Chapter 2: The Job

Chapter 2: The Job

Monsters?

In Zhu Ning's original apocalypse world, all human cities had been breached, with hordes of zombies roaming just outside the doors. Want to see some fresh monsters? Just step outside and you'll bump into them.

Fang Ying's expression was quite remarkable; she probably hadn't expected such an answer, leaving her momentarily with a peculiar look on her face. Is this new recruit so bold?

She had planned to explain at length what monsters were, show some videos, and present some data. The listener might break down, feel confused, or be terrified, and Fang Ying would have to calm their nerves. But Zhu Ning showed no signs of any of these; she spoke about monsters as casually as discussing the wholesale price of cabbages at the local market.

Fang Ying paused for two seconds before continuing, "Are you afraid of corpses?"

Zhu Ning responded conservatively, "Not really."

She had seen too many corpses—human, zombie, and some unidentifiable ones. To her, seeing a corpse was like seeing a street lamp.

Fang Ying paused again, impressed by the person "It" had chosen. Regardless of her abilities, Zhu Ning had guts. She had already been vetted once by "It," so Fang Ying was merely following protocol.

Fang Ying: "Being brave is good. You can start working."

Zhu Ning: "…That simple?"

She had thought there would be some kind of test.

Fang Ying: "Our job isn't technically difficult. The only requirement is bravery, not being afraid of blood or disgust, and having high stress tolerance and good mental health."

Zhu Ning paused, then asked softly, "Body collection?"

Fang Ying: "You can think of it that way; we clean up the scene."

Indeed, asking if she was afraid of monsters and then corpses meant she would be dealing with these things. Zhu Ning simplified it: first, there was some mysterious monster in this world, but she didn't need to know what it was. Second, the monster's corpses needed to be collected.

The job wasn't hard, requiring no interview, and the entry process was straightforward. It must be a support role, typically not involving direct conflict, just cleaning up after the main team.

Zhu Ning's previous life had been a daily struggle for survival, making this job seem overly simple.

"Why can't you find people willing to do this job for such high pay?" Zhu Ning asked.

Three hours for five thousand New Dollars, which according to the website's algorithm, translated to over ten thousand per day.

In the wasteland era where robots had replaced most jobs, this position would be fiercely contested.

Fang Ying sighed, "There aren't many people who meet the criteria. Many can't handle it. Our longest-serving employee has been here for eight and a half years, while many quit after three months."

Zhu Ning: "Why?"

Fang Ying looked troubled, "Long-term exposure can drive people mad, so we're always recruiting."

Zhu Ning: "Mad?"

"Yes," Fang Ying said with a bitter smile, "Most people can't handle the mental strain, but we monitor our employees' health. When you can't take it anymore, the center will intervene. Don't worry; we won't force anyone to work. We provide medical treatment for injuries and monthly compensation after resignation."

It sounded cruel yet warm in its organizational care.

"That's why our trial period is only one day. Whether you can handle it will be clear by then," Fang Ying explained.

Zhu Ning asked, "What about robots?"

It seemed like there was some kind of mental field; if humans were affected, robots should be fine.

Fang Ying: "They short-circuit."

Zhu Ning: "?"

Fang Ying: "I can't say more. You'll understand better when you experience it firsthand."

"To be honest, we desperately need new recruits, but the job has confidentiality requirements, so I must explain everything clearly." Fang Ying pushed a stack of contracts towards her.

Zhu Ning glanced at them. The confidentiality agreement had few specific clauses, essentially stating that she must keep what she sees secret.

One contract was for the trial period, ensuring Zhu Ning's basic rights, and another was a lengthy safety agreement spanning twenty pages. Zhu Ning read it carefully, noting several concerning points.

Article 11: Any casualties during work are fully covered by the Federal Cleaning Center, with triple compensation according to Appendix 15, Section 3.

Article 35: Those left permanently disabled will be cared for by the Federation for life.

The safety agreement mentioned casualties.

"Is it dangerous?" Zhu Ning asked.

"Yes, but the probability is low. Generally, the scene is already clean when we arrive," Fang Ying said. "We're not the front-line team; the risks are taken by those leading the charge."

In summary, it was the most laid-back job among dangerous roles, perfect for the laid-back Zhu Ning.

After reviewing all the clauses, Zhu Ning signed the contracts decisively.

Any job was a job, but better to choose one with higher pay. She preferred earning a month's salary in a day and relaxing for the remaining 29 days.

Fang Ying's wristband beeped, indicating someone else was looking for her. She told Zhu Ning, "Your work location today is the A7 sewer. Someone will guide you shortly."

Fang Ying tapped her screen, "We operate on a prepayment system. Today's wages will be transferred to you now, and your commission will be settled after your work is done."

Ding! Zhu Ning's wrist flashed, showing a credit of five thousand New Dollars. Was she getting paid this easily? Zhu Ning felt like she was picking up money.

Zhu Ning underwent an hour of basic employee training, colloquially known as: "From Zero to Hero: An Hour to Learn Trash Sweeping."

The training time counted toward her working hours, making the training video all the more appealing.

Zhu Ning watched the video attentively, knowing that the job could be dangerous and not wanting to take any risks.

In the instructional video, the corpses were reduced to indistinguishable blobs of flesh and blood. From the footage, it was nearly impossible to tell what kind of monsters they were; they were only referred to officially as pollutants.

Zhu Ning memorized each step diligently. She picked up the information quickly—basically, it involved collecting corpses and cleaning up the aftermath, which seemed simple enough for her.

After watching the video, someone led her to change into her "work uniform." Surprisingly, changing clothes took the longest, about twenty minutes.

