Besidetherosefields.

Severalhundredkilogramsofrequisitionedroseshadalreadypiledintoasmallmountainbesidetheflowerfields.Standinginfrontofit,QiYifangpulledoutaweathervaneswayinggentlyinthewind,pointedittowardthemountainofroses,andraisedithigh.

henheclosedhiseyesandtookadeepbreath.

“...Relativehumidity:78%.emperature:26degreesCelsius.Cloudyturningovercast.osustainedwindshiftingintoalightnortherlybreeze.Windforce:orthWindevel1...”

QiYifangabruptlyopenedhiseyes.

Withaflickofhisthumb,hespunthewoodenweathervaneandspokesteadily:

“Commencingdaytimeweatherbroadcast.”

[Systemotification:PlayerQiYifanghasactivatedskill(WeatherBroadcast)]

[SkillRange:Circularlocalizedareawithaten-meterradius]

[Skillffect:Predictsweatherconditionswithinalocalizedarea.Withinalimitedrange,canperformmicro-adjustmentstowinddirection,windintensity,sunlight,rainfall,andotherweatherphenomena.]

[FriendlyReminder:Activatingthisskillwillcontinuouslyreducetheplayer’sStaminaandMentalalue.Confirmusage?]

[Confirm.]

hemomentthesystemnotificationended,thewoodenweathervaneinQiYifang’shandbeganspinningviolently.

Atthesametime,bothhisStaminaandMentalaluebarsslowlybegantodrop.

QiYifangexhaledslowlyandbeganhisbroadcastinadeepvoice.

“...Duringtoday’sdaytimehours,alocalizedtornadowithanapproximaterotationalforceof2gwilloccur...followedbytwelvecontinuoushoursofsunlight...nighttimeconditions:lightwind,overcastturningclear...”

Ashiswordsfell,theweathervanespunevenfaster.

Aspiralinggustofcoldwindsuddenlysweptthroughtheareabesidetheflowerfield.hewindstrangelyremainedconfinedwithinasmallradius,circlingcontinuouslyaroundthemountainofroses.

Rosepetalsweighingroughly2gramsweresweptupwardintotherotatingairflow,whilelighterdebriswasblownawayentirely.eavierimpuritiesremainedscatteredacrosstheground.

hetinytornado,adjustedaccordingtoweightparameters,resembledahigh-precisioncentrifuge,perfectlyseparatingtherosesfromallunwantedmaterial.

Whatwouldnormallyhaverequiredanentiredayandnightofmanualsortingwascompletedinbarelytenminutes.

hecleanedroseswereneatlystackedintoorganizedpileswhiletheminiaturetornadograduallydissipated.

mmediatelyafterward,dazzlingsunlightpoureddownfromthesky,illuminatingthetranslucentdewclingingtothepetalsuntiltheyshimmeredbrilliantly.

QiYifangloweredtheweathervaneandlookedatthedried-leafrosesthathadalreadyenteredthe[Air-Drying]phase.

Satisfied,hebrushedthegrassandleavesblownontohisclothesawayandturnedtowardtheothertwoplayerswithagrin.

“verything’sfullyprocessed.Bytomorrowmorning,wecanmovedirectlyintothesecondstage.”

——————

RoseFactory—pen-AirPlaza.

Alonglinehadformedbesideanautomaticmesh-screeningmachine.

hiswasoneoftheraremodernmachinesinsidetheRoseFactory.Workersonlyneededtodumprosesintothedeviceforafewminutesbeforeobtainingperfectlysorteddried-leafroses.

owever,becausetheRoseFactorypromoteditselfasahandcrafted,anti-industrialluxuryperfumebrand,therewereveryfewofthesemachines.

Andeverysingleonewasmonopolizedbyveteranprocessingworkersasaformofprivilege.

arlier,QiYifangandtheothershadattemptedtolineupanduseoneaswell,onlytobedrivenawaybyolderworkerscursingatthemviciously.

“ryingtousemachinesrightaftergettingpromoted?!”

“Younewcomersaregettingarrogantalready!”

“Stopthinkingaboutcheatingyourwaythroughworkallday!”

“osquatonthegroundandsortthedeadleavesbyhandlikeeveryoneelse!”

QiYifangandtheothersweren’tafraidoftheprocessors,butunnecessarilyantagonizingPCsinagamewasrarelyawisedecision.SinceQiYifang’sabilitycouldsolvetheissueanyway,heultimatelychosetoleavequietlywiththeothers.

