Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The recruitment drive would be ending in three days. This time, a lot of children had been recruited. Ever since the Cataclysm, child labor was no longer frowned upon by society.
The Cataclysm had left lots of children without parents. Even though the New World Allied Government had provided financial assistance to these children, child labor still existed in this world.
These orphans were often stereotyped as rebellious delinquents, so in truth, the government viewed child labor as a good thing. These orphans would not have the time to fool around if they were all given stable jobs.
However, children were less physically competent than adults. Most companies and other profit-minded entities would not employ minors, as it would only put them at a disadvantage.
Most of the people in Gao Peng’s company assumed that he was simply being generous.
Their gossiping soon reached Gao Peng’s ears.
“Let me know if there are any promising talents this time,” Gao Peng ordered Wang Liang.
“Of course, I’ll be focusing on character above all else!” replied Wang Liang.
…
In the Southern Sky No. 7 Factory, mask-wearing workers toiled while listening to the metallic hum of the machinery around them.
Black fumes were expelled into the air from the factory. A thick, black cloud circled above the factory, absorbing the black flumes into itself. Liquid waste was expelled through a couple of large drainage pipes into the underground sewage system.
Since the Cataclysm, all existing plant life in the world had grown hardier and capable of absorbing all kinds of chemical contaminants through their roots. Some plants even derived nutrients from these contaminants.
Liquid waste flowed out of the pipes with a hiss through an alloy gate and instantly flooded the underground sewage system.
After lunch, Gao Peng went to the factory and saw a couple of people huddled together outside, talking to each other in hushed tones.
“What’s wrong?” Gao Peng asked one of the workers.
The worker saw Gao Peng’s nameplate and hurriedly replied, “A monster suddenly appeared in the factory. It’s killed a lot of workers. The security supervisor will send his people in to get rid of it shortly.
There’s a monster in the factory? Gao Peng could not believe his ears. A high wall had been built around the factory. Surveillance cameras had been set up everywhere. There was no way a monster could get in without anyone knowing.
The worker then said that he did not really know what the monster looked like. He had only heard about it from the others.
After thinking about it for a while, Gao Peng decided to go back and bring his familiars into the factory. The workers quickly stepped aside to allow Gao Peng’s party to pass through.
Someone in a security uniform bumped into them at the factory’s entrance. A Four-Winged Jade Devil Mantis followed close behind him.
The man immediately recognized Gao Peng. Who let this spoiled brat in? he silently cursed.
“Supervisor Jiang, did you find the monster?”
“Yes, but it’s a slippery thing. It fled into the underground sewage system,” said Supervisor Jiang, sighing.
Sewage system? How did a monster manage to enter the factory through the sewage system? Gao Peng thought.
“Were the underground defensive installations damaged?” asked Gao Peng. That would need to be resolved quickly. Otherwise, other monsters would take advantage of the security breach and enter the factory from the sewage system.
“Head Gao, there are no defensive measures placed in the sewage system, other than an alloy gate that lets liquid waste flow out of the factory,” said a man named Zhou Wu in a corner, glancing at Supervisor Jiang with a hint of glee in his eyes.
“The underground water pressure should be enough to prevent other monsters from entering the factory,” said Supervisor Jiang awkwardly, while silently cursing Zhou Wu. He knew that Zhou Wu had been eyeing his position for a long time; the man would gladly blame him for today’s fiasco.
Gao Peng frowned. He was not interested in whatever was going on between these two. He only knew that there had been a security breach in the factory, which had resulted in the deaths of a number of workers and a delay in the factory’s function.
Gao Peng would give an honest report of today’s worker attendance to his superiors later. Whatever they decided to do next would be entirely up to them.
Gao Peng then made his way to where the monster had disappeared. There was a gaping hole in the concrete floor, from which wafted a nasty smell.
Da Zi scuttled over and poked his head into the hole curiously. Gao Peng ordered it back, fearing that the monster might still be lurking nearby.
Da Zi chirped unhappily at Gao Peng. “No danger, no danger at all.”
After thinking about it for a while, Gao Peng grew more convinced that there was no lord tier monster living in the sewage system. Also, he recalled that his grandfather had a familiar living in there. All potentially dangerous monsters had been exterminated by the familiar long ago.
“I’ll go take a look,” said Gao Peng, summoning his familiars to his side.
Supervisor Jiang quickly stopped him. “Best leave this sort of thing to us…”
“I don’t think your Devil Mantis is cut out for the job,” said Gao Peng, shaking his head. Devil Mantises were not exactly suited for combat in damp, dark places.
Gao Peng tried to advise Supervisor Jiang against bringing his familiar into the hole. However, his words had injured the man’s pride.
He was the factory’s security supervisor, after all. The facility’s safety was his responsibility. Now the head of Human Resources was doing his job for him.
“Worry not, I believe in my familiar. It can adapt to all sorts of environments. Right?” Supervisor Jiang said to his Four-Winged Devil Mantis.
The Devil Mantis shook its head. Your words, not mine.
“Every familiar has its limitations. Four-Winged Devil Mantises usually prefer wide, open spaces. Besides, I still need you to maintain order in the factory,” said Gao Peng.
Supervisor Jiang was stunned for a moment by his words. He could not believe that Gao Peng would actually help him out.
He then let out a deep sigh and said, “Be careful, Head Gao. It’s not a high-level monster, but its movements are quick and agile, and it can also climb on walls. Once you’re down there, walk westward and you’ll reach the alloy gate…” said Supervisor Jiang.
Gao Peng hadn’t decided to help Supervisor Jiang on a whim. He simply thought that Stripey and Da Zi were more suited for combat in such a damp and dark place. Given that there were no wild commander tier monsters living in most urban areas, both of Gao Peng’s commander tier monsters could definitely handle whatever was down there.
After waving a hand at Supervisor Jiang, Gao Peng led Stripey, Da Zi, and Flamy into the hole.
They dropped onto a cold concrete floor. The walls around them were damp, and water trickled down from cracks between the bricks. Turning on the flashlight that Supervisor Jiang had given him, Gao Peng began walking westward.
