

Suddenly, he felt the elevator shaking as the lights turned off. Then there was silence. He was alone in the dark. He took out his phone to have some light.

As the screen lit up, he saw that it had no signal. He opened up the flashlight function as he waited. When more than 15 minutes has passed, he started to feel fear gripping him.

He started to panic as he pressed up, down, and door open buttons but nothing happened. He pressed the emergency button, but nothing happened too. No one was answering his call. Desperately, he slammed his hand on the elevator door that was not opening.

"Is anybody there? Help!" he called.

However, that proved to be futile. No one answered. What was happening? It was so hot inside, and he was starting to feel faint.

Suddenly he saw smoke coming in.

He still had some time to lament that this might be his end. He will die inside an elevator because of suffocation. What a miserable way to go.

Not being able to continue that thought process any longer, he lost consciousness.

--

TBC