Chapter 18: The Path is Long and Steep |
"Everyone, you have successfully completed the training task for the first day. I commend your abilities and your tenacity."
Robnos paused and spread his hands.
"Unfortunately, due to reasons I cannot disclose, the Collection Department will only hire a maximum of ten official employees. I will select the best based on your scores during training, from highest to lowest. Official employees will marry into the Kram Family, take one of their women as a wife, and receive the family's protection, permanently leaving behind your status as Lower Hive residents."
Becoming an official employee meant far more than just serving as a retainer.
After officially joining, they would receive an arranged marriage from the Kram Family, truly integrating into the great house and becoming one of its own!
Robnos's words set the crowd's hearts ablaze. Even Lino felt a jolt of shock.
The world of the Hive City was a world of families.
Families great and small joined forces, controlling the entire Hive City through various commercial guilds and trade associations.
Climbing from the Lower Hive to the upper hive inevitably meant dealing with these family factions.
The Kram Family originated from the upper hive, their standing only slightly inferior to House Vugas.
They had spread their roots from the upper hive down into the Lower Hive, constantly siphoning nutrients to replenish what they lost during their expansion, like a towering ancient tree weathering the ravages of time.
To the Kram Family, the apprentices present were nothing more than ants.
Yet undeniably, the chance to completely transform their destinies lay right before them.
Even if it meant joining the Kram Family by marrying in, it was still an opportunity to defy heaven and change their fate.
It made sense when one thought about it.
Without a great family as a backer, how could anyone retire to the Midhive and idle away the rest of their days as a petty foreman?
Eighty people had arrived that morning. Now, only thirty-one remained.
Aside from those who quit at the very beginning, the rest had all been eliminated during the excavation process.
The reason for their elimination went without saying—it was definitely related to the hallucinations.
Of the thirty-one who could resist the hallucinations, twenty-one more would be cut.
Such a brutal elimination rate pulled everyone's heartstrings taut, plunging the room into an incredibly heavy silence.
Lino finally understood why some of them were showing hostility.
This hostility was not aimed at him specifically, but at any competitor who posed a threat.
After tasting the eggs and synthetic meat sausages at noon, everyone longed to eat such food permanently.
Nobody wanted to be eliminated. Nobody wanted to spend the rest of their lives in the Lower Hive, breathing the foulest air, drinking the filthiest water, and eating the dirtiest food.
This was the primary reason for everyone's newfound aggression.
However, Robnos's next words made Lino's expression shift slightly.
"The Kram Family believes that rewards must match the difficulty."
Robnos wagged a raised index finger, his gaze sweeping over Lino, whether intentionally or not.
"The Collection Department's training difficulty is tailored for fully grown men. For a fifteen-year-old boy, it is extremely difficult.
"Therefore, if Lino passes the screening and is officially hired, his rewards will be doubled. He can choose his future wife from two Kram Family women, and he will receive double the dowry, double the salary, and double the commission."
Every pair of eyes snapped to a single point. Envy, jealousy, and pure hatred practically spilled from their faces.
Lino froze, overturning his previous assumption.
It turned out the crowd's hostility really was aimed directly at him.
In this world, people didn't fear poverty; they feared inequality.
By monopolizing a double share of the rewards, how could he not draw their hatred?
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Lino, you sure are a lucky bastard."
"Yeah, good thing the Hive City enforces monogamy, or else you might have gotten to marry two wives."
"Heh, two wives? Look at his scrawny frame. Just one would crush him flat."
Someone waved a hand, gesturing for Lino to look over.
"Hey, Lino. You haven't even grown hair on your balls yet. How could you possibly compete with us grown men? If you ask me, you should just quit while you're ahead."
The crowd echoed the sentiment, directing all their hostility squarely at Lino.
Regardless of the final outcome, forcing an annoying brat out of the running first was certainly the right move.
The clamor did not anger Lino in the slightest.
He remained perfectly calm and unbothered.
The angrier and more anxious the others became, the calmer he felt.
That was just his personality. He loved watching people jump around in desperation and completely lose their minds.
"Alright, settle down, everyone. Let me finish."
Robnos exhaled a cloud of smoke and swept his gaze across the room, signaling for silence.
"The second thing I need to tell you is closely related to your bodies. Starting today, you will be injected with an enhancement serum to strengthen your flesh."
Enhancement serum?
Excellent.
With a strong body paired with the root outlines provided by the system, his excavation efficiency would absolutely double. He might even have a chance to catch up to the others.
Lino rejoiced inwardly.
The other apprentices were also beaming with smiles.
The hall filled with a relaxed, cheerful atmosphere. Everyone envisioned a beautiful future for themselves.
The elevator doors opened, and security personnel filed into the hall, metal syringes in hand.
The metal syringes were completely opaque, preventing anyone from seeing the color of the enhancement serum inside.
Lino cast Appraisal.
[Name: Unnamed Enhancement Serum]
[Description: This serum can rapidly enhance physical strength.]
[Warning! This serum is suspected to contain the concentrated essence of Ghost Fungus! Upon injection, there is a certain probability that your soul will be devoured by The Warp!]
???
Lino's mind was flooded with question marks.
Before he could think it through, a guard swiftly jabbed a nano-needle into his neck.
A slight tearing sensation followed. Lino felt a cool stream of liquid flow beneath his skin.
As the needle retracted into the syringe, an intense, scorching heat erupted violently within his body.
Lino's body trembled uncontrollably, beads of sweat pouring from every pore.
The others in the hall were injected with the enhancement serum at the same time.
The cheerful atmosphere Robnos had built up with the promise of rich rewards vanished, replaced by anxious grunts and muffled groans as the men struggled to endure the scorching heat tearing through their bodies.
"It's so hot... so hot."
One man tore off his shirt and stumbled toward the water dispenser for a drink.
The guard who had injected him grabbed him by the shoulder and forcefully shoved him back into his seat.
Gripping his pipe, Robnos spoke in a low voice.
"While the serum takes effect, no eating or drinking is permitted. Oh, and I forgot to mention something. The theoretical mortality rate for the first injection of the enhancement serum is 33.3%. From the second injection onward, the theoretical mortality rate remains at 11.1%."
"Damn you! Why didn't you tell us about the mortality rate earlier?!"
"Fuck! First