Embers Ad Infinitum

In the small canteen next to the "Old Tune Group".

Jiang Baimian came back with the dinner plate and put down the meat one by one.

There is a rich soup filled with soft glutinous potatoes and large pieces of beef, a whole roasted chicken with a fragrant aroma and a yellowish skin, a very light-looking winter melon and pork ribs soup, and pieces of mutton scattered among the green onions. .

"It's so, so rich." Long Yuehong took a breath of the fragrance that filled the air and admired sincerely.

For him, this is just the Chinese New Year.

Jiang Baimian glanced at him:

"Didn't you have a great time eating in Qifeng Town?

"I thought meat dishes like this could no longer impress you like they used to."

"How could it be?" Long Yuehong instinctively retorted.

He paused and showed a nostalgic expression:

"However, the ham and bacon in Qifeng Town are really good..."

Because they have become a vassal of "Pangu Creatures", Qifeng Town can exchange for a very cost-effective and sufficient amount of salt, which allows them to preserve excess meat during the hunting and harvest seasons, so that the traces of wild beasts are difficult to find. Fight hunger in winter.

"Didn't you say you're tired of eating?" Shang Jianyao next to Long Yuehong exposed him.

Long Yuehong's expression froze:

"At that time, only then!"

While they were talking, Bai Chen came back with a dinner plate and four large portions of rice.

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

"Team leader, will this cost you too much?"

"This is a special meat dish, and it only uses 1 contribution point." Jiang Baimian pointed at the roast chicken and said, "The rest add up to 150 contribution points."

"What do you mean?" Long Yuehong heard this and said, "If I eat like this every meal, my monthly salary will only be enough for six days. No, less than six days. I didn't include breakfast just now."

"If you can eat so much every meal, I can treat you all the time." Shang Jianyao made a very serious suggestion.

"...Then I'll be exhausted in one day." Long Yuehong thought for a while and felt that this was an advantage that he couldn't take advantage of.

Jiang Baimian then smiled and said:

“It’s not like I can treat you like this every time, once in a while is nothing.

"I'm already at level D6. You all know how much the basic salary is."

"Each level increases contribution points by 500. D1 is 1,800 points, D2 is 2,300... D6 is 4,300 points. Counting various subsidies, you, the team leader, will have at least 4,500 points even if you don't go out in the field." Long Yuehong said seriously. After some calculation, "But if we want to eat well every meal and have enough meat and vegetables, we will have to spend 2,000 contribution points a month. This is even if we have meal subsidies, otherwise it will be at least 3,000 points. Deduct After excluding these, as well as energy rationing, water bills, installation costs and various necessary expenses, there won’t be much left... If you raise a few more children, it will be simply..."

The more Long Yuehong thought about it, the more difficult her life became.

The main reason is that he has adapted to the "luxury" life of having meat and vegetables every day and no children. If he wants to return to the state of having a wife, two children, and three meals of meat a week that he dreamed of before, he will inevitably feel that he is going backwards in life.

"Stop, stop!" Jiang Baimian interrupted Long Yuehong's calculations, "It gives me a headache! Besides, why don't you count your wife's salary? A family is supported by two people."

Speaking of this, Jiang Baimian smiled:

“I actually have a lot left over from my salary every month.

"My brother got married a long time ago and moved out. I have been living with my parents. Their salary is much higher than mine, and so are their subsidies and benefits.

"I supplement my meals during the day and eat their food at night. The company also distributes uniforms, which is perfect~"

Jiang Baimian looked around again and said with a smile:

“You can also get a lot of contribution points this time.

"Bai Chen becomes a regular employee and can enjoy the treatment of D1 employees. Shang Jianyao and Long Yuehong will be promoted to D2 level and you will get 500 more contribution points every month.

"In addition, there is also a field service subsidy. This time we go out for almost a month, and everyone can get eight or nine hundred.

"The biggest one should be the compensation converted from the harvest. I don't know how much this is exactly now."

As they listened, Long Yuehong and Bai Chen couldn't help but think about how to spend such a large sum of contribution points.

"I have to apply for a bigger room..." Long Yuehong said to herself, thinking of the cramped environment at home and her younger brother and younger sister who had to sleep together with adults.

Within "Pangu Biology", housing is normally allocated by level. If you want to skip a level and apply for a larger room, you have to pay a fee, and there is an additional rental fee every month.

Of course, employees also have a trick, that is, they do it themselves without going through the company. For example, when the children of some older employees have been assigned to rooms and are no longer crowded with them, they may charge a fee. , changing their larger and more spacious rooms to those that can no longer accommodate people at home.

This way, there are no monthly lease fees.

But the problem is that when the two old employees pass away, the company will reclaim the rooms according to the registered information.

After such a long period of cultivation, Long Yuehong talked to himself much louder than usual. Jiang Baimian nodded with a smile and said:

"Good ambition."

