Chapter 5: The Scavenger

"Ah... all right."

Wang Xi had not expected to be immediately pressed into service the moment he arrived, and hurriedly agreed.

The contract was already signed; what else could he do?

Best to work obediently.

Before leaving, though, he did not forget to thank the smoky-eyed girl at the reception desk.

But she was seated there, absorbed once more in her phone, head down, waving him off with perfunctory indifference.

"How unusual."

Lin Zhifeng led Wang Xi outside, smiling in amusement.

"That girl Jia Li is good in every way except that she does not like to deal with people. Yet you, being new here, seem to get along with her well enough."

Handsome people were like that.

If you were not handsome, you would not understand.

Wang Xi muttered to himself, then said to the overweight deputy supervisor:

"Miss Jia Li is beautiful and kind, and taught me a lot. Once I get my salary, I will definitely thank her properly."

At that, Lin Zhifeng's expression shifted a little strangely. But following the thread, he still laughed and said:

"Not often do we get a coworker as generous as you. Still, our work at Cupid Housekeeping may be busier and a little more dangerous, but the pay is relatively higher as well."

Seeing that he had opened the door to the topic, Wang Xi seized the chance to ask:

"Brother Lin, what exactly is my salary? It was never mentioned during the interview."

"Ha, the base pay is twenty thousand," Lin Zhifeng said. "The company covers all five insurances and a housing fund, and there are field bonuses, overtime allowances, and so on. Work hard, and you can make at least thirty thousand a month."

The chubby man held up three fat fingers.

That compensation was indeed rather good...

Wang Xi's expression brightened somewhat.

Though the income was far below what he had made in his previous life, this new world was in the era of fierce post-disaster reconstruction. Having a job at all was already fortunate.

The unemployed and the beggars were everywhere. Compared with them, this position counted as high-income in the Shanhai Federation.

"Right, Xiao Wang, you will be working in our department from now on. This is your work badge. Keep it safe."

The fat man took out a work badge tied with a blue lanyard and handed it to Wang Xi.

Wang Xi accepted it and looked.

His ID photo had already been affixed to it. Besides his name, it also listed his position and department:

"Cupid Housekeeping Employee Badge."

"Name: Wang Xi."

"Department: Cleaning Division."

"Position: Trainee Cleaner."

Cleaner?

Wang Xi was somewhat puzzled. While hanging the badge around his neck, he asked:

"Brother Lin, what exactly am I supposed to do?"

"Post-disaster cleanup," Lin Zhifeng said, the benevolent smile again spreading across his fleshy face. "For example, damaged buildings and houses, collapsed roads and ground, as well as monsters, and even the bodies of the dead..."

"You may find it a little hard to adjust at first, but after a while you'll be fine. Everyone starts out this way. You're young, so I believe you'll pick it up quickly."

Cleaning up monsters... and human corpses?!

Wang Xi froze.

"Here."

At that moment, Lin Zhifeng handed him two more cards, breaking his daze.

"These are the artificial universal cards for the job. Take good care of them and do not lose them. They all have serial numbers... If they go missing, you will need to compensate us. Fifty thousand per card."

Wang Xi silently took them.

The Kaos in his mind then interpreted the two cards for him in detail:

"Chibi Thunder Saw (equipment card)"

"Quality: White one-star (not upgradable)"

"A patented card of Cupid Housekeeping. Technology licensed by the Gear Consortium, certified by the Overlook Bureau, and produced on commission by Shanhai Workshop. A single-handed mechanized work tool with transformation functions."

"After use, you will hold it. It can transform into a chainsaw, electric drill, bucket shovel, jackhammer, cutting machine, dissection operating table, and more."

The other card was:

"Chibi Protective Suit (equipment card)"

"Quality: White one-star (not upgradable)"

"A patented card of Cupid Housekeeping. Technology licensed by the Glitter Consortium, certified by the Overlook Bureau, and produced on commission by Shanhai Workshop. A form of work protective gear that can effectively defend against physical, chemical, biological, and other external harm, protecting the human body."

"After use, you will wear it. It features high strength, high wear resistance, impermeability, corrosion resistance, resistance to hydrostatic pressure, and toxic gas filtration."

Good heavens!

Dressed in protective gear, wielding a giant saw, anyone who knew better would call him a cleaner from Cupid Housekeeping; anyone who did not might think he was about to carry out some mass slaughter or a biohazard experiment!

With the two artificial cards in his hands, Wang Xi felt like a raw recruit heading for battle, his palms damp with sweat and his nerves taut.

"The higher-ups are pressing the job hard, and our department is short-handed. There is no time to train you properly."

As the deputy supervisor spoke, they had already reached the parking lot behind the building.

He pointed toward a menacing armored bulldozer not far away, where seven or eight men and women stood or squatted nearby.

"Once we get to the site, the team leader of Group Two will assign you your tasks. If you do not understand something, you can ask him or the others. Everyone here is warmhearted and likes taking care of newcomers."

"I'll only see you this far. I've still got urgent matters to handle, so I won't go with you."

"All right, Brother Lin. Please, go ahead with your work."

Wang Xi took a deep breath and replied politely.

The fat man laughed, nodded to a middle-aged man beside the armored vehicle, and then turned away.

As Wang Xi walked over alone, the members of Group Two all cast curious looks his way.

"New here?"

The middle-aged man in a blue short-sleeved shirt sized Wang Xi up a few times and smiled.

Wang Xi took the initiative to extend his hand and answered politely:

"Yes, I just joined. My name is Wang Xi."

