Embers Ad Infinitum

Chapter 749: A Leisurely Life

Translator: CKtalon

Pangu Biology, underground building entrance.

Liu Chengkun led his team of Security Department employees and guarded behind the silver-white door. They were all a little languid.

They brought over a large number of chairs, slumping over them or sitting on them while either daydreaming or having a chat. Only four colleagues stood beside the two new security scanning machines with guns, guarding them seriously.

This wasn’t because they were skiving and slacking off, but there was a relatively limited number of people entering and exiting the underground building every day. Liu Chengkun and the others had nothing to do most of the time. If they were forced to maintain a highly vigilant state, it would only result in fatigue in both body and mind. They would only appear focused on the surface, but they would actually become unfocused. Therefore, it was better to assign a roster when nobody entered or left. There were four people in each team for an hour at a time.

Liu Chengkun sat in his high-back chair. He swept his gaze across all his subordinates and nodded in satisfaction.

He was satisfied with the four duty guards’ concentration and seriousness, and he was also satisfied that although the other employees were resting and relaxing, they didn’t completely abandon their duties. They were still tense.

These days sure aren’t bad… Liu Chengkun leaned back slightly, picked up the iron-black thermos he had picked up from the Ashlands, unscrewed the cap, and took a sip.

There was little to do and plenty of contribution points. There was no danger—it was a true reflection of his current position. Countless people snitched on him out of jealousy.

Every time he heard his superior give him a warning to not be too lax when guarding the entrance, he would always scoff disdainfully in his heart when he heard that it was easy for the snitches to catch him red-handed.

That bunch of bastards. I’m what I am today because I risked my life back then. Do they really think that a D8 captain can make it this far at such a young age because of his connections and qualifications? Do you really think that the company will entrust such an important matter like guarding the entrance to me without more than ten years of experience?

It had to be known that the casualty rate of employees on duty in the Security Department was still not low. Even with additional subsidies, better food, and the harvests that they could keep when chanced upon, not many people volunteered. After all, everyone had the same basic salary when they were at the same rank.

The subsidies and food discounts weren’t high enough to make people risk their lives. They could survive fine by being frugal, and they wouldn’t starve or freeze to death. At most, they would eat one or two meals without meat a week.

As for the Security Department’s outfield employees’ best benefit—promotion—there was indeed such a thing. However, the problem was that every employee who was quickly promoted stood out due to them surviving raining bullets and various dangerous tests. Behind every such employee were the limbs or even corpses of their fellow colleagues.

For the remaining employees, their promotions were only that fast. The best was that they could be directly promoted when they were transferred internally. Therefore, there were still some ambitious employees who wanted wealth and status to take the initiative to participate in the Security Department’s selection. Most of the others could be promoted simply from their qualifications and age. Their families had the elderly, the young, and their partners, so there was no need to take the risk.

Liu Chengkun inexplicably felt his heart palpitate and his bones ache when he recalled his battle with bandits, mutated monsters, other large factions’ troops, and the dangerous environment and special ability users with them.

Many years ago, he and his colleagues were trapped relatively deep in a swamp by a group of White Knights that had disguised themselves as Ruin Hunters. Back then, it had been raining for several days. They tried searching for a way out, and people often fell into the mud and quickly sank. They couldn’t be dragged out, and all he could do was watch helplessly as the familiar and lively faces were drowned bit by bit in despair.

From then on, Liu Chengkun’s calf would ache every rainy day. He often had nightmares when sleeping.

The pain didn’t subside until he was transferred to an internal post.

Massaging his knees, Liu Chengkun was increasingly satisfied with his current job and lifestyle. He hoped that he could continue like this until he reached the age limit, quit the Security Department, and transferred to another job.

When the time came, he could be promoted to D9—the level of a battalion commander—from a D8-rank OC level. This corresponded to the high-ranking managers of other departments, second only to the executives who started at the M grade. They could be a floor’s PIC, a factory’s supervisor, or a large district’s Order Supervisory Bureau Chief.

At such a rank, the contribution points were enough to feed a large family. There were also additional benefits like being assigned large rooms. Furthermore, they had real power and could determine the fate of many people.

As his imagination ran wild, Liu Chengkun felt a little sleepy.

At this moment, he heard a notification: “Outfield employees are returning and have passed the system’s preliminary inspection. Please arrange for someone to do a second round of inspection to determine if the door should be opened.”

Liu Chengkun stood up immediately and said to his subordinates on both sides, “Dong, Ke, you guys do the check.”

As he waited, he rubbed his face, hoping to energize himself so that he wouldn’t be snitched on again.

Before long, he saw a grayish-green jeep drive past the open silver-white door. He then saw a tall woman push open the door and get out of the car.

Said woman took off her sunglasses and revealed her familiar beautiful face.

