Chapter 93

Next to the "Old Adjustment Team," in a small cafeteria.

Jiang Baimian returned with a tray, placing down one by one the meat dishes.

There was a rich broth filled with soft potatoes and large chunks of beef, a whole roasted chicken with a fragrant, slightly yellow skin, a light winter melon and pork rib soup, and slices of lamb scattered among the green onions.

"Too, too abundant." Long Yuehong inhaled the aroma permeating the air and sincerely praised.

For him, the New Year was no more than this.

Jiang Baimian glanced at him:

"Weren't you quite happy eating in Qifeng Town?

"I thought such meat dishes wouldn't be as appealing to you as before."

"How could that be?" Long Yuehong instinctively rebutted.

He paused for a moment, revealing a nostalgic expression:

"However, the ham and salted meat in Qifeng Town were really good..."

Because Qifeng Town had become a vassal of "Pangu Biology," it could exchange for a very reasonable and sufficient amount of salt, which allowed them to preserve excess meat during the hunting and harvest seasons, to be used against hunger in the winter when the traces of wild beasts were hard to find.

"Didn't you say you were tired of it?" Shang Jianyao, beside Long Yuehong, exposed his secret.

Long Yuehong's expression froze:

"Only then, just then!"

As they spoke, Bai Chen returned with a tray, carrying four large portions of rice.

She glanced at the meat dishes and the equal number of vegetable dishes, and blurted out:

"Team Leader, won't this cost you too much?"

"This is a special meat dish, it only cost 1 contribution point." Jiang Baimian pointed to the roasted chicken, "The rest together cost about 150 contribution points."

"What do you mean 'about'?" Long Yuehong responded, "If I ate like this every meal, my monthly salary would only last six days, no, less than six days, I didn't count breakfast just now."

"If you could eat this much every meal, I could keep inviting you." Shang Jianyao seriously suggested.

"… Then I would be stuffed to death in one day." Long Yuehong thought for a moment, feeling that he shouldn't take advantage of this.

Jiang Baimian then laughed:

"I can't possibly treat you like this every meal, it's fine to do it occasionally.

"I'm already at D6 level, you all know how much my basic salary is."

"Each level increases by 500 contribution points, D1 is 1800 points, D2 is 2300... D6 is 4300 points, including various subsidies, Team Leader, you would have at least 4500 points even without going on field duty." Long Yuehong calculated seriously, "But if you want to eat well every meal and have enough meat dishes, it would cost at least 2000 contribution points a month, even with our meal subsidies, otherwise at least 3000 points. After deducting these, there are energy allocations, tap water fees, clothing expenses, and various necessary expenses, the remaining won't be much... If you have a few children, it would be even more..."

The more Long Yuehong thought, the more he felt the difficulty of life.

Mainly because he had already adapted to a "luxurious" life with meat dishes every day and no children, and the idea of returning to the once-desired state of one wife, two children, and three meat dishes a week seemed like a step backward in life.

"Stop, stop!" Jiang Baimian interrupted Long Yuehong's calculations, "You're giving me a headache! And why don't you consider your wife's salary? A family is supported by two people."

At this point, Jiang Baimian smiled:

"I actually save a lot every month.

"My brother got married and moved out long ago, I still live with my parents, whose salaries are much higher than mine, and their subsidies and benefits are also better.

"I use my meal subsidies during the day and eat with them at night, the company also provides uniforms, perfect~"

Jiang Baimian then looked around and said with a smile:

"You will also receive a lot of contribution points this time.

"Bai Chen will be regularized and can enjoy the treatment of a D9 employee, Shang Jianyao and Long Yuehong, you will be promoted to D8 level, with an additional 500 contribution points per month.

"Additionally, there is the field duty subsidy, this time out for about a month, each person can get around 800 to 900 points.

"The biggest part should be the compensation from the harvest, but I don't know the exact amount yet."

As they listened, Long Yuehong, Bai Chen, and the others couldn't help but imagine how to spend such a large amount of contribution points.

"I need to apply for a larger room..." Long Yuehong, thinking of the cramped living conditions and the need to share a bed with his younger siblings, muttered to himself.

In "Pangu Biology," housing is normally allocated according to rank, and if you want to apply for a larger room, you need to pay a fee, and there is an additional monthly rental fee.

Of course, employees have a trick, which is to swap rooms without the company's involvement. For example, when the children of some older employees have been allocated rooms and no longer live with them, they might charge a fee to swap their larger, more spacious rooms with those who are really crowded.

This way, there is no monthly rental fee.

However, the problem is that when these older employees pass away, the company will reclaim the rooms according to the registered information.

After so much indoctrination, Long Yuehong's muttering was louder than usual, and Jiang Baimian nodded with a smile:

"Good ambition."

She then looked at Bai Chen:

"You probably want to save all the contribution points until your employee level is high enough for gene modification?"

If an employee can pay a large amount of contribution points or is willing to be a volunteer for some dangerous experiments, the required level for gene modification can be reduced, and D8 or even D9 level employees might be able to apply successfully.

