Chapter 215: The Company
Xu Zhi didn’t want to undergo any tests. She couldn’t be sure whether the results would expose something she shouldn’t let slip—but at the moment, there was clearly no way to refuse outright.
“Alright. Your body is still very fragile right now, but at least there are signs that it’s starting to heal. Today I’ve prepared a whole barrel of medicine for you to soak in. Two hours. After you go home, take the new medicine I prescribed for ten days first.”
“Xiaoman!” he shouted again.
The nurse, who had just started a new round of her game, looked up with an annoyed expression. She saw Zhuang Xu make a pleading gesture toward her and rolled her eyes helplessly. “Raise my pay!”
“Definitely, definitely,” Zhuang Xu replied with the same old line. In truth, having Xiaoman—a [Heart]-attribute transcendent—working here as a low-paid nurse was indeed a bargain for him.
Transcendents had far stronger physiques than ordinary people. So even though Xiaoman didn’t look particularly strong, lifting Xu Zhi was as easy as picking up a block of foam. She carried her effortlessly to the back of the clinic.
Xu Zhi knew there was another room behind the clinic, but she had no idea what it looked like inside. After all, even things like the operating table were placed out front—what could possibly be inside?
When the door opened, what greeted her were several outrageously large medicine cabinets lining the walls. A silver experimental table was covered with reagents and instruments. A few computers were set up beside it, while dense cables and conduits crisscrossed the floor. The other half of the room was filled with all sorts of machines Xu Zhi couldn’t make heads or tails of. The entire room looked messy, with some exposed wires clearly humming with power, and certain devices emitting an icy blue neon glow.
It looked like the lair of some mad scientist.
Amid that pile of instruments and machinery stood a plain-looking wooden barrel. It was half-filled with some unknown liquid that resembled medicinal broth, giving off a heavy bitter, herbal smell.
Xiaoman changed Xu Zhi into a different set of clothes, then lowered her into the barrel. She herself stood off to the side, phone in hand, and started yet another game.
“Two hours. I’ll call you when time’s up.” With that, she immersed herself in the game.
After soaking in the barrel for no more than ten seconds, Xu Zhi felt her body start to itch. It wasn’t her skin—it felt more like the medicine was extremely potent, and as her internal injuries rapidly healed and regenerated, it produced an intense itchiness and a faint, almost growth-pain-like sensation.
Xu Zhi clenched her teeth and resisted the urge to scratch, turning to ask Xiaoman, “This medicine… how does it work so fast?”
Xiaoman glanced up amid her busy gaming. “Strong, right?”
There was even a hint of pride in her tone.
“Strong is good!”
“You must’ve been some sheltered young miss before, never tried medicine like ours. Around here, we prescribe things as strong as possible, as fast-acting as possible.”
“But doesn’t that have side effects?” Xu Zhi asked, puzzled. After all, every medicine had some toxicity.
“Of course it does.” Xiaoman lowered her head and kept playing, her tone utterly indifferent. “But curing the illness sooner is what matters most. As for the side effects, those are minor issues.”
No one at the bottom wanted slow treatment. The cheaper and stronger the medicine a doctor prescribed, the better. As for whether there would be problems afterward, or damage to some part of the body—so long as it didn’t affect daily life or work, it didn’t really matter.
“Then mine—”
Xiaoman thought for a moment. “Yours uses good-quality medicinal ingredients, it’s just that the cold properties are a bit strong. At worst, later on you’ll get aching arms and legs on rainy days. If your transcendent abilities don’t recover and you can’t use transcendent energy to alter your body, then from middle age onward your bones will probably start deforming. If you live in a damp environment, it might lead to severe leg pain or even paralysis.”
“But overall, it’s not considered the kind with really serious aftereffects.”
Xu Zhi: ?
This… still isn’t considered serious?!
Just what kind of standard do you people use for “serious”?
And what is with this little clinic prescribing medicine this hardcore?
Isn’t this just burning up future bodily potential to fix present damage—robbing Peter to pay Paul?
Seeing the shock on Xu Zhi’s face, Xiaoman actually offered a rare word of comfort.
“Don’t think too badly of it. Zhuang Xu said your injuries can’t really be cured without going to extremes like this. Down here, there’s no gentle, thorough cure for someone like you. Your body was practically a corpse already—if it were anyone else, they might not even think of using this method.”
Hearing that, Xu Zhi grew curious. “Is Doctor Zhuang really that good?”
“Of course.” Xiaoman nodded. A kill sound effect rang out from her phone as her fingers flew across the screen. “Zhuang Xu wasn’t always a bottom-level doctor. Compared to other black doctors, he’s way more capable.”
Otherwise, Xiaoman wouldn’t have gone to him for help back then, owing him a favor and staying on as a nurse, forced to work part-time after hours just to make money.
“I don’t remember much,” Xu Zhi said, her face full of confusion. “Can you tell me—besides the bottom level, what other places are there?”
She thought that Xiaoman, being a transcendent, would know more than Qi Yanxin. And based on their interactions these past couple of days, the nurse wasn’t stupid—she just had trouble keeping things to herself.
Sure enough, Xiaoman didn’t think much and explained it simply.
“I don’t know that much either. I’ve never been up there myself. Even though I’m a transcendent, my level’s too low and my talent circuit isn’t great, so I don’t qualify to be brought up.”
“But there are some things everyone knows. For example, there are six levels up above. Levels five and six are called the lower districts, levels three and four are the middle districts, and levels one and two are the upper districts. Easy to remember, right?”
“And where we are—this is just called the bottom.”
When Xiaoman said this, her tone was a little strange, carrying a hint of self-mockery.
“I don’t know the details, but I’ve heard that whether it’s the upper, middle, or lower districts, as long as you’re born in the cities above, you get to receive education after you’re born. There are hardly any people there who can’t even recognize a single character. I heard that even people in the lower districts have to attend school for at least two years.”
“That impressive?” Xu Zhi chimed in at the right moment.
“Yeah!” Xiaoman nodded vigorously. “And I heard those basic schools are all sponsored by big companies and financial groups. As long as someone gets noticed, they can sign a contract with a company, study for two years for free, and then go straight to work for the company after graduating!”
Xu Zhi could hear the envy in Xiaoman’s voice, so she followed up smoothly, “That kind of good deal really exists?”
“Tell me about it! That’s working for a company—not going into a factory. Sigh. I heard companies even give at least one day off every month, plus all kinds of employee benefits.”
Xiaoman’s tone was full of longing. Xu Zhi put on an equally wistful expression, but inwardly, a question mark popped up.
What was going on here? This “company” didn’t actually sound all that humane.
Dress it up as free education, but isn’t it just talent monopoly at its core?
And if someone who got chosen refused to sign the contract—would they still be allowed to study?
Xu Zhi couldn’t help but put a question mark on that too.
