The weapon refiner is not doing her job properly

Chapter 228 The Slaughterhouse (6)

"Who evaluates your performance, you team leaders?"

The quality control team leader froze, his once cunning little eyes suddenly becoming empty, as if his consciousness had been sucked away.

After a brief pause, his memory seemed to be erased and reset by an invisible hand. When he spoke, he completely deviated from the question: "Yes, if the performance is not good enough, the salary is not enough to sustain life."

"Support life? What do you mean?" Su Ninglong immediately pressed for an answer.

The quality control team leader was once again stunned, his eyes unfocused, and his reply was still out of place: "Salaries... have to be withdrawn from the ATM, and if you go too late, they'll all be gone."

Su Ninglong found this mechanism interesting and continued to probe: "What happens to people who don't receive their wages?"

“Yes…” A genuine look of confusion crossed his face. He hesitated for a moment before muttering, “Oh, people without a salary have to work even harder.”

She tried asking a few more questions in different directions and gradually figured out the pattern: as long as he didn't touch some unseen "bottom line", the quality inspection team leader could answer fluently like a normal person; but once the questions became sensitive, he would suddenly stop, his eyes would go blank, as if his cognition had been forcibly distorted by some force, and he would fall into a cycle of asking and answering himself.

Su Ninglong glanced at the time, knowing she couldn't ask any more questions.

The quality control team leader still needs to wrap up his work today; at least he needs to make it look consistent and avoid arousing suspicion.

As for in-depth investigation, let's leave that to Song Hu.

She thought to herself that she was not very good at interrogation, and all she had learned was only a superficial understanding.

She didn't ask any more questions and quietly followed the quality inspection team leader to the last few checkpoints in the factory area, finally completing all the procedures before the end of the workday.

She then rushed to the ATM ahead of time, intending to meet the machine that dispensed "performance-based pay".

The ATMs are located on the side of the first floor, a total of ten, lined up in a glass enclosure.

When Su Ninglong arrived, the place was already crowded with pig farmers and office staff from the factory, all craning their necks to queue up, looking impatient.

She watched as the pig in front of her pulled a bloody chunk of meat from the machine and immediately stuffed it into his mouth to chew. She was stunned. The so-called "wage" was raw meat.
The HR pig manager had just received his share when he eagerly stuffed it into his mouth. Blood was still dripping from the corner of his mouth, but he didn't bother to wipe it away before being urged to leave by the pig-headed man behind him.

The quality control team leader stared longingly, muttering, "I'm so envious... his share is really generous."

He rubbed his hands together, looking forward to his performance that day. But the result was disappointing; the ATM dispensed a small, meager piece of meat with bones.

"Why is it this again..." he muttered, clearly disappointed, "I did more work than usual today."

Suninglong was speechless: If the salary is disgusting enough, there will be no desire to spend it?

You need to swipe your employee ID card to receive performance-based pay.

After the machine recognizes the meat, it slowly spits out a piece of pork belly with alternating layers of fat and lean meat, and even some tattoos.

Su Ninglong frowned and picked up the piece of meat with two fingers.

Upon closer inspection, it still feels like a blatant attempt to deceive people.

"She actually managed to get the pork belly!"

"That's unusual... Why would they give the best meat to someone who just arrived?"

Shh... She has someone recommending her.

Her disdain doesn't mean others think the same way. Amidst the whispers around her, this "pork belly" seemed to become some kind of proof, confirming the speculation that she had powerful connections and could receive "special treatment."

The pig-headed men outside the glass door stared at the chunks of meat, swallowing hard with greedy eyes, but none of them dared to actually make a move yet.

But just as Su Ninglong stepped out of the glass door carrying the meat, a pig-headed man suddenly lunged at her with a mad glint in his eyes.

The quality control team leader rushed forward to block the oncoming pig-headed man, and the HR pig manager also stepped up without hesitation. Despite his obese size, he possessed astonishing strength when pushing aside the other pig-headed men, managing to carve a path through them thanks to his thick skin and tough flesh.

But the two pig-headed men were clearly no match for the growing number of their kind who had gone mad. These out-of-control pig-headed men had red eyes and were emanating an aura that was particularly terrifying.

Su Ninglong, who was being protected in the middle, remained calm, as if everything before her had nothing to do with her.

