Chapter 2: Work
Monster?
In Zhu Ning’s original apocalyptic world, every human city had been breached, hordes of zombies roamed right outside the doors. Want to see some fresh monsters? Just step outside and you’ll come face to face with them.
Fang Ying’s expression was quite remarkable—she clearly hadn’t expected such an answer, and for a moment her face looked rather odd. Was this newcomer really so fearless?
She had intended to follow protocol, launching into a lengthy explanation about what monsters were, then play some videos and present some data. Usually, the listeners would collapse, panic, or be gripped by fear, and Fang Ying would be responsible for soothing their nerves. But Zhu Ning showed none of these reactions; she remained perfectly calm, speaking about monsters as casually as if discussing wholesale cabbages at the market.
Fang Ying was unusually silent for two seconds, then continued with the process, “Are you afraid of corpses?”
Zhu Ning replied conservatively, “Not really.”
She’d seen far too many corpses before—human, zombie, and some things she couldn’t even identify. Seeing a corpse was no different to her than seeing a streetlamp.
Fang Ying paused—no wonder “It” had chosen her. Regardless of her abilities, Zhu Ning was certainly courageous. She’d already been screened by “It,” so Fang Ying was just following procedure.
Fang Ying said, “It’s good to be brave. You can start working.”
Zhu Ning: “...That’s it?”
She’d expected some sort of challenge.
Fang Ying explained, “Technically, our work isn’t very difficult. The only requirement is fearlessness—you must not be afraid of blood, not easily disgusted, highly resilient, and mentally stable.”
Zhu Ning paused, then whispered, “Is it corpse collecting?”
Fang Ying replied, “You can put it that way. You’ll be cleaning up the site.”
As expected, after asking if she feared monsters and corpses, the job definitely involved dealing with them. Zhu Ning quickly summarized: First, this world had some kind of mysterious monsters, but she didn’t need to know exactly what they were. Second, their corpses needed to be retrieved by specialized personnel.
The job wasn’t difficult, didn’t require an interview, and the onboarding was so simple—it was obviously a support role. Such jobs usually didn’t face direct conflict, just following behind the main force to pick up the leftovers.
Zhu Ning had lived a life of constant peril in her previous existence; this job was excessively easy for her.
“Can’t they recruit people with such high pay?” Zhu Ning asked.
Three hours for five thousand new coins; by the website’s calculation, that’s a daily wage of over ten thousand.
In a wasteland era where robots replaced most jobs, this kind of work would have people fighting over it.
Fang Ying sighed, “Not many people meet these qualifications. Most can’t handle it. Our longest-serving employee lasted eight and a half years; many switch careers after just three months.”
Zhu Ning: “Why?”
Fang Ying looked troubled, “It’s easy to go insane if you do it too long, so we’re always hiring.”
Zhu Ning: “Go insane?”
“Yes,” Fang Ying smiled wryly, “Most people’s minds simply can’t handle it, but we monitor employees’ health. If you can’t take it, the center will step in and stop you. Don’t worry—we don’t force anyone to work. If you’re injured, we handle treatment, and after leaving, you’ll receive a pension every month.”
It sounded harsh, but there was warmth from the organization.
“That’s why our probation period is only one day. If you can handle one day, you can handle the rest,” Fang Ying said.
Zhu Ning asked, “What about robots?”
It sounded like some kind of mental field—if humans were affected, robots should be immune.
Fang Ying replied, “They short-circuit.”
Zhu Ning: “?”
Fang Ying added, “I can’t say much more. No explanation can compare to experiencing it yourself.”
---
“To be honest, we’re in urgent need of newcomers. But the job is somewhat confidential, so I must make things clear to you.” Fang Ying pushed a stack of contracts in front of her.
Zhu Ning glanced at them—the confidentiality agreement listed no concrete terms, simply stating she must keep everything she saw secret.
One contract was for the probation period, safeguarding Zhu Ning’s basic rights. Another was the safety agreement, which was quite lengthy—twenty pages in all. Zhu Ning read it carefully, and a few clauses stood out.
Clause Eleven: Any injuries or fatalities during work will be fully covered by the Federal Cleaning Center, with compensation at triple the rate specified in Appendix 15.
Clause Thirty-Five: For those left permanently disabled, the Federation will provide lifelong support.
There were several terms regarding casualties.
“Is it dangerous?” Zhu Ning asked.
“Yes, but the odds are low. You’re unlikely to encounter anything,” Fang Ying replied. “Usually, by the time cleaners go in, everything is already cleared.”
After all, they weren’t the vanguard; all the danger was borne by those on the front lines. In summary, it was the most laid-back job among dangerous occupations—perfect for someone like Zhu Ning.
She finished reading all the terms and signed decisively.
Whatever work she did, it was work. Might as well pick the one with the higher pay. She always preferred earning a month’s wages in one day and spending the other twenty-nine days at leisure.
Fang Ying’s wristband chimed—someone else needed her. She said to Zhu Ning, “Your work site today is Sewer A7. Someone will escort you soon.”
Fang Ying operated her screen, “We pay in advance. Today’s wage is already transferred; your bonus will be settled after the job.”
Ding—Zhu Ning’s wrist flashed. Five thousand new coins had arrived. She felt she’d just picked up money off the ground.
