Chapter 9

Shang Jianyao's response left Long Yuehong baffled, and he didn't bother to try to understand it.

The two chatted casually as they headed to the "Material Supply Market." When the "Employee Cafeteria" opened, they each spent 8 contribution points to get a boiled egg, two coarse grain steamed buns, and a dish of pickled vegetables for breakfast.

After finishing their breakfast, Shang Jianyao and Long Yuehong, carrying their lunch boxes, entered the "Activity Center" and sat in a corner of the hall, waiting for the allocation results.

At this moment, the "Activity Center" was empty, with only the employees working there busily cleaning and arranging things under the watchful eyes of Chen Xianyu, the old man.

The elderly people who had been exercising and chatting in the morning had already left, either sending their younger family members to school or heading to their own workstations.

— The company's regulations stipulated that employees who turned 60 could be transferred to less demanding positions or have their workload halved. At 75, they could truly stop working and receive a monthly allowance based on their employee level.

However, there weren't many retired employees who, at 75, could come to the "Activity Center" to play, as the early generations, who hadn't undergone gene modification, rarely lived to 75 due to the lack of resources and poor nutrition.

Long Yuehong took a silent breath and started a conversation:

"I saw a colleague's daughter of my mother's yesterday.

"She's just 18, working at the radio station under the 'Entertainment Department.' She's over 1.7 meters tall and looks great.

"Do you think she might like me? Ah, after gene modification, she's only 1.75 meters tall, looks average, and her grades are just okay. No department has reserved me..."

Shang Jianyao raised an eyebrow and asked:

"What's her name?"

"Feng Yunying, hehe, she doesn't know Hou Yi; they're not in the same group." Long Yuehong thought Shang Jianyao was asking about Hou Yi, as many employees in the company were loyal listeners of the broadcaster.

Shang Jianyao didn't show any disappointment and continued:

"Which floor and which area does she live in? What's her door number?"

"Why are you asking these things?" Long Yuehong was both surprised and suspicious.

Shang Jianyao glanced at him:

"Go ask her if she might like you."

"..." Long Yuehong, despite his inexperience, knew this would ruin things. "Ha ha, don't joke around."

He didn't dare to continue the topic:

"Shang Jianyao, which department do you hope to join?"

"Security Department." Shang Jianyao answered without hesitation.

Long Yuehong almost lost control of his voice:

"Are you crazy?

"That's very dangerous! Don't think that having a meal allowance is a good thing! Ha ha, you're joking again."

The "Security Department" was the least safe department in the company, with an annual employee death rate several times higher than the combined rate of other departments.

This was because they were responsible for many external operations, including but not limited to escorting large shipments through the wasteland, fighting against invading forces or migrating monster groups, guarding outposts outside the underground building, exploring the wasteland for relics of the old world, and protecting scientific research teams in their missions.

This meant that "Security Department" employees often faced pollution, disease, monsters, mindless beings, and gunfire, leading to injuries, illness, mutations, and even death.

When Long Yuehong was shocked by Shang Jianyao's answer, Meng Xia and others entered the activity center, sitting in different areas based on their familiarity.

Yang Zhenyuan, who had a good relationship with Shang Jianyao and Long Yuehong, lived on the same floor and had entered the same university and major, walked directly to the two after scanning the room.

"Hey, why do you look so weak? Didn't you eat breakfast?" Long Yuehong asked with concern as Yang Zhenyuan approached.

Yang Zhenyuan's face turned red:

"I ate.

"I'm just a bit tired."

"Why are you tired?" Long Yuehong looked puzzled.

Yang Zhenyuan didn't know how to explain and turned to Shang Jianyao, sighing:

"Turns out getting married is such a tiring thing.

"But it's still pretty good. You guys should find partners soon."

As he spoke, he couldn't help but smile.

Long Yuehong thought he understood and didn't ask more, continuing the previous topic:

"Yang Zhenyuan, Shang Jianyao just joked about wanting to join the 'Security Department'!"

Yang Zhenyuan thought for a moment:

"If it's limited to internal duties, I'd like to join too; the benefits are really good."

The salary of "Security Department" employees was the same as other departments, following the company's regulations, but because they needed high-intensity training, they could eat meat every day—training days and duty days in the "Security Department" exclusive cafeteria, which was cheap and plentiful, and they received meal allowances on regular days.

This was a fatal attraction for many employees in the company.

"That's obvious. If it were limited to internal duties, everyone would want to join, except for the management and those who like research." Long Yuehong said dismissively, "Unfortunately, internal and external duties in the 'Security Department' are rotated, unless you can join the boss's personal guard, the management's direct action team, or the security team for important projects."

Shang Jianyao, who had been silent, suddenly spoke:

"I want to do external duties."

"..." Long Yuehong waved his hand in front of Shang Jianyao, "Are you really out of your mind? Don't you know how dangerous it is outside?"

"Security Department" employees knew many people, and they understood the current situation on the gray earth, where chaos still outweighed order.

In comparison, the company's internal environment, which was peaceful, orderly, and could guarantee basic supplies, was almost like heaven.

