The Outcast: An Overworked Employee at Natuo, Master of the Twelve Nuo Deities

A new employee joins the North China branch of Nadutong. At his interview, he sits with his legs crossed and writes on his resume, "Just came down from the mountain. My master told me to find a secure job." Xu San falls silent for a moment when he sees the words "trained in the Gan Nuo opera troupe," then approves the application.

Nine to five, weekends off, full benefits, meals and lodging included. Xu Fu is very pleased with the job, until Feng Baobao kicks open the door to his dorm room with a knife in hand. The two fight from his room all the way to the night market, down half a case of Erguotou, and get carried back to the company by Tu Houzi. The next day, he clocks in as usual, with twelve Nuo deity masks hidden in the black cloth bag at his waist. He doesn't show a single one.

Then the North China region issues a wanted notice for Xia Liuqing, the Vicious Clown of Quanxing. Then Quanxing breaks into the headquarters archive. Then Zhang Chulan's name surfaces from the sealed files. At last, Xu Fu rises from his desk and puts on the blue-faced, fanged mask of Fangxiangshi. Four golden pupils open in the darkness. "Overtime should count toward performance pay."

This novel and its characters are entirely fictional. Any resemblance is purely coincidental. Do not imitate.