Baiiusmiledwithpracticedsincerity.“Wehaveexcellentteamworkefficiency.nepersoncandotheworkofahundred.”

iuJiayinoddedvigorouslybesidehim.“Mm-hm,mm-hm!”

Whethertheprocessingworkerwantedtobelievethemornot,thetwohundredkilogramsofrosespiledinfrontofthetentwereimpossibletodeny.

heworkercouldonlyglareatthemresentfullybeforetossingoverfourbottlesoflow-graderoseperfume.henhehauledawaytheenormoussackofrosesandjerkedhisheadinacurtgestureforthemtofollow.

“You’veearnedthequalificationtobepromotedtoprocessingworkers,”theprocessingworkersaidcoldly.“Competitioninthispositionisfierce.fyourperformanceispoor,you’llbereplacedatanymomentanddemotedbacktolow-levelflowerpickers.Followme.’llteachyouhowtobecomequalifiedprocessingworkers.”

[Systemotification:CongratulationstoplayerBaiiuforexceedingtherequirementsofthesidequest]

[askReward:PlayerBaiiuhasobtained4bottlesoflow-gradeperfumeandhasgainedprogressinthemainquest(PromotiontoProcessingWorker)]

BaiiuandiuJiayiexchangedaglancebeforefollowinghimbackintotheRoseFactorythatoperatedwithoutpause,dayandnight.

——————

hiswasBaiiu’ssecondtimeenteringtheopen-airplazaoutsidetheRoseFactory.

herosepetalsgatheredtherehadbeenspreadacrossthickplasticsheetstodryandbesorted.Processingworkersintightlysealedprotectivesuitsmovedbackandforththroughtheplaza.earbystoodseveralmassivevatsfilledwithpetalsundergoingthedryingprocess.

“Processingworkersareresponsibleforreceivingfreshdried-leafrosescollectedbythelower-levelflowerpickers.”

heworkercontinuedwalkingwithoutlookingatthemasheexplained.

“Afterreceivingthem,youperformpreliminarycleaninganddrythemeitherhereintheplazaorontherooftop.ncethestems,branches,andleaveshavebeenremoved,thefreshpetalsmustbeexposedtobothsunlightandmoonlightfortwelvehourseachbeforeenteringthenextstageofprocessing.”

epointedtowardthehugepotsinthecorner,whereworkerswerepouringpetalsinside.

“Aftersufficientdrying,thepetalsareroastedorstir-friedinthesevatsuntiltheyturnapalepinkcolor,liketheinnerlipsofayounggirl.Atthatpoint,thepreliminaryprocessingofthedried-leafrosesiscomplete.henyoudelivertheprocessedrosestotheofficialfactoryworkersforthenextproductionstage.”

heworkerledthemoncemorethroughthesamelongcorridortheyhadpassedearlier.owever,insteadofcontinuingstraightahead,theyturnedrightafterpassingtheexhibitionhall.

Anothercorridorstretchedoutbeforethem.

Roomslinedbothsidesofthehallway,eachmarkedwithserialnumbers,givingtheplacethecoldatmosphereofaprison.Atthefarendstoodastaircaseleadingupward.

“hisisthedormitoryareaforprocessingworkers.Youwon’tneedtostayintentsanymore.”heworkergesturedtowardthenumberedrooms.“hefirst,second,andthirdfloorsarestandardeight-persondormitories.Youcanaccessthemthroughthatstaircase.Abovethosefloorsarethefactoryworkers’quarters,whicharetwo-personrooms.hetopfloorbelongstotheperfumers.heyliveinspaciousprivatesuites.”

epausedbrieflybeforeaddingwithobviousbitterness:

“ow-levelprocessingworkerslikeusarenotallowedontothefloorsreservedforfactoryworkersorperfumers.”

“fthetopfloorbelongstotheperfumers,”Baiiuaskedcasually,“thenwhereistheFactoryManager’sroom?”

heprocessingworkernearlychokedonthequestion.

“hat’snotsomewherepeoplelikeyoucango!”hesnapped.

Baiiublinkedinnocently.“Butshouldn’tatleastknowwhereitissocanavoidit?WhatifaccidentallywanderintotheFactoryManager’sroom?”

heworker’sexpressionstiffenedforamoment.