"Old Pig! Spend the 'money' quickly! Otherwise we won't last long!" The HR manager shouted as he pushed away another madman who lunged at him.

Used up?

She calmly cut the meat in two, saying, "Here you go." She then tossed the two pieces to the quality control team leader and the HR pig manager, respectively.

The rich, succulent taste made the two pig-headed men smack their lips in savoring the flavor, and they even let out a loud burp: "Burp!"

That satisfied look seemed somewhat familiar; she probably had the same expression when she ate delicious food herself.

These things don't seem like the style of the Mystic.

Mystic spirits typically create terror through bizarre scenes, terrifying monsters, and endless numbers, and devour their prey.

"Is it delicious?" Su Ninglong asked casually.

"Delicious, delicious." The quality control team leader was unaware of the coldness in Su Ninglong's eyes.

"This must have been an extra gift from above, why aren't you eating it?" He wiped the grease from his mouth, glanced at the HR manager next to him, and seemed a little annoyed.

This is such a good deal for that fat pig to be in charge, but it doesn't matter. Just wait until tomorrow, and the HR pig manager position will be his.

Thinking of this, he suddenly understood Su Ninglong's intention. That's right, by providing food for the HR manager, wasn't it the same as giving it to him in advance? He was just getting a taste of it, while the HR manager was currying favor with him beforehand. No problem! After consoling himself, the quality control team leader looked at the HR manager with much friendlier eyes.

The HR manager, oblivious to the quality control team leader's brief moment of displeasure, was completely oblivious. He was intently watching Su Ninglong, his eyes filled with admiration for the new "connected" employee. She knew to hand over her salary on her very first day; her bribery instincts were practically off the charts.

He patted Su Ninglong's back with his broad hand, intending to show friendliness, but Su Ninglong took a step back and pulled the quality control team leader back to her previous position. The HR manager's slap landed solidly on the quality control team leader's back, making a dull thud.

"I have to thank the team leader. He said you work so hard every day, worrying about the factory's workforce all the time, and running to the gate countless times to recruit people," Su Ninglong said, making up a story without batting an eye. The quality control team leader's ears perked up in surprise; he could never bring himself to say such sycophantic things.

"I never expected that you, who complain about me every day, would actually be so considerate of me behind my back." The HR manager was quite moved. Indeed, straightforward people are also broad-minded.

Suninglong winked at the quality inspection team leader, as if to say, "Do you still want to move the HR pig manager to a remote place tomorrow?"

The quality control team leader didn't immediately understand, but fortunately he wasn't that stupid. He knew he couldn't afford to fall out with the HR manager right now, so he could only awkwardly reply, "Yes, yes, the Su Ninglong you sent me is quite to my liking."

After the senior management had all received their "salaries," the rush hour officially began. Su Ninglong planned to stay near the ATM to observe for a while longer, but the quality control team leader instructed her to find her bed before the break bell rang, as employees were strictly prohibited from moving around the factory at night.

Su Ninglong verbally agreed, but after the quality inspection team leader walked away, she suddenly realized that the slaughterhouse seemed to only operate for seven or eight hours a day.

If this were outside, the working hours alone would be enough to make people fight tooth and nail for it. Of course, it would be even more perfect if the wages were in star coins instead of meat.

She insisted on staying in the ATM area during rush hour, mainly to estimate the approximate number of pig-headed people.

Today, although we seemed to have toured the entire factory, after counting and counting, including the more than fifty people from the two alliances, there were at most around two hundred people, which is not in line with the workforce of a super-large slaughterhouse.

Since the number of robots is scarce, a large number of pig-headed humans will inevitably be needed to fill the gap.

Su Ninglong guessed that there must be many areas she hadn't yet explored.

As expected, the flow of people leaving get off work confirmed her guess. The number of pig-headed people far exceeded her expectations, estimated to be at least six or seven hundred, all rushing towards the exit in a chaotic and oppressive manner.

Fifty-six hunters against six hundred pig-headed men...

Oh, and that's not all. Several hunters have already been assimilated by the hook behind their work badges and turned into new pig-headed people.

If the calculations are correct, the Star Alliance's operation in the contaminated zone is destined to suffer heavy losses, and may even become the "MVP of losses" this year.

Su Ninglong noticed a phenomenon: all the pig-headed people swallowed the "meat" immediately as soon as they got it, without the slightest hesitation, as if they would be snatched away if they were a second slower.

