Matryoshka Off-Limits Chapter 30

Chapter 30 Big Factory

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Turning veteran players into zombies was a horrifying act, regardless of where it took place.

Suddenly, more labels were attached to Wen Shi: highly intelligent yet anti-social, a genuine deviant, inherently bad… These words seemed to be linked with Wen Shi.

In comparison, Tu Bianxi’s puppet instantly appeared somewhat childish.

Confronted with those meaningful glances, Tu Bianxi’s facial muscles twitched unnaturally, creating a sense of absurdity similar to brandishing a large knife in front of Guan Gong.

Several players appeared after Wen Shi, including the one who had called him ‘Master’ earlier.

This player’s name was Zhou Xiaochun. He seemed to have a strong ability to recognize things. Even in the darkness before, he could remember the scent of the Wandering Corpse. When he saw Wen Shi, he opened his mouth wide, “You…”

“You really are a newbie!”

Since the previous event wasn’t a lie, Zhou Xiaochun’s mind heated up, and he unconsciously looked at Ji Yuanzhi. “So, are you really his dad?”

Ji Yuanzhi glanced sideways at Wen Shi.

Wen Shi awkwardly laughed, “Yeah, that’s how I introduced you to others.”

After the nineteenth player stepped forward, there were no more figures for the next few minutes. The player who hadn’t come out yet was obviously left forever in the tunnel.

Wen Shi had also paid special attention. Among those who emerged from the tunnel, none had fluorescent powder on their shoulders. Plus, no one had mentioned the fluorescent powder incident, so it was clear who had died in the tunnel.

“Let’s go. If a monster comes out, what will we do standing around?” The player urging them to move was the one who had spread the fluorescent powder earlier.

He felt no guilt at all. If anyone was to blame, it was the person who lacked restraint, who impulsively used a powerful move against the monsters, provoking them. With fewer people, the game was easier, especially in team battles. Since teams hadn’t been assigned yet, the fewer uncertainties there were.

Though Wen Shi looked down on such people, there was one thing he agreed with: they shouldn’t stay here for long.

The air in this world was bad, carrying a faint sour smell.

Wen Shi looked around. Directly ahead, a shabby sign was stuck diagonally. It was an old-fashioned bus stop sign. The group started walking in that direction. They finally saw the words on the bus stop sign. In crude red paint at the top was written “404 Bus,” and in the center, a more conspicuous station name: “Big Factory.” The worker who painted the letters didn’t do a good job. The paint was too thin, and the traces from when it flowed were still visible, giving the two words a strange and ominous feeling, as if they were weeping blood.

This was the final stop.

In the distance, a large chimney emitted swirling milky-white smoke, rising and connecting with the overhead clouds.

Due to the remote location, not a single figure could be seen. The towering chimney resembled a lighthouse at sea, guiding people towards an uncertain destination. For now, it was the only direction players could move in.

Everyone on the road walked cautiously, truly keeping their eyes and ears open to all directions.

Wen Shi broke the tense atmosphere, acting as if he was on a sightseeing trip. He surveyed his surroundings with curious eyes, and happily said to Ji Yuanzhi, “I have an innate advantage in this instance.”

One sentence made all the players perk up their ears.

Wen Shi: “Look at the name of this instance, 【Big Factory】. Doesn’t that imply a 997 work schedule? I can tell I’m the youngest among us. Young people with strength are the perfect choice for a heartless boss to cheat.”

Of course, this assumed his real-life identity. He didn’t know the age of the character “Dr. Aaron” set in the instance.

“……”

A buzzing sound came from ahead.

An electric tricycle was approaching them. The rider’s age was unclear. He appeared young, but his skin was unnaturally smooth and tight. As they got closer, it was obvious the person wore navy blue overalls and had a Big Factory badge on their chest.

“Why are there so few people?”

Wen Shi had already called back the Wandering Corpse, but nineteen people still made for a considerable group.

The tricycle driver seemed quite dissatisfied. He took out a small booklet from his pocket and said, “Weren’t thirty people supposed to come for the job interview?”

It was mentioned that the thirty people included some NPCs.

One player’s acting skills were impeccable, flawlessly portraying the nervousness of a first-time interviewee. “Including the driver, a few people had accidents.”

The tricycle driver cursed under his breath, “Seems like they got contaminated and attracted monsters, these filthy things!”

Contaminated.

Wen Shi accurately seized upon that term.

The tricycle driver was somewhat pleased with the first person to step forward and respond, giving a slightly better expression. “Get on the vehicle, I’ll take you to the factory.”

Players gradually boarded the electric tricycle.

In the city where Wen Shi lived, electric tricycles couldn’t carry passengers, but in the instance, not only did they carry people, they could fit more than a dozen at once. The electric tricycle bumped along the uneven road, and the thick dust on the ground made people frown. On top of that, the speed was too fast. A few times, he felt like he was about to be thrown off.

Under the scorching sun, all players received the first system prompt:

“Congratulations on stepping towards the light. Maintain the purity of your soul like this!”

Wen Shi noticed an additional temporary column in the attribute panel, labeled “Soul Purity.” It was even ranked above the Health Points, indicating the importance of maintaining purity in this instance.

“Hint: When your Soul Purity drops below eighty, you may experience slight auditory and visual hallucinations. When it drops below seventy, you’ve entered a contaminated state, and auditory hallucinations intensify. You’ll feel hunger faster than usual. When it drops below sixty, your immunity decreases continuously, and you begin to transform. The hunger compels you to attack indiscriminately. When your purity falls below fifty, do you have any face left to live in this world?”

Soul Purity.

This description gave an uncomfortable feeling.

Wen Shi thought about the monsters in the tunnel. The attackers who were weaker than the monsters should have had a Soul Purity below sixty, in a state of transformation.