"Um." Bai Chen unconsciously pulled at the gray old scarf around her neck.

Jiang Baimian nodded lightly:

"I remind you again, gene modification technology is far from mature, with various dangers. Unless it's absolutely necessary, it's best not to try.

"Um... I know you have your reasons, I just hope you weigh the pros and cons."

Before Bai Chen could respond, Jiang Baimian inhaled the aroma in the air:

"Let's eat, let's eat, the dishes are getting cold!"

As she spoke, she extended her chopsticks and deftly tore off the wing of the roasted chicken.

Under the slightly yellow skin was a layer of fat that melted in the mouth, combined with the flavors of several seasonings, making Jiang Baimian almost unable to stop eating.

Shang Jianyao, Long Yuehong, and Bai Chen also joined in, each fully focused on the food, with no time to talk.

As they ate like a whirlwind, Jiang Baimian drank a mouthful of soup, squinted her eyes, and said contentedly:

"Every time we return from outside, eating a meal like this really makes one appreciate the beauty of life."

"So we must save all of humanity." Shang Jianyao also put down his chopsticks and wiped his mouth.

"Can't you change your lines?" Jiang Baimian gave him a look.

Shang Jianyao nodded and suddenly asked:

"Then what do you think, who is Xiao Chong?"

Hearing the name Xiao Chong, Bai Chen and Long Yuehong, who were still sucking on chicken bones, froze simultaneously.

To them, this name was both mysterious and terrifying, as if it represented some taboo.

For so many days, they had deliberately forgotten about Xiao Chong, not mentioning him in any discussions.

Jiang Baimian was silent for a few seconds and said:

"I suspect he is a 'Heartless One,' a 'High-Grade Heartless One,' even a 'King of Heartless Ones.' Perhaps, it was because he was there, wanting to see a real gunfight, that I subconsciously ignored Qiao Chu's other awakened abilities and the corresponding range..."

"A 'Heartless One' who has regained human intelligence and memory?" Long Yuehong was startled, muttering, "No, how could a 'Heartless One' have human intelligence..."

Jiang Baimian said with a solemn expression:

"He not only has it, but he might also possess the terrifying abilities of a mutant or a 'High-Grade Heartless One'..."

"A superhuman?" Bai Chen's tone was inexplicably heavy.

Shang Jianyao raised his hand:

"Did he exchange his body's inability to grow for intelligence?"

"Are you saying that Xiao Chong has serious defects and is far from being a superhuman?" Jiang Baimian understood Shang Jianyao's underlying meaning.

Shang Jianyao hesitated and said:

"He is my friend."

"So, you can't say bad things about your friend?" Jiang Baimian tried to interpret his jumping thoughts.

Shang Jianyao did not respond.

"Ha ha." Long Yuehong laughed, suddenly realizing, "Am I not your friend? Why do you often say bad things about me?"

Shang Jianyao glanced at him:

"I'm just repeating what you've said.

"Oh, I'm only 1.75 meters tall after gene modification, and I look average..."

"Stop!" Long Yuehong interrupted Shang Jianyao's repetition.

Jiang Baimian, unable to hide her amusement, stood up and said:

"Alright, you all go back and rest.

"Oh... I still have to work overtime, write the mission report, and submit it."

"Need help?" Bai Chen asked.

Jiang Baimian chuckled:

"Don't worry, I won't forget what to write and what not to write."

Bai Chen, whose thoughts were exposed, felt a bit ashamed and lowered her head slightly.

After saying goodbye to Jiang Baimian and Bai Chen, Shang Jianyao and Long Yuehong entered the elevator and returned to the 495th floor.

As the elevator descended, Long Yuehong looked at his reflection on the metal wall and sighed:

"I wonder if I can successfully transfer out of the team this time..."

Before Shang Jianyao could respond, he continued, somewhat lost:

"Actually, I now understand the significance of the 'Old Adjustment Team's' work...

"A wife, two children, and three meat dishes a week within the company is indeed a beautiful life, and I still yearn for it, but when I get old, will I feel that I have wasted my life, lived in vain?"

Shang Jianyao looked straight ahead, ignoring him.

Long Yuehong fell silent, and when the elevator reached the 495th floor, he laughed and said:

"Let's leave it to fate."

Shang Jianyao glanced at him:

"Then you should change your name first."

As they spoke, they parted ways at the fork in the road, each returning home.

Not long after, Shang Jianyao arrived at Room 196 in Zone B.

As he took out his key, he saw a simple baby drawing made with white chalk at the bottom of the door.

In "Pangu Biology," where children's graffiti was common, this was not too strange, and if he didn't like it, he could simply erase it.

But Shang Jianyao knew that such a drawing in such a position had a specific meaning:

Tomorrow at 5:30 AM, the usual place, "Life Sacrifice" cult gathering.

Shang Jianyao raised his hand and lightly touched his mouth.

PS: First update, seeking monthly votes~