The Last 299 Days of Humanity

After leaving Dongbang City, Yu Qing was heading to a place no one would expect. It was an emergency shelter that his assistant had secretly told him about when he left the Ultimate Office. He had only noted down the coordinates but hadn't bothered to find out exactly where it was.

Now, nowhere is safe for him, and he'll only cause trouble wherever he goes. Disappearing completely for a few days is his best option. Only that shelter can do that.

This place was secretly built by the old man when he saw the world situation was tense and a catastrophic war was about to break out, but it was never actually used.

Yu Qing had another purpose for going there this time. It seems he cannot remain uninvolved in the various conflicts to come; he needs to plan ahead and leave necessary material reserves for possible high-intensity conflicts in the future.

During his time in Dongbang, he acquired a wealth of the latest information about the world. Dongbang's peaceful nature facilitated the exchange of people and information from all over the world.

The cities and places he had visited were among the most important and developed regions in the world a little over a century ago. Their wealth was even more than ten times that of other regions. But like spoiled rich kids, they squandered their wealth, lacked ambition, and have since declined.

Meanwhile, the once extremely backward regions in the east, after more than a century of accumulation and development, are believed to have far surpassed those once invincible places in the last fifty years. However, the city-states in the northwest are still complacent and ambitious within their own walls.

Donghao told him all this when he was looking up the location of the shelter for Yuqing. Back then, for safety reasons, the old man built the shelter in the extremely underdeveloped eastern region, never dreaming that the situation would turn out this way.

Yu Qing initially thought those might just be rumors, but Dong Hao also provided him with trade data between the East and West. Eighteen years ago, the actual volume of goods traded between the two sides was already zero!
There are no trade restrictions here, but the East no longer needs anything from the West! The East has a huge surplus of goods, but doesn't want to sell them to the West because they can't buy anything useful to them with the money they've earned there.

Thus, all they got in return for their truckloads of goods in the west were some dormant numbers; who would be interested in playing with them anymore? Moreover, a new type of trading certificate began to become popular in the eastern region, where RB was completely ignored, and even the trading platforms were dismantled.

In most parts of the East, everyone trades using their own private currency! Dong Hao explained to Yu Qing for a long time before he understood how that was possible.

For example, if Zhang San is born in an eastern city-state, he starts with one million Zhang San coins from day one, and then automatically gains one million Zhang San coins every year. Similarly, Li Si has an equal number of Li Si coins. Whether Zhang San coins or Li Si coins, their value is equal.

When Zhang San buys an item worth one million from Li Si, Zhang San's coins automatically decrease by one million, while Li Si's coins automatically increase by one million, and so on...

Each company also has its own currency. If Zhang San and Li Si each contribute one million to establish Company A, then Zhang San's currency and Li Si's currency will each decrease by one million, while Company A's currency will increase by two million.

Wang Wu bought one million worth of goods from Company A. Wang Wu's coins decreased by one million, while Company A's coins increased by one million.

If Wang Wu coins are already zero, and you buy one million worth of goods from Company A, then your Wang Wu coins will be negative one million, but your Company A coins will still increase by one million. Whether to accept negative coins, and how much negative coin value to accept, is a decision that each individual and company can make themselves.

This private currency transaction completely excluded people in the West from the trading system.

Therefore, during his time in Dongbang, Yuqing collected a lot of original antiques and calligraphy and paintings and carried them with him, preparing to engage in the most primitive form of trade, "barter," after arriving in the east, in order to maintain his daily life.

It is only 370 kilometers from Dongbang to Yadu, the first city in the east.

Donghao can carry 300 kilograms of weight and fly 1,000 kilometers. However, due to her structure, she cannot carry Yuqing on her back; she can only suspend him under her belly. Yuqing jokingly calls Donghao a kangaroo.

The current assistant-type humanoid Shu is different from Yao Dan and the others; there is absolutely no emotional interaction between them. She is solely dedicated to serving her master and providing work assistance. Therefore, Dong Hao sees his joke as a cognitive error on the part of his master.

"Your Excellency, kangaroos don't look like me..."

Yu Qing had no choice but to say, "I was wrong."

About half an hour later, Donghao flew to Asia.

