Cyber ​​Sword Immortal Iron Rain

The big words on the employee guide kept flashing:

"Please accept the employee benefits when you take up your post. Other benefits——"

……

Xie Shouzhen didn't read the following words clearly.

Something passed through the neural circuits, passed through his spiritual orifices, and reached the cerebral cortex.

Is it a fragment of memory? Is it a momentary exposure of emotion? Is it a momentary sight?

No…all of the above and none of the above.

Xie Shouzhen felt happy and felt blessed. She felt the neural signals flowing through her brain at that moment that could not be described even if all the words about pleasure in human languages ​​were put together.

In the dark, all things resonate harmoniously with him and whisper secret words: That is the great induction transmitted by the rays between the stars - the first ascended immortal has become a cosmic constant, engraving himself at the foundation of the world forever and ever, and existing with the Tao.

Jie Shouzhen understood the source of bliss: it actually reproduced a tiny speck of dust in the vast ocean of this ultimate experience.

What means, equipment and technology can record such an experience?

Less than one trillionth of the original, but that's enough.

It was a glimpse of the Tao, the greatest bliss that humans have ever felt since time and space were born from the singularity.

Every cell in his body was pouring out dopamine and endorphins, surging like rivers and seas. In just this moment, Xie Shouzhen had already——

……

Then, everything disappeared: Xie Shouzhen returned to his ordinary self.

“Ah…ah…I…”

Jie Shou really wanted to scream loudly, but he could only make hoarse gasps and groans.

"Why...why? How come it's gone..."

He fell to the ground with a plop. The shock of falling back to earth tortured his tear glands, and tears flowed from the gaps between his lenses:

"Come again, please, come again..."

Xie Shouzhen leaned down and pressed his cheek against the "Employee Guide". He made intermittent pleas, and his glasses hit the screen heavily, but there was no sound; but two lines of black and red blood flowed out of his nostrils.

He grabbed his ears, which were burning red, and tore them apart with all his might.

Xie Shouzhen fumbled for something sharp on the ground, trying to relieve himself from the pain; but the next moment, he retracted his twisting fingers - because great fear overwhelmed him:

If I died like this, wouldn't I never be able to have this ultimate experience again?

All the sorrows, troubles and misfortunes that have ever existed or will ever come in the world cannot compare to the emptiness, entanglement and pain that Xie Shouzhen is feeling at this moment.

Maybe it was just a second, but after an endless wait in Xie Shouzhen's heart, the employee guide finally gave the answer:

"Promise from the Human Resources Department: Once you achieve your performance goals, you can enjoy this employee benefit for the rest of your life."

A glimmer of hope emerged in Jie Shouzhen's heart, followed by even greater despair:

"Why? Why are you treating me like this? Just let me know nothing, just let me know nothing..."

How could he face his destined death?

The "Employee Guide" did not answer.

The other person who was “present” took over the conversation:

"Because Qingyun Temple is a 'truth-seeking' limited company. They conduct experiments and conjectures again and again in countless special cases and examples to explore the ultimate truth between humans and all things, the path to immortality, and how to convert it into profits - this is their registered business scope."

The voice in my head laughed and replied with an unconcealed gloating:

"I didn't expect that you couldn't handle this level of pure electronic bliss? You're such a rookie. Hehe, I wonder what the project will be this time?"

The voice was filled with excitement and ridicule, listing them one by one like a treasure:

"How will a short-lived individual consciousness face the end of its own life and death? What is the cost-effectiveness of being a commander of a one-time small-scale encounter? Or can the temptation of infinite physical and psychological pleasure break the nihilism brought about by a life as short as a mayfly?"

"Ahaha, can the extreme pleasure that humans can obtain and the survival goals that are forced upon them destroy Schopenhauer's pendulum? I would also like to know!"

As he spoke, his voice became more depressed:

"That's what I said... But the most likely possibility is that they just tried some gimmicks when business was not busy, so as to get new sponsorship."

"Maybe the company just wants to see how you can act as an employee entertainment - who wouldn't want to see how cunning and treacherous animals can be?"

Xie Shouzhen was filled with endless anger—at Qingyun Temple Seeking Truth Co., Ltd., at his own appearance in this world, and at the voice that lingered in his head:

"Fuck you! Fuck you! You...what do you know? What the fuck are you?"

"I am just a ferryman who may be able to take you out of the boundless sea of ​​suffering. You can call me..."

The voice in my head paused, as if choosing its own identity:

"'Hexadecimal Supreme Devil'."

……

"Go to Arrow Street subway station to meet up with the security forces and wait for further instructions."

The mission briefing contained very little information. What type of work was to be performed? Who was the target? How many resources were allocated? Not a single bit of extra information.

