As Shang Jianyao responded, Long Yuehong found it incomprehensible and decided not to bother trying.
The two continued chatting casually as they walked together toward the "Supplies Market." When the "Employee Cafeteria" opened, they each spent eight contribution points on breakfast—a boiled egg, two coarse-grain buns, and a small plate of pickled vegetables.
After eating, they packed their food containers and headed to the "Activity Center," settling in a quiet corner of the hall to await the allocation results.
At this early hour, the "Activity Center" was nearly deserted. Only the staff assigned to this area bustled under the watchful eye of the supervisor, an elderly man named Chen Xianyu, diligently wiping down surfaces, cleaning, and rearranging furniture.
The elderly residents who typically exercised and socialized here in the mornings were notably absent. Many were busy taking their grandchildren to school or heading to their own jobs.
The company's regulations allowed employees over 60 to transition to lighter duties or halve their workloads. By 75, they could retire fully, receiving monthly subsidies based on their employee grade. However, few lived to enjoy this freedom. For the earlier generations born without the benefits of genetic enhancement, surviving to 75 was a rarity in the resource-scarce, malnourished environment of the past.
Long Yuehong inhaled silently, searching for a topic to break the quiet. "Yesterday, I met the daughter of one of my mom's colleagues," he said.
"She's just 18 and works at the radio station under the 'Entertainment Department.' She's over 1.7 meters tall and looks amazing. Do you think she might like me? I mean, I'm only 1.75 meters tall even after genetic enhancement, look pretty average, and my grades are just so-so. Not a single department reserved a spot for me."
Shang Jianyao raised an eyebrow slightly. "What's her name?"
"Feng Yunyin," Long Yuehong replied, chuckling. "She doesn't know Hou Yi; they're not in the same group." He assumed Shang Jianyao was asking about the popular broadcaster Hou Yi, a favorite among many employees.
Unfazed, Shang Jianyao continued, "Which floor and block does she live on? What's her apartment number?"
"Why are you asking all this?" Long Yuehong looked both startled and suspicious.
Shang Jianyao gave him a sideways glance. "To ask her if she might like you."
"...Forget it," Long Yuehong muttered, realizing how disastrous that could be. Laughing nervously, he steered the conversation away. "Which department do you hope to join?"
"Security Department," Shang Jianyao replied without hesitation.
Long Yuehong almost choked on his own breath. "Are you crazy? That department's dangerous! Don't think the meal subsidies make it worthwhile! Haha, good one, you're joking, right?"
The "Security Department" was infamous for being the riskiest in the entire company, with an annual death rate several times higher than all other departments combined.
Their duties extended far beyond the safe confines of the underground building. They escorted essential supplies across the wastelands, battled invading forces and migrating monster hordes, guarded outposts beyond the company's perimeter, explored Old World ruins, and protected scientific expeditions.
As a result, Security Department employees often faced exposure to pollutants, diseases, monsters, and crossfire. Injuries, mutations, illnesses, and death were common.
As Long Yuehong grappled with Shang Jianyao's startling answer, Meng Xia and others began filing into the Activity Center, heading to familiar spots.
Yang Zhenyuan, who had a close friendship with Shang Jianyao and Long Yuehong, quickly spotted them. Pale and scholarly, Yang lived on the same floor and had gone through university and the same major with them. He walked over directly.
"Hey, why do you look so tired? Didn't eat breakfast?" Long Yuehong asked with concern.
Yang Zhenyuan's face flushed. "I did. Just... exhausted."
"Why are you so tired?" Long Yuehong asked, puzzled.
Yang Zhenyuan hesitated, then sighed at Shang Jianyao. "Getting married is exhausting. But honestly, it's worth it. You two should hurry and find someone as well."
He smiled involuntarily, his exhaustion giving way to contentment.
Long Yuehong decided he understood and didn't probe further. Instead, he revisited the earlier topic. "Yang Zhenyuan, guess what? Shang Jianyao joked about wanting to join the 'Security Department'!"
Yang Zhenyuan thought for a moment. "If it were strictly limited to desk jobs, I'd want to join too. The benefits are incredible."
Salaries in the Security Department were the same as elsewhere in the company, following standard guidelines. But due to their intense training schedules, employees got to eat meat daily—training days and shifts meant dining in their exclusive cafeteria, where meals were both cheap and hearty. On other days, meal subsidies were issued.
For many employees, this was a dream.
"Of course, if desk jobs were guaranteed, everyone would want in—except for management and research enthusiasts," Long Yuehong scoffed. "But sadly, desk and field duties rotate unless you're in the boss's elite guard, management's direct action team, or a critical project protection unit."
Shang Jianyao, who had been silent, suddenly spoke. "I want field duty."
"...Are you out of your mind?" Long Yuehong waved a hand in front of Shang Jianyao's face. "Do you have any idea how dangerous it is out there?"
Most people in the building had acquaintances in the Security Department and were well aware of the dangers lurking in the wasteland—a chaotic, unpredictable world where survival was uncertain.
