Embers Ad Infinitum

Chapter 91: Drawing

In the small canteen beside the Old Task Force’s room.

Jiang Baimian returned with the tray and placed the meat dishes down one by one.

There was rich soup filled with soft, sticky potatoes and large chunks of beef. There was a roasted chicken with a magical fragrance and a slightly golden-yellow skin. There was a very light-looking winter melon pork rib soup and pieces of mutton scattered among the onions.

“T-this is too sumptuous.” Long Yuehong inhaled the fragrance in the air deeply and gave his sincere compliments. To him, this was only something he would enjoy during a festive season like the Lunar New Year.

Jiang Baimian shot him a glance. “Weren’t you having a good time eating in Qifeng Town? I thought such meat dishes couldn’t move you as much as they used to.”

“How can that be?” retorted Long Yuehong instinctively. He paused and revealed an expression of reminiscence. “However, Qifeng Town’s ham and salted meat were really good…”

As they had become Pangu Biology’s vassal, Qifeng Town could exchange for very cost-effective and sufficient amounts of salt. This allowed them to preserve the excess meat they obtained from hunting season and harvest season. This created the food reserves they used to fight hunger in the winter when traces of wild beasts were nowhere to be seen.

“Didn’t you say that you were tired of eating that?” Shang Jianyao—who was beside Long Yuehong—exposed him.

Long Yuehong’s expression froze. “It was only then!”

As they spoke, Bai Chen returned with a tray and four servings of rice. She looked at the meat dishes and the same number of vegetables and blurted out, “Team Leader, won’t this cost you a lot?”

“This is a special meat dish. It only costs one contribution point.” Jiang Baimian pointed at the roasted chicken and said, “The rest only cost 150 contribution points.”

“What do you mean ‘only?'” Long Yuehong asked. “If I eat like this every meal, my monthly salary will only be enough for six days. No, it wouldn’t even last six days. I forgot to count breakfast.”

“If you can eat so much every meal, I can keep treating you,” Shang Jianyao suggested very seriously.

“… I’ll be stuffed to death in a day then.” Long Yuehong thought for a moment and felt that it wasn’t worth it to take Shang Jianyao up on the offer.

Jiang Baimian smiled. “It’s not like I can treat everyone to a meal like this every time. It’s fine if I do so occasionally. I’m already a D6, so you should know how much my basic salary is.”

“An increase of 500 contribution points per grade. D1 will get 1,800 points, D2 will get 2,300 points, and D6 will get 4,300 points. Including all the subsidies, you’ll have at least 4,500 points, even if you don’t go out in the field.” Long Yuehong calculated seriously.

“But if you want to eat well every meal and have enough meat and vegetables, you’ll have to spend at least 2,000 contribution points a month. This is still under the condition that we have a food allowance. Otherwise, it will cost at least 3,000 points. After deducting these points, there will also be expenses for energy, tap water, installation fees, and other necessary expenses. There won’t be much left… If you want to raise a few more children, it will be…”

The more Long Yuehong thought about it, the more he found life difficult. The main reason was that he had already adapted to the ‘luxury’ of having meat dishes and no children every day. If he wanted to achieve the dream of having a wife, two children, and meat three times a week, he couldn’t help but feel like he was retrograding in life.

“Stop, stop!” Jiang Baimian interrupted Long Yuehong’s calculations. “You’re giving me a headache! Besides, why don’t you consider your wife’s salary? A family is supported by two people.”

Jiang Baimian smiled when she said that. “I actually have quite a bit of my monthly salary left every month. My brother has married long ago and moved out. I’ve always lived with my parents. Their salaries are much higher than mine, as are their subsidies and benefits. I take advantage of the meal subsidies during the day and eat the dinner they provide. The company will also issue uniforms. Perfect~”

Jiang Baimian looked around and smiled. “You will also receive quite the number of contribution points this time. When Bai Chen becomes an official employee, she will be able to enjoy the treatment of a D1 employee. Shang Jianyao, Long Yuehong, you have been promoted to D2. You will receive an additional 500 contribution points every month.

“In addition, there’s also a field allowance. Our trip took us about a month. Everyone will receive an additional 800 to 900 contribution points. The biggest gains will come from the compensation of our harvest. I don’t know exactly how much we will gain.”

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

“I have to apply for a bigger room…” Long Yuehong muttered to himself as he recalled the cramped environment at home and his younger siblings—who had to sleep with adults.

Within Pangu Biology, rooms were typically allocated according to rank. However, one had to pay a fee if they requested a larger room that exceeded their rank’s stipulation. Furthermore, there was an additional rental fee every month.

Of course, employees also had tricks up their sleeve—by not going through the company and swapping rooms themselves. For example, when some older employees’ children were allocated rooms and no longer needed to squeeze in with them, they might charge a sum of money to swap their relatively spacious rooms with people living in crowded rooms.

This way, there was no monthly rental fee. But the problem was that the company would reclaim the rooms according to the registered information when the two elderly employees passed away.

After all this time, Long Yuehong’s mutterings to himself had become much louder than usual.

Jiang Baimian smiled and nodded. “Good ambition.”