“Youcan’tjustaccidentallywanderintotheFactoryManager’sroom,”heretortedsharply.

henhehurriedlychangedthesubject.

“Anyway.Continuedownthestairsaheadandturnright.hat’stheinfirmary.mployeesareallowedtorequestsickleavethere,buttopreventpeoplefromslackingoff,anyonetakingleavemustundergotreatmentintheinfirmaryfirst.ncerecovered,youareexpectedtoreturntoworkimmediately.”

Finally,theworkerturnedtowardBaiiuagain.

“Asforsalary—onceyoubecomeprocessingworkers,youareconsideredhalf-officialemployeesoftheRoseFactory.Aslongasyoucompleteyourassigneddailyquota,you’llreceiveabasewageofthreebottlesoflow-gradeperfume.”

“Whatexactlyarethedailytasks?”Baiiuasked.

“achpersonmustprocess240kilogramsoffreshdried-leafroseseverydayanddeliverthemtothefactoryworkers.”

iuJiayislowlyliftedherhead.

“...owmanykilogramsdidyoujustsay?”

heworkerlookedatherwithmockingcontempt.

“wohundredandfortykilograms.Yourdutiesincludesorting,drying,androastingall240kilograms.hat’smerelythebasicquota.Failtocompleteit,andyouwon’treceiveyoursalary.fyoufailforthreeconsecutivedays,you’llbereplacedbynewlypromotedflowerpickers.”

esneeredcoldly.

“Forrookieprocessingworkers,stayingupallnighttofinishquotasiscompletelynormal.hosedormitoriesarebasicallydecorationforpeoplelikeyou.”

henhegaveBaiiu’sshoulderaperfunctorypat.

“h,right.hisinformationisprobablywastedonyou,but’lltellyouanyway.heMayRoseFestivalisapproaching,sothefactoryrecentlyintroducedanincentivesystemforprocessingworkers.Aftercompletingyourdailyquota,everyadditional60kilogramsyouprocessearnsyouonebottleofmid-graderoseperfume.”

“Workhard,”headdedwithopenridicule.“nsteadofwastingtimewanderingaroundthinkingabouttheFactoryManager.fyoucan’tfinishyourquotas,you’llendupasdisplacedRefugeeswithinthreedays.”

“Youcanuseyouremployeecardstocollectrosesfromtheflowerpickers.Remember—onlycollectasmuchasyoucanprocess.Pickedrosesstayfreshforlessthanhalfaday.Anywastewillbedeductedfromyourwages.”

epointedtowardanearbystation.

“hat’swhereyoucollectyourprocessingworkeruniforms.Changeclothesandbeginworkimmediately.”

Withthat,theworkerdraggedawaythesackofrosesandhurriedbacktowardtheplaza.

[Systemotification:SideQuestriggered—btainonebottleofMid-radeRoseDriedeafasPerfume]

iuJiayistayedsilentforalongmomentbeforespeaking.

“Abasicquotaof240kilograms,plusanother60kilogramsfortherewardtask...that’s300kilogramstotal.venifweworkedtwenty-fourhoursstraightwithoutsleep,we’dstillneedtoprocess12.5kilogramseveryhour...”

“o,”Baiiucorrectedcalmlywhilerubbinghischininthought.“t’sworsethanthat.Dryingalonetakesanentiredayandnight,andthat’saftercollection.Whichmeanswecan’tevenproperlybeginprocessingonthefirstday.”

ecalculatedquietly.

“Accordingtothatworker,ifwefailtocompletethebasicquotawithinthreedays,we’llbereplaced.Sorealistically,overtheremainingtwodays,ouraverageworkloadrisesto360kilogramsperday.Andifweincludetherewardquota...”

Baiiuconcludedinaperfectlycalmtone:

“Well,thisisjustthestandardovertimeroutineofcorporateslaves.canacceptit.”

iuJiayi:“...”

Forthefirsttimeinherlife,iuJiayibeganfearingherfuturecareerprospectsinadvance.

——————

Aftercollectingtheiruniforms,theyshouldhavegonedirectlytotheflowerfieldstogatherrosesaccordingtoinstructions.

nstead,Baiiucasuallyhandedtheentireresponsibilityofcollecting720kilogramsofrosestoiuJiayialoneandannouncedthatheneededtoleaveforawhile.

iuJiayistaredathimindisbelief.