It's said that your identity will be automatically recognized when you fly about 100 miles from Yadu. If they refuse you entry, they'll turn you back there. Since Yu Qing and his group have already entered, they are naturally allowed to enter the city.

There was something Dong Hao didn't know, and therefore Yu Qing hadn't expected it either. Upon entering the city, the municipal authorities automatically granted him one million Yu Qing coins. Of course, anyone permitted entry could receive such a generous gift only once.

The unemployment rate in Asia is 9,992 per 10,000, meaning only 8 per 10,000 people have jobs, while the rest are left to their own devices. After all, they all have a million dollars of their own money each year, and most of them even have a surplus.

Here, the government will provide 1,000 short-term welfare jobs each year, because these jobs are created by forcibly freeing up human beings.

This is what happens after a high degree of automation and intelligence. Many production facilities in Asia only need to operate for seven days a year to meet all of society's needs.

Prices were so cheap that Yu Qing questioned his existence. He had a sumptuous lunch for only 1 Yu Qing coin! And this lunch was actually the most expensive in Asia!

The people of Yadu are vastly different from primitive people like Yu Qing in terms of their internal physical structure. They are truly straightforward, lacking a complex digestive system.

Normally, they only need to consume energy bars directly, and one serving can meet their energy needs for a month. Each energy bar costs only 0.5 coins.

Therefore, they almost never suffer from any digestive system diseases. But they can also eat like Yu Qing, simply for pleasure and to pass the time. What they eat is truly "wine and meat passing through the intestines," and is later directly excreted from the body.

Upon learning this, Yu Qing smiled wryly and said, "In the future, when we primitive people have nowhere to live, we can come here to eat for free and lie down."

Dong Hao said, "Your Excellency, this won't do. Visitors can only stay here for thirty days, and each person is only allowed to visit once. Moreover, not everyone is allowed to come in."

"What if they refuse to leave?"

"That's even worse; they'll just pack you up like cargo and ship you out."

"Packaging them up like cargo? That's too much! They'll suffocate!"

"They'll let you breathe, but it's completely dormant during transport."

Yu Qing jumped up and said, "Why didn't you tell me this sooner! So I only have about twenty days left in that shelter."

“You have property here, unlike other visitors, you can live here permanently. But if you don’t have a source of income, you will eventually have to leave on your own. They won’t grant you currency a second time.”

"But that business isn't even under my name..."

Is that place a public place that anyone can enter?

"What a joke. You can't get in without the key."

"That's fine. The first person to enter any place that has been uninhabited for ten years can immediately apply for ownership."

Yu Qing laughed and said, "That place has probably been untouched for almost two hundred years."

"So once you're inside, it's yours." However, the refuge the old man built was in a small town more than 3 kilometers away from Yadu. Yu Qing hesitated, wondering whether to go directly there or stay in Yadu for one night first. The rooms for visitors were ridiculously expensive, costing 1 Yu Qing coins per night.

However, Donghao reminded him, "I think some people might be interested in the antiques you brought."

When Yu Qing was looking for a place to stay, he found a small candlestick that had been used by ancient humans in the east three thousand years ago and tentatively asked the humanoid maid on duty, "Can I use this to offset a few nights' room rate?"

The humanoid beauty glanced at it, stood there calculating for a while, then exaggeratedly took two steps back and said, "Sir, the instructions I received are that I can give you this hotel as collateral in exchange for it, and I'll also give you 80 million Yuqing coins..."

Without hesitation, Yu Qing said, "Deal!"

The humanoid woman asked, "Are you sure, sir?"

"I'm sure."

Just then, a sphere flew down from the sky and hovered in front of the humanoid girl. The humanoid girl carefully took the candlestick and placed it inside the sphere. The sphere immediately flew away again.

Yu Qing asked, puzzled, "You've already taken the things, so what about the handover of the hotel and the 80 million Yu Qing coins...?"

The humanoid beauty smiled and said, "This hotel, including the one I've already registered under your name, has also been authorized for the 80 million Yuqing coins."

"It's that simple, requiring no operation at all?"

"Yes, it's that simple. I'll call you master now. Master, will you be staying here tonight? The best room here costs over 500,000 Qing coins a night."