“Mian…” Liu Chengkun had just shouted when he suddenly recalled something and quickly corrected himself. “You guys are back?”

He no longer acted too familiar with her just because he was Jiang Baimian’s brother’s good friend and called her by her childhood nickname. He already knew that Jiang Baimian was a D9-rank employee before her mission and was on par with his superior.

This made Liu Chengkun blush with shame and also become a little restrained.

According to Pangu Biology’s regulations, Jiang Baimian might directly transfer over to be in charge of them. After all, for the other party to be able to rise from D6 to D9 in just over two years, she definitely had enough contribution points from being a field agent. As long as she didn’t want to strike while the iron was hot and squeeze into the management in one go, she could change positions at any time.

Jiang Baimian smiled and said, “That’s right. We’ve been out for almost six months.”

It was late autumn.

As she spoke to Liu Chengkun, Shang Jianyao, Long Yuehong, and Bai Chen alighted. They opened the trunk, took out all their items, and underwent the examination.

Liu Chengkun knew that their elite team had two military exoskeletons when he encountered them on duty last year and was mentally prepared. However, his eyes couldn’t help but widen when he saw crates being lifted and opened one after another.

“One, two, three… one, two…”

There were three military exoskeletons and two sets of bionic artificial intelligence armor!

For a team of only four people, this was no longer a luxury. It was a waste!

Liu Chengkun couldn’t help but ask, “These are?”

What kind of mission is such a team in charge of outfield? Such a setup is enough to deal with an unprepared company!

Shang Jianyao replied in all seriousness, “It’s just like how cars need to have spare tires. Our equipment also has to be replaceable.”

Back then, it was already pretty good for a company to have two sets of bionic artificial intelligence armor unless it was a specialized, targeted dispatch company… Liu Chengkun criticized inwardly.

He watched Jiang Baimian and the others pass the security check with complicated gazes and let out a long, silent sigh.

This team was a special exception among exceptions. It was the first time Pangu Biology had a team that underwent such an exaggerated promotion speed without suffering any losses.

Other promotions that could exceed them were for those who had awakened powerful abilities—the kind that reached a certain rank in one promotion. It was an individual improvement, not a result of the team missions.

Therefore, what did they do in the Ashlands to deserve three military exoskeletons and two sets of bionic artificial intelligence armor? What made them worthy of being promoted several times in the past two years that exceeded the ten or twenty-year contributions of other field employees? Liu Chengkun watched Jiang Baimian and the others drive into the parking lot in envy and confusion.

He even suspected that the four of them would be promoted again.

No, it shouldn’t be possible for Mianmian. If she is promoted again, she will be promoted to management. Apart from those genius scientists and powerful Awakened, she will be the youngest at the management level. In management at only 25 years old… Liu Chengkun’s heart suddenly palpitated. He impulsively wanted to submit an application and return to the field to fight for glory and wealth.

Of course, it was only a passing thought. After sighing, he sat back down in his high-back chair. He then narrowed his eyes and watched the employees around him relax one after another as he listened to them chat about Jiang Baimian’s team’s extravagant equipment and various rumors.

Yes, such a life is pretty good… Liu Chengkun leaned back and thought.

…

On the 647th floor, Room 14.

Jiang Baimian—who had undergone disinfection, drawing of blood, and washing—threw herself into the chair behind her team leader’s desk as before and assumed a half-slouch.

“How comfortable!” She smiled and sighed with emotion.

This was the feeling of returning home.

Bang!

Shang Jianyao also threw himself into his seat, almost smashing the chair into pieces.

Long Yuehong happily looked around and said to Bai Chen, “I’ll tell my parents about us when I get back today. I’ll try my best to bring you to meet them tomorrow night.”

“There’s no rush, right?” The person who replied was the bystander, Shang Jianyao. “It makes Little White appear desperate!”

Bai Chen—who originally felt that it didn’t matter—immediately hesitated.

She still hoped to blend into Pangu Biology’s internal society. She didn’t want to be pointed at and criticized.

In this regard, she actually didn’t care about it—she had a strong mental fortitude. She was just worried that Long Yuehong would be depressed because of this.

Long Yuehong thought for a moment and said, “That’s right, that’s right. We have to choose a good day.”

Pangu Biology wasn’t that particular. The so-called good days were weekends when the family wasn’t working.

This way, Bai Chen wouldn’t be neglected when visiting for the first time.

“Alright.” Bai Chen didn’t object.

Upon seeing this, Jiang Baimian clapped and smiled. “Alright, alright. Stop showing off your affection in front of us. Think about what we should eat in the canteen after the test results are out.”

People like them—who had been wandering outside and returning underground—would definitely be examined for any infectious diseases.

Long Yuehong and Shang Jianyao replied in unison, “Something that doesn’t exist in canned food!”

With that said, the four of them laughed.