Chapter 002: "Absolutely Wonderful"
One minute.
Two minutes.
Three minutes.
...
“What’s going on?”
Su Jingxing frowned.
It had been five minutes since he responded, but nothing had happened.
“‘Corpse discovered, do you wish to claim?’—so where’s the item I chose to claim?”
“Or was that prompt just my imagination?”
His gaze flickered as he moved toward another corpse.
As he drew closer—
[Corpse discovered. Do you wish to claim?]
He quickly stepped back, away from the body, and the message vanished.
He approached again—
[Corpse discovered. Do you wish to claim?]
It wasn’t a hallucination!
The prompt was real!
“Yes!”
Su Jingxing moved close to the corpse and answered once more.
This time, he paid close attention to any changes in his surroundings and on himself.
Still, nothing seemed to happen.
But suddenly, in what had been an empty pocket, there were now two cards!
“So, what I claimed was a card?”
He took them out and examined them in his palm.
One card per corpse.
Two corpses, two cards.
Both cards were identical: pale purple, the size of a playing card.
The back was a swirl of chaos, the front depicting a complete human figure.
Vitality Card!
The phrase burst into his mind.
Immediately, detailed information about the Vitality Card surfaced in his thoughts.
The Vitality Card could produce a Vitality Pill.
A Vitality Pill was a medicine that could eliminate fatigue, restore energy, and greatly boost vigor.
He’d heard the team captain talk about this pill before; it was originally designed to reinvigorate researchers, but once it made its way to the public, it had replaced the famous blue pill in the market.
After all, overusing the blue pill was harmful, but the Vitality Pill had no side effects.
So the claimed item was an improved, enhanced version of the “blue pill.”
For a moment, Su Jingxing was at a loss for words.
“Wait!”
“If the Vitality Card yields a Vitality Pill, what if other cards can be claimed?”
He remembered that the information about the Vitality Card didn’t specify that every claimed item had to be a Vitality Card.
With that in mind, and before Kong Dabao returned, Su Jingxing continued to approach the other corpses.
[Corpse discovered. Do you wish to claim?]
“Yes!”
[Corpse discovered. Do you wish to claim?]
“Yes!”
...
He strode quickly through the morgue, claiming every corpse he passed.
As he walked, he pulled the cards that had appeared in his pocket out one by one to examine them.
Vitality Card, Vitality Card, Vitality Card...
Most were Vitality Cards, but there were others as well.
Strength Card!
The Strength Card could produce a Power Pill.
A Power Pill was a medicine that could increase physical strength, each one granting ten pounds of force.
He had struck gold!
Suppressing his excitement, Su Jingxing stashed the cards away and, together with Kong Dabao—who had returned from the restroom—resumed moving corpses.
This golden finger had not let him down.
He might not need many Vitality Pills himself, but he could sell them for money.
Gu Bo, the captain of Collection Team One, had bought them before.
One Vitality Pill sold for over three hundred Dayu coins!
And the Strength Card was even more valuable—a single Power Pill could increase strength by ten pounds.
Again, no side effects!
Both kinds of cards were precious.
As for the possibility of a third type...
Su Jingxing remained hopeful; his instincts told him more varieties existed!
The key to claiming cards was to approach the corpses, which perfectly fit his current job.
Now, even if someone offered him money to leave, Su Jingxing wouldn’t go.
The crematorium was wonderful!
This place was simply perfect.
How many chances to touch corpses would he have outside?
Here, corpses were delivered to his door every day!
Su Jingxing resolved that he would not leave the crematorium until he was strong enough to protect himself.
...
“Did you eat a thousand-year-old ginseng or something? Why are you so happy?”
At noon, in the canteen hall, Kong Dabao eyed Su Jingxing’s tray, loaded with the same dishes as always, looking puzzled.
“Ahem—”
Su Jingxing took a deep breath, calming his excitement, and grinned. “Nothing, just thought of something that made me happy.”
“What is it? Tell me, let me have some of that happiness too,” Kong Dabao replied as he ate.
“Well...”
“Hey, there you are!”
A cheerful voice interrupted Su Jingxing.
“You scoundrel, what do you want?” Kong Dabao glanced up at the newcomer.
“Come on, Bao, can’t I come see you if I don’t have business?”
The man put on an innocent face and spread his hands. “Bao, you have to believe me, I—”
“Enough.” Kong Dabao raised a hand, cutting him off with an arched eyebrow. “If you don’t have business, you can go. Don’t you know you’re disturbing our meal?”
“...”
“Jian, if you have something to say, just say it. If I can help, I will,” Su Jingxing said with a smile, looking at the embarrassed newcomer.
This was another member of their team, named Feng Tiejian.
Kong Dabao and Feng Tiejian were old hands in the corpse collection team, both having worked at the crematorium for over three years.
They were well acquainted and their banter was routine.
“Ahem, Xiao Su is the best. Bao, you really need to work on your temper.”
Feng Tiejian began, and before Kong Dabao could retort, continued quickly, “Here’s the thing—I have something to do this afternoon and won’t be back until around nine tonight. Xiao Su, can you cover my shift?”
“Sure,” Su Jingxing replied casually.
Deep down, he was overjoyed.
Absolutely, yes!
He couldn’t wait to keep hauling corpses.
If he got tired, one Vitality Pill would have him bursting with energy again.
“Thank you so much.”
Feng Tiejian, oblivious to all this, looked grateful. “You’re a good brother. When I get the chance, I’ll treat you to a feast at the Golden Jade Pavilion in the city!”
“Thank you, Jian, but there’s no need to go all out. I’d just be in the dorm doing nothing anyway,” Su Jingxing smiled.
The Golden Jade Pavilion was one of Qinghe City’s top restaurants—a single meal there would cost at least four thousand Dayu coins.
“I insist. You’re helping me, so of course I should treat you. It’s a matter of principle.”
Feng Tiejian grinned, then, with a sidelong glance at Kong Dabao, added pointedly, “Not like some people, who take advantage and never give back!”
Smack!
Kong Dabao glared, snapping his chopsticks onto the table, and shot Feng Tiejian a murderous look. “You looking for a beating, you scoundrel?”
“Hey, what did I do to you? Did I say anything just now?”
Feng Tiejian feigned confusion.
Before Kong Dabao could explode, he waved to Su Jingxing.
“That’s settled then, Xiao Su. I’m off.”
He tossed out the words and hurried toward the exit.
“That scoundrel!” Kong Dabao cursed at his retreating back, then turned to Su Jingxing, advising, “Xiao Su, you don’t have to indulge him. He’s always been like that—used to be better, but now he tries to slack off whenever he can. If you don’t want to cover, just say so. If he gives you trouble, I’ll settle the score with him!”
“It’s fine,” Su Jingxing replied with a smile. “I really don’t mind, and thanks, Bao.”
“Oh, it’s nothing!” Kong Dabao waved it off.
Since Su Jingxing wasn’t bothered, he didn’t press the issue.
After all, covering a shift wasn’t a big deal.
...
After lunch and a brief rest,
The two continued working together, moving corpses.
[Corpse discovered. Do you wish to claim?]
“Yes!”
[Corpse discovered. Do you wish to claim?]
“Yes!”
[Corpse discovered. Do you wish to claim?]
“...”
...
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