Xie Shouzhen jumped down from the ruins, and the hard sole of his leather shoes made a "snap" sound. His broken nose healed in an instant, which must be due to his extraordinary recovery ability. He adjusted his tie to maintain the best appearance:

Complete the results the company requires first—everything else can be put off until later.

This is the first time in the short time since his birth that he has been so determined.

Outside the empty house, a corpse soldier was standing by a beautiful car, probably waiting for Jie Shouzhen. The corpse soldier's clasped hands on his crotch were trembling slightly.

Xie Shouzhen's eyes turned slightly, and the lens guided his sight through the corpse soldier's face shield:

It was a numb old face, with every wrinkle and spot on the loose skin telling of fatigue; the talisman nailed into the skin in the center of the forehead was offline, dim and lifeless. The corpse soldier bowed deeply, looking at Xie Shouzhen with yellow and bloodshot eyes, half fearful and half pleading:

"Hello, sir! The company arranged for me to pick you up. Do you want to smoke? I have a full quota, full, just take a few puffs."

He tremblingly took out a brand new Baisha electronic cigarette - as if to show his sincerity, he hadn't even taken off the original packaging.

“When dealing with superiors and subordinates in the workplace, you need to use both kindness and strictness—choose your carrots and sticks carefully.”

Xie Shouzhen tapped the lens that was glowing white, staring at the old corpse soldier who was holding up the hand that was holding out the cigarette:

"I don't know if our company has any rules. But when you work in my team, you have to remember: smoking is not allowed during working hours. I'll let you go this time, but I won't do it again next time."

The corpse soldier was stunned for a moment, then shuddered and withdrew his hand, trembling with fear:

"Ah, I don't smoke either. I don't smoke. If it weren't for my bad luck, I would definitely be one of the top ten employees... Please don't misunderstand me, sir..."

He took a deep breath, and let out a stagnant breath like a bellows. Then the corpse soldier clasped his ten fingers together, as if he had mustered up his courage again:

"Well, let me say one more thing... Sir... If you have extra death quotas, could you consider me?"

The corpse soldier spoke faster, but was choked by his saliva and coughed thickly with phlegm. It seemed that the tremor had touched a wound in his body, and his face twisted like a rolled-up towel:

"My body is in so much pain, and our team doesn't have enough 'medicine' to share, so I can't hold on any longer. I may not have much time left... I know I still have a lot of money to pay back, but I don't want to go to hell to pay it back. Please have mercy..."

What does your physical pain mean?

Xie Shouzhen put his hands behind his back, which were shaking from the urge to drink.

"Debtors who have reached the standard of death in the line of duty do not need to hand over their souls and spirits for the company's daily rituals and experiments after their bodies are scrapped; their debts are considered fully repaid."

Ever since he had connected with Xie Shouzhen's spiritual orifice, the words on the "Employee Guide" would appear at the right time and answer his questions.

Then, the "Employee Guide" continued to report the data that Jie Shouzhen needed:

"Available quota for death in service: None."

Xie Shouzhen raised his eyebrows and showed a warm and friendly smile. He gently patted the old corpse soldier on the shoulder, not like a leader and a subordinate, but more like a brother:

"The company will consider your reasonable demands. Of course, this is only if the work objectives are achieved - so you'd better risk your life when you work... Remember, even if you die, you must tear a piece of flesh from the company's enemies before you can rest in peace, do you understand?"

Although there were no conditions to satisfy the corpse soldier's request for a backdoor, Xie Shouzhen still agreed naturally and did it with ease.

After pausing for a moment to make sure the corpse soldiers had digested his words and conveyed his instructions completely, he added:

"If you really can't help it, just repeat the company's name in your heart a few more times. Remember who you are fighting for - not only your own personal happiness, but also the well-being of all living beings!"

Just like the instinct flowing in his blood, Jie Shouzhen understands this truth: if people’s hearts are scattered, it will be difficult to lead the team. How can performance be achieved without a cooperative work team?

"Striving for a great goal, the purest form of life! Isn't it?"

“Hexadecimal Supreme Demon” quietly poked his head out and laughed.

Xie Shouzhen didn't intend to pay attention to its teasing, but just immersed himself in his own world. In his short life, he had a new and first meaning of existence.

He wanted so badly to live, to feel that bliss again. Not just for twenty-four hours, but forever, until the entropy extinguished the universe. Even if he had to do it as an extension of some will, or as a sacrifice...

Jie Shouzhen wants to return to the Tao. As for others, what does it have to do with me?

“Congratulations! The management decisions you made increased the probability of meeting performance targets by 1.7%.”

The corpse soldier thanked him profusely behind his back - but he didn't expect that Xie Shouzhen didn't even ask for his name or employee number.

"This time the leader is really easy to talk to. He must be a good person."

he murmured softly.