Afterall,inagamewhereMentalaluedidnotnaturallyrecover,usingaskillthatconsumedMentalaluejusttocompletelabortaskswashardlyideal.

Butthesituationnowwasclearlydifferent.

hemomentangrdasteppedintotheline,severalveteranprocessorsimmediatelystartedgrumblingagainafternoticinghewasanewlypromotedworker.

“What’swrongwithyounewcomers?!”

“Youinsistonstealingourmachines?!”

“obackanddoyourproperwork!”

“xactly!Freshrecruitsalreadytryingtoslackoffwithmachinery.fyoudon’tsufferproperlyfirst,you’llneverlearnanything.We’reteachingyouforyourowngood!”

angrdasweptacoldglanceovertheprocessorssurroundinghim.

estilldidn’tsayanything.

Butangrda’sphysiquealonewasenoughtomakepeoplenervous.

all,broad-shouldered,withlong,powerfullimbs,thelooseprotectivesuitlookedmorelikeathleticwearstretchedtightlyacrosshisbody.Combinedwiththeoppressivedownwardpressureofhisgazefromabove,heradiatedasuffocatingsenseofintimidation.

henoisyprocessorsinstantlyquieted.

oonedaredraisetheirvoiceanymore.heycouldonlymuttercomplaintsundertheirbreath.

Yetjustasangrdawasabouttoreachthemachine,oneoftheveteranworkersdeliberatelycutinfrontofhim.

hemaneventurnedbackandshotangrdaaprovocativelookbeforewavingothersforwardtocutthelineaswell.

twasanobviousdisplayofauthoritymeanttosuppressanewcomer’sconfidenceandpreventangrdafromusingthemachine.

fnewcomerswereallowedaccesstotheequipment,theirefficiencywouldnaturallyrise—

Andwiththealreadybrutaleliminationrateamongprocessingworkers,veteranworkerswouldfindpromotionevenharder.

Usingunspokenrulestocrushnewcomers,limittheirsurvivalspace,andexploitthemforone’sownadvancementwaspracticallystandardoperatingprocedureamongoldprocessors.

Whetherthatbehaviorruinedotherpeople’slivelihoodsordrovethemtodeathwasirrelevanttothem.

nfact,manyofthemhopedmorenewcomerswoulddie.

hatwaynobodycouldcompetefortheirpositions.

QiYifanghadchosentoretreatearlierbecausetheystilldidn’tfullyunderstandthemechanicsofthisevel3game.

angrda,however,didnotcareaboutoffendingPCs.

isstrengthgavehimenoughconfidencetoacthoweverhepleasedinaevel3game.

venifeveryprocessorintheentireRoseFactorytransformedintomonstersandtargetedhimbecauseofthis,angrdawascertainofonething—

heonesdyingintheendwouldnotbehim.

Withoutchangingexpression,angrdashiftedthesackofrosesintohislefthand.

hen,withasmoothmotionofhisrighthand,asilverhandgunappearedinhispalm.

heheavyfirearmspunoncearoundhisfingerbeforehegrippeditfirmlyandraisedthemuzzletowardthebackoftheoldprocessor’shead.

“don’tmindkillingsomeonebeforework,”angrdasaidcalmly.

“Mypreviousjobinvolvedkillingpeoplewhoturnedbad.”

ecockedthegun.

“Sotellme.Areyoubadenoughyet?”

heveteranprocessorwhohadbeenactingsmugmomentsagoimmediatelywentpale.

isentirebodytrembledviolently.

rindinghisteeth,hestumbledasidewithoutanotherword.

angrdawalkedforwardasthoughnothinghadhappened,dumpedtherosesintothescreeningmachine,collectedthesortedrosesbackintothesack,andholsteredthegunbehindhiswaist.

henheslungthesackoveroneshoulderwithonehandandwalkedaway.

veryprocessorwhohadblockedhimearliersilentlymovedasidewithsicklyexpressions.

nlyafterangrda’sfigurecompletelydisappeareddidtheoldprocessorfinallybegincursingfuriously.

“Whatthehelliswrongwiththisbatchofnewcomers?!”

“heyeitherstealourmachinesorsomehowfinishworkinstantlywithweirdtricks!”

“Andtherearestilltwopeoplewhohaven’tevenstartedsortingyet!”

“t’salmostnoonalready.ftheydon’thurryandstartair-drying,there’snowaythey’llmeettomorrow’sweighingquota.”

isexpressionturnedmaliciouslygleeful.

“hosetwoaredefinitelygettingdemotedbacktoflowerpickers.”

——————

nsideanabandonedfactory.

