Chapter 3

Dr. Lin finished drawing a circle, lifted her fountain pen, and looked at Shang Jianyao, chuckling:

"This seems to be a modification of the Salvation Army's slogan, right?"

Shang Jianyao hummed and said seriously:

"Dr. Lin, I think you have a bit of a misunderstanding about my condition, mistaking some normal things for symptoms of illness."

Dr. Lin straightened her posture slightly, a smile appearing on her fair face:

"What aspects do you think I have misunderstood?"

Shang Jianyao fell silent for a few seconds, as if organizing his thoughts:

"You can't understand that pure, noble sentiment, or what it means to be a person who has transcended base interests."

Dr. Lin tightly pursed her lips, seemingly making a great effort to keep from laughing.

She adjusted the gold-rimmed glasses on her nose, took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled:

"Indeed, in this era, where is there room for idealists to survive? Even the Salvation Army has fallen."

The doctor paused and continued:

"I can try to understand you, but you must tell me, how did you come to have such thoughts? What events led you to have such impulses?"

"There's nothing specific. I just think this way," Shang Jianyao sighed and smiled, "Dr. Lin, you are the most gentle and graceful woman I have ever met. I have something I want to say to you."

Dr. Lin's eyebrows twitched:

"I have..."

Before she could finish, Shang Jianyao added:

"I originally thought you could be my spiritual mother, but now I realize our minds are in two completely different worlds. What a pity."

"Cough, cough, cough." Dr. Lin seemed to have choked on her own saliva.

She immediately picked up the ceramic cup beside her, took two sips, and muttered to herself:

"Ah, I've finished this month's tea ration."

Without waiting for Shang Jianyao to speak, she lowered her voice and asked mysteriously:

"Have you recently heard voices that others can't hear, or seen things that others can't see?"

Shang Jianyao shook his head firmly:

"No."

Dr. Lin observed Shang Jianyao's expression for a few seconds before asking about other matters.

After about ten minutes, a sweet female voice echoed simultaneously throughout all the floors:

"It is now the hour.

"The current time is 6 PM."

"The broadcast is now complete." After the voice repeated three times and stopped, Dr. Lin rubbed her temples and said, "That's all for today."

She thought for a moment and added:

"Since your sleep is fine and you haven't seen things that others can't see, I won't prescribe any medication. Come back for a follow-up at the same time next week."

"Okay, Dr. Lin." Shang Jianyao stood up and walked towards the door.

After pulling the door open, he suddenly turned around and said:

"Thank you, Dr. Lin."

Dr. Lin smiled in response:

"You're welcome."

After Shang Jianyao left and carefully closed the door, Dr. Lin sighed and said to herself with a smile:

"Such a polite young man."

As she sighed, she picked up the file on her desk and began to read through the records:

"Name: Shang Jianyao.

"Age: 21.

"Date of Birth: September 28, Year 25 of the New Calendar.

"Family Situation: Father, Shang Shian, is a D7 group-level employee, who disappeared along with the entire 'Old Adjustment Team' in Year 37 of the New Calendar; Mother, Zhang Ruxin, is a D3 ordinary employee and elementary school teacher, who passed away in October of Year 40 of the New Calendar, with the cause of death suspected to be excessive grief; from October of Year 40 to September of Year 43, Shang Jianyao grew up in the orphanage on the 495th floor and was admitted to the university's electronics department.

"Situation Explanation: In May of Year 46 of the New Calendar, Shang Jianyao voluntarily applied to be a participant in the 'C-14' project. His reason was to gain powerful abilities to investigate the truth behind his father's disappearance.

"Experiment Results: Failed, no changes compared to the control group.

"Aftereffects: Intermittent logical confusion, leading to a certain degree of mental leaps, with no other abnormalities.

"Additional Matters: Normal genetic testing...

"Comprehensive Judgment: Moderate mental abnormality (suspected delusional disorder, under observation)..."

After reading for a while, Dr. Lin wrote at the end:

"Follow-up results on July 10, Year 46 of the New Calendar: Symptoms have not improved, but have not worsened either. No violent tendencies, no aggressive behavior, considered temporarily harmless."

...

6 PM is the official end of the workday, as stipulated by the company. Except for specific project teams that need to work overtime and certain 24-hour shift positions, all employees leave the 'Management Area' on the 5th floor, the 'Research Area' from the 6th to the 45th floor, the 'Factory Area' (also a maintenance area) from the 46th to the 145th floor, and the 'Internal Ecological Area' from the 146th to the 345th floor, returning to the 'Living Area' which spans 300 floors.

Due to limited energy rations and the fact that both spouses and elderly family members may be working, many employees choose to dine at the 'Material Supply Market' on each floor.

This place is divided into two parts: one supplies sweet potatoes, potatoes, rice, flour, meat, vegetables, and fruits from the 'Internal Ecological Area,' as well as fabrics, sugar, salt, and other materials from the 'Factory Area'; the other supplies various cooked foods, affectionately known as the 'Employee Cafeteria.'