Because of this, even though "Security Department" employees received corresponding allowances for external duties and could bring back items from the gray earth that didn't need to be handed over or destroyed, few people genuinely wanted to go.

To encourage people to join the "Security Department," the board was very generous with promotions. Many people might only reach D3 in their entire lives in regular positions, unable to become senior employees, while "Security Department" staff could reach D4 in a year, or even half a year. Additionally, those who retired from the "Security Department" and transferred to regular positions were all promoted by one level.

Yang Zhenyuan couldn't understand Shang Jianyao's thoughts but didn't argue, only pointing out:

"Most 'Security Department' employees are selected from those who are married and have children, rarely from those who are newly married or unmarried."

"Right, right." Long Yuehong nodded with a smile.

He looked at Shang Jianyao:

"Why do you want to do external duties?"

"To save all of humanity." Shang Jianyao's expression didn't change.

"Cough, cough, cough." Long Yuehong and Yang Zhenyuan were choked by their own saliva.

At that moment, two people in black uniforms entered and handed a sealed envelope to Chen Xianyu, the old man in charge of the "Activity Center."

Long Yuehong, Yang Zhenyuan, Meng Xia, and others stood up simultaneously, holding their breaths.

The envelope contained the allocation results.

Unlike unified marriage assignments, which required public announcements, allocation results were confidential and communicated through letters, with no one else knowing the details.

After confirming the envelope was undamaged and signing for it, the two board employees stepped back to Chen Xianyu's side to supervise the distribution process.

"So fast, looks like we're the first batch... I wonder what positions we'll get..." Long Yuehong couldn't help but speak when he was nervous.

Shang Jianyao glanced at him:

"Assume you're joining the 'Security Department.' This way, no matter what the final result is, it won't be worse."

"Good point!" Long Yuehong, having no other choice, followed Shang Jianyao's suggestion.

Chen Xianyu showed the envelope to everyone, then opened it and took out a stack of letters.

He then called out the names on the envelopes:

"Zhong Xiaomin."

A girl went up, took the envelope, and quickly walked to the side to open it.

"Yang Zhenyuan."

...

"Meng Xia."

...

"Long Yuehong."

...

"Shang Jianyao."

...

Names were called out one by one, and people went up to receive the envelopes that would determine their fates.

They didn't hesitate, opening the envelopes right there in the "Activity Center" and pulling out the letters inside.

Long Yuehong stood not far from Chen Xianyu, his hands slightly trembling as he unfolded the paper:

"Long Yuehong, electronic card number 02511013768:

"Please report to room 14 on the 647th floor before 12:00 PM."

647th floor... Long Yuehong's mind buzzed, and the paper slipped from his hands, falling to the ground.

He quickly picked it up, reading it several times, hoping he had read it wrong.

Unfortunately, he hadn't.

"Finished, finished..." he muttered, his face ashen.

The underground building had 650 floors, with the top 5 floors belonging to the "Security Department."

So, reporting to the 647th floor meant joining the "Security Department."

Snap, Shang Jianyao patted Long Yuehong's shoulder.

Long Yuehong slowly turned, his eyes vacant:

"Finished, finished..."

Shang Jianyao said with a bright smile:

"I've been assigned to the 'Security Department.'"

"Ah?" Long Yuehong woke from his nightmare, snatching the letter from Shang Jianyao.

He quickly scanned it, reading the content:

"Shang Jianyao, electronic card number 02509083626:

"Please report to room 14 on the 647th floor before 12:00 PM."

"We're in the same place?" Long Yuehong calmed down a bit.

"Looks like it." Shang Jianyao responded with a smile.

"Why are we so unlucky?" Long Yuehong, feeling less despondent with company, asked.

Shang Jianyao tilted his head:

"I applied myself."

"..." Long Yuehong was speechless.

At this moment, Meng Xia, Yang Zhenyuan, Zhong Xiaomin, and others saw their allocation results, some excited, some happy, some dejected, some sad, but none reacted as intensely as Long Yuehong.

"Shang Jianyao, where were you assigned? I'm going to the research institute on the 36th floor." Yang Zhenyuan, holding his letter, approached.

Shang Jianyao smiled and answered:

"Security Department."

Instantly, the hall of the "Activity Center" became extremely quiet. Those who were sad and dejected first felt surprised, then thought their own results weren't so bad.

Seeing this, Long Yuehong didn't want to stay and pulled Shang Jianyao, whispering:

"Let's report in, sigh, we can only report in first."

This was an unresistable result, unless they wanted to be exiled by the company with their families.

Even if there were channels to smooth things out, they had to report in first and then try to transfer.

However, those with such connections had already taken the "reservation" route.

Shang Jianyao waved to Yang Zhenyuan, picked up his lunch box, and walked with Long Yuehong to the other side of Zone C.

There, the elevator to the top five floors was located.

Long Yuehong followed Shang Jianyao in silence for a while, then pursed his lips and whispered:

"At least, we can see the real sky..."

PS: Thank you, Gong Shuyin, for the silver alliance support.

PS2: Please give me a recommendation vote~