"Ah… okay."
Wang Xi hadn't expected to be roped into work the moment he arrived, so he quickly agreed.
'The contract is already signed. What else can I do?'
'Just gotta get to work.'
Before leaving, though, he didn't forget to thank the girl with the smoky eye makeup at the front desk.
But the girl was sitting there playing on her phone, lost in her own world again. Without even looking up, she gave him a dismissive wave.
"Well, that's a rare sight."
Lin Zhifeng said jokingly as he led Wang Xi outside.
"That girl Jiali is great in every way, except she doesn't like talking to people. It's surprising she got along so well with you, a newcomer."
'That's what being handsome gets you.'
'You're not handsome, so you wouldn't understand.'
Wang Xi complained internally before saying to the portly deputy director:
"Miss Jiali is as kind as she is beautiful. She taught me quite a few things. I'll be sure to thank her properly once I get my first paycheck."
Hearing this, Lin Zhifeng's expression turned a little strange. But he went along with it and laughed.
"It's rare to have such a generous colleague. But then again, while our work at Cupid Housekeeping is a bit busy and a bit dangerous, the pay is relatively high."
Seeing his opening, Wang Xi seized the opportunity to ask:
"Brother Lin, what will my salary be? It wasn't mentioned during the interview."
"Ha, the base salary is twenty thousand," Lin Zhifeng said. "The company covers all your insurance and housing funds, and there are also field bonuses, overtime pay, and so on. If you work hard, you'll make at least thirty thousand a month."
The portly man held up three chubby fingers.
'This pay is actually pretty good…'
Wang Xi's expression relaxed slightly.
Although this income was nothing compared to his previous life, this new world was in an era of intense, cutthroat competition during its post-disaster reconstruction. Just having a job was a blessing.
The unemployed and beggars were a dime a dozen. In the Mountain and Sea Federation, this job was considered high-income.
"Oh, right, Xiao Wang. You'll be working in our department from now on. Here's your employee ID, take it."
The portly man pulled an ID card attached to a blue lanyard from his pocket and handed it to Wang Xi.
Wang Xi took it and had a look.
His ID photo was already on it, along with his name, position, department, and other information:
"Cupid Housekeeping Employee ID."
"Name: Wang Xi."
"Department: Cleaning Department."
"Position: Intern Cleaner."
'Cleaner?'
Confused, Wang Xi hung the ID card around his neck and asked:
"Brother Lin, what exactly will my job entail?"
"Post-disaster cleanup," Lin Zhifeng replied, his chubby face once again breaking into a friendly smile. "For example, destroyed buildings, collapsed roads, and also… monsters, and even the bodies of victims…"
"It might be a bit hard to get used to at first, but you'll be fine after a while. Everyone goes through it. You're young, I'm sure you'll get the hang of it quickly."
'Cleaning up monsters… and human bodies?!'
Wang Xi froze.
"Here."
Just then, Lin Zhifeng handed him two Cards, snapping him out of his daze.
"These are Artificial Universal Cards for work. Take good care of them and don't lose them. They're all numbered… If you lose one, you'll have to pay for it. Fifty thousand each."
Wang Xi silently took them.
Inside his mind, Kaos immediately interpreted the detailed information on the two Cards for him:
[Cupid's Chainsaw (Equipment Card)]
[Quality: White One Star (Not upgradeable)]
[A patented Card from Cupid Housekeeping. It is a hand-held, single-user mechanical tool with transformation capabilities, produced by the Mountain and Sea Workshop with technology licensed from the Gear Conglomerate and certification from the Overlook Bureau.]
[Upon use, you will hold it. Can transform into: chainsaw, power drill, shovel, vibrating hammer, cutting machine, dissection table, etc.]
The other Card was:
[Cupid's Protective Suit (Equipment Card)]
[Quality: White One Star (Not upgradeable)]
[A patented Card from Cupid Housekeeping. It is a piece of protective work gear produced by the Mountain and Sea Workshop with technology licensed from the Shanshan Conglomerate and certification from the Overlook Bureau, offering effective defense against physical, chemical, and biological threats.]
[Upon use, you will wear it. Features: high strength, high durability, resistance to penetration and corrosion, hydrostatic pressure resistance, and poison gas filtration.]
'Holy crap!'
'Wearing a protective suit and wielding a giant chainsaw... anyone who knew would say I'm a cleaner for Cupid Housekeeping. Anyone who didn't would think I was about to carry out a massacre or some kind of bio-experiment!'
Clutching the two Artificial Cards.
Wang Xi felt like a new recruit heading to the battlefield, his palms sweating with nervousness.
"The higher-ups are rushing this mission, and the department is short-staffed. There's no time to train you."
The portly deputy director said this as the two of them arrived at the parking lot behind the building.
He pointed to a menacing-looking armored bulldozer in the distance, where seven or eight men and women were standing or squatting around.
"Once you get to the site, our Team Two leader will give you your tasks. If there's anything you don't understand, you can ask him or your colleagues. They're all warm-hearted people who love taking care of newcomers."
"This is as far as I go. I have other urgent matters to attend to, so I won't be going with you."
"Okay, Brother Lin. You go ahead."
Wang Xi took a deep breath and replied politely.
The portly man chuckled, gave a nod to a middle-aged man by the armored vehicle, and then turned to leave.
As Wang Xi approached alone, the group of Team Two colleagues all looked at him with curiosity.
"New guy?"
The middle-aged man in a blue short-sleeved shirt sized Wang Xi up for a few moments and smiled.
