Chapter 44 Big Factory
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Wen Shi said those words with genuine emotion and ease, as if he had been waiting for this day for a while.
Ji Yuanzhi’s temples pulsed rhythmically.
“……” Pei Wenwei, you’re drifting, drifting too much!
Nonetheless, Wen Shi had a certain level of confidence now. Those hundred or so people were his strongest support.
Overseer Zhao left, crying and heartbroken. He was quite emotionally fragile, which was why he was treated like trash and discarded by the teenager. During the day, his consciousness was briefly controlled by Tu Bianxi.
The teenager took another step forward. “Just the thought of my Big Brother possibly getting bullied made me feel bad.”
Wen Shi scratched his head. “How did you know I was going to work the night shift?”
“The dorm supervisor on the seventh floor locked the iron door, preventing anyone from going up. He must have heard from someone about our brotherly relationship. When I tried to open the door, the dorm supervisor shouted from far away, saying you were assigned the night shift and might need my help.”
The teenager sighed, “There wasn’t much time left then. I waited downstairs for a while, hoping to catch a glimpse of the manager, but I didn’t see anyone.”
Someone couldn’t help but say, “You might have to wait a long time for that. The manager is no longer with us.”
The person speaking was from Tu Bianxi’s team, trying to gauge the reaction of the senior employees brought by the teenager.
However, they just stood there expressionless, as if they hadn’t heard anything at all.
Now, not only Tu Bianxi’s team, but even Wen Shi’s teammates couldn’t help but feel a shiver down their spines.
Even Tu Bianxi’s【Puppetry】skill couldn’t achieve this. This power was too extraordinary. Why would the game tolerate such an existence?
Seeing the main force making their way in, the deformed head poking out on the first floor was so scared that it almost didn’t retract in time, and it quickly ran away.
A crowd of people squeezed into the factory, nearly knocking the door down.
Outside the door, the Seventh Commandment member looked at Tu Bianxi, “What’s our next move?”
The hot summer night wind only brought annoyance. Tu Bianxi steadied himself. “Games prioritize balance the most. Allowing Pei Wenwei to have such significant disposable power right now proves that this power is controllable. Otherwise, he would’ve attacked us just now.”
Tu Bianxi touched the bead in his hand, his tone dark. “It’s almost ten o’clock. Let’s go in too.”
The lighting in Workshop Three was the worst among all the workshops. Several iron barrels were placed next to the cold machines, and the stench was overwhelming.
Zhou Xiaochun, a socially adept person, curiously asked Wen Shi, “Who is this younger brother of yours?”
Wen Shi shrugged. “Ask the game. It’s its setup, I’m not very sure.”
Ji Yuanzhi then suggested, “Let’s split into three teams. You and your brother form one team, while I and the other members split into two teams. Call each other if anything comes up.”
Zhou Xiaochun looked surprised. He thought Ji Yuanzhi would seize every opportunity to uncover the secrets of Wen Shi’s brother, but unexpectedly, they were going to separate voluntarily.
Wen Shi wasn’t surprised by this proposal.
He knew very well that, in terms of decision-making ability, Ji Yuanzhi was the most suitable candidate for the role of team leader.
According to the rules, their bodies would suffer irreversible damage as time passed. The first hour was the most critical, and they needed to cover as much patrol area as possible during this time.
While crowding together might ensure safety, it could also waste time. Furthermore, Ji Yuanzhi understood that with him around, Wen Shi would need to be cautious in his words and actions to avoid revealing more, which would slow down the patrol pace even more.
Ji Yuanzhi opened the list of locations in the small booklet, “You go from front to back, and we’ll move from back to front.”
Wen Shi nodded.
On Tu Bianxi’s side, they were also splitting into groups. One group followed right behind Wen Shi. Wherever Wen Shi went, they went; whenever Wen Shi stopped, they stopped. It seemed as if they were effortlessly taking advantage of the patrol locations.
No one could take advantage of themselves.
Wen Shi turned and walked over to the trio of three people. “You go ahead.”
The team of two men and one woman just smiled at him. The man in the middle finally spoke, “Whether we go or not doesn’t seem to concern you.”
Disgusting people, aren’t they?
The trio showed no reaction, mostly trying to probe him.
Wen Shi didn’t waste words and continued walking forward.
The trio followed.
Unfortunately, after taking just a couple of steps, a senior employee from the front row swung his fist and directly punched the man, who had just spoken, in the face. The man tried to dodge, but a few more people appeared beside him, forming a human wall that blocked him. The man himself wasn’t the fighting type of player. In the end, he took a punch to the face and loosened his teeth.
The man who threw the punch coldly said, “Don’t talk tough next time.”
With that, he returned to the main group.
The player covered his swollen face and slurred, “You all just watched me get hit?”
The woman sighed helplessly, “Don’t forget one of our objectives, to see if Pei Wenwei’s companions are willing to take action.” She paused for a moment. “Is it possible that Pei Wenwei is actually a good person?”