Baiiustoodatoparustedshippingcontainer,surroundedbyrefugeeswhohadregainedtheirsanity.

herefugeessatobedientlyonthefilthygroundbelowhim,staringupwardwithblazingeyesfilledwithdesperatehope,asthoughlookingatasavior.

StandinghalfastepbehindBaiiuatopthecontainerwastherefugeewhohadledthegroupthepreviousnight.

iseyesshonewithexcitementasheaddressedthecrowd.

“believeeveryoneherealreadyknowsMr.Baiiu!”

“heRosePerfumeeveryonereceivedtodaywasearnedpersonallybyMr.Baiiuwhileworkinginsidethefactory—andthendistributedtousentirelyforfree!”

Arippleofcommotionspreadthroughthecrowd.

herefugeequicklymotionedforsilencebeforerespectfullysteppingaside.

“Pleaseremaincalm.Mr.Baiiuhasevenbetternewstosharewitheveryone.”

“owthen—Mr.Baiiu.”

Baiiusteppedforward.

isvoicewasnotloud,buttherefugeesbelowweresoquietthateverywordechoedclearlythroughoutthehollow,ruinedfactory.

“genuinelywanttohelpallofyou.”

ewithdrewanotherbottleofperfumefromhispocket.

isexpressionremainedcalmandsincere.

“Butoneperson’sstrengthislimited.’monlyalow-levelprocessorinthefactory.Atmost,canearnthreebottlesoflow-gradeperfumeperday.”

“nebottleonlylastsfourhours.”

“fdividethisamountamongallofyou,thenevenkeepingasmallnumberofpeopleawakeforlongbecomesimpossible.”

“fthiscontinues,won’tbeabletohelpyouforverylong.”

helightintherefugees’eyesdimmed.

YetnoneofthemspoketoblameBaiiu.

Aftersufferingforsolong,eventemporarysalvationfromsomeonelikeBaiiufeltmiraculousenoughtoearntheirgratitude.

Attheveryleast,theyhadbrieflyregainedhumanconsciousnessinsteadofremainingtrappedbeneaththecontrolofRose★𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭★Perfume,enduringtheendlessnumbitchoftentaclesgrowingfromtheirbones.

heyhadspentsolongunabletomaintainhumanformthatmanynolongerknewwhethertheywerehumanormonsteranymore.

vennow,whilesittinguprightontheground,theystillfoughttheinstinctiveurgetocrawlonallfours.

“Butifyou’rewillingtohelpme,”Baiiucontinued,“thenmyhelpcancontinueindefinitely.”

herefugeesimmediatelylookedupagain.

ensionanddesperatelongingfilledtheireyes.

“neperson’spowerislimited,”Baiiusaidsteadily.“Butifyouhelpmecompletemorefactorywork,canobtainmoreperfume.”

“Andifobtainmoreperfume,canawakenmorerefugees.”

“verybottleofperfumeproducedthroughyourlaborwillbeusedtohelpmorepeopleuntileventuallywebuildenoughstrengthtogetherformetobecomeFactoryManager.”

Baiiu’stonebecamesolemn.

“AndthedayobtaintheperfumeformulaandbecomeFactoryManager—”

“—everybottleofRosePerfumeproducedbythisfactorywillbecomefree.”

“Forever.”

heproposalwasoverwhelminglytempting.

Yettherefugees’expressionsbecameconflictedwithfear.

hispromisesoundedpainfullyfamiliar.

Yearsago,thepeoplepromotingRosePerfumehadusedtheexactsamewords.

Backthentheyhadalsopromisedfreeperfumeforeveryone.

Andnow?

owevenasinglebottlecostanimpossibleprice.

herefugeesstaredatBaiiuwithsuspicion,fear,desperation,andtearsintheireyes.

ikedrowningpeoplestaringatthefinalpieceofdriftwoodinablackswamp.

heydidn’tknowwhetherBaiiuwaslying—

rsimplyleadingthemintoanevendeeperpit.

Butwhatchoicedidtheyhave?

Afteralongsilence,atremblingskeletalhandslowlyrosefromthecrowd.

“...Mr.Baiiu...”

hespeakerwasayoungwomanwhosebodyhadalreadywitheredbeyondrecognition.nherarmssheheldatinyinfantwithshriveledfeet.

hebabyweaklysuckedonathumbalreadybeginningtodecay.

nsidethechild’sdarkeyesbloomedtwowitheredrosesutterlyoutofplaceinsomeonesoyoung.

earsfilledthewoman’sownrose-filledeyesasshestaredatBaiiuwithoutblinking.