“can’thandlethatmuchbymyself.You’dbettercomebackquickly.”

“know.”Baiiusmiledashelookeddownatthefourbottlesofperfumeinhishand.“sn’tthatwhy’mgoingtorecruitextralabor?”

JustasBaiiuturnedtoleave,iuJiayisuddenlycalledouttohim.

“Wait.”

Baiiuraisedaneyebrowandlookedback.

[Systemotification:PlayeriuJiayispent200pointstoactivatethe(SmallMute)service]

Afterconfirmingnobodywasnearby,iuJiayifrownedandloweredhervoice.

“toldyoubefore,right?Amongthefourplayersyouluredoverlastnight,threeofthemwerehigh-rankingmembersoftheKingsuild.”

Baiiunodded.

“thinktheunterhasalreadyalliedhimselfwiththeKingsuild.”iu«.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t»Jiayi’sexpressiondarkened.“heunter’stargetisobviouslyyou.AsfortheKingsuild...thinktheirtargetisme.”

Shepressedherlipstogetherbeforecontinuingquietly.

“heQueenofeartsvaluesmehighly.She’sbeentrainingmeasthetacticalanalystforthisseason’steam.fbetraytheguild,it’llseriouslyaffecttheKingsuild’sperformanceintheleague.”

“Bydraggingmeintothegamesoopenly,they’redefinitelycomingafteryou.AndknowingtheQueen...she’llbelievethataslongasyoudie,’lleventuallyreturntotheKingsuild.”

iuJiayiawkwardlytuggedattheoversizedprotectivesuit.erfingerstwistedtogetherbehindherbackassheturnedherheadawayandmutteredquickly:

“Sorry.Yougotdraggedintothisbecauseofme.”

herewasareasonshesaidthat.

fBaiiu’sonlygoalhadbeenhealingiuJiayiandsavingherlife,hecouldhavesimplythrownherintoathird-levelgameandletherclearitalone.

hatwouldhaveallowediuJiayitorecoverquicklywhileavoidingdirectconflictbetweenBaiiuandtheKingsuild.Cold-heartedasitmighthaveseemed,objectivelyspeaking,itwouldhavebeenthemostrationalsolution.

ButifBaiiuhaddonethat,iuJiayiwouldhavebeencorneredalonebytheKingsuild,trappedwithnowheretoescape.

heKingsuildmightnotdirectlyharmher,buttheywouldabsolutelyuseeverypossiblemethodtorestrictherfreedomandforceherbackintotheguildfortheleaguecompetition.

heQueenofearts’methodsofmanipulationwereterrifyinglyeffective.Combinedwiththeguild’sstockpileofmental-affectingitemsandtheenhancementprovidedbytheQueen’sownabilities,turningiuJiayibackintoaloyalpuppetoftheKingsuildwouldnothavebeendifficult.

AndiuJiayiabsolutelydidnotwanttoreturnthere.

ShehadstartedtofeartheQueen.

ShewasafraidthatundertheQueen’smanipulation,shewouldonceagainbecomethatlittlewitchtrappedinsideendlesssuspicionandobsession.

ButBaiiuhadenteredthegamebesideheranyway.

ehadwillinglysteppedforwardtodrawthehostilityontohimselfandprotectherdirectly,evenifitmeantopenlystandingagainsttheKingsuild.

iuJiayiwasnotstupid.nthecontrary,shewasexceptionallyintelligent.SheunderstoodveryclearlythatBaiiuwastakingallthistroubleentirelybecauseofher.

hatwaswhysheapologized.

—BackwhensheshieldedBaiiufromthatattack,ithadmerelybeenrepayment.

ittleBaiSixhadoncesavedherintheorphanage,andBaiiuhadpracticallyriskedhislifetosaveherinthehospital.

owsheowedhimagain.

herealizationleftiuJiayistrangelyfrustrated.Atthisrate,shefeltlikeshewouldneverfinishrepayingherdebttoBaiiu.

Aftermumblingthatfaintapology,iuJiayisecretlyraisedhereyesslightly,tryingtocatchBaiiu’sreactionfromthecornerofhervision.

nstead,Baiiurespondedinanutterlycalmtone:

“Youcallthatanapology?couldbarelyhearyou.”

iuJiayi:“...”