Wang Xi proactively extended his hand and answered politely:
"Yeah, I just started. My name is Wang Xi."
"Lei Wen." The middle-aged man shook his hand. His slightly weathered face was covered in stubble, giving him an unkempt appearance. "I'm the leader of Team Two."
"Get in the vehicle for now. I'll introduce you to the other colleagues on the way and assign your tasks."
"Okay, I'll follow your lead, Brother Lei."
Wang Xi nodded in agreement.
Lei Wen then turned, pulled open the rear door of the clearance truck, and got in first. The others followed suit in a practiced, orderly fashion.
The vehicle's rear compartment was spacious, with two rows of metal benches fixed to the sides, easily seating twenty people. The inner walls were covered in wire mesh, from which various tools were hung. A row of palm-sized ceiling lights cast a bright white glow, illuminating the space.
After sitting down, Wang Xi took the opportunity to observe the others.
The Cleaning Department's Team Two had eight members—six men and two women. With Wang Xi, they were now nine.
The driver was a burly man nearly two meters tall, wearing a black tank top and camo pants. He had a buzz cut, but his face wasn't fierce; on the contrary, he looked rather simple and honest.
Besides the team leader Lei Wen and this giant, the other four men were a long-haired youth with a deadpan expression, a short, scrawny man with a perpetually worried look, and a pair of twin brothers chatting quietly.
The two female colleagues were a slightly chubby woman with short hair and another with a yellow ponytail.
But Wang Xi noticed that everyone else was in casual clothes. Only he was in a suit, making him stick out like a sore thumb.
"Xiao Liang, let's head out."
Seeing that everyone was seated, Lei Wen called out to the driver's seat.
"You got it, Chief."
The buzz-cut giant gave an honest smile and started the truck.
RUMBLE.
The engine roared to life, and the entire compartment began to vibrate.
Once the clearance vehicle left the Cupid Housekeeping parking lot and hit the main road, Lei Wen introduced the colleagues to Wang Xi and had Wang Xi give a brief self-introduction as well.
After the introductions, everyone was a little more familiar with each other.
The female colleague with the yellow ponytail stared at Wang Xi, an unreadable, satisfied smile on her face. Then she got up and walked right over to him.
"Move it. Let's switch seats."
She shoved the gloomy-looking young man, then plopped down right next to Wang Xi, pressing close to him.
"Don't be nervous, handsome. I'll teach you what to do, step-by-step. After a few times, you'll get the hang of it."
"Thanks, Miss Yuhe. That's awfully nice of you."
Wang Xi couldn't help but feel her words were a bit ambiguous, but on the surface, he maintained a polite smile.
From the introductions, he learned this female colleague's name was Zhu Yuhe. She had been with Cupid Housekeeping for three years and was a veteran employee.
"Don't call me Miss. It's too formal. Just call me Yuhe."
The yellow-haired girl chuckled.
She was two years older than Wang Xi and had a decent face and figure, but her behavior was very forward and a little flippant.
Wang Xi nodded and agreed. Zhu Yuhe nudged him with her elbow and gave him a suggestive look.
"Got a girlfriend?"
"Not yet," Wang Xi shook his head. "I just graduated, so I haven't really thought about it."
"Perfect, heh."
Hearing this, the yellow-haired colleague raised a shapely eyebrow, her smile widening even more.
At that moment, the other female colleague, the one with short hair who was slightly chubby, pursed her lips and said:
"Zhuzi, give it a rest. Stop harassing the new guy in our group."
As she spoke, she stood up and started taking off her clothes.
Wang Xi stared, stunned.
This colleague, named Gao Fen, was already thirty, but he never expected her to be so uninhibited, completely unfazed by the men present.
The other colleagues didn't react at all, as if this was completely normal.
VMMM—
With a soft hum.
Gao Fen stripped down to her undergarments, and a flash of white light enveloped her. A full-body yellow protective suit appeared, looking bulky and oversized.
The chest was emblazoned with the Cupid Housekeeping winged-cherub logo, and the faceplate was a layer of tempered glass with a gas filter, revealing only the upper half of her face.
"Everyone get ready. We're almost at the site."
Team Leader Lei Wen said in a low voice.
Hearing this, the others also stood up and began to change, just like Gao Fen.
"Handsome, let me show you."
Zhu Yuhe had also taken off her short, midriff-baring leather jacket, leaving her in just a spaghetti-strap top. She then took out the Artificial Card, *Cupid's Protective Suit*, and began to explain how to use it to Wang Xi.
In reality, Wang Xi already knew all the details thanks to Kaos, but to avoid suspicion, he listened with a serious expression, nodding from time to time.
A short while later, a series of white flashes lit up the compartment.
Including Wang Xi, everyone in Team Two was now clad in the thick, yellow protective suits.
With a CLANG, the vehicle slowly came to a stop.
"We're here!"
Lei Wen opened the rear door with one hand and was the first to get out.
Wang Xi followed the others out of the vehicle.
The moment he stepped out, he froze on the spot.
Through his glass visor, an expansive scene unfolded before his eyes.
Under the bright sunlight, the wide street ahead was cracked and ruined. Irregular chunks of asphalt were peeled up from the road, creating a scene of desolate decay.
The buildings on both sides were collapsed and twisted, not a single one left intact.
And on the ruined sidewalks stood numerous human figures. They were as still as statues, and like the surrounding buildings, streetlights, trash cans, and the ground itself, they were all covered in a thick layer of a colorful substance.
'This is…'
Wang Xi's pupils contracted as he remembered the news he had seen on the railcar on his way here.
'That disaster site!'