Dining at the cafeteria is more expensive than cooking at home, and the food isn't as good, but considering the energy rations that everyone lacks and the fatigue after a day's work, this seems to be a better choice.

This is also the preference passed down from the company's upper management—hoping to reduce energy consumption through centralized dining.

When Shang Jianyao returned to the 495th floor, it was about 20 minutes before the cafeteria opened at 6:30 PM—due to some positions requiring cleaning, disinfection, or other necessary tasks after work, the board of directors stipulated that the cafeteria would open half an hour after the official end of the workday.

For employees who returned to their respective floors before 6:15 PM, the 'Activity Center' next to the 'Material Supply Market' is the best place to spend the remaining time. They can gather together, chat about life and work under the lights, and mention with a clear sense of superiority the people struggling to survive outside.

Some employees also take the opportunity to sell items they no longer need to earn more contribution points, so every evening from 6:00 to 6:30 PM and from 7:00 to 8:30 PM, the 'Activity Center' hall turns into a small market.

As soon as Shang Jianyao walked in, he saw the 'Activity Center' manager, Mr. Chen Xianyu, sitting on a small stool that creaked occasionally, with a pile of odd items scattered in front of him.

"What's this?" Shang Jianyao squatted down and picked up a rectangular item with a metal casing and a black screen.

"Who knows? But it's pretty sturdy, can be used to hit people, or as a bulletproof shield." Mr. Chen poked his chest.

"Where did it come from?" Shang Jianyao asked while fiddling with it.

Mr. Chen Xianyu cleared his throat and said:

"It's from my comrade's youngest son, who is now serving in the 'Security Department.' He just returned from the ruins of an old-world city. Time flies, I watched him be born and grow up..."

After a moment of reminiscence, Mr. Chen added with a smile:

"Anyway, this has been screened, and the company doesn't need it, so it doesn't have to be turned in. He left it with me to sell on consignment. You know, I don't need to go to the cafeteria; someone brings me food."

He managed quite a few employees.

Shang Jianyao glanced at the spider-web-like cracks on the black screen and thought for a moment:

"How many contribution points?"

"Not expensive, 500 points." Mr. Chen casually quoted a price.

Shang Jianyao slowly put the item down and muttered:

"Five pounds of meat."

After mentioning meat, both he and Mr. Chen swallowed their saliva.

Shang Jianyao scanned the items and picked up another one:

"Is this a watch?"

"Yes, a wristwatch. It has a complex mechanical structure and still works. Just need to be calibrated to use it." Mr. Chen's eyes lit up, "What do you think? Want to consider it? The hands and time markers glow in the dark, so you don't need a flashlight to see clearly. Let me tell you, in the entire company, there are no more than 100 people who have a good wristwatch. If you have one, you won't need to rely on the broadcast for the time, or come here to check the wall clock. You'll be the envy of the entire floor, and maybe even some young ladies will approach you for a romantic relationship..."

The watch in Shang Jianyao's hand had a silver strap with multiple cracks and rust, and the green gem-like dial had a second hand that ticked irregularly, with glass shards scattered everywhere.

"How many contribution points?" Shang Jianyao asked in a steady voice.

Mr. Chen hesitated before answering:

"Sixty thousand."

Shang Jianyao quickly put the watch down as if it were scalding hot.

With a D1 employee's monthly salary of 1800 points, it would take nearly three years of not eating or drinking to save up enough.

Mr. Chen didn't expect Shang Jianyao to buy it; he was just joking with the young man. He then pointed to the pile of metal cans in the middle:

"Want to buy these?

"Good stuff, military rations!"

Shang Jianyao picked up a can and saw that the plastic wrapping was torn, and the label was extremely blurred, only vaguely showing "braised beef" and "500g."

"How about it, heavy, right? That means it's full!" Mr. Chen said, spitting out saliva, "Let me tell you, these military rations are delicious, something I can never forget. They're much better than the dehydrated rations from the Salvation Army!

"If it weren't for my comrade's child digging up a whole box this time, you might never get to taste them. The price is 60 contribution points per can, very cheap, right? If you buy a pound of fresh pork at the 'Supply Market,' it costs 50 points, and that doesn't include seasonings, no one to cook it for you, and you might not even get it! Plus, after you finish the can, you can turn the metal shell in to the 'Material Management Department' for some contribution points. Isn't that a good deal?"

Shang Jianyao looked at the old man, waited for him to finish, and suddenly asked:

"How long past the expiration date are they?"

"Expiration date? How would I know? I don't know how to convert old-world years." Mr. Chen widened his eyes, "But it's only Year 46 of the New Calendar, they're still edible."

He then had a nostalgic look on his face:

"When I was in the 'Security Department,' I once went on a mission and lost my supplies, almost starving to death. Fortunately, I found a military warehouse and discovered these rations. They were already past their expiration date by many years, but I ate them and was fine. They tasted great."

PS1: Thank you to Zhongpu Wangcai for the silver alliance donation, and to everyone who donated last night.

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