Looking for Work

Looking for work.

That was Zhou Ming's pain.

If someone gave him enough money to cover his expenses for the rest of his life, he would rather stay home, freeload, and wait for death than go to work.

He had to carefully get along with his coworkers, work hard to create value for the company, make the boss happy and like him, and in the end, the company had to remain stable and not suddenly lay people off.

But reality was just that cruel. In this age where money reigned supreme, even a beggar risked going hungry if he did not beg for a week. Zhou Ming had stayed in his rented room for over a month without going out much. It was time for him to look for a job.

Zhou Ming also thought of the system. Its functions were so powerful that helping him solve his food and shelter problem should have been a piece of cake, right?

"Sorry, Host. At present, the system cannot provide system items that can manifest physical objects for the Host. Once the Host unlocks a higher-level game map, a Manifestation Treasure Chest will appear among the items in the system store. The Host may use it in the corresponding game map. After use, the items stored inside the Manifestation Treasure Chest can be brought back into reality."

"A Manifestation Treasure Chest?"

Zhou Ming became excited. He immediately found the still-locked Manifestation Treasure Chest in the system store's item section and tapped to view it.

Item: Manifestation Treasure Chest

Function: Can bring items from game instances back into reality

Unlock Requirement: Unlocked after clearing the Level 3 map Prosperous Era

Exchange Requirement: 1,000,000 Achievement Points

"One, two, three... six... Pfft! It takes a million Achievement Points to exchange for one Manifestation Treasure Chest? System, are you kidding me?" Zhou Ming nearly spat blood. Looking at that long string of zeros after the exchange requirement, he wanted to strangle the system.

By the time he saved up that many Achievement Points, he would probably have starved to death long ago.

"System, aside from the Manifestation Treasure Chest, is there anything else that can slightly improve my current situation?"

Even a bag of rice from the system store would do. As long as he did not starve to death, he would one day make it big with this system.

"Apparently not, apart from a few attribute cards the Host can use."

"Attribute cards? There are attribute cards I can use?"

Zhou Ming became excited. Most of the skill cards in the system store could only be brought into game maps for game characters to use, but he had not expected there to be cards he could use directly on himself. He immediately urged the system, "Show me those attribute cards."

The system opened a product panel and explained the cards. "These attribute cards are the Intelligence Point Card, Strength Point Card, and Agility Point Card. After purchase and use, they can increase the Host's corresponding physical attribute by 1 point."

"What are the exchange requirements? How many Achievement Points do they cost?"

"Intelligence Cards cost 1,500 Achievement Points, Strength Cards cost 1,000, and Agility Cards cost 1,200."

"Not expensive, not expensive. They're only a little over a thousand points each. I can afford them, I can definitely afford them!"

Zhou Ming rubbed his hands excitedly, feeling that his future was bright. Although each of these attribute cards could only increase one of his physical attributes by a limited 1 point, if enough were stacked together, the effects would definitely be astonishing!

He imagined using several thousand Strength Point Cards and becoming a superman who could punch through steel and carry ten thousand jin. Those ordinary Earthlings would probably have their eyes pop out of their heads, right?

And there were the Intelligence Point Cards. He had always felt that his intelligence was not quite enough. After adding several thousand points of intelligence, he should be able to crush ordinary geniuses, right?

Drool began to run from Zhou Ming's mouth as he slipped into fantasy mode.

"Host, these attribute cards can only tap into the Host's own innate potential. Beyond the potential that can be tapped, the attribute cards will cease to have any effect," the system suddenly poured cold water on him.

"Cease to have any effect? Why?" Zhou Ming asked in confusion.

"As an ordinary carbon-based life-form, the total entropy energy the Host's body can contain is limited. No matter how much it is developed, it cannot break through the limits of the existing life-form... unless you can modify the life-form itself and break through that limit."

"So you mean that no matter how many attribute cards I use, the final effect won't exceed the limits of a human being?"

Zhou Ming somewhat understood. What the system described was probably similar to concepts like "bloodlines" and "genetic locks" in certain infinite-flow novels.

Still, even if he could not surpass human limits, as long as he reached or approached that so-called "limit," he would be far more impressive than ordinary people. He did not need to fly through the sky, burrow into the earth, or move mountains and seas. Close enough would do.

"No rush to top up my intelligence. I'll buy a few Strength Cards first."

Thus, in order to successfully find a job and solve his food problem, Zhou Ming bought three Strength Point Cards and used them immediately.

A numb electric current flowed through his entire body. The muscles on his chest and back slowly bulged, his blood flowed faster, his entire body grew hot, and sweat ran down his cheeks like a waterfall. The limp little worm between his legs also began developing in the direction of a giant deep-sea eel.

Half an hour later, Zhou Ming was brimming with energy. With a light jump, he touched the ceiling that he had never been able to reach before. He looked down at his crotch and grinned. "Hehe, I didn't expect Strength Cards to have such a miraculous effect. Now I don't have to worry about my girlfriend running away."

Though this virgin did not have a girlfriend.

"Time to find a job!"

Throwing on a jacket, Zhou Ming headed out with confidence.

In the west of the city, a huge construction site was bustling with countless massive construction machines.

At one corner of the construction site's wall, beneath a partially completed commercial residential building, Zhou Ming walked over wearing a hard hat.

"Boss, does your construction site need brick carriers?"

Zhou Ming walked up to a middle-aged man who looked like a contractor and asked.

The middle-aged contractor glanced at Zhou Ming, then at his somewhat thin and frail body. He waved his hand and said, "Kid, not just anyone can handle brick carrying. Go look somewhere else."

"Boss, let me try. If I can do it, let me stay. If I can't, I'll leave on my own." Zhou Ming stopped the contractor, who was about to turn and leave.

Seeing the resolute look on Zhou Ming's face, the contractor thought for a moment, then said to the construction supervisor beside him, "Give this kid a half-day trial. If he can't handle it, he'll leave on his own."

The construction supervisor pulled Zhou Ming aside and pointed at a pile of bricks as high as a small mountain in the distance. "Kid, start here. Move this pile of bricks over to the lift."

"Okay!" Zhou Ming nodded, rolled up his sleeves, lowered his head, and began working hard.

Soon, an entire afternoon had passed. Zhou Ming's steps grew heavier and heavier, and his palms were rubbed raw with blisters. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and gritted his teeth. Before nightfall, he carried the last few bricks over to the lift, then told the construction supervisor that he had finished.

The construction supervisor checked Zhou Ming's work and nodded slightly. "All right, kid. You passed the trial. Come to work tomorrow, and remember to arrive early!"

"Thank you, Boss! I'll come early."

Zhou Ming let out a long breath. Carrying bricks at a construction site was currently the most suitable job he could find. A brick carrier had to meet the brick needs of several buildings at once, so the labor intensity was extremely high and the workdays were long. Ordinary people found it difficult to keep going for three consecutive days, so construction sites did not have just one fixed brick carrier. The wages were also paid daily, more than three hundred a day. It was perfect for someone with strength who wanted to make some quick money.

Zhou Ming had worked at construction sites for a few days before, but he could not last more than two days. Now, because he had used three Strength Point Cards, his strength and endurance were much better than before, and he could hold out a little longer.

"I'll work at this construction site for ten days or so, save three or four thousand yuan, and then I won't need to come out and do this kind of work anymore."