She then looked at Bai Chen. “You should be thinking of saving up all your contribution points to undergo genetic modifications when your employee rank is high enough?”

If an employee could pay a large sum of contribution points—or if they were willing to volunteer for certain dangerous experiments—the rank requirement to apply for genetic modification could be reduced. It was possible for a D2 or even a D1 to apply for it successfully.

“Yes.” Bai Chen unconsciously tugged at the old, gray scarf around her neck.

Jiang Baimian nodded slightly and said, “Let me remind you again that the technology for genetic modification is far from mature. There are all kinds of dangers, so it’s best not to attempt it unless you have no choice.

“Yes… I also know that you definitely have your reasons. I just hope you can weigh the pros and cons.” Without waiting for Bai Chen’s answer, Jiang Baimian sniffed the fragrance that filled the air. “Hurry up and dig in. The food is getting cold!”

As she spoke, she stretched out her chopsticks and neatly tore off the roasted chicken’s wings.

Under the slightly golden-brown skin was a layer of oil that melted the moment it entered her mouth. Coupled with several condiments’ fragrance, Jiang Baimian almost couldn’t stop eating.

Shang Jianyao, Long Yuehong, and Bai Chen also joined in the enjoyment of the food. Everyone was focused and had no time to speak.

After finishing her meal, Jiang Baimian drank a mouthful of soup, narrowed her eyes, and said in satisfaction, “Every time I come back from the field, having such a good meal makes me experience the beauty of life.”

“Therefore, we have to save all of humanity.” Shang Jianyao also put down his bowl and chopsticks and wiped the corners of his mouth.

“Can’t you change your lines?” Jiang Baimian rolled her eyes at him.

Shang Jianyao nodded and suddenly asked, “Then, who do you think Xiaochong is?”

Upon hearing the name ‘Xiaochong,’ Bai Chen and Long Yuehong—who were still sucking on chicken bones—fell silent. To them, this name was both mysterious and terrifying as if it represented a taboo.

In the past few days, they had deliberately forgotten about Xiaochong and had not mentioned him in any discussions.

Jiang Baimian fell silent for a few seconds before saying, “I suspect that he is a Heartless, a Superior Heartless among the Superior Heartless. He can even be called the King of the Heartless. Perhaps it was because he was beside me and wanted to watch a real gunfight that I subconsciously ignored Qiao Chu’s other Awakened abilities and the corresponding range…”

“A Heartless who has his human intelligence and memories restored?” Long Yuehong was shocked and muttered to himself, “No, how can a Heartless have human intelligence…”

Jiang Baimian said with a solemn expression, “Not only does he have human intelligence, but he might also have terrifying abilities like those of the mutated creatures and Superior Heartless…”

“A superhuman?” Bai Chen’s tone was inexplicably heavy.

Shang Jianyao raised his hand. “Did he pay the price of never having his body grow in exchange for intelligence?”

“Are you trying to say that Xiaochong also has serious flaws and is far from being considered a superhuman?” Jiang Baimian understood Shang Jianyao’s hidden meaning.

Shang Jianyao hesitated and said, “He’s my friend.”

“So, we can’t badmouth a friend?” Jiang Baimian tried to decipher Shang Jianyao’s jumpy train of thought.

Shang Jianyao didn’t answer.

“Haha.” Long Yuehong laughed before he suddenly came to a realization. “Am I not your friend? Why do you often speak ill of me?”

Shang Jianyao glanced at him. “I just repeat what you always say. Sigh, I’m only 1.75 meters tall after genetic enhancement. My looks are average…”

“Stop!” Long Yuehong interrupted Shang Jianyao’s recital.

Jiang Baimian couldn’t hide her smile as she stood up and said, “Alright, all of you can go back and rest. Sigh… Only I have to work overtime. I need to finish the mission report and submit it.”

“Do you need help?” Bai Chen asked.

Jiang Baimian chuckled. “Don’t worry. I won’t forget what I should or shouldn’t write.”

Bai Chen—whose thoughts had been exposed—immediately felt a little ashamed and lowered her head slightly.

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

As the elevator descended, Long Yuehong looked at his reflection in the metal compartment and suddenly sighed. “I wonder if I can successfully transfer out of the team…”

Without waiting for Shang Jianyao’s response, he continued in confusion, “Actually, I now understand the meaning behind the Old Task Force’s work… Life in the company with a wife, two children, and three meals of meat a week is indeed beautiful. I still yearn for it, but will I feel like I’ve lived my life in vain when I’m old?”

Shang Jianyao looked ahead and ignored him.

Long Yuehong fell silent. He only smiled when the elevator reached the 495th floor. “I’ll leave it to fate.”

Shang Jianyao glanced at him. “Go back and change your name then.”

As they spoke, they separated at the fork and returned to their respective homes.

Before long, Shang Jianyao arrived at Room 196 in Zone B.

Just as he took out his key, he saw that someone had drawn a simple baby picture with white chalk at the bottom of the door. This was not too surprising in Pangu Biology, where children often graffitied. If one did not like it, they could just wipe it away.

But Shang Jianyao knew that such an image drawn in such a position represented something: At the usual place at 5:30 a.m. tomorrow, there is a Life Ritual parish gathering.

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