"Lei Wen," the middle-aged man said, shaking his hand. He had a weathered face with stubble, the look of a man who did not bother much with appearances. "I'm the leader of Group Two."

"Get in first. I'll introduce the other coworkers on the way, and we can sort out your assignment as well."

"Sure, I'll listen to you, Brother Lei."

Wang Xi nodded.

Then Lei Wen turned and opened the cargo door of the clearing bulldozer truck, climbing in first. The others followed with practiced ease.

The compartment inside was spacious. Two rows of metal benches were fixed along both sides, more than enough to seat twenty people. The wire-mesh lining on the inner walls was hung with all sorts of tools, and a row of palm-sized ceiling lights cast a clean white glow, making the whole place bright.

After sitting down, Wang Xi took the chance to observe the others.

There were eight people in Group Two of the Cleaning Division: six men and two women. With Wang Xi added, there were now nine.

The driver was a burly man close to two meters tall, wearing a black tank top and camouflage pants, with a close-cropped haircut. Yet his features were not fierce; on the contrary, he looked rather honest and simple.

Apart from the team leader Lei Wen and this burly driver, the other four men were a long-haired young man with a blank face, a short, thin fellow wearing a gloomy expression, and a pair of twin brothers chatting softly with each other.

The two female coworkers were one with short hair and a slightly plump build, and the other a blond-haired girl with a ponytail.

But Wang Xi noticed that everyone else was dressed in ordinary clothes, and only he was still in a suit, making him look utterly out of place.

"Xiao Liang, let's go."

Seeing that everyone was seated, Lei Wen called toward the driver's seat.

"Right away, boss."

The burly man with the cropped hair grinned stupidly and started the truck.

Rumble.

The engine roared, and the entire compartment began to tremble.

Once the clearing vehicle left the parking lot of Cupid Housekeeping and reached the main road, Lei Wen introduced the coworkers to Wang Xi, and had Wang Xi briefly introduce himself as well.

After some conversation, everyone became somewhat familiar.

The blond-haired girl with the ponytail stared at Wang Xi several times, her face then breaking into an inexplicable, satisfied smile. She stood up and walked straight over to him.

"Move, change seats."

She shoved the gloomy young man aside, then plopped down next to Wang Xi, right up against him.

"Relax, handsome. I'll teach you hand in hand later. After a few tries, you'll get the hang of it."

"Thanks, Miss Yuhe. You're really kind."

Wang Xi always felt that her words carried some rather ambiguous undertone, but outwardly he still gave a polite smile.

After the introductions, he learned that the female coworker was named Zhu Yuhe. She had been working at Cupid Housekeeping for three years and was considered a veteran employee.

"Don't call me Miss. It's too distant. Just call me Yuhe."

The blond girl chuckled.

She was two years older than Wang Xi. Her looks and figure were not bad, though her behavior and manner of speaking were rather carefree, even a little flirtatious.

Wang Xi nodded. Before he could say more, Zhu Yuhe elbowed him and winked.

"Got a girlfriend?"

"Not yet." Wang Xi shook his head. "I just graduated, so I haven't been thinking about that."

"How nice, heh."

At that, the blond female coworker arched her brows, her smile growing even brighter.

Then the other female coworker, the short-haired plumper one, clicked her tongue and said:

"Zhuzi, be a dear and stop harassing the new male coworker in our group."

As she spoke, she stood up and casually began taking off her clothes.

Wang Xi stared in surprise.

This coworker, named Gao Fen, was already in her thirties, yet he had not expected her to be so uninhibited, showing no concern whatsoever for the men present.

The other coworkers, however, did not react at all, as though they were long used to it.

Buzz.

With a faint sound, Gao Fen stripped down to her undergarments, and then a flash of white light appeared over her body, revealing a fully enclosed yellow protective suit that looked bulky and oversized.

On the chest was printed the little winged Cupid Housekeeping logo, while the face was covered by a layer of tempered glass with a toxin filter attached, allowing only the upper half of her face to be seen.

"Everyone get ready. We're almost there."

Team leader Lei Wen said in a low voice.

At that, the others also stood up and changed into their gear like Gao Fen.

"Handsome, I'll teach you."

At this point, Zhu Yuhe had also removed her short cropped leather jacket that exposed her waist, leaving only a camisole. Then she took out the artificial card "Chibi Protective Suit" and explained how to use it to Wang Xi.

In truth, Wang Xi had already learned its details through Kaos, but to avoid arousing suspicion, he still listened with a serious expression and nodded from time to time.

Before long.

White light flashed one after another.

Including Wang Xi, everyone in the compartment from Group Two had put on thick yellow protective suits.

With a clang, the vehicle came slowly to a stop.

"We're here!"

Lei Wen opened the compartment door with one hand and went down first.

Wang Xi followed the others off the truck.

The moment he stepped down, he froze in place.

Through the glass goggles, what spread before his eyes was a vast open scene.

Under the bright sunlight, the broad street ahead was cracked and shattered beyond recognition. On the asphalt, irregular slabs had heaved up in layers, leaving everything desolate and ruined.

The buildings on both sides had collapsed and warped, not a single one intact.

And on the ruined sidewalk stood many silhouettes. They seemed like statues, motionless, while the surrounding buildings, lampposts, trash bins, and ground were all coated in a thick layer of multicolored matter.

This is...

Wang Xi's pupils contracted as he remembered the news he had seen on the railcar ride over.

That disaster site!