The player who had just been hit covered his swollen face with a steamed bun, glaring at her with an annoyed expression.
The woman sighed, “If it were you, possessing such power, what would you do first?”
The player and another teammate instinctively spoke in unison, “Kill all of you.”
Instantly reduced to a solo game.
“……”
The three of them fell into silence together.
Without the followers, Wen Shi felt more at ease. He now needed to go to the archives room. As the first patrol point listed in the booklet, this place seemed out of place compared to the others, just from its name.
Triggered by the previous prompt, Wen Shi finally thought to ask the teenager’s name again.
The teenager’s lips moved a few times. In an instant, Wen Shi felt countless sharp thorns entwining around him. The thorns tightened, piercing through his skin. Among them, buds kept blooming in the flesh, injecting new desires into the wounds, like a mutated anesthetic, both numbing and exciting, constantly alternating and subverting his senses.
Several sixth-floor residents reacted even more intensely. They were drenched in sweat, shaking uncontrollably from head to toe.
After Wen Shi calmed down, the teenager handed him a small strip of cloth, his name written in blood.
“When you have free time, you can recite it repeatedly. It’s very beneficial for honing your willpower.”
For a short while, Wen Shi didn’t have the courage to look at it again.
For the sake of convenience in communication, the teenager provided a common alias, “Yahweh. You can call me Yahweh, Big Brother.”
“……”
Noticing Wen Shi’s odd expression, the teenager continued, “Adam, then?”
Both of these seem like names of gods, right?
While Wen Shi had a protective side, even if he added a hundred layers of filters, he couldn’t force himself to connect the teenager with God.
“Michael, Gabriel, Raphael…” The teenager listed the names of the Archangels, touching his silver hair tips and saying with a hint of shyness, “Big Brother, you can pick any.”
Wen Shi pinched his brow and asked, “What did people who knew you before usually call you?”
“Master.”
“Apart from that…”
“Nothing else.” The teenager added, “Except for you, Big Brother.”
…You win.
Wen Shi thought of finding another word as an alias, like “Yuan.”
“Caged birds yearn for their old forest, and fish in a pond long for their former abyss.”
This was his favorite sentence, and coupled with the teenager’s enigmatic demeanor, it resembled much like an abyss that couldn’t be fathomed or understood.
As he was about to suggest this, he saw the expectant yet nervous glint in those eyes, a shade as light as his own. Wen Shi couldn’t help but soften a bit, “…Little Raphael?”
He paused and added, “There’s a famous wine called Raphael. If I were to call you Raphael as well, I’d always imagine a halo above your head.”
“Halos look ugly.” The teenager’s eyes curved, seeming to enjoy the name Wen Shi gave him. “Then let’s go with that. I happen to like wine too.”
Wen Shi disagreed, “Drinking isn’t good for someone your age.”
The teenager seemed to catch onto something amusing, his fingers sliding over his clothes. “Wine doesn’t have to be for drinking.”
Surprisingly, Wen Shi thought for a moment, “True, it can be a collection.”
Indeed, my Big Brother is just too kind and pure-hearted!
…
The archives room was situated in Zone C of the factory. All the employees’ records were stored here. The turnover rate for Big Factory employees was incredibly high, with people disappearing almost every month and new recruits taking their place. Despite the strenuous work, the position was highly contested, and administrators rarely faced the management. They didn’t need to handle those emotional matters in the work area.
Old Zhao was a diligent archives administrator. He had been in this line of work for many years and demanded strict precision from himself.
To excel at his job, Old Zhao lived and ate in the archives room. Eventually, his wife couldn’t take it anymore and left with someone one night. Old Zhao then brought his child to live with him.
Taking care of a child was troublesome, with the added responsibility of feeding and taking care of them. At these times, his son would complain of hunger.
“Stop calling.” Old Zhao scolded his restless child, hurriedly fetching some late-night snacks. He set up a table in the corner, about to sit down and eat, when he suddenly revealed a sinister smile, “We have another takeout order.”
The term “takeout” was pronounced with emphasis.
As the door was slowly pushed open, a young man with a friendly smile walked in.
“Excuse me,” the young man stood at the doorway, offering a polite reminder, “Please avoid lingering in the workshop outside of work hours. Also, it’s not good to eat in the archives room.”
“You must be the new employee named Aaron.” Old Zhao seemed as though he hadn’t heard what he said at all, warmly inviting him to sit down, “Come, join us for a meal.”
He took out a small bowl separately and scooped out some for him. Small red dumplings floated in the creamy white soup.
Old Zhao took a satisfied breath. “The dumplings from this place are especially delicious.”
The young man, Wen Shi, didn’t quite see these as dumplings.
“Mom!” Suddenly, a little boy beside Old Zhao ran over, embracing the slim waist of the young man.
Wen Shi was taken aback for a moment, then let out a soft sigh.
The【Heavenly Male Scattering Flowers】had caused quite a bit of trouble.
The little boy turned to Old Zhao and said, “I want this mom.”