Chapter 111: Born in the Morning and Died in the Evening (Part )

The company's special car drove slowly on the mottled asphalt road. Kuala Lumpur was particularly quiet in the early morning, because the city had ended its night of noise. On the main road with few pedestrians and vehicles, only the rain continued as usual, without stopping.

Xie Shouzhen sat in the back seat. He used his ten fingers to comb his hair into a 3:7 split, using the rain that had soaked him earlier. Then he took out his work ID from his shirt pocket and imagined himself to be somewhat similar to the photo without facial features.

Unconsciously, he not only adapted to this "identity", but also wanted to get closer to it.

However, there was no mirror around him that could clearly see his face: the interior mirrors and windows of the car were playing some advertisements on how to design the routes and structures of qi flow. Otherwise, he would like to take a good look at what his facial features look like.

"You look just like that photo, almost like two peas in a pod - both are empty. Hehe!"

Xie Shouzhen ignored the sarcasm and ridicule of "Hexadecimal Supreme Heavenly Demon". It was like a late-night radio station that parasitized the cerebral cortex and five senses, but could not be turned off. Xie Shouzhen could only try to ignore it.

This was the morning he was born—there were still twenty-three hours left before the deadline the company had given him. The countdown ticked slowly on the “Employee Guide,” not appearing so often as to cause him anxiety, but also providing a dull sense of oppression.

If all this is true, Xie Shouzhen can barely take one last look at tomorrow's sun: although in Kuala Lumpur, the distinction between day and night is not so clear.

I just don't know how the company will end its existence. A bullet shot into the forehead, a poison installed on the neurons, or a self-stress spell that runs on time and makes the three souls and seven spirits disappear?

Xie Shouzhen ran his fingers over the collar, trying to pinch it to make it as sharp as a knife. He had a simple belief - rational thinking, down-to-earth execution, and some luck would definitely lead him out of this quagmire.

It was strange: even though it was a company-issued car, it still had to pay an energy fee—and it was charged per person. When Xie Shouzhen got on the car, he scanned his work ID card and automatically paid the fee. As for the corpse soldiers waiting for him...

He couldn't see the rearview mirror outside the car, but he still remembered the heavy footsteps that he could barely keep up with when the car started.

Now Jie Shou really understood why the corpse soldier looked so tired. In order to save this not-so-expensive fee, he probably walked all the way with the car.

Xie Shouzhen tapped his glasses: The real work of debt workers is to make their debts grow bigger and bigger like a snowball. From the data provided by the "employee guide", it seems that the frequency of fighting in the security department is not very high on weekdays.

Jie Shouzhen, who was well versed in the formation, understood that this level of fatigue was not enough to affect the combat effectiveness of the corpse soldiers: once a battle was needed, he could order them to sever the connection between soul and flesh and hand over control of the body to himself and the exoskeleton at any time.

Xie Shouzhen picked up the neural tube extending from the side of the seat: As long as it is connected to the spiritual orifice and a little money is spent, the realm of "man and car as one" can be achieved -

"Working in a company is more expensive than working on the streets. Even so, there are still many people competing for the job."

Suddenly, the mumbling of smacking lips popped up in my mind again:

"I have a question...what the hell are you?"

Xie Shouzhen finally couldn't bear it anymore and asked this question.

Since he woke up, the "Hexadecimal Supreme Heavenly Demon" has been chattering non-stop. From time to time, he would interject a comment, express some opinions, or make some strange remarks and mutterings based on what Xie Shouzhen saw and heard.

However, the "Employee Guide" turned a blind eye to its existence - even after the spiritual orifice was connected.

"What do you think, newly appointed Commander Xie? Can you analyze me from your professional perspective?"

The demon pinched his throat and spoke in a voice that sounded very playful.

Jie Shouzhen was skeptical about the demon's claim that he wanted to save him from suffering: it was obvious that the demon knew a lot about the company's operations; but unfortunately, from Jie Shouzhen's perspective, he was completely unable to judge whether it was true or not.

He counted everything he knew so far: he had a certain amount of common sense, and his logical analysis and thinking skills were also excellent. In addition to knowing that he was in a city called Kuala Lumpur, Xie Shouzhen also had a lot of strange knowledge in his mind - from the distribution rate of gun licenses within three days to the number of men in Malaysia who had pearl-pierced horns (including minors, about 4.5%).

Rather than being an individual consciousness that was born today, it was more like an ordinary person with amnesia. But he searched every wrinkle in his mind and found no trace of the past.

Xie Shouzhen pondered for a moment and proposed the first idea that popped into his mind:

"You are a personality created by my subconscious. You are the embodiment of my self-protection tendency when I lost my memory and was at a loss. The reason you nag so much is actually to convey all kinds of anxieties that I am not aware of."