Everyone looked over and saw a ticulously dressed man. He had a center-parted haircut, and his beard’s arcs were symtrical on both sides. Even the posture of his hands maintained a consistent curve, making him appear neatly divided into symtrical halves. This man was busy: one hand made records while the other kept accounts, dealing with new items being brought in and others taken out.
However, whether they were there to deposit or retrieve items, everyone had to follow Gu Yiyi’s demands. They had to take Insect Cakes from specifically numbered slots on Mo’s shelves, ranging from certain quantities to others, and the depositing process was essentially the sa. Yet, no one dared express any dissatisfaction.
Despite Gu Yiyi’s peculiar appearance, he was, in fact, one of the first Level 3 team leaders and was extrely strict.
"No, no need. I’ve heard that these kinds of people often have so bizarre behaviors?" Jun Jia gestured towards his own head, having never encountered soone with such an eccentric personality before.
After thinking it over, Factory Director Su said, "Perhaps to so extent. For example, he insists on speaking in even numbers of words, never odd, otherwise, it wouldn’t be symtrical. He needs to use both hands to write simultaneously and must also use both hands equally when working. When eating, he has to use both hands together. Sotis, it’s said that he’ll even start a fight with himself if his right hand feeds him one more bite than his left. All in all, it’s rumored this person has dual personalities, each controlling one half of his body."
Jing Shu gave a thumbs up, remarking, "Such a talent really needs to be properly nurtured."
Jin Tianci then pointed at a group of people carrying sacks and asked, "And these people are...?"
Jing Shu explained, "These people are selling loose Insect Cakes. We set a low price for these; they are essentially retailers, allowed to pledge only a few dozen points’ worth of goods at a ti. First-grade dealers, however, can pledge thousands of points’ worth at once to sell to canteens. In our factory, it’s strictly paynt on delivery, direct exchange; no credit is allowed."
Thus, the system operates in layers. The processing plant has its own sales force of several hundred, covering all regions of Wu City. In the past few days, these salespersons even reached a consensus to deploy a dozen or so people to each sub-region, dividing their areas even further.
In this apocalypse where trust is non-existent, Jing Shu did not want to casually test human nature. It wouldn’t do if everyone took hundreds of red earthworms out to sell, only to fail to return with the earnings or simply steal the goods and run off. Jing Shu could certainly afford such a loss, but it would set a bad precedent, as people tend to imitate such behavior.
Therefore, anyone wanting to work as a retail salesperson or a high-level dealer in the processing plant—regardless of their position—had to purchase goods using Virtual Coin or points, or use points as collateral. The amount of goods they could take on consignnt was determined by their points tally, following the guideline of 1 point for 1 Insect Cake. This system served two purposes: first, to control the outflow of Insect Cakes, and second, to increase the cost of making mistakes. Thirdly, since it was their own hard-earned money or collateral at stake, they needed to be diligent. Those skilled in sales could sell quickly and earn more, while those who weren’t had to bear the risks themselves.
Currently, with food being scarce and Jing Shu’s Insect Cake prices set appropriately, coupled with the Governnt’s backing, the cakes were indeed highly marketable. Therefore, fourthly, this system motivated all employees to work harder and earn more points, enabling them to acquire and sell even more red earthworms at once.
Manager Tuo had already considered security issues. Firstly, each retailer was equipped with an iron rod, and they traveled in groups of more than ten. Secondly, due to the recent major earthquakes, most people were gathered in public squares and various shelters; hardly anyone was alone, as being alone ant no access to food. The risk of robbery was currently too high; without an absolute guarantee of success, hardly anyone would attempt it rely for a few Insect Cakes—it simply wasn’t worth it. Furthermore, big data analytics were incredibly powerful, with location tracking precise to a frightening degree, unless a cri was preditated and committed without carrying a phone. Lastly, in the current state of the apocalypse, everyone carried baskets and sacks, all dark and indistinguishable, so no one knew what they contained.
"Now, follow to experience our final stop, the staff canteen," Factory Director Su announced, leading the bustling crowd toward what was once a grand dining hall. The tables and benches welded in place—the kind found in school communal dining halls—were still there. Beyond that, however, nothing remained; all other tools and cooking equipnt had been procured from the Governnt.
Jun Jia pointed at a large pot and said, "This pot looks so familiar! Hey, this basin too... even the dent I made on it is still there..." He then clamped his mouth shut, as if he had realized sothing, and stopped talking.
The canteen was noisy but not overly crowded; currently, only so won and children were eating.
"The employees are still working. We..." Jin Tianci began, slightly hesitant.
Factory Director Su quickly explained, "Our factory operates 24 hours a day, so the cafeteria is also open 24 hours. Everyone eats at different tis; otherwise, this canteen, which can only accommodate just over 600 people, wouldn’t be nearly enough, would it?"
Jin Tianci then laughed. "Quick, tell the audience about the factory’s benefits."
"Alright, our factory’s cafeteria is open 24 hours a day. For just 1 Virtual Coin, you can eat as much as you like here. Currently, more than a dozen five-star chefs have developed dozens of ways to prepare red earthworms. We serve four different dishes daily, rotating the selection for variety. Today is a celebration banquet, so the spread is a bit more lavish. We have stir-fried egg with red earthworm heads, lettuce wraps with roasted red earthworms, millet porridge with stewed red earthworms, and a special limited-ti dish—of which each person can only have one serving—the widely acclaid Bloody Burst Insect Eggs. We plan to refine this Bloody Burst Insect Eggs further and introduce it to the market as a high-end delicacy."
Jin Tianci was very pleased. He tasted all of today’s dishes, nodding continuously. "This Bloody Burst Insect Eggs is truly delicious! It’s very tender and smooth, just like biting into caviar. The juice that bursts in your mouth is sowhat sweet and a bit intoxicating. How is it made?"
Factory Director Su smiled and said, "Jing Shu invented it. According to her thod, it’s made by soaking the Insect Eggs in fernted Insect Wine and then adding a bit of expired red wine during preparation. It’s very tasty indeed, though it does use up a fair amount of Insect Eggs."
The other leaders behind him then eagerly surged forward, all wanting to try so.
Jing Shu seed lost in a distant mory, a soft sigh escaping her lips.
Jin Tianci laughed and said, "Why don’t we all sit down and have lunch together before you go? It’s a good opportunity to experience what ordinary people eat every day. We official employees, on the other hand, still receive daily rations of vegetables, rice and flour."
The other leaders looked troubled; they had rely been putting on a show for the caras. Moreover, that Bloody Burst Insect Eggs looked rather unappetizing, and their leader, Jin Tianci, still had so unidentifiable liquid on his lips from eating it.
Jing Shu imdiately stood up and said, "Leaders, even if you are high-ranking officials, you shouldn’t take food from our employees’ buffet. Food is scarce right now, and there isn’t even enough for our employees at this celebration banquet. It would be best if you returned ho for your als. I’m afraid I can’t accommodate you here."
Reviews
All reviews (0)