"Zhao Yu, Li Feng, Li Rong, Lu Lei, Dong Er, Li Bufan, Bai Zi, you seven form a group..." The HR manager checked the list and divided the people into groups.

When no one was looking, Qian Rui quietly moved next to Bai Zi and slipped something into his hand: "Friend, let's switch."

"That's not a good idea..." Bai Zi held onto the thing tightly, glancing repeatedly at the HR manager.

Qian Rui said in a low voice, "It's okay. He didn't record the list. We'll just have to register it again later."

Bai Zi pursed his lips: "Alright, if anything goes wrong later, you'll have to take the blame."

“No problem.” Qian Rui agreed immediately, squeezing behind Li Bufan, looking coldly ahead, his gaze seemingly piercing through everyone and landing directly on Zhao Yu.

Zhao Yu looked around suspiciously, as if he had just seen a face that resembled the former team leader...

He patted his cheeks, trying to reassure himself. The former team leader ran a shop at the base; why would she be here? He shouldn't scare himself. Besides, even if she did come, what could she do? At worst, he could just die.

In any case, he had already experienced the ultimate pleasure in this world, and he had no regrets about dying.

...

As Qian Rui expected, once inside the factory, he was indeed required to register again.

When Zhao Yu saw Qian Rui, he was terrified, but he quickly calmed down and listened carefully to his supervisor's training.

"The factory will play music 24 hours a day to stimulate the insects to secrete mucus, which is one of the key raw materials for making Blue. Your job is to gently collect the mucus with a scraper. Remember to be very gentle, because the insects' skin is very soft. If the skin is broken, the mucus will be mixed with the insects' blood and become useless..."

The supervisor went through a bunch of work-related points and then let everyone ask questions.

Zhao Yu had completely forgotten the oppressive feeling Qian Rui had brought, and eagerly raised his hand to ask, "How will our compensation be calculated?"

"Our factory has a great welfare system, including meals and accommodation, and wages are settled daily. The basic wage for each person is one piece of blue per day, and those who perform well can earn more blue."

It's equivalent to a base salary plus performance-based pay system.

The crowd began to whisper among themselves.

Blue is very expensive on the black market; one piece of blue is equivalent to a normal person's expenses for a whole month. According to the supervisor, the wages for a normal day's work here are enough to live on for a month outside.

Li Rong and Li Feng exchanged a glance, both revealing satisfied smiles. They could work a little longer, accumulating a considerable amount of Blue, some for their own use and some to sell for supplies.

The supervisor continued, "Collecting workers are the lowest-level jobs in the factory. Above them are refining workers and senior factory workers, who earn higher pay and better benefits. Everyone has a chance to be promoted if they work hard. The factory conducts weekly assessments, and the best-performing employees of the week can be promoted to refining workers."

The supervisor's last few words were like a bomb thrown into the water, and the discussion among the crowd grew even more heated, with everyone seemingly seeing a bright and promising future.

"Alright, everyone, get into your groups and start working in the insect breeding room. The earlier you get in, the more mucus you can collect."

After the supervisor finished speaking, a bunch of people rushed into the breeding room at breakneck speed, as if they were grabbing free Blue.

Inside the breeding room, there is a large insect lying flat. Two fences have been built around its body, and outside the fences are seven small spaces for people to stand in. Standing in one of these spaces, one can reach into the fence to collect the slime from the insect's body.

Zhao Yu, quick-witted and agile, chose the fattest spot on the insect's body. The fatter the insect, the larger its body surface, and the more mucus it seemed to have.

Zhao Yu was smug, eager to see the others' expressions. He looked up and found that Qian Rui had already taken the seat opposite him. His expression immediately changed; he dared not speak, silently picked up the scraper, and began to work.

"What? Feeling guilty?" Qian Rui sneered.

"What do I have to be ashamed of?" Zhao Yu muttered.

"What about the points for selling the store? I was the one who contributed the majority of the points for that store back then."

"Once I've earned enough Blue, I'll exchange them for points and pay you back." Thinking of the reward of one Blue a day, Zhao Yu felt more confident, and his voice became louder, "If it weren't for me, could you have found such a good way to earn points? Once I have enough Blue, I'll pay you back double!"

Qian Rui lowered his voice: "What about Sun Can? How will you repay her with her life?"

Zhao Yu's hand trembled, and a small cut appeared on the insect's skin, with a hint of red mixed in with its mucus.

The faint red tinge wasn't very noticeable. Zhao Yu hesitated for a moment, then collected the slime from that area into the bottle. Compared to Sun Can's life, the bottle of slime in his hand was more important.

However, Zhao Yu still gave Qian Rui an answer: "Life and death are predestined. Dying in a dungeon is perfectly normal."

Zhao Yu's answer was like a heavy hammer blow to Qian Rui's forehead. The past camaraderie and unwavering loyalty had become a joke.

Qian Rui finally realized that the Zhao Yu she knew had disappeared, and the Zhao Yu in front of her was just a monster in human skin.

Kill him!

Only then can I avenge Sun Can!

No, no, killing him is not enough. We must keep him alive and make him feel pain.

Qian Rui applied heavy force, and the insect's delicate skin was immediately cut open, leaving a large gash that contaminated the surrounding mucus.

The little insect was in pain and struggled violently, but it was held in place by the fence and could only move up and down.

For a time, no one else could continue the collection work.

Li Feng retorted angrily, "Are you two crazy?! If you want your personal grudges to fester, let them fester between you two. Why are you affecting us?!"

"I'm sorry, I'll compensate you with the mucus I collected today." Qian Rui's words silenced the others' anger.

The breeding room is not completely enclosed; it's more like a large fence, through which you can see the other breeding rooms.

Zhao Yu watched as others in the other rooms methodically collected the slime; those who worked quickly had already filled entire bottles. He gripped the bottle tightly in frustration, waiting for the insect to quiet down again.

...

At noon, the supervisor delivered some nutrient solution to the cafeteria. The workers hurriedly poured the solution into their mouths and returned to the breeding room to work as fast as they could.

This greatly troubled Dong Er. After all, her goal wasn't some Blue, but the rules of the Heavenly Temple.

That's right, Dong Er is Dong Huimiao; she's changed her appearance and is making a comeback. Or rather, "he" is making a comeback.

In order to minimize the impact of summer weeding, winter seedling destroyers not only changed their appearance and name, but also their gender to male.

Unfortunately, the factory workers were completely absorbed in their work, and Dong Huimiao spent the entire day only to glean a few pieces of information—the collectors were all outsiders, and the residents of the Heavenly Temple could start directly as refiners.

To learn more, you need to get promoted first.

However, after the supervisor came to inspect the results and distribute salaries in the evening, the competition for promotion suddenly became fierce.