Chapter 1

Jin Muchen got off the bus, took a deep breath, and felt the warm morning sunlight on his face. He clenched his fists and then walked towards the warehouse in front of him.

The warehouse was where Jin Muchen was to have his job interview for a position at the Costco distribution center, located on the outskirts of Brooklyn, New York City.

There are many large supermarkets in the United States, such as Walmart and Costco. The locations of these supermarkets differ significantly from those in China. In China, large supermarkets are usually located in bustling urban areas, while in the United States, they are generally situated on the outskirts of cities, which is related to American living habits.

Many Americans work in the city center but live in the suburbs, a common lifestyle in the United States. Therefore, large supermarkets are often located in residential areas far from the city center. The distribution centers for these supermarkets are even more remote, like the one Jin Muchen was interviewing at today, which was situated at the boundary between Brooklyn and Queens, serving three Costco stores in both boroughs.

Costco is a large wholesale-type supermarket, suitable for families with multiple members. Its prices are slightly lower than Walmart's, making it popular, especially in poorer areas like Queens.

Due to the high volume of business, the work at the distribution center is very demanding.

When Jin Muchen first saw the job posting online, it clearly stated that this was a physically demanding job. The job description required the ability to move specified goods from the shelves to the trucks within a set time frame, essentially being a loader and unloader.

The work was arduous, but the pay was high—$28 per hour, more than many office workers earn, and over twice the U.S. minimum wage. This was very suitable for Jin Muchen, who urgently needed to earn money.

A few days ago, Jin Muchen would not have considered this job, even though the pay was good. He knew his body couldn't handle it. However, after the strange incident, he had absolute confidence in his strength.

At the warehouse entrance, a tall, muscular white man, about 1.8 meters tall and solid like a mountain of flesh, greeted him. He was around fifty years old. When he saw that Jin Muchen was Asian, his expression showed surprise.

"Hi, you must be Muchen?"

"Yes, that's me. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too. I'm John, the supervisor here and your interviewer."

John extended his hand, and Jin Muchen shook it. John's grip was strong, and his palm was as rough as the surface of the moon.

"Alright, no more small talk. Let's get started."

John was a straightforward person. After a brief exchange, he led Jin Muchen into the warehouse.

Today, this was the first Chinese person John had seen come for a job interview. Usually, the applicants were mostly African Americans and Hispanics, who were generally strong and fit but often lazy, especially the African Americans.

They usually didn't last long, typically working for a month, saving a few thousand dollars, and then taking a break to enjoy themselves. They would return when they ran out of money.

If it weren't for the urgent need for more workers, John wouldn't have agreed to let this Chinese guy try out. Although he was tall, he didn't look particularly strong.

"New order from a store in Queens. They need 1,000 pounds of flour, which must be loaded within half an hour and delivered to the store within an hour. If you can complete this task within half an hour, the job is yours."

John led Jin Muchen to a pile of flour bags and pointed to it.

This was no easy task. A thousand pounds of flour, over 900 pounds, would be a challenge even for a strong African American. Few could guarantee completing the task alone within half an hour.

Jin Muchen looked at the pile of flour and then at John. He could see the doubt in the old man's eyes.

A group of African Americans and Hispanics had gathered around, chattering and waiting to see him fail.

Jin Muchen didn't get angry. He just smiled and said, "Alright, I'll give it a try."

He took off his long-sleeved shirt and walked towards the pile of flour.

When he removed his shirt, revealing his well-built muscles, John was surprised. He hadn't expected this guy to be so muscular, despite his lean appearance.

However, compared to the other muscular workers, his muscles were still not as impressive.

The idle African Americans and Hispanics gathered behind John, chattering.

"Hey, John, do you think he can do it?"

"I doubt it. John, letting him try is a waste of time."

"Hey, Paul, shut up. I think he can do it!"

"Jim, why do you always argue? How about we make a bet?"

"Sure, let's bet. The loser buys drinks at the Red Pony tonight."

"Hey, shut up, look..."

"Oh my God, is this guy even human?"

"WTF, he's a machine, not a human... Haha, Paul, looks like you're buying drinks tonight..."

Jin Muchen picked up a 50-pound bag of flour, placed it on his shoulder, and then picked up another one, stacking it on top. It wasn't too heavy, and he felt he could handle more. He carried four bags at once, walked down from the pile, and placed them on the pallet on the ground.

On the second trip, he started to feel a bit tired, but whenever his waist and arms ached, a warm current would surge from his lower abdomen, circulating through his body and instantly dispelling the fatigue. He felt re-energized, which boosted his confidence.

In ten minutes, he had stacked 500 pounds of flour. The paper bags needed to be handled carefully to avoid tearing, which was more challenging than carrying the bags.

The other workers often accidentally damaged a bag or two, especially as they grew tired.

After placing the bags on the pallet, he wrapped them in plastic and called for a forklift to load them onto the truck.

The job looked simple but was actually very demanding. However, Jin Muchen worked like a well-oiled machine, performing each task precisely and efficiently. After a few trips, he wasn't even out of breath or sweating much, which amazed the experienced workers.

He completed the 1,000-pound task in just twenty minutes.

The speed and efficiency left the other workers, including the seasoned John, in awe.

"Good job, the job is yours. You'll earn $30 per hour. I'll count the last task as forty minutes."

The job was paid by the hour and the task, but a diligent and efficient worker like Jin Muchen was hard to find. Giving him an extra ten minutes was a small reward, and the company would cover the cost.

John patted Jin Muchen's shoulder, impressed by his strength. He had misjudged him earlier.

"By the way, don't rush home after work. Paul is buying drinks at the Red Pony tonight."

"Oh no, guys, can we wait until Friday? It's not payday yet."

Paul, who had lost the bet, covered his face, but was met with whistles from the others.

"Shut up, Paul, you still have your credit card."

The other workers laughed, and Jin Muchen just smiled.

John took Jin Muchen to a makeshift office in a converted shipping container, filled out some forms, and gave him a safety helmet and work uniform. Jin Muchen started his job that day.

At 6 PM, Jin Muchen's shift ended, and everyone started to clock out. Before leaving, John called them to another container converted into a storage area.

"Help yourself to anything you want."

He turned and left, and the workers cheered, heading towards the damaged goods. Jin Muchen followed.

These were items damaged during the day, such as torn packages of bacon, dented cans, and broken beer and beverage bottles.

This was the second reason Jin Muchen took this job. The first was the high pay and no educational requirements, and the second was the access to these discounted goods, which would help him save a lot of money on food, especially with his changing body.