She looked at Bai Chen again:

"You probably want to save up all the contribution points, and wait until the employee level is high enough to do genetic modification?"

If an employee can pay a large sum of contribution points, or is willing to become a volunteer in some dangerous experiments, the level required to apply for genetic modification can be lowered, and it is possible to successfully apply for level D2 or even D1.

"Yeah." Bai Chen unconsciously pulled the old gray scarf around his neck.

Jiang Baimian nodded gently and said:

"I would like to remind you again that the technology of genetic modification is far from mature and carries various dangers. It is best not to try it unless it is absolutely necessary.

"Well... I also know that you must have your own reasons. I just hope you can make a good balance."

Without waiting for Bai Chen to answer, Jiang Baimian inhaled the fragrance that filled the air:

"Eat quickly, eat quickly, the food is almost cold!"

As she spoke, she stretched out her chopsticks and tore off the wings of the roast chicken neatly.

Underneath the yellowish skin is a layer of oil that melts in your mouth, and combined with the taste of several seasonings, Jiang Baimian can hardly stop talking.

Shang Jianyao, Long Yuehong and Bai Chen also joined in enjoying the food. Everyone was so focused that they had no time to talk.

After eating like a storm until the end, Jiang Baimian took a sip of vegetable soup, narrowed his eyes slightly, and said with satisfaction:

"Every time I come back from outside, having a meal like this really makes me appreciate the beauty of life."

"That's why we must save all mankind." Shang Jianyao also put down his bowl and chopsticks and wiped the corners of his mouth.

"Can't you change some other lines?" Jiang Baimian gave this guy a blank look.

Shang Jianyao nodded and suddenly asked:

"Then who do you think Xiao Chong is?"

When they heard the name Xiao Chong, Bai Chen and Long Yuehong, who were still sucking the chicken bones, stopped at the same time.

To them, this name is both mysterious and scary, as if it represents some kind of taboo.

In the past few days, they deliberately forgot about Xiao Chong and did not mention him in any discussion.

Jiang Baimian was silent for a few seconds and said:

"I suspect that he is the 'Heartless One', the 'Higher Heartless One' among the 'Higher Heartless Ones', and can even be called the 'King of the Heartless Ones'. Perhaps, it was because he was nearby and wanted to see a real gunfight, so I subconsciously ignored Qiao Chubie's awakened ability and corresponding scope..."

"A 'Heartless One' who has restored human wisdom and memory?" Long Yuehong was horrified and murmured, "No, how could a 'Heartless One' have human wisdom..."

Jiang Baimian said with a solemn expression:

"Not only does he have it, but he may also have terrifying abilities like aberrant creatures and 'advanced mindless beings'..."

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

Shang Jianyao raised his hand:

"Did he trade his body to be unable to grow in exchange for wisdom?"

"You want to say that Xiao Chong also has serious flaws and is far from a super human?" Jiang Baimian understood Shang Jianyao's subtext.

Shang Jianyao hesitated and said:

"he is my friend."

"So, you can't speak ill of your friends?" Jiang Baimian tried to interpret the other person's jumping thoughts.

Shang Jianyao did not answer.

"Haha." Long Yuehong laughed twice, then suddenly realized, "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 said.

"Hey, I've been genetically modified and am only 1.75 meters tall, so I look average..."

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

Jiang Baimian couldn't hide his smile. He stood up and said:

"Okay, you all go back and rest.

"Hey... I'm the only one who has to work overtime to write the mission report and submit it."

"Need help?" Bai Chen asked.

Jiang Baimian laughed and said:

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

Bai Chen, whose thoughts were revealed, felt a little ashamed and lowered his head slightly.

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

As the elevator went down, Long Yuehong looked at herself on the metal wall and suddenly sighed:

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

Without waiting for Shang Jianyao's response, he continued in confusion:

"Actually, I now somewhat understand the meaning of the work of the 'old tune group'...

"The life inside the company with a wife, two children, and three meals of meat a week is indeed wonderful. I still yearn for it, but when I get older, will I feel that my life has been wasted and my life has been in vain?"

Shang Jianyao stared ahead and ignored him.

Long Yuehong remained silent until the elevator reached the 495th floor, then she said with a smile:

"Just leave it to fate."

Shang Jianyao glanced at him:

"Then you go back and change your name first."

While talking, they separated at a fork in the road and went back to their homes.

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

As soon as he took out the key, he saw someone drawing a simple picture of a baby with white chalk at the bottom of the door.

This is not something too surprising in "Pangu Creatures" where children have a strong tradition of graffiti. If you don't like it, just erase it.

But Shang Jianyao knew that such a picture and such a position represented a certain meaning:

Tomorrow at 5:30 in the morning, the "Sacrifice of Life" religious group will meet at the old place.

Shang Jianyao raised his hand and gently wiped the corners of his mouth.

PS: The first update is asking for monthly tickets~