Chapter 6: Strangeness

“Brother Wu, what do you mean by that?” Yang Bo was a little confused. The statement didn’t seem right.

Wu Bing chuckled and asked, “Yang Bo, you don’t really think I’m just an F-level resident, do you?”

“Brother Wu, you’re wearing the wristwatch…” Yang Bo became even more puzzled.

“The wristwatch? It’s officially certified. There are many secrets in this world. What you see is only what they allow you to see. Let’s finish this job first. If you still want to stick around after this, I’ll explain everything in detail.” Wu Bing shook his head and said.

Yang Bo felt something was off, really off. Could this cleaning company actually be doing dirty work?

“Dirty work still pays!” The thought of doing dirty work made Yang Bo a little excited. His last life had been monotonous. After dying once, he didn’t want to live a plain life again, like a mere blade of grass.

Even if I turn into a butterfly and can only fly for a few days, that would be enough. At least my life would have been interesting.

Wu Bing held the Task List. Yang Bo wasn’t high enough rank to see it. But the equipment he was given felt strange—a combination lock briefcase and a handbag filled with trash bags, ones Yang Bo had never seen before, resembling old burlap sacks.

People came to pick them up for the mission. After getting into the car, Yang Bo felt he had identified the source of his deep dissatisfaction with life: he didn’t want to live like a blade of grass or as a pile of trash under constant surveillance.

Wu Bing looked at Yang Bo’s serious expression and thought to himself: If it weren’t for the excellent social welfare these days, it would be impossible for young people like him to get into this company. Lots of people would rather be happy pigs than come out and work.

The car arrived at the base of a mountain. There was a tall wall around it, and they could see security guards at the gate. The two were taken to separate rooms for inspection. They removed their wristwatches and placed them in special boxes.

The two were issued new identity cards before being led inside. A guard escorted them down a stone path. The stones seemed ancient. Around them were dense trees, clearly not all planted by hand since many of the trees were scraggly.

After some walking, they began climbing the mountain. Layers upon layers of uneven stone steps lined with ferns, weeds, vines, and shrubs gave the feeling of a secluded path that hadn’t been used in a long time.

At mid-climb, Yang Bo glanced back and noticed a helicopter pad below. The area was vast, but it was hard to discern geographical specifics. All around were mountains.

A temple? As they climbed further, the sight of the building left Yang Bo in awe. Looking closely, it seemed more like a Taoist shrine.

The group didn’t enter the temple or the shrine, so it was hard to tell exactly which it was.

Next to the shrine was a bamboo forest, with a stone path running through it. The path split off into several other trails, indicating multiple possible destinations.

“Gentlemen, this is your work area. Please adhere to the contract.” The staff spoke as they arrived in front of a small yard.

“Understood.” Wu Bing nodded.

The yard was like a quaint, rural courtyard. Bamboo fences surrounded it, the ground was paved with stones, and flowers, plants, and even a small fish pond filled the space. It looked like there were some goldfish swimming inside.

The house itself was also made of bamboo. It looked like it had stood there for many years, giving off a distinct, serene charm, enhanced by the surrounding environment.

But Yang Bo felt an eerie chill. The bamboo forest was too dense, and the mountain behind too steep. While the environment appeared quite nice, living here might be less pleasant—heavy humidity, poor ventilation, and plenty of mosquitoes. Sunlight probably only reached here around noon each day.

Yang Bo had yet to see today’s mission, so he asked, “Brother Wu, what’s our task today?”

“You stay in the yard. I’ll go inside to get something. After I bring it out, we’ll throw everything into these bags.” Wu Bing said as he opened the case.

“Okay,” Yang Bo nodded.

Wu Bing opened the case, which was about fifty centimeters long, forty centimeters wide, and thirty centimeters high.

Yang Bo was curious about what was inside. When Wu Bing opened the case, there was a shield roughly the size of a wok lid. The shield looked bronze, and its surface was covered with mysterious patterns, much like the ancient bronzes Yang Bo had seen on antique streets in his previous life.

There was a second layer in the case. Beneath it, lay a short sword. The sword looked like it was made of reddish bronze.

“Remember, don’t touch anything here.” Wu Bing warned Yang Bo, holding the short sword in one hand and the shield in the other.

Yang Bo nodded, though his mind was full of questions. As he looked around, he saw no one else. The plants and the environment in the yard seemed perfectly ordinary.

“Kid, don’t question my words. This world is far more complicated and colder than it appears. Think about it: if humans can be classified as different levels of gene enhancers, what about other creatures?” Wu Bing said with a meaningful look.

Yang Bo was startled. That’s right! If humans can become gene-enhanced, what about other creatures? If human genes can be modified, then perhaps any gene-bearing organism might have the chance to change too…

Yang Bo didn’t ask any further questions but started to feel a bit of regret about becoming a cleaner. What secrets could this company be hiding…?

He then felt something strange. Why wasn’t he scared? Was it because he had already died once? Thinking about Wu Bing’s warning, Yang Bo instinctively moved away from the bamboo house. If danger arose, it would be easier to run that way.

Yang Bo glanced again at the yard. The green stones, the discolored bamboo fences covered in various vines—it all felt unusual. The plants seemed to be in ceramic pots.

Near the bamboo house was a small, rectangular pond with an artificial mountain, which also featured some plants.

The overall environment gave a simple and elegant rural vibe.

At that moment, Wu Bing came out, but he was empty-handed. Yang Bo found it odd. They had made such a big deal, but Wu Bing came out with nothing.

“Brother Wu?” Yang Bo quickly walked over and asked.

“Go clean over there,” Wu Bing said stiffly, pointing to the fish pond.

Yang Bo instinctively replied, “Okay,” and turned away.

However, just as he turned, he felt something was wrong. How come Wu Bing’s voice sounded off? It was as if, despite being in front of him, the voice had come from the side.

That’s when Yang Bo’s sonic location skill noticed something peculiar.

He glanced towards the direction the voice came from—it was the ordinary-looking fish pond.

His heart stirred. He whistled!