Fifteen minutes later.
Ji Zizai sat in a spacious leather chair, her previously worn T-shirt-sourced from who knows where now replaced by the dark uniform of the Special Affairs Bureau.
The hem of her jacket draped over the edge of the chair, making her appear as if she were seated within a solidified ink cloud.
The cold glow of the computer screen reflected on Ji Zizai’s face.
If anyone from the medical department were present, they would likely conclude that Director Ji had been suffering from severe anemia lately.
Fu Shouzhong was dutifully reporting to his superior: “You have a private communication from the Core City. The related video file has been sent with the email-please check it promptly. The priority of Sanjiaorong City in the safety inspection department’s rotation has increased.”
“The higher-level city hopes to transfer a batch of well-trained investigators from our city to assist in residential area maintenance. According to investigations, the frequency of dungeon appearances this year is higher than in previous years, rendering the existing emergency plans inadequate.”
“They need to be updated promptly. The Inner City Arbitration Office has filed multiple complaints involving the Special Affairs Bureau and has protested our work…”
Ji Zizai pinched the bridge of her nose.
Her gesture interrupted Fu Shouzhong’s subsequent words.
Fu Shouzhong’s brows furrowed imperceptibly. “You don’t seem to be in a normal state.”
Ji Zizai: “It’s fine.”
Then she added, “Reply that Sanjiaorong City is short on personnel, but we already have an expansion plan in place. For the emergency plans, you and He Wen work on them with the investigation department. As for the Arbitration Office, ignore them for now.”
The phrase “ignore them” made Fu Shouzhong’s eyebrow twitch.
The major families of the Inner City were the true rulers of the city.
If Ji Zizai hadn’t been born in the Core City and didn’t possess unique value herself, it would have been difficult for her to be so assertive.
Fu Shouzhong: “There’s also the dungeon situation you requested to investigate today-the [Suppressors] installed around Jin Cai Mall have lost their effectiveness and can no longer reduce the probability of dungeon appearances.”
“It’s recommended to equip them with energy immediately. Dou Wenju has been confirmed not to have left the dungeon. Jin Cai Mall remains under lockdown, and the dispatched team is still searching to see if they can find his body.”
Ji Zizai twirled her pen and suddenly spoke up: “Has the Dou family reacted at all?”
Fu Shouzhong: “No. Dou Wenju’s uncle had an incident a month ago, and since then, he’s become a marginal figure in the family-not an important person. The Dou family will probably take a couple of days to demand an explanation from us regarding this accident.”
This wasn’t to say that the Inner City didn’t want to seize the opportunity to pressure Ji Zizai.
It was mainly because Dou Wenju was now too insignificant.
As long as the Special Affairs Bureau didn’t expedite the notification, the Dou family might not immediately notice his death.
Ji Zizai nodded.
-Without the protection of his elders, Dou Wenju’s status in the family depended entirely on himself.
However, in Ji Zizai’s eyes, this young man was clearly not very bright.
After all, Ji Zizai’s appearance at the time might have been too edgy for anyone to associate her with the mature Director Ji of the Special Affairs Bureau, but the name she used was her real one.
Ji Zizai: “Since the Dou family hasn’t reacted yet, Dou Wenju probably didn’t have a [Life Caller] on him.”
The [Life Caller] was a device used to confirm the survival status of its carrier when they were trapped in special zones.
Due to its high cost and lack of significant combat utility, it was considered a luxury item.
Fu Shouzhong: “No. There was an old model, but after his uncle’s death, it was taken back by the family.”
Ji Zizai smiled and said, “It’s been a while since I last visited the inner city. It still has that warm, human touch.”
…
The Great Calamity had a profound impact on society, especially on the weather.
Sometimes, the temperature could fluctuate drastically within a single day.
When Xu Dengming left home this morning, she was wearing a thick coat, but by the time she arrived on campus, she had switched to a long-sleeved T-shirt.
Xu Dengming, with her hands in her pockets, scanned the representative students around her: one frantically scratching his head while cramming for an exam, another walking unsteadily with a dazed look, muttering to himself, and yet another trying to fish in the artificial lake while tears streamed down his face in the wind.
She sighed, “It’s been a while since I was last here, but the school still embraces diversity and is committed to nurturing a wide range of talents, just as it always has.”
Wang Yanxing: “…”
Actually, their university was considered quite good in the outer city.
It was initially established specifically for young people from the inner city who, for various reasons, needed to study in the outer city.
Only in recent years had the admission requirements gradually relaxed.
There weren’t many students on the campus paths since the construction of the new campus, E University had gradually been relocating its faculty and students to the new site.
The old campus, located in the old city district, was now mostly populated by soon-to-be graduates, busy with their theses and job hunting.
Xu Dengming could understand.
After all, it was only 10 a.m., and for many seniors, the sun at 10a.m. wasn’t enough to rouse them from their beds.
Wang Yanxing said, “The job fair is in Building 3, which is quite far.”
Building 3 was located near the south gate, a rather remote spot that had been under long-term maintenance.
Even students from the university rarely went there.
Fortunately, a banner reading “Nest Company Job Fair” was hung outside, ensuring that job-seeking students wouldn’t miss it.
When Xu Dengming and Wang Yanxing entered the lecture hall on the first floor, it was almost time for the scheduled presentation to begin.
However, the number of people in the room was far fewer than expected, giving rise to the bleak thought, “Could it be that I’m the only one struggling to find a job?”
Wang Yanxing leaned over and whispered to Xu Dengming,
“It seems like not many people showed up. Either the company isn’t great, or the salary doesn’t meet expectations.”