Compared to the relative peace, order, and guaranteed resources of the company, the outside world was a hellscape.
Yet, to encourage participation, the board of directors offered fast-track promotions for Security Department employees. While most regular positions capped at D3, leaving employees stuck as junior staff their whole careers, Security workers could reach D4 within a year—or even half a year. Upon transferring to normal positions post-service, promotions were automatic.
Yang Zhenyuan, still baffled by Shang Jianyao's reasoning, remarked, "The department usually picks employees who are married with children. It rarely takes singles or newlyweds."
"Exactly!" Long Yuehong eagerly agreed.
Looking at Shang Jianyao, he asked, "Why would you even want to do fieldwork?"
Shang Jianyao replied with a straight face, "To save humanity."
Cough! Cough! Both Long Yuehong and Yang Zhenyuan choked on their own spit.
Before they could respond, two employees in black uniforms entered the Activity Center, carrying a sealed envelope. They handed it to Chen Xianyu, the supervisor.
Long Yuehong, Yang Zhenyuan, Meng Xia, and others immediately stood, holding their breaths.
Inside that envelope lay the assignment results.
Unlike the public announcement required for arranged marriages, the assignment results were handled discreetly due to confidentiality clauses. Each individual received the information through a sealed envelope, leaving everyone else in the dark.
After confirming the envelope was intact and signing off on its transfer, the two employees from the "Board of Directors" stepped back to stand beside Chen Xianyu, overseeing the distribution process.
"So soon? Looks like we're in the first batch… Wonder what kind of position I'll get…" Long Yuehong muttered nervously, unable to keep silent.
Shang Jianyao glanced at him and said, "Assume you're assigned to the 'Security Department.' That way, no matter the outcome, it won't feel worse."
"That makes sense!" Long Yuehong decided to adopt Shang Jianyao's suggestion since there was no better option.
Chen Xianyu, the old man in charge, held up the paper bag for everyone to see before breaking the seal and pulling out a stack of envelopes.
He began reading the names aloud:
"Zhong Xiaomin."
A girl stepped forward, took her envelope, and quickly moved aside to open it.
"Yang Zhenyuan."
…
"Meng Xia."
…
"Long Yuehong."
…
"Shang Jianyao."
…
One name after another was called. Each person walked up, collected their envelope, and opened it on the spot, eager to discover their fate.
Standing not far from Chen Xianyu, Long Yuehong's hands trembled slightly as he unfolded the paper inside:
Long Yuehong, Electronic Card Number: 02511013768.
Please report to Room 14, Floor 647, by 12:00 noon.
Floor 647… The number reverberated in Long Yuehong's mind like a thunderclap. The paper in his hand slipped lightly toward the ground.
Snapping out of his stupor, he hastily picked it up and reread it several times, hoping he had made a mistake.
Unfortunately, he had not.
"Finished… I'm finished…" he murmured, his face ashen.
The building had 650 floors in total, with the topmost five belonging to the "Security Department." Being assigned to Floor 647 meant he had been recruited there.
Shang Jianyao clapped a hand on Long Yuehong's shoulder.
Turning around slowly, dazed and hollow-eyed, Long Yuehong repeated, "Finished… I'm finished…"
Shang Jianyao grinned brightly. "I've been assigned to the 'Security Department.'"
"Ah?" Long Yuehong snapped out of his despair and snatched Shang Jianyao's letter.
He scanned it quickly and saw:
Shang Jianyao, Electronic Card Number: 02509083626.
Please report to Room 14, Floor 647, by 12:00 noon.
"We're going to the same place?" Long Yuehong asked, slightly calmer.
"Seems like it," Shang Jianyao replied with a smile.
"Why are we so unlucky?" Long Yuehong lamented, though he felt slightly less miserable with someone to share his fate.
"I requested it," Shang Jianyao said casually, tilting his head.
"…" Long Yuehong was at a loss for words.
Meanwhile, Meng Xia, Yang Zhenyuan, Zhong Xiaomin, and the others had also discovered their assignments. Their reactions ranged from excitement to disappointment, but none were as dramatic as Long Yuehong's.
"Shang Jianyao, where were you assigned? I'm going to the research institute on Floor 36," Yang Zhenyuan said, walking over with his letter.
Shang Jianyao's face lit up. "The Security Department."
A stunned silence fell over the activity center. Even those who had been disappointed by their assignments looked relieved by comparison.
Not wanting to linger in such an atmosphere, Long Yuehong tugged on Shang Jianyao's arm. "Let's go report in. We don't have a choice."
This was an inescapable result. Refusing to report would mean exile for one's entire family. Even if connections could be leveraged for a transfer, one still had to report first.
Of course, those with such connections had already secured predetermined placements.
Shang Jianyao waved goodbye to Yang Zhenyuan, picked up his lunchbox, and left with Long Yuehong. They headed toward the elevators leading to the top five floors in Area C.
Walking in silence for a while, Long Yuehong suddenly pressed his lips together and murmured, "At least… we'll get to see the real sky."