This unusual situation made her wary. Why were they in such a hurry? Apart from the fact that it was human flesh, she didn't feel any particular attraction to the flesh. Was it because of her body?

On the other side, a hunter from the Star Alliance clearly had no intention of accepting this "salary".

Perhaps because there were his own people around, he casually took the meat in his hand and openly stepped out of the door that had been marked with a boundary.

The nearby pig-headed men pounced on them without hesitation to snatch the loot.

The hunter dodged nimbly, intentionally testing the pig-headed man's strength.

More and more pig-headed people joined the scramble, and the line quickly descended into chaos. Tong Zi and the others, who were originally at the back of the line, seized the opportunity and pushed their way to the front.

Su Ninglong caught a glimpse of Tong Zi amidst the chaos.

It was just Tong Zi's turn to collect her "salary." After scanning her employee ID, the machine also spat out a piece of pork belly.

Having witnessed countless autopsies, Tong Zi's face instantly turned pale.

She had initially speculated that this might be the flesh of a mysterious spirit, disguised as "wages" and distributed to employees, thus parasitizing them or causing mutations.

But what's in front of you is real human flesh, and it's shockingly fresh.

Damn it, I don't want it anymore.

Just as she was about to step out of the red line, Su Ninglong stopped her in time: "This meat has an unusual attraction to the pig-headed people. Can we move it? Let's meet in lounge number 50; it should be relatively safe there."

Tong Zi glanced at her: "Where's your meat?"

“I offered it to the factory leaders.” Su Ninglong looked up at the sky at a 45-degree angle, her tone tinged with sorrow. “You know, I have to use the Secret Spirit to consecrate my sacred artifact. Now that I’m unarmed, I feel a little uneasy.”

Tong Zi rolled her eyes: "Bullshit! Even the HR manager wouldn't get away with anything if you had him in your hands."

Suninglong grinned, "It's all just an act, an act. Why doesn't anyone believe me when I tell the truth?"
The HR manager must be quite capable; she's not recklessly brave enough to go head-to-head with so many incompetent people.

It's all thanks to his thick skin; most people can't learn that.

"Hey! How much longer are you going to stay in there?" The pig-headed employee outside had a fierce look in his eyes. He was so hungry that he was almost going crazy. He stared at the meat in Tong Zi's hand, ready to pounce and tear it at any moment.

Tong Zi nodded to Su Ninglong: "I'm leaving now. Use the first set of codes to contact me."

"Understood." Su Ninglong watched her leave, while simultaneously relaying the message to her other companions. She had also confirmed one thing once again: all the bodies controlled by the work badges exhibited a strong craving for "meat."
Those who are not yet under control are filled with disgust and have no interest in this piece of human flesh.

Su Ninglong put her hands in her pockets, turned around, and left unhurriedly.

Among the group of pig-headed people, Qian Rujin stared at her departing figure, feeling somewhat anxious.

Judging from the current progress, the Star Alliance's six-person team is clearly ahead. Su Ninglong's relaxed and carefree demeanor is that of a "pro player" in the contaminated zone. Just like in a game, some people can only do tasks step by step and slowly whittle down the boss's health, while others figure out the rules within two minutes of entering the game and start frantically leveling up, compressing the hundreds of hours of gameplay into less than ten hours.

Pro gamers are just that infuriating.

Qian Rujin considers himself a skilled player, but his style leans more towards cautious advancement, which is completely different from Su Ninglong's unconventional approach, naturally making him much slower.

He recalled the prophecy: "A narrow victory."

If we can win, things will be much easier afterwards, and we might even be able to take the lead in decision-making for the next contaminated area.

I glanced at my SAN value, which remained at 98 with almost no fluctuation, but my sense of crisis only increased. A contaminated zone that could bury so many hunters was definitely not simple.

He walked out of the line with the piece of meat he had just received and casually tossed it to a colleague in exchange for the colleague's bed information for that night.

His colleague grabbed a piece of meat and stuffed it into his mouth, grinning broadly with blood still clinging to his teeth. "The newcomers are all assigned to rooms 50 and onwards. You'd better hurry, the 'overseer' will be out patrolling tonight. He's different from the room inspectors; the door won't stop him at all." After saying that, he greedily looked at the meat in the other pig-headed men's hands.