The work uniform resembled motorcycle gear, entirely black, with material similar to leather, and a matching black helmet. With this outfit, she could easily ride off on a motorcycle without looking out of place.

If she pressed the button on her chest, the suit would inflate, providing protection against monster impacts and adding cushioning. It could even supply oxygen for extreme environments, making it resemble a spacesuit when inflated.

Zhu Ning recalled the first rule of the cleaner's code: no exposed skin.

Holding the helmet but not putting it on yet, Zhu Ning saw two colleagues from the cleanup team—no, the sanitation team—in front of her. Typically, teams were composed of three people, with a newcomer added if there was a trainee.

"Li Nianchuan."

"Xu Meng."

The three exchanged names. Xu Meng handed Zhu Ning a gun, "For self-defense. The permissions aren't activated, so just carry it for luck."

Zhu Ning examined the gun closely; it had no bullets in the chamber.

"Air bullets," Li Nianchuan explained, "When fired, it instantly encapsulates air to form a bullet, with decent firepower."

Li Nianchuan added, "Don't worry if you don't know how to use it; we rarely need it. Today, you're here to learn the cleaning process."

Zhu Ning didn't argue that she knew how to use a gun; she simply tucked it into her back waistband. Finally, Li Nianchuan handed her a cleaning backpack, which she recognized from the video as the tool she needed for sweeping trash.

"Let's go," said Xu Meng, the leader of their trio, "I'll show you how to sweep trash."

...

Their work location was reportedly a certain sewer.

They were transported by a dedicated vehicle, and since the windows were opaque, Zhu Ning couldn't tell where they were going. She estimated that it took about an hour before the vehicle stopped at around eight in the evening.

It was already dark outside, and two large lights illuminated the area like daylight. Staff members set up warning tape, and robots maintained order.

As Zhu Ning's team entered, another group was exiting.

Their uniforms were different, more like flexible armor. If Zhu Ning's outfit resembled motorcycle gear, theirs looked like Iron Man suits.

Having lived through life-threatening situations in her past, Zhu Ning immediately sensed something special about these individuals. They exuded a menacing aura, likely the rumored vanguard troops.

Xu Meng, leading the team, stopped to let them pass.

Clearly, these armored soldiers were of higher rank, and the cleaning center personnel had to yield. Zhu Ning also stopped, but the armored soldiers walked past without acknowledging them.

One person passing by chuckled quietly, "Weaklings."

Li Nianchuan wanted to confront them, but Xu Meng held him back, releasing him only after the armored soldiers had passed.

Xu Meng was used to this, but Li Nianchuan clearly resented it, "What's the point of holding me back?"

All three wore helmets, and their communication was shared. Zhu Ning asked, "Who are they?"

"Hunters, specialized in killing pollutants," Xu Meng replied calmly, befitting his role as captain.

Li Nianchuan scoffed, "With all the high-tech gear and combat packs guiding them, anyone could do it."

In this high-tech era, humans relied heavily on technology. With the aid of artificial intelligence and powerful weapons, soldiers were essentially pawns.

Curious, Zhu Ning asked, "Why aren't you a Hunter?"

Li Nianchuan sighed, "My mental level isn't high enough; I'd be vulnerable to contamination."

Zhu Ning responded with an understanding "Oh." It seemed that those with sufficient mental levels fought at the front, while those who didn't cleaned up afterward.

Feeling a bit embarrassed, Li Nianchuan added, "But we still contain the pollutants; without us, they'd be lost."

Zhu Ning agreed casually, "Sure, sure, we're the best."

Li Nianchuan detected the sarcasm in her tone, "Do you want to be a Hunter?"

Most people found Hunters cool and thought cleaners were lowly and boring.

Zhu Ning firmly rejected the idea, "No way."

Jokingly, she added, "I've fought zombies my whole life; I'm here to relax."

Li Nianchuan was taken aback by her straightforwardness.

Zhu Ning continued, "Good colleague, there aren't many cleaners left with your sense of pride."

Zhu Ning replied, "Absolutely, I knew our job was perfect from the start."

High pay, minimal work, no danger—it was her dream job.

"Alright," Xu Meng said, "Let's get to work. Li Nianchuan, report."

Li Nianchuan immediately became serious and recited the data: "E-level mission, contaminated area of two thousand five hundred cubic meters, minimum contamination thirty percent, maximum fifty-five percent, sixteen pollutants, all deceased."

Zhu Ning listened to a series of numbers but didn't grasp their significance. This was hard to explain, so Xu Meng said, "You'll understand once you go down and experience it for yourself."

Familiarity breeds ease, and by the third time, Zhu Ning would have these figures memorized.

"Zhu Ning, you go down first," Xu Meng ordered. "I heard from Fang Ying that you're very brave, so this will be a good chance for you to get familiar with the scene."

Li Nianchuan, remembering that Zhu Ning was a girl, suddenly felt chivalrous: "How about I go instead? She's still new."

Zhu Ning: "No need, I can handle it."

There was no need for politeness over such a small matter. What should have been a manhole cover had been visited by a demon hunter once, leaving a large hole.

A rope hung beside it, specifically for the Cleaning Team. Zhu Ning grabbed the rope and leaped down like a fish diving into water. It was very deep underground.

Zhu Ning released the rope, which made a slight sound, indicating that Li Nianchuan and Xu Meng had also descended. Her helmet had night vision, and as she scanned the area, she froze.

Though she had prepared herself mentally, watched videos, and listened to the advice of her seniors, and even expanded her imagination,

it seemed she had underestimated things. Her imagination had been too conservative.