Going to Work

Chen Yu's first assignment was something Luo Tong took especially seriously.

He rolled up the contract worth 8,400 a month, immediately left the job market, and was once again dazzled by the sunlight outside.

How long had it been since he had looked up at the sky?

After failing the National College Entrance Examination, he had shut himself away and drifted through the past ten months in a haze.

Before he knew it, it was already April, yet his state of mind remained trapped on the day of the National College Entrance Examination. He had never managed to move on.

But compared to his own failure, what made him feel even more guilty was the shame he felt toward his brothers.

The problem-solving method he had sworn by had been judged incorrect, and several of his brothers had been implicated alongside him.

His brothers, who should have had bright futures, had ultimately failed the exam. Too ashamed to face anyone himself, he had wasted away until today.

But today, he finally had a chance to apologize to his brothers and fight for a future for them!

He happened to have three close brothers. When he called them out, all three looked quite happy.

"Luck was pretty good today. I found a pile of Wild Greens by the roadside, and there were even a few spiritual herbs mixed in. Let's have spiritual herb hot pot today and eat our fill!" said the young man with Glasses happily.

"I... I tutored someone... and earned... earned fifty... Let's... go get something sweet!" the short boy said with a stutter.

The last to speak was a tall, skinny fellow. He was somewhat socially anxious and did not say much even to his close brothers. He merely handed over the fish he had just caught. "Stew it."

Seeing how miserably his three brothers were getting by, Luo Tong's eyes stung.

Holding back his tears, he said excitedly, "Brothers, we don't have to live like this anymore! I have money now. We can finally have a proper meal!"

The three looked at one another and nodded with remarkable tacit understanding.

Glasses stepped forward and comforted him. "Luo Tong, failing the National College Entrance Examination is no big deal. It doesn't matter if we can't enter the Profound Law Sect. Recently, I've realized that living in the wild is actually pretty nice. The spiritual energy is always lacking, so our cultivation keeps dropping, but overall, it's fine."

"Y-yes, failing is just failing... Tutoring... is pretty good," the short boy said with difficulty.

"Pull yourself together," the tall one replied simply.

"Why don't you believe me?!" Luo Tong began to grow dissatisfied.

He had wanted to share this good news with his brothers, but none of them believed him. It left him rather unhappy.

So he pulled out the contract hidden in his clothes and said proudly, "Look! A contract for 8,400 a month, effective from today! We really have money now!"

Glasses took the contract, glanced at the salary terms at the beginning, and did not bother reading further. "Fake."

"F-forging a contract... is... is a crime."

"Turn yourself in."

"Believe me! Eight thousand four hundred, it really is eight thousand four hundred! I just signed it at the slave market—no, the job market! The Contract Star Lord was there too!"

Facing the frantic Luo Tong, Glasses calmly pushed up his glasses and asked evenly, "The average salary in Heaven Origin is fifteen hundred. College graduates can get three thousand when they come back. You're a high school graduate, yet he dared offer you 8,400. What does he want from you?"

That soul-piercing question left Luo Tong stunned.

His Primordial Spirit cooled down at that moment, and he realized that this really was rather abnormal.

What does he want from me?

After an awkward silence, the short boy stammered, "I... I heard... Demon Sects... like offering high salaries, then... then tricking people into going to the Demon Realm."

Luo Tong's face went pale, but he still forced himself to say, "Impossible. He's a proper student from Third High School."

The tall, skinny fellow looked at Luo Tong with pity. "Student? Rich?"

Those two questions pinpointed the crux of the matter and left Luo Tong silent again.

The contract that had seemed so reliable before no longer seemed trustworthy. A thirty-dollar contract did not seem to match an 8,400 monthly salary, making Chen Yu suspicious as well.

Glasses scrutinized the contract again and sneered. "High salary, good benefits, all kinds of allowances and regulations. What decent person would offer such good terms to a high school student?"

He pulled out his phone and looked it up, then sneered again. "The company was just registered. With registered capital of only a hundred thousand, it dares offer salaries this high. It's either a shell company or a scam. Where's the workplace? Let me check that too."

"...He didn't say. He said he was still handling it."

"Then he's contacting a Demon Sect and preparing to send you over. Did he tell you to find a few more brothers to go work with you?"

Luo Tong was nearly crying. "He did. He still needs three people, so I came to find you guys."

The three revealed looks of understanding, then patted Luo Tong on the shoulder. "Definitely a Demonic Cultivator. See? I told you something this good would never fall to people like us. Just give up. Finding out now is better than finding out later. Let's go have a meal together. It's been a long time since we met. We should catch up."

"Mm."

Suddenly, Luo Tong's phone rang. A message from "President Chen" appeared on the screen:

[President Chen: Luo Tong, the place is settled, but I'm still renovating. Come here the day after tomorrow, and I'll get the work arranged. By the way, how are the other people coming along? Bring them over together then. Remember to bring your phones. We'll pay out this month's salary directly.]

Seeing the message, Luo Tong perked up and immediately replied respectfully:

[Thank you, President Chen. I'll definitely be there!]

After replying, his smile faded when he noticed his three brothers staring coldly at him.

"Um..."

"I'll go with you then," Glasses said helplessly. "You trust people too easily. If you don't see it for yourself, you won't give up."

"T-together."

"Go."

The three found a spot beneath a bridge, lit a fire, and had a meal of clear-broth hot pot. Afterward, they sat together and chatted.

Though he was happy to see his brothers, Luo Tong kept staring at his phone, afraid of missing a message.

Even when he occasionally dozed off, he had nightmares. Sometimes he dreamed that Chen Yu really was a Demonic Cultivator, that he had dragged his brothers down again, and that they had all been sold to a Demon Sect.

Other times, he dreamed that everything Chen Yu said was true, except the work was unimaginably brutal. All four of them became expendable materials and were finished in less than a month.

At last, the day after tomorrow arrived. Luo Tong crawled out of his cardboard box early, washed up with dark circles under his eyes, and got ready.

He dug out his most eye-catching outfit from his luggage, tidied himself up, and asked his companions, "How do I look?"

"Not great. You look like a National College Entrance Examination failure who's spent three days obsessing over gains and losses and slept less than three hours total."

"S-so miserable!"

"Looks bad."

"Get lost!"

After laughing and cursing at them, Luo Tong took a deep breath and said to his brothers, "Brothers, sorry to make you come along with me today."

"No need to be polite. Let's go!"

They exchanged looks, and all four saw each other's resolve and determination.

He pulled out his phone, confirmed the direction, and pointed ahead. "Come on, let's go to work!"

"Let's go!"