Uprising Of The Cannon Fodders

Chapter Eight

Ryden was shouting to let the protagonist know he left his files and documents laying on the floor. It's really simple, no professional worker would leave files behind, especially if they have been classified in large red letters stamped on them.

This also happened to the original, but unlike knowing, the protagonist left quickly before Ryden could stop him. These documents were taken out of the male lead’s office without his knowledge and it resulted in the company being searched during the night because Manuel didn't want the thief to have the chance to hide them well. 

And so the next morning, Ryden was publicly humiliated, demoted and was made to apologize to all his co-workers, for Ryden this was the beginning of the end for him.

Therefore, Ryden could not allow the protagonist to get away with it easily. Ryden watched as the protagonist walked away without paying attention to what Ryden was saying. While watching Katsuro nearly ran away from Ryden and the documents, Ryden smiled and picked them up from the floor and walked towards the elevator. He entered the elevator, and pushed the button for the top floor, which is the CEO's office, to kindly return the documents for the protagonist.

This, of course, would throw suspension on him, but he has proof as all those people standing in the hallway when the protagonist collided with him and the camera stationed on the left of the place they were standing. This will make Manuel suspicious of Katsuro, and even if his protagonist halo activities which it will, the male lead will always have doubts at the back of his mind.

Ryden walked out of the elevator when it opened and headed straight for the double glass doors where the CEO's office was along with the protagonist's workstation. Walking up to the glass doors, he pulled them open just as the male lead opened his office door.

Manuel walked over to him while Ryden nodded at the male lead, and said, "I came to drop off these documents that Mr. Kiyoshi dropped when I collided with him when I left the meeting". 

Manuel raised his eyebrows slightly and took the documents from him and opened the first one, and almost immediately started frowning.

"I tried telling him he dropped them, but he walked away before I had the chance to speak,'' Ryden added helpfully. 

"Mr. Hisashi, I hope you can hand them over to Mr. Kiyoshi. And please tell him he should probably pay attention to what people are trying to say to him before he leaves. If you will excuse me, I have to look over the plan for the playground.” Ryden tiptoed before raising his hand to bid Manuel goodbye.

The male lead seemed to snap out of whatever he was thinking about.

"Thank you, Mr. Ryu. I will speak with him." After saying that, he walked back into his office. 

Ryden turned around to head to his office, passing by the protagonist on the way to the elevator.

"Why didn't you wait until the male lead and the protagonist were together to return the documents?"

“Simple, if the protagonist was there while I handed back the documents, he would find a reasonable excuse, and Manuel would most likely believe. But now that only Manuel is aware of the fact that I returned the documents, he will monitor the protagonist. And since the protagonist is unaware, he will continue to frame me by selling company secrets and the male lead will know of his betrayal every single time,” Ryden happily explained.

"That's a very good approach to both clean your image and eliminate any chance of you being known as the company spy. Also, destroy the unconditional love and trust the male lead has for the protagonist."

 “Oops! I guess it’s lunch time,” he announced and went straight to the company cafeteria. 

For the rest of the afternoon, he worked on reading the reports and files related to the playground project. Daisuke didn’t bother him much except for the few times he informed Ryden about the  other employees coming to his office for report submission and some other minor meetings. 

That night after work, Ryden was bent over in his study, trying to pin down all the equipment and companies needed to turn it into a reality while making sure it was safe for the children. The only problem being he did not know where to begin. He had a high IQ, but his entire life he spent playing the piano and painting, the rest of the time he spent being carefree and hanging out with his friends. He had no experience in business, which was the most important thing in this world.

"Host, I can pick out and arrange all the companies, equipment, and workers needed for the playground."

“You did that?” Ryden asked, surprised.

"Yes, I will find the best way to complete the project well. You need to focus on finishing the missions of this world quicker. We still don't know who or what the bug is,” Daisuke said.

“Oh, thank God! I was going crazy looking at these plans. I prefer doing art over business and management of a company,” he said and leaned back on a swivel chair, his arms stretched out on the sides.

 "I believe I'm aware of your preference, which is why I offered to do it for you."

"Daisuke, I owe you." Ryden clapped his hands and winked at the talking smartwatch.

"Host, please complete at least two missions, consider that my payment."

"Speaking of missions, how are the male lead’s sister and mother involved in this mess or plot?" Ryden sat up properly and pulled his chair closer to the table.

"In the original plot, the rival company Dark Phoenix, which was the company Ryden was supposedly selling secrets to, kidn*pped the sister. Unfortunately, she didn't survive and died in the crossfire when the male lead and his people went to rescue her. Neither side knew who pulled the trigger that killed her and so the sister’s death fell on Ryden's head," Daisuke explained.

"What!? You're just telling me this now?" Ryden suddenly stood up. 

"Sorry host, but you needed to trigger the side-plot line."

"Trigger?" Akira frowned. 

"In every world, there is a story on a smaller plot that involves the leads and their families. It usually led to one of the lead's family members becoming a mob character. This gives the leads good or self-righteous indignation to seek vengeance for their loved ones."

"So what you're saying is that the second plotline is to give the leads a way out of being known as ruthless, self-serving and morally corrupt. The whole point of it is to make their actions justified." He crossed his arms and thought hard.

"Yes, Host,” Daisuke replied.

Ryden walked out of the study and headed to the living room, seeing the comfortable-looking sofa he laid down on it. 

Akira thought that being Ryden inside this messed up plot was a tough job. He still could not believe he was the chosen one. Though it gives him a second chance at life, jumping from one world to another world and completing missions are still different compared to staying in his own world. What did the higher ups or that divine being think when he chose Akira? Aren’t there more qualified people than him?

As he lay down on the sofa, he kept pondering on his thoughts. 

Also, Akira realizes that since he arrived in this world, it was the first time he had time to think about the fact that he would not see his family again every morning. He couldn't keep the loneliness from creeping in on him and wondered what’s in it for him at the end of this journey and if it held anyone for him. 

Akira was never one to seek after people to make friends or even talk to them. He never really made a sound unless truly necessary. Hence, when he was born and he didn't make a single noise, everyone assumed he was stillborn. Over time, people got used to it, but his mother thought there was something wrong with him. She cried day and night, until finally when Akira saw a duck and made a little noise did she stop. 

Overall, Akira is not accustomed to crowds and people, but his family has surrounded him all his life, therefore this was the first time he felt alone.