A Government Job at the End of the Universe

Sing Sing stood at the entrance of the Beijing Special Operations Fire Brigade, looking radiant.

"Riptide, oh, Riptide."

Thinking of Director Wang's cold and ruthless face, Sing Sing's eyes reddened and stung.

The gold bars were confiscated, the travel expenses were withheld, and even the 83 yuan for a foot massage was returned.

This business trip was a complete disaster for him; he lost everything, including his underwear.

"This is a huge financial blow! If you have any conscience at all, you'd better treat me to four dishes and a soup today, or this isn't over!"

After muttering to himself, he put his hands behind his back and strode towards the training area with an air of indifference.

On the open ground to the west of the training ground, there are three large simulated chemical storage tanks.

Acrid white smoke was billowing out.

A dozen or so green recruits stood in a row, coughing from the choking fumes.

Zhang Tiezhu shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Open your eyes wide and look carefully! This is called precise wind control!"

"This isn't for you guys to use to style your hair in the dorm! Today I'll show you what the ultimate special-purpose smoke extraction system is like! Don't think that just because you've done a few more days of physical training you can fly and dive into the earth!"

Sing Sing strolled over to the observation area, found a shady spot under a tree where the sun wouldn't shine, and immediately spotted the Riptide rider standing at the very front of the line.

This guy stood up straight, hands behind his back, and with a stern face, he looked like a strict instructor, and he actually did have a certain air of authority.

Good heavens!

Even tornadoes have taken on the shape of the system; this organizational structure is a good thing.

In the ranks, several new recruits stood with their necks stiff and their faces showing resentment.

A stocky recruit muttered under his breath, "What? A high-powered exhaust fan can do that too? Our unit's explosion-proof smoke exhaust fan can blow a person away when it's turned on!"

Zhang Tiezhu's eyes widened.

"Vice-captain, show them what you've got! Let them see that there are always people more capable than you!"

The Riptide nodded, and the arms were outstretched.

"Call!"

A strong wind suddenly rose from the ground.

The pervasive toxic fumes were pulled by the powerful suction, and the smoke column twisted in mid-air before obediently entering the three purification tanks ten meters away.

Not a single fallen leaf was stirred up the entire time.

The indignant recruit gasped, his eyes wide. Was this something even possible with the wind?

Wow! Is it a special ability or qigong?

"Can I learn it? How much is the tuition?"

Sing Sing watched from the sidelines, laughing heartily. "A national-level upgraded manual range hood! Kitchens across the country are saved!"

Hearing the noise, Zhang Tiezhu turned around and saw Sing Sing. He just opened his mouth to say hello.

An unexpected event occurred.

A new recruit next to him, who was responsible for operating the simulated valve, accidentally turned the valve in the wrong direction because his hand trembled.

"Sizzle!"

High-pressure simulated toxic fumes erupted. The wind direction suddenly changed, rushing straight towards the observation area and Sing Sing. The toxic fumes spread extremely quickly, and the smoke extraction machine couldn't even start in time.

With Riptide push from his legs, he lifted his body off the ground.

He spun in mid-air, transforming into a high-speed cyclone as he swooped down towards the toxic smoke.

The thick smoke that was about to hit them was forcibly pulled away by the cyclone and poured into the ventilation duct by the wind.

The last plume of smoke disappeared into the pipe, and the Riptide stopped spinning and landed smoothly.

The entire room fell silent, and the dozen or so new recruits stood frozen in place.

This risk control is ridiculously extreme!

Zhang Tiezhu wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, still shaken.

If the toxic fumes were to hit Sing Sing's face, his time as captain would be over.

He turned around, looked at the group of recruits who were still in a daze, and roared.

"Did you see that? This is our fire brigade's deputy captain! From now on, anyone who dares to mention a high-powered exhaust fan will have to run fifty laps around the track!"

Thunderous applause erupted, the sound of clapping echoing.

Riptide patted his trousers, smiled, and waved to the people around him, appearing remarkably composed.

Sing Sing stepped forward and took out a follow-up form and a ballpoint pen from his pocket.

"Alright, alright, stop showing off. Those greenhorns are practically eyeing you like crazy."

"The organization sent me to conduct this visit. Quickly confess honestly, how many hours of sleep have you been getting at night recently? Have you been suffering from insomnia, vivid dreams, or having the urge to get up in the middle of the night and demolish the house?"

Riptide took the pen and signed his name on the form.

"Seven hours and forty minutes."

"Wow? You remember that clearly? You didn't even round it down?"

When Sing Sing looked up, a different kind of light appeared in Riptide's eyes, which were originally filled with defensiveness and hostility.

That's the kind of peace and security that belongs to normal people.

That's enough.

The gold bars are gone, so be it; the foot massage fee isn't reimbursed, so be it. In return, these unlucky bastards get a good night's sleep. This deal isn't a bad one.

He put a checkmark on the form. "Great! Your sleep quality is better than mine. Keep it up!"

After asking several questions, including about his eating habits and relationships with colleagues, Sing Sing finally packed his things with satisfaction.

He tucked his briefcase under his arm and turned to stare at Zhang Tiezhu.

"Captain Zhang! Isn't it lunchtime?"

"I've emptied my pockets for your teammate, Captain Jay, so you absolutely have to make sure you have enough for this feast today!"

Zhang Tiezhu patted his chest.

"Great! Director Zhou, your arrival is a great honor! Our mess hall has already prepared everything for you!"

"Let's go! To the cafeteria, please!"

A few minutes later, in the cafeteria.

Sing Sing sat at the stainless steel dining table, his mouth practically watering.

Braised pork belly!

Come on! Let carbs and fats heal my wounded heart!

The cook came over carrying a large stainless steel basin. "Director Zhou! Please try this! It's a specialty dish from our brigade!"

Clang!

Sing Sing's eyes widened.

No braised pork! The stainless steel bowl is filled with greenish bitter melon chunks!

"What the hell is this?"

The cook enthusiastically introduced, "Bitter melon stir-fried with eggs!"

"It's been hot lately, and the guys are getting really irritable during training, so I added bitter melon to the mix to cool them down!"

"Look at this bitter melon, it's so green and shiny! It's very fresh, just picked from the backyard!"

A bowl of bitter melons held Old Zhou captive for a full three seconds.

His hand holding the chopsticks was trembling.

Sometimes, a man's defenses don't need to be broken by life and death; all it takes is a bowl of green bitter melon stir-fried with eggs.

Riptide, sitting beside him, noticed his dejected expression, suppressed a laugh, and patted him on the shoulder. "Don't worry, there's still food in the kitchen."

"If I remember correctly, today we should also have sauerkraut fish, Kung Pao chicken, braised pork ribs..."

Sing Sing's eyes grew brighter and brighter as he listened, and his mouth almost watered.

He was just about to reach for a tissue to wipe his mouth, ready to get down to business.

"Waaaaaah!!"

The piercing alarm suddenly echoed throughout the fire station.

The red warning lights were flashing wildly.

The dispatcher's anxious, strained shouts came over the loudspeaker.

"All personnel on Level 1 alert! A leak has occurred at Warehouse No. 3 of the East Suburb Chemical Plant! High concentrations of highly toxic gas are spreading!"

Before Sing Sing could even raise his hand, Riptide had already gotten up from his seat and rushed towards the garage without looking back.

"Damn it! They won't even let me finish my meal in peace!"

He grabbed a white steamed bun from the table and ran outside.

"Riptide, save me a seat!"