Xu Dengming wholeheartedly agreed.
The two of them sat in the back row and initially listened patiently.
However, the host’s speech was so sleep-inducing, filled with exaggerated introductions of the company and optimistic forecasts of its future, that it was easy to tune out without missing anything important.
Before long, Wang Yanxing’s head began to nod, clearly on the verge of falling asleep.
Xu Dengming yawned in response.
The students’ lack of enthusiasm didn’t seem to faze the host, who continued to passionately express his love for the company as if it were the most natural thing in the world:
“…Nest Company will spare no effort in cultivating and selecting the highest quality products…”
The host’s voice gradually turned into a meaningless hum, like the static of a malfunctioning TV screen.
In her drowsiness, Xu Dengming took one last glance at the stage.
The figure on the high platform appeared unusually blurry and distorted.
She slowly laid her head on the table, following her classmate’s lead, and soon fell into a deep sleep.
“Clap, clap, clap.”
When Xu Dengming woke up, the first thing she heard was a series of crisp clapping sounds.
The original host from Nest Corporation had quietly exited the stage at some point, and now a young teacher stood at the podium.
She smiled warmly at the students below, her eyes revealing a hint of longing.
Her bright red lips curved into a grin, exposing a row of snow-white teeth. “Next, Nest Corporation will take you to the campus for an on-site visit. Please line up in an orderly manner and board the bus outside.”
Xu Dengming rubbed her forehead.
Although she was awake, she still felt drowsy, and her vision remained blurry.
The surrounding light inexplicably dimmed, and the people around her stood up one by one, silently following each other out the door like a string of elongated shadows drifting through the air.
Wang Yanxing, sitting beside her, nudged Xu Dengming and asked, “Coming?”
Her voice sounded muffled, as if it were coming from afar through water.
In response to her classmate’s suggestion, Xu Dengming, like any college student accustomed to staying up late, nodded blankly, casting her vote of approval.
She stood up and seamlessly merged into the surrounding crowd.
The bus was parked right outside, and the students filed in orderly, each finding a seat that suited them.
Not long after boarding, Xu Dengming noticed a striking similarity between Nest Corporation’s bus and their lecture: both were exceptionally conducive to sleep.
The bus swayed slightly, and perhaps due to her drowsy vision, Xu Dengming felt as though she were sitting inside the belly of some creature.
Delicate black veins seemed to drift slowly within the cavity.
The feeling of exhaustion grew stronger, and the students gradually lowered their heads as the bus swayed.
Xu Dengming tilted her head and resumed the nap that had been interrupted earlier by the young teacher.
After an unknown amount of time, Xu Dengming finally opened her eyes.
The bus had come to a stop, and the surroundings were unfamiliar and quiet.
It took her a moment to recall why she was here.
At this moment, the driver’s seat was empty, but each passenger’s seat now had a paper bag bearing the Nest Corporation logo.
The bag was bulging, its surface covered in fine patterns that reminded Xu Dengming of a fish belly stuffed with seeds.
By the time she woke up, the bus was mostly empty.
The walls seemed to have been freshly painted, with clumps of oddly colored paint that made the place feel unwelcoming.
Xu Dengming stretched her stiff neck and woke up Wang Yanxing beside her.
Wang Yanxing blinked groggily. “… How did I fall asleep?”
Xu Dengming replied, “Maybe it’s because we’re back in school-classrooms always reawaken a student’s desire for sleep.”
They were among the last to wake up on the bus.
Shortly after they regained consciousness, a cold voice came through the speakers:
“Attention, attention. The bus has arrived at the Nest campus. Please disembark in an orderly manner and follow the instructions to enter.”
“The campus is equipped with comprehensive living facilities. To ensure your experience, the campus will arrange for you to stay here for a period of time, allowing you to personally experience Nest Corporation’s corporate culture.”
The broadcast was interspersed with crackling static, coming and going, causing a sharp pain in their eardrums.
Wang Yanxing frowned. “We’re actually staying overnight this time? What about our luggage…”
Perhaps anticipating the students’ questions, the broadcast quickly addressed related concerns, quelling their unease and doubts-
“The company will provide dormitories for everyone and issue temporary employee cards. Each card has been preloaded with 500 consumption points, which can be used for meals and purchasing daily necessities.”
At this point, the static in the broadcast grew louder again:
“Ti-time is limited. Students must complete their settling-in before da—dark, dark—”
Amidst the stuttering, a sharp laughter could faintly be heard, and with a final “snap” of the power cutting off, all sounds abruptly ceased, leaving the carriage in silence.
Wang Yanxing felt a sense of urgency rising within her.
Her intuition told her it would be best to follow the broadcast’s instructions.
To survive within the campus, the temporary employee card was essential.
Xu Dengming glanced around and reached for a paper bag that had somehow been placed beside her.
The surface of the bag was cold and slippery to the touch, reminiscent of a dead fish’s belly.
As she bent over, Xu Dengming felt a wave of dizziness, and her vision grew even more blurred.
…”Survive”?
This was supposed to be a simple cultural experience.
Why had she thought of “surviving”?
Xu Dengming felt as though her thoughts were experiencing signal interference, with meaningless illusions rising and receding like tides.
She tried her best to ignore the discomfort in her body and quickly rummaged through the bag, finding a card labeled “Temporary Employee ID.”
As soon as the card was pulled out, the once plump and full bag suddenly became deflated, like an animal hide left out for too long.
The card actually bore Xu Dengming’s name and basic information, with a row of numbers at the bottom.
The numbers were slightly raised, and in terms of craftsmanship, they resembled those on a bank card.
Tftc!