The first thing to do upon arriving in the instance was undoubtedly to gather information.

The player who had left a decent impression on the tricycle driver earlier nervously spoke up, “How should we address you?”

“I’m the overseer from the factory. You can call me Overseer Zhao.” Overseer Zhao seemed quite proud of his position, his tone even lifting a bit. “Don’t think just because you all graduated from college that you can become ordinary workers.”

He became more and more excited as he spoke. The electric tricycle was almost running at sixty miles per hour.

The players remained calm. After all, no one had heard of entering an instance and dying because an NPC drove too fast and flipped. They continued to inquire, “What happens if we don’t pass the interview?”

“Naturally, you’ll go back where you came from,” Overseer Zhao retorted irritably, “But there’s only one bus a day here. If you fail the interview, you’ll have to wait at the station until the next day. Whether you survive through the night is uncertain. More and more people recently have been contaminated.”

Judging by his words, it seemed like people in this world were accustomed to the constant appearance of monsters.

Thanks to Overseer Zhao’s fast and furious driving, the group quickly reached their destination.

Outside the entrance gate, they could only barely make out a corner of the building surrounded by trees. However, they could faintly sense the enormity of the factory, fitting for the name engraved on the adjacent boulder: “Big Factory.”

The factory didn’t have a separate entrance. There was only a sliding gate for both pedestrians and vehicles. Inside the guardhouse, the security guard was yawning, but upon seeing people, he proactively opened a small window. “Overseer Zhao?”

The security guard quickly allowed them entry and didn’t forget to express his congratulations, bowing and showing his respect, “I heard you’re a candidate for outstanding employee. Congratulations!”

Even though Overseer Zhao was still on the vehicle, his posture straightened.

The security guard sternly addressed the players, “You should learn a lot from Overseer Zhao.”

The factory premises had plenty of greenery. Wen Shi wasn’t sure whether to call these plants “greenery.” Upon closer inspection, the seemingly vibrant trees had gray-white leaves, somewhat resembling the complexion of Overseer Zhao and the security guard, giving a strangely insubstantial impression.

Overseer Zhao parked the electric tricycle by the roadside. “Everyone, get off!”

The building closest to the entrance was the cafeteria, emitting a heavy aroma of greasy food, an unpleasantly fishy smell.

The chef happened to come out with a black bucket, the lid missing. As he passed by them, the water with oil bubbles splashed out, and through the murky liquid, one could vaguely see chunks of meat below. Wen Shi held his breath to avoid inhaling the unpleasant odor. In this moment, he found himself missing the castle master, who at least never engaged in such disgusting acts.

“Being in fortune without knowing it,” Wen Shi reflected on his past self.

Overseer Zhao led them forward while speaking, “You folks are in luck. The factory happens to be short-staffed. Many of you might stay. New employees have a three-day probation period. The salary isn’t high for the first half-year, but employees here get an internal price for purchasing Beautiful Soul Elixir, which is the biggest staff benefit.”

“Here we are,” Overseer Zhao stopped.

The square-shaped building didn’t seem particularly special. It was an old factory building with some windows cracked.

As Overseer Zhao pushed the door open, a cool breeze hit their faces. Even during the daytime, the brightness inside the factory was lacking. The lampshades overhead were too dirty, preventing the light from fully dispersing.

An indescribable smell filled the air, worse than the previous cafeteria odor.

“Excuse me,” a weak voice rang out. A female player with a doll-like face, her bangs too long to reveal her cold gaze, yet her tone was pitiful, “Could you please tell us how to make a good impression on the interviewer?”

Wen Shi inwardly sighed at how everyone seemed to be acting.

Overseer Zhao snorted coldly, “Having a beautiful soul is enough.”

The doll-faced female player earnestly asked, “Can a person’s soul really be seen clearly?”

“Of course, the factory has a specialized testing process.” Overseer Zhao revealed a weird smile, as if he remembered something. “Big Factory advocates truth, kindness, and beauty. Even if you are eventually hired, there are different levels…”

He laughed twice and fell silent.

With the conversation reaching this point, players already had an idea. The upcoming testing might be related to their initial Soul Purity.

Thinking about it, many people’s expressions started to change subtly. Having made it this far in the game, they knew that the concept of purity had nothing to do with them.

Truth, kindness, and beauty.

When they first entered the instance, the game emphasized these three words, but the majority of players had treated them as mere words.

Difficult instances shared a common trait–an unsolvable death rule. Even if players did nothing, they could still be disqualified for not meeting the standard. Just as veteran players worried if the interview was an unsolvable rule, their anxiety lessened when they saw Wen Shi standing aside. In an instant, their confidence was restored!

In terms of ruthlessness, who could surpass a newbie like Wen Shi, who turned a veteran player into a Wandering Corpse and created a a second round of endgame in the first instance?

In terms of madness, who could outdo the player who auctioned themselves off like merchandise?

In an era of comparisons, they were grateful to have someone like Pei Wenwei among them!

While Wen Shi was attentively observing his surroundings, he felt an unusually strong sixth sense. With a turn of his head, he saw over a dozen pairs of eyes filled with intense emotions, almost startling him.

What the hell, what’s going on?

Are these people possessed? Why are their eyes shining like that?

He couldn’t help but take a step back.

Thankfully, Ji Yuanzhi seemed normal among the crowd. Wen Shi whispered, “Why are they staring at me?”

“They probably find you comforting to look at.”

“?”

Suddenly, Ji Yuanzhi asked, “What’s your Soul Purity level?”

Wen Shi paused at the question, waved his hand, and said, “Don’t ask.”

Knowing it would definitely startle people, even Wen Shi himself was taken aback when he saw that number.

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