Chapter 30 Recruiting

Children under 12 receive half the supplies as adults. Babies under 2 receive only one-third the supplies as adults. However, considering that babies under 2 are still breastfeeding, the one-third supply includes a can of formula. They can receive supplies once a month.

Since it was the first time registering to receive supplies, the government provided free sacks to pack everything together. For future trips to collect supplies, you'll need to bring your own containers.

After loading the supplies onto the trolleys, everyone followed the signs and headed out. There was a staff member standing at the exit, handing out two leaflets to each group of people who passed by.

Gu Yanzhi walked at the front of the line, took the flyers directly, and glanced at them. One was a job posting, and the other was a notice about building shelters. She didn't look at them carefully, but passed them around to everyone first.

When we went outside, the queue still stretched as far as the eye could see.

A group of soldiers came out from the second-floor entrance and restrained the man who had caused trouble at the registration desk in the lobby.

Gu Yanzhi overheard the people who came out behind them discussing that the man seemed to be an A-level fugitive who had been on the run for more than 20 years, and that the population check had finally uncovered him.

Everyone exclaimed with emotion, "The net of heaven is vast, its meshes are wide, yet nothing escapes it."

However, this matter didn't concern them much, so they just listened and let it go. They carried the supplies home.

"Do you think the person we picked up might also be a wanted criminal? The injuries are so severe, it seems like there's a deep grudge between them," Yin Meng whispered to Zhong Junfeng on the way back.

"It doesn't seem like it. That person doesn't look like a bad guy." Zhong Junfeng thought about the man's appearance. He looked upright and honest. He would believe he was a soldier. He didn't think he looked like a wanted criminal.

"I'm a little scared. Can we stop taking care of him?" Yin Meng whispered. If this person was a wanted criminal, no one in their building could escape, and the two people who were taking care of him would definitely be the first to get into trouble.

"No way, let's go back and check again. If she still doesn't wake up, let's discuss it with everyone." Zhong Junfeng patted Yin Meng's head reassuringly. Yin Meng's worries were not unfounded.

After obtaining the item, everyone gathered on the 14th floor, in the room where the man they found yesterday was located.

A brief meeting was held to discuss opinions on the two leaflets distributed by government staff.

The shelter flyer was completely ignored by everyone; they had no problems with their current accommodations, and the neighborhood was harmonious, with everyone helping each other. Even the later households showed no interest in the shelter.

The job posting flyer was passed around again; the information on it was very detailed.

We are currently recruiting for two types of jobs. One is as a lumberjack, who will cut down trees in the mountains around City C and split them into logs of suitable size. The pay includes lunch and dinner, plus 10% of the amount of timber cut that day.

Another type is the icebreaker, who not only breaks the ice but also collects supplies from beneath it. The pay is also two meals a day, but the difference is that 50% of the supplies collected during icebreaking can be given to the icebreaking team.

It seems that ice-breaking teams have a tougher job. Breaking open a spot to collect supplies might take more than a day or two, with a long wait for returns. The risks are high, as the contents of the ice are uncertain, and profits depend entirely on luck—a stroke of luck could lead to overnight riches. Due to the resource allocation mechanism, once someone signs up for ice-breaking work, they cannot leave until the team has collected all the necessary supplies, unless the entire team withdraws or someone else takes their place.

In comparison, lumberjacks earn less but have more stable income, although they have to commute to the outskirts of City C every day, which takes a long time. Lumberjacks also have more flexibility; they can choose not to go after a day's work if they don't feel like it.

In addition, those who do not participate in the recruitment process can also take the materials they collect to government-designated exchange points to exchange for what they need.

Gu Yanzhi was the first to state his position, indicating that he would not participate in the recruitment. Song Zhao followed suit, saying she would not participate either. Gu Yanlin hesitated for a moment, remaining silent to see what everyone else thought before making a decision.

"I want to join the ice-breaking team," Xiaolin said after thinking for a moment. Although the ice-breaking team is risky, the rewards are also likely to be high. After gathering supplies yesterday, his family's heating supplies were enough to last for a while, so he could take the risk first, and if all else failed, he could go logging.

“I also want to go ice-breaking,” Zhong Junfeng added immediately.

Everyone's supplies were in similar situations, so they all decided to try breaking the ice first. Fortunately, they had enough supplies at home, and they could always find another source if needed. Gu Yanlin followed suit and also decided to break the ice first.

Since everyone has chosen to go ice-breaking, according to the flyer, a team should consist of no fewer than 10 and no more than 15 people. Teams can be formed independently, and the government will randomly assign teams if the number of people is insufficient. They have exactly 13 people, so they can form a team.

After reaching an agreement, everyone was preparing to get up and go home. Zhong Junfeng's words made them sit back down.

"Uncle Zhang, what should we do about this guy we found yesterday?" Zhong Junfeng immediately added, "I'm a little worried he might be a wanted criminal. Seeing him suddenly appear on the street with such serious injuries makes it hard not to suspect he's done something wrong."

“It’s not impossible. How about this, I’ll go to the district government later and ask if they can verify this person’s identity as soon as possible,” Uncle Zhang thought for a moment. “Before the government people come, everyone should minimize contact with him. Xiao Zhong and Xiao Yin are professionals at taking care of patients, so we may need to trouble you again.”

"You don't need to come too often, just check in every 2-3 hours is fine. I'll make a duty roster later, three people per group. When you come, please call the corresponding duty officer, is that alright?"

Zhong Junfeng and Yin Meng thought Zhang Shu's idea was acceptable, as long as they weren't alone in contact with the person, having more people would ensure their safety.

Uncle Zhang asked for everyone's opinion again, and no one had any objections; they all agreed to Uncle Zhang's suggestion. If this man really was a dangerous individual, and Zhong Junfeng and Yin Meng lost their lives because of him, they would regret it for the rest of their lives.

However, before the suggestion could be implemented, a loud "bang" was heard in the bedroom, as if something had been kicked.

Everyone rushed to the bedroom door. The man they had found yesterday accidentally kicked a stool next to him and fell to the ground.

Gu Yanlin stepped forward, helped the man up, and placed him on the thick blanket spread on the ground.

The apartment on the 14th floor was still unfinished, and everything was in its most primitive style. There were no extra beds for him, so they laid several layers of blankets on the cement floor and put together a few thin quilts as bedding for the men.

With everyone around, and Gu Yanlin having just helped the man, Zhong Junfeng felt less afraid and began to examine him.

"Who are you? Where am I?" the man asked after a moment, his voice hoarse from not having drunk water for a long time.