---
Zhu Ning underwent an hour of basic employee training, commonly known as “Zero Foundation: Learn to Sweep Trash in One Hour.”
Training time counted as work hours, so this video was especially sweet.
Zhu Ning watched attentively—it was, after all, a somewhat dangerous job, so she couldn’t afford to be careless.
The bodies in the training video were all mangled masses of flesh and blood. It was nearly impossible to tell what kind of monster they had been; all she knew was that the official term was “contaminant.”
Zhu Ning memorized every step. She absorbed information quickly. In essence, it was corpse collection and battlefield cleanup—very simple for her.
After the video, someone took her to change into her “work suit.” Unexpectedly, changing clothes was the most time-consuming part—it took a full twenty minutes.
The work suit resembled biker gear: pure black, the material reminiscent of leather, and she had to wear a black helmet. She could easily pass for a motorbike thief.
If she pressed the button on her chest, the suit would inflate, providing resistance against monster impacts and additional cushioning. It could even supply oxygen for extreme environments. Once inflated, it looked even more like a spacesuit.
Zhu Ning recalled the first rule for cleaners: Never expose any skin.
She held her helmet, not yet putting it on. In front of her were two colleagues—the corpse recovery squad, no, cleaning squad was usually three members, and a newcomer would be paired with a team.
“Li Nianchuan.”
“Xu Meng.”
The three exchanged names. Xu Meng handed Zhu Ning a gun, “For self-defense. The permissions aren’t activated; just carry it for luck.”
Zhu Ning examined the gun—no bullets in the chamber.
“Air rounds,” Li Nianchuan explained. “When you fire, it instantly compresses air into a bullet. The firepower is decent.”
Li Nianchuan added, “If you don’t know how to use it, no problem. You’ll rarely need it. Today you’re just learning the cleaning process.”
Zhu Ning didn’t argue that she could handle firearms; she tucked the gun at her waist. Finally, Li Nianchuan handed her a cleaning backpack—she’d seen it in the training video, the tool she’d need for trash collection.
“Let’s go,” said Xu Meng, the squad leader. “I’ll take you to sweep up.”
---
The work site was a certain sewer.
They were chauffeured in a special vehicle, with no view of the outside. As a newcomer, Zhu Ning had no idea where they were headed, only that about an hour had passed. At 8 p.m., the hovercar stopped.
Night had already fallen. Two giant floodlights were set up in the wasteland, instantly turning it to daylight. Staff erected a cordon, and robots maintained order.
As Zhu Ning’s team entered, another group was just leaving.
Their uniforms were different—softer, more like armor. If Zhu Ning’s suit was biker gear, theirs was Iron Man’s exosuit.
Zhu Ning, who had survived countless brushes with death in her previous life, instantly recognized these people weren’t ordinary. They radiated a deadly aura—these must be the legendary vanguard squad.
Xu Meng led the way, pausing when she saw the armored soldiers, giving way to them.
Clearly, these armored troops outranked them. Whenever teams from the cleaning center met them, they had to step aside. Zhu Ning stopped as well, though the other group didn’t even acknowledge them, walking straight past.
One of them, passing by, chuckled under his breath, “Weaklings.”
Li Nianchuan wanted to retort, but Xu Meng grabbed his arm, only letting go once the armored soldiers had gone.
Xu Meng was used to it, but Li Nianchuan was disgruntled, “Why’d you pull me back?”
All three wore helmets, communications shared. Zhu Ning asked, “Who are they?”
“Demon Hunters, specialized in eliminating contaminants,” Xu Meng answered coolly.
Li Nianchuan snorted, “With all that high-tech gear, advanced weapons, and combat packs, anyone could do it.”
In the age of high technology, people depended more on machines. With AI and deadly weaponry, soldiers were essentially pawns.
Zhu Ning asked curiously, “Why aren’t you a Demon Hunter?”
Li Nianchuan sighed, “My mental grade isn’t high enough—I’d get contaminated too easily.”
Zhu Ning responded with an “oh”—so there were criteria. Those with high mental grades fought monsters; those without cleaned up after.
Li Nianchuan seemed a bit embarrassed, “But we’re the ones who contain the contaminants, you know. Without us, they’d be finished too.”
Zhu Ning replied absentmindedly, “Right, right, we’re the best.”
Li Nianchuan caught her tone, “Do you want to be a Demon Hunter?”
Most people thought Demon Hunters were cool, and saw trash cleaning as low-status and boring.
Zhu Ning refused immediately, “No.”
What a joke—she’d fought zombies her whole life; now she was here to take it easy.
Li Nianchuan: “...”
Zhu Ning’s answer was rather blunt.
Li Nianchuan patted her shoulder, “Good colleague—cleaners with real professional pride like you are rare nowadays.”
Zhu Ning said, “Of course. I knew right away this was the job for me.”
High pay, little work, no danger—the dream job.
“All right,” Xu Meng said. “Let’s get down to business. Li Nianchuan, report.”
Li Nianchuan instantly became serious, reciting data: “Grade E task. Contaminated area: 2,500 cubic meters. Minimum contamination level: 30 percent, maximum: 55 percent. Sixteen contaminants, all deceased.”
Zhu Ning listened to the string of numbers, but had little concept of what they meant. It was hard to explain, but Xu Meng said, “You’ll understand when you experience it yourself.”