Upon hearing that I killed three guards, including two black brothers, everyone immediately looked at me with a mix of respect and fear.
Some were skeptical, some believed it, some were uncertain, and others gave me puzzled glances. The four patrolling guards in the workroom looked at me with eyes full of fury. After all, I had killed their comrades.
The department I was assigned to, the workroom, had about 120 people. The gender ratio was heavily skewed with far more men than women. Even the supervisors and team leaders in the neighboring team were women dressed as men.
In our department, there were two shifts, each with a supervisor and a team leader. I was placed in Shift A, where the supervisors and team leaders were middle-aged men dressed normally. Shift B, however, was quite eye-catching. The female supervisor had a long, colorful hairstyle, five earrings in one ear, tight pants, a loose shirt, and looked like a non-mainstream trendsetter from the '90s.
The female team leader also dressed like a man, with a buzz cut, grey hair, black shoes, men's trousers, and a men's shirt, resembling a business elite. Some team members were also non-mainstream, blurring gender lines, looking quite abnormal.
What did I do to deserve this? What kind of den did I fall into? The supervisor and even the team members were androgynous. Would I be forced to conform soon?
Thinking of the macho Wrench, I shuddered.
"Newbie, go to Professor Ace for training, and hurry up!" Fatty's shout interrupted my thoughts.
Along with me, six other men and three women, all in their twenties, stood out, bewildered, and followed a guard to the "newbie training class" outside.
The so-called training class was filled with newcomers, about sixty in total, ranging from teenagers to people in their sixties. I couldn't understand how they were all deceived into coming here.
Professor Ace, a local, was said to be a "success studies expert" specialized in brainwashing captives. Personally, I preferred calling him a professional con artist. After we sat down, he kindly handed out notebooks and pens, reminding us to pay close attention to his lecture. He emphasized that he disliked students who got distracted.
How ironic, a con artist and criminal acting like a legitimate professor.
"Students, let me introduce myself. I'm Ace, a local, 58 years old, and have been a success studies professor for over 38 years! Many of my students have become top salespeople, easily making tens or even hundreds of thousands with their deals! I hope you take notes, listen carefully, and don't daydream!" Ace, tall and skinny, spoke and acted like a proper professor, complete with gold-rimmed glasses. However, his glasses had no lenses, only frames, probably to appear scholarly.
Listening to his lecture, I fought to stay awake, taking notes and nodding along.
The "Pig Butchering Plate" scam, in simple terms, involved posing as beautiful women or handsome men on social media, dating sites, and apps to catch rich "fish." Once the target was hooked and deeply involved, they would quickly reel them in, extracting money. This professional scam had a high success rate.
"Why aren't you taking notes?" Ace suddenly asked a man, tapping his desk.
"I... I can't write. I didn't finish elementary school," the man, in his forties and looking unkempt, replied.
"Why is there such a lowly pig here? Get him out! Such illiteracy is an insult to my success studies!" Ace raged, having guards drag the man out.
What a hypocrite, speaking Chinese while pretending to be an expert.
"Does anyone here have a degree from a top Chinese university? Raise your hand! Don't lie; I know your backgrounds!" Ace asked loudly from the podium.
Few raised their hands, some only briefly. I didn't raise mine, fearing I'd be singled out.
"Don't be afraid. Those with top degrees will be richly rewarded," Ace promised, displaying boxes of milk, apples, local bread, and spicy snacks from Hunan.
I almost caved for the snacks.
"Raise your hand and come get your reward," Ace encouraged.
"I'm from a 985 university..." some began to stand, receiving double rewards.
Seeing the spicy snacks, I couldn't resist and shouted, "I'm from a Double First-Class university in Hunan."
"Oh, a 985 and 211 project university graduate! Welcome, welcome!" Ace was thrilled, giving me several boxes of milk, apples, bread, and an entire box of spicy snacks.
I was stunned by his enthusiasm, while the guards were equally puzzled.
"Are you the one who killed three guards?" Ace asked, smiling as he bit an apple.
Was I that famous? I knew notoriety would bring trouble.
"Yes, for self-defense," I answered honestly.
"A young man with knowledge, courage, and spirit. You're a promising talent," Ace praised, his cunning eyes flashing briefly.
I didn't understand his intent, just hoping he wouldn't target me.
Little did I know, my fate was about to change dramatically because of him.