Chapter 128: No, Don't Kill Me!

Fei Niu said, “These government workers really have it good. Not only do they earn work points every day, but they also get vegetables to eat. Now with this going on, they don't even have to show up. Even the cafeteria ladies are higher up than us.”

Luo Zhu added, “Yeah, but you need a government official to recommend you, and each official only gets two recommendation slots, which are super valuable. I heard you can trade snacks for a slot. @LittleMasterIHaveKids, did you get one?”

LittleMasterIHaveKids responded, “I traded all my dried sweet potatoes for a security guard job at Aijia Supermarket.”

Fei Niu lamented, “I regret it so much. Three months ago, my uncle offered to recommend me as a security guard for two bags of rice, which included a daily meal. But I thought I could stretch my food until the end of the dark days. If only I had listened, I’d have a job with meals every day by now.”

Zhang Bing Bing’s husband chimed in, “This is corruption! Everywhere you go, it's about who you know. Isn't anyone reporting this?”

Jing Shu, who usually lurked in the group chat, couldn’t help but be surprised. Police inspections were happening soon, and yet these two bold souls didn’t seem to be planning to flee.

The group was arguing about the public trading of job recommendations for food by government workers.

Everyone knew the new law in Huaxia: government officials not only received a daily supply of vegetables but also had two slots to recommend people for jobs as security guards, kitchen workers, cleaners, and various other positions related to material collection and sorting.

Of course, only those without criminal records could be recommended.

However, there was a catch. If the person you recommended committed a crime, you’d be held responsible too—an old system where you’d act as a guarantor for their actions.

Due to the limited production during the dark days, these jobs didn’t require much skill, just loyalty and reliability. They were considered half a "lifelong" job in the system.

Those who performed well in these roles could even be promoted to full government officials, gaining access to a daily vegetable supply.

All new laws applied strictly during the dark days.

Wang Qiqi commented, “I think this system is good. Why should someone risk recommending you for a job without compensation? If something goes wrong, they’re held responsible. But if you pay a price for the opportunity, you’ll treasure the job more, and if you lose it, it’s your own fault.”

Fei Niu agreed, “Exactly, it's a way to prevent crime by increasing the consequences.”

Jing Shu found herself agreeing with Wang Qiqi’s point of view.

At noon, Grandma Jing cooked a pot of winter melon and radish pork bone soup and made some flatbread to go with pickled cucumbers and fermented garlic. Jing Shu ate with her grandparents, but due to her large appetite, one pot of pork ribs wasn’t enough. She ended up making another pot of dragon whisker noodles, added six poached eggs, and threw some vegetable leaves into the soup.

The dish turned into a hearty noodle soup with pork ribs. Jing Shu slurped it all down, leaving nothing behind—not even the ginger slices.

Water was becoming increasingly scarce. Each family member’s bowl was labeled, and they reused them throughout the day, only washing them once at the end using the dishwasher. The water was filtered and recycled, though about 10% was lost in the process.

Twenty large ice blocks were placed around the courtyard to cool the villa. Without them, the yard felt like a steam room. Once the ice melted, they replaced it to prevent rapid evaporation.

After feeding the poultry, Jing Shu took her grandparents down to the underground garage, where Wang Qiqi had organized the neighborhood into orderly lines. The second police unit had also arrived.

The heat was still unbearable, reaching 52°C. As soon as Jing Shu opened the villa door, a wave of heat hit her, making her feel like she had stepped into a sauna. The news had recently warned about the excessive humidity in the atmosphere, saying a massive rainstorm was coming soon, and everyone just had to hold on a little longer.

Jing Shu knew that with all the moisture and dust in the atmosphere, it was only a matter of time before the new species of red nematodes began to appear.

When they reached the underground garage, the temperature dropped a few degrees. The neighborhood residents were already gathered, whispering among themselves. After enduring the hardships of the apocalypse for half a year, they were now dirtier than refugees, reeking of filth. Their hands were covered in layers of grime and dried insect juice from digging for bugs.

Ten military trucks had arrived, illuminating the garage with their headlights. Two rows of police officers stood tall with rifles, while behind them were four rows of disheveled criminals, their ankles shackled.

For Jing Shu, it was her first time seeing police officers in the apocalypse. They still exuded a sense of security, standing firm as ever. The criminals, on the other hand, looked like wilted eggplants, their faces pale and sickly.

Grandma Jing and Grandpa Jing, along with the rest of the neighborhood, were all intimidated by the display.

“What’s going on?” someone whispered.

“Are they trying to intimidate us?” another wondered.

A young officer addressed Wang Qiqi, who was holding the attendance list, “Is everyone here?”

The now-thin and dark-skinned Wang Qiqi handed over the list. “Captain Li, we’re missing Wang Jin from Building 14 and Liu Qinyi from Building 18. Everyone else is here.”

“Good. Zhou Xiang, Shi Zi, Luo Zhu—step forward!” the officer shouted. The crowd fell silent, and although the three individuals didn’t step forward, everyone around them took several steps back.

“Who is Luo Zhu?” the officer asked.

A young woman, unable to avoid it any longer, raised her hand.

“Take her into custody for questioning,” the officer ordered. The police immediately cuffed the woman and escorted her to a truck.

“And Shi Zi?” the officer continued.

A man in his thirties, covered in sores, raised his hand.

“Cuff him and confiscate all his property. As for Zhou Xiang, wherever he is, treat him the same. Mark him as a fugitive, and once his identity is flagged, he won’t be able to escape. He’ll die of thirst without water,” the officer sneered.

Two more officers approached and shackled Shi Zi, dragging him aside. His legs trembled as he stammered, “What did I do? Why don’t you even ask?”

The officer glanced at the paperwork and then addressed the last man, who was frozen in fear. “You’re Zhou Xiang, right? Is this him?” he asked.

The man nodded blankly, as did Wang Qiqi.

“Execute him on the spot. Confiscate all his belongings.”

The officer’s voice was like the judgment of a demon from hell. Two police officers sprang into action. In one swift move, one restrained the man while the other drove a knife into his heart, pulling it out just as quickly. The entire process took no more than five seconds.

The swift execution left the entire neighborhood in stunned silence. Shi Zi’s trembling legs gave out, and he collapsed to the ground, urine pooling beneath him. “No, please! Don’t kill me!” he begged.

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Author’s Note:

Thanks to Night Star Dreams and Smile Again for your support!