Qin Xuezhong realized she had been too naive.
Working for a big company in Xigu City meant being squeezed until the very moment of death.
Even if she had been a high-level executive before, she had to enter the federal government or other companies under a fake identity, becoming an undercover agent for the sake of maximizing the extraction of remaining value.
From Qin Huaigui's account, she learned that her subordinates were a bunch of data epilepsy patients.
These individuals had originally worked for the company, but due to the overload of data processed by their neural chips, they developed data epilepsy, leading to irreversible neurological disorders.
This illness not only required lifelong medication for control but could also lead to sudden death.
The company provided them with inhibitors for data epilepsy, which had to be taken weekly to stay alive, ensuring they would obediently serve the company outside of work.
Each company had different office systems, and the characteristics of data epilepsy varied, so these inhibitors were specially customized.
Even with money, they couldn't buy them elsewhere.
This way, the undercover agents were tightly bound until the last drop of sweat and blood was wrung out of them.
To make their work more efficient, the company had even developed a secret order-taking system.
Similar to a delivery service, whenever someone needed to cover up a body, destroy evidence, or steal technical information, they would post the request through intermediaries in this system.
Undercover agents capable of completing these tasks would operate within various companies or federal departments, earning tokens to exchange for inhibitors and prolonging their lives...
After just a few words with her "brother," Qin Xuezhong grasped the whole situation.
She was utterly stunned.
Capitalists from her past life would weep at this!
After dedicating their lives to the company, they fell seriously ill, and that illness became their weakness, held hostage by the company to continue serving.
As a group leader, she was the most despised figure in her team.
The inhibitors for each group were distributed by the team leader.
Many leaders hoped to quickly rack up achievements to leave their posts.
Generally, those who became leaders would do their utmost to exploit, coerce, and intimidate their subordinates, setting the harshest performance standards to force everyone to chase after results.
From Qin Huaigui's expression, it was clear that this identity was not a good one.
Perhaps the original owner had enemies in the company who not only didn't want her to leave but also arranged this to humiliate her.
The implication was: if you want to escape all this, fine, become the villain you despise most, exploit those poor souls, cast aside your dignity, and crawl out like a submissive dog.
Qin Xuezhong immediately guessed most of the situation.
After vague exchanges, she left Qin Huaigui's home, agreeing to meet later that evening.
Holding the encrypted module in her hand, she looked at the bustling traffic in the Bay Area's center, contemplating the countless darkness hidden within the city, and formed a plan.
---
"From now on, everyone can receive one inhibitor for free each week, without completing tasks or exchanging tokens."
At 9 PM, in the secret meeting space, when Qin Xuezhong uttered these words, everyone was dumbfounded.
The meeting space was set in a robotics factory, and all the undercover agents appeared as robots.
Tall, short, fat, thin, and various modifications, they were all different; even their voices were mechanical to avoid exposing their real identities. Some lay down, some chatted, and some slouched over desks, lacking any dignity.
Seeing Qin Xuezhong appear, many cast disdainful glances at her, as if thinking, where did this fool come from, and what is she trying to pull now?
After all, these team leaders always found ways to torment them; they were used to it.
Why bother being polite to a bunch of slaves?
Everyone's eyes widened.
Qin Huaigui, a sleek-looking robot, was the first to exclaim, "What?!"
But his voice was quickly drowned out by others.
"Really… is that true?" someone asked incredulously.
"Damn, I've already exchanged mine; it shows it's being delivered!" someone exclaimed, trying it out first.
"I've been having spasms for three days; I'm going to enjoy it now." Someone disappeared immediately.
"This… team leader, may I ask why?" A skeptical person looked at Qin Xuezhong, seemingly not believing such a good thing could exist and wanting an explanation.
After all, free things usually come with a catch.
"I'm happy to do it."
Qin Xuezhong, feeling lighthearted, logged off, leaving a group of people exchanging confused looks and a disheveled Qin Huaigui.
After logging off, Qin Huaigui was bewildered for a long time before dialing a communication.
After waiting a while, a graceful woman's voice answered, "Xiaogui? Shouldn't you be in a meeting?"
"The meeting is over."
There was a noticeable silence on the other end for a few seconds before she asked, "What's wrong?"
"The team leader just announced that everyone can receive an inhibitor for free each week, then she logged off."
"Ha ha ha ha," the woman on the other end laughed joyfully, "As expected of Qin Xuezhong, interesting, very interesting."
"Mom," Qin Huaigui said, a hint of petulance in his tone, "What does she want to do?"
"I don't know," the woman replied, her voice tinged with uncontainable amusement, "but I know those people must be very unhappy."
"Ah?"
"Think about it: why would they throw Qin Xuezhong into the undercover group after driving her out?"
"To humiliate her."
"Exactly, but do you think Qin Xuezhong is that kind of person? Otherwise, she wouldn't have come up with such a method; she's always had a knack for overcoming challenges. She wouldn't have reached the board position at such a young age if she hadn't been scheming for something big."
"Mom, then I…"
"Just stay put, do your assistant job well, and try to learn from her; it'll help you. The real show is just beginning."
Qin Huaigui pondered for a moment and replied, "Alright, Mom, I understand."
Meanwhile, in a villa in a wealthy district, a man smashed a thousand-year-old antique vase in a fit of rage.
"Calm down, don't get worked up over such trivial matters," a person next to him consoled, "She's always been one to break the mold."
"Should I just watch her enjoy herself out there?!" the man bellowed.
"Of course not; if she really resigned herself to a life in the undercover group, that would be good for us, right? If she has some tricks up her sleeve, we'll deal with it when the time comes."
The man calmed down a bit, "I just can't stand her nonchalant attitude."
"She's acting; who could go from being a dream board member to the leader of the undercover group and still smile? She's just trying to provoke you."
"Hmph, that hypocritical woman. Ah, I really want to know how miserable she is right now…"
In fact, Qin Xue is really happy right now.
She feels quite clever.
Since there are enemies who want to humiliate the original owner and want to see her struggle desperately in the mud, she might as well put on a relaxed demeanor for them to see.
— I'm already slacking off and don't want to compete with you, so how about you stop bothering me?
Glancing at the time, it was just past 9:05.
She decided to go downstairs for a late-night snack.
The nightlife in the Shanzhai District is bustling, full of the aroma of street food.
On both sides of the narrow streets, various stalls are lined up. The scent of spices overpowers the plastic smell of synthetic protein, permeating the entire space so that even the people on the 50th floor can smell it.
After a tiring day at the factory, the workers take off their shirts, exposing their agile hydraulic arms, enjoying grilled skewers and beer.
She didn't sit down but strolled along, checking out what delicious food was available.
Before long, she had a waterproof paper box of oden in one hand and stubbornly held a few skewers of grilled meat in her fingers, her mouth full of octopus balls she hadn't swallowed yet. With her other hand, she confirmed her payment and took the "Shanzhai Fried Chicken" handed to her by the stall owner.
This fried chicken is said to blend spices brought by various immigrants over hundreds of years in the Shanzhai District, giving it a unique flavor.
She eagerly took a bite, and in her haste, nearly poked her nose.
The aroma wafted through the air.
Two words: happy.
The company undercover issue was resolved.
No need to create disgusting rules, no need to force those poor people to do this or that; just make sure they pick up their suppressants on time and don't bother her.
The Public Security Bureau is also a good place.
Her colleagues know how to have fun; no promotion opportunities mean fewer troubles, just earning a salary and taking it easy. Life, isn't it just like this?
For now, she'll take a break, get familiar with this world, and see how things unfold.
With a bit of food left to eat, Little Qin happily imagined tomorrow.