“...fyoubecomeFactoryManager...willyoureallyremainagoodpersonwillingtohelpus?”

“o.”

Baiiuansweredimmediately.

“Mostlikelynot.”

“’msayingthesethingsnowbecausewanttoconvinceyoutoworkforme.”

“JustlikethepreviousFactoryManagerwhopromotedRosePerfume.”

Silencecrashedoverthecrowd.

hentheabandonedfactoryexplodedintonoise.

herefugeesclenchedtheirfistsandrosetotheirfeet,glaringatBaiiuwithfurious,despairingeyes.

hefainthopetheyhadjustregainedcollapsedagain.

Somepeopleloweredtheirheadsnumbly,asthoughtheyhadexpectedthisoutcomeallalong.

heyoungmotherweaklyloweredherarmandquietlycriedwhilecallingherchild’snameunderherbreath.

Andyet—

otasinglerefugeerushedforwardtoattackBaiiu.

Becauseevenafteropenlyadmittinghisselfishmotives,hewasstilltheirfinalhope.

Aslongastheycouldescape—evenbriefly—fromtheagonyoftheiraddictiontoRosePerfume,theyhadnochoicebuttoobeywhoevercontrolledthesource.

venifitmeantsinkingdeeperintohell.

Baiiuslowlyswepthisgazeacrosstherefugeesbelow.

riginally,hecouldhavecontinueddeceivingthemwithbeautifullies.

venafterlearningthetruth,thesepeoplewouldstillwillinglyworkforhiminexchangeforafleetingbreathofperfume.

AslongasRosePerfumeexisted,thecyclewouldneverend.

hemomentordinarypeoplebeganplacingalltheirhopesinthefantasyof“agoodpersonbecomingFactoryManager,”itmeantnothingremainedcapableofrestrainingevilanymore.

fmoralitybecomesthethingusedtorestrainprofit—

henprofitwillsimplydisguiseitselfasmorality.

ButBaiiuhadnointerestinperfume.

elikedmoney.

hiskindofworldheldnomeaningforhim.

venifcontrollingtheperfumeallowedhimtostandaboveothersspiritually,Baiiufeltnointerestinthatsuperiority.

epreferredworldswherecurrencyfunctionedasrealvalue.

Whichwaswhyheintendedtodestroythisone.

“Youcannotplaceyourhopesonmebeingagoodperson.”

“’mnot.”

“AndaslongasRosePerfumecontinuestoexist,nobodywhobecomesFactoryManagerwillremainagoodperson.”

Baiiulookeddownattherefugeeswithcompletelyemotionlesseyes.

“ButiftoldyouthatbecomingFactoryManagerwouldallowmetoeliminateRosePerfumeentirely...”

“...andstopallofyoufromcontinuingtowither...” 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

“Wouldyouhelpme?”

herefugeesslowlyraisedtheirheadsindisbelief.

Rose-filledeyesreflectedBaiiu’scalmface.

“YouhelpmebecomeFactoryManager,”Baiiusaidevenly,“andhelpyouendyourwithering.”

“hisisn’tcharity.”

“t’sanequalexchange.”

“Willyoudoit?”

hecryingyoungmotherwasthefirsttostandup.

oldingherchildtightly,sheaskedthroughtremblingsobs:

“sittrue?!Mr.Baiiu,canyoureallystopthewitheringforus—formychild?!”

Baiiusmiled.

hesixthpetalbloomedwithintheroseinhisrighteye,whilecracksalongtheedgeofhiseyesocketdeepenedenoughtorevealbonebeneaththeskin.

“ffail,”hesaidsoftly,“then’llwithertoo.”

“alreadygavemostofmyperfumetoyou.Youcankeepwatchingmecontinuetodoso.”

“Butifcan’tfindasolution,’llbethefirstonetodiefromit.”

“Doyoubelievemenow?”

Asilencesocompleteitcouldhaveswallowedapin.

hentheyoungmotherclutchedherchildtightlyandbrokedowncompletely.

“hankyou...thankyousomuch...!”

heabandonedfactoryeruptedintoexcitedchaos.

herefugeesliftedBaiiufromtheshippingcontainerandthrewhimintotheairrepeatedly.

herosesbloominginsidetheireyesresembleddyingflames—

Weak.

Flickering.

Yetstillstubbornlyburning.

heauthor’snoteexplainingQiYifang’sweatherskillisjustmetacommentaryandnotpartoftheactualchapternarrative,soitshouldbeomittedinapolishededitedversion.