Old Zhao angrily slapped the table. “Bastard, just like your old man, he’s a man!”
“Mom, mom—” The little boy began to cry loudly, the lights flickering as his face hollowed out and his entire body contorted like charred wood.
A crack had appeared in the light, and the archives room couldn’t be without illumination. Old Zhao eventually compromised, his face twisted with disgust, “Fine. Starting today, you’ll be his mom.”
Realizing his tone was a bit harsh, Old Zhao looked at Wen Shi, his weathered face attempting to conjure a smile. “Would you be willing to help and be his mom?”
Regarding non-human NPCs’ requests, it had been explicitly stated in duty tasks to refuse.
Only ghost children, infant spirits, and the like had the impulse to call him “mom” upon seeing him. Wen Shi skipped the process of doubting whether these eerie scenes were smoke bombs and followed the standard procedure, saying, “Handle your own matters.”
【Note: You rejected Old Zhao’s help, and he’s very angry. He’s preparing to torment you. You’ve gained an additional five minutes of survival time, so try to escape.】
Old Zhao approached holding a paper-cutting knife and a stapler, “His previous mom ran away, and to prevent you from running as well, I’ll first nail your mouth shut to keep you from flirting with others. I’ll also saw off your legs, but I’ll leave your hands since you need them to hold the child.”
The little boy stood aside, clapping, “That’s right!”
Wen Shi: “If you want me to be the child’s mom, you should ask my family if they agree.”
“Even if they don’t agree, they’ll have to!” Old Zhao said as his body gradually charred. The scent of burning filled the air, his face cracked, revealing nauseating flesh.
“Is that so?” A gentle question suddenly came from the entrance.
Although the words were spoken by the young man, the one who entered was a tall and sturdy resident from the sixth floor.
Old Zhao scoffed at the newcomer. “You’re still hoping he’ll back you up?”
Since they had come, they might as well stay.
However, one after another, residents from the sixth floor walked in, all of them robust. Soon, half the room was filled with people. The long-standing employees from the sixth floor who had survived till now were naturally skilled at self-preservation. They fully embodied the spirit of the “sea of people” strategy—one wielded an electric baton, while another brandished a wooden plank.
Old Zhao found himself surrounded. Wen Shi could only see a group of senior employees gathered around him, unable to discern the specifics of what was happening.
Frightened, the little boy hid under the table, while Old Zhao cried out for mercy. Wen Shi snapped his fingers, and the senior employees stopped their group assault. Old Zhao’s charred brain tissue had been beaten out. He trembled, on the verge of tears, “You have so many family members, why didn’t you say so earlier?”
He didn’t dare scold Wen Shi, so shifted all his anger onto the little boy, “You reckless little brat, insisting on finding such a mother. You, you’re causing your own downfall!”
Seeing this, Wen Shi said seriously, “You’ll have plenty to talk about with Jian Haiyang. He spoke of his son in a similar way.”
A bad choice of friends leads to misery.
“Jian Haiyang?” Old Zhao displayed his heightened archivist’s demeanor, “He doesn’t have a son.”
Wen Shi paused, “He does, his son’s name is Jian Qingrong. Male. He was once burned and is now an employee in Workshop Three, the former spokesperson of Beautiful Soul.”
Old Zhao wouldn’t allow anyone to question his professional expertise. “Nonsense! The former ambassador of Beautiful Soul was Jian Haiyang. Also, there was only one fire incident in Workshop One. My son and I were involved in that fire…”
He didn’t finish his sentence, his expression becoming even more hideously contorted. “After the fire, the archives were relocated to Workshop Three.”
Wen Shi cautiously asked, “Could it be that your memories are confused?”
From the factory manager to the workers, everyone in the entire factory knew about Jian Qingrong.
Old Zhao picked up the paper-cutting knife at hand, but seeing the one hundred and eight warriors behind Wen Shi made him falter. “I’m responsible for collecting, organizing, and authenticating all the archives. There’s no room for mistakes.”
“All new employees’ files are sent here.” Old Zhao’s charred body seemed to shrink. He moved like a spider, quickly crawling through the archive shelves, inspecting each one.
In reality, Wen Shi already believed Old Zhao’s words. A chill ran down his spine. He turned to the residents from the sixth floor, “Do you know Jian Qingrong?”
The one hundred and eight warriors all nodded in unison.
Their emotions now revolved around the teenager, responding mechanically to everything else.
The teenager stepped forward, ordering them to individually share their knowledge of Jian Qingrong. Each resident spoke, but all their information was exactly the same. Normally, inquiring about someone from different sources would yield diverse responses. This reaction seemed more like a forced implantation of memory.
Old Zhao had also finished examining each file, stating with unwavering certainty, “There’s no such person at Big Factory.”
A buzzing sound.
Just as Wen Shi was about to say something, his phone suddenly rang. Seeing the caller’s ID, his heart skipped a beat. He calmed himself and answered, “Hello—”
Jian Qingrong’s unusually calm voice came through from a different space, “It’s me. Where are you?”
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