"Isn't this Yunju Hotel mine? Why do I still have to pay for it?"

"Yes, Master. You spent 500,000 Yuqing coins, and the hotel received 500,000 Yunju coins. Although the Yunju coins are also yours, you need to pay a 50% tax to convert them back into Yuqing coins."

Yu Qing laughed and said, "Then let me stay in the room that costs 3 Yu Qing coins. I want to be a miser. May I ask, what's the difference between the two types of rooms?"

"Master, it's the same room."

Yu Qing jumped up in shock and shouted, "Isn't this a lie?!"

“Master, I’m not lying. Although the room is the same, the 3+ Qing coins are provided by the humanoid maiden, while the 50+ Qing coins are provided by the citizens of Yadu.”

Yu Qing laughed and said, "After all that, the hotel only earned 3 yuan. We still have to pay the rest to the other party for their labor."

"Master, that's not how it is. The citizens who provide services are all volunteers; they come to contribute to the company and society."

"I never expected this. In this way, my not staying in the 50-yuan-a-night room makes me the one who's not giving them a chance. So, I'll stay in the 50-yuan-a-night room then."

Less than ten minutes after Yu Qing checked into his room, a young woman from Yadu came in.

Just as Yu Qing was wondering how she got in and was about to ask her, she looked at Yu Qing and said thank you in a calm voice, then took off her coat, kicked off her shoes, and went to bed.

Before Yu Qing could say anything, she spoke first, saying, "Please don't disturb me before 5 a.m. tomorrow morning. I've been too tired these past few days. But I must ask you to wake me up after 5 a.m. tomorrow morning. Thank you again."

Yu Qing looked at Dong Hao with a questioning gaze. Dong Hao whispered, "I don't know what's going on either."

Yu Qing tiptoed out of the room, grabbed Lei Shu, the hotel staff member on duty, and said, "You even fooled me, the host! She came in and took my bed, claiming to be a Yadu employee providing services!"

“Master, I think you’ve misunderstood. That girl from Yadu is a volunteer who has been serving the citizens of Yadu for more than ten days. You’re sharing a room with her to show your appreciation and support for her.”

"How can we live together? There's only one bed. Are you asking me to sleep in the same bed as her?"

"Sure. You can sleep next to her and take care of her, or sit on the edge of the bed and admire her, or cover her with a blanket or something."

"Alright, I'll just book another room for 3 to sleep in."

"Yes, Master. But you'd better sit next to her before she wakes up tomorrow morning, to give her a warm feeling. Otherwise, it would be very impolite."

Yu Qing said resentfully, "Fine. But I'm going to adjust your work scope. You'll be giving me a foot massage tonight."

The humanoid girl paused for a moment, then said, "Yes, Master. But who am I, and where is he?"

Yu Qing stamped his foot and said, "I am Laozi."

"Master, isn't your name Yu Qing? You have two names, don't you?"

Yu Qing rolled his eyes and said, "You'll massage Yu Qing's feet tonight!"

Yu Qing had just fallen asleep in another room when the duty officer, Ren Shu, walked in carrying a hammer. Startled, Yu Qing sat bolt upright and yelled, "You son of a bitch, are you really going to hit my feet with that hammer?!"

The humanoid girl asked in confusion, "I don't know, Master, why do you want me to punch your feet?"

Donghao and Yuqing stayed together for a while, learning and adapting to some of his behaviors and language, which is why they understood his true intentions. She pushed the humanoid girl out and said to her, "Master has changed his mind again. You may leave."

Yu Qing stared at the humanoid girl's retreating figure and cursed, "How stupid."

Dong Hao said expressionlessly, "Your Excellency, you can't blame her. Due to the protests of the Global Women's Federation, all new-generation humanoids are not allowed to have pre-installed interactive functions, so without long-term learning through interaction, she cannot understand some human behaviors."

Yu Qing said, "And what about you? If I ask you to massage my legs, are you going to find a hammer and smash my feet too?"

"No. I know you mean to use your hands to press on various acupoints on your legs with appropriate force."

Yu Qing hurriedly said, "It's better not to trouble yourself. What if your 'appropriate force' is a thousand catties? I'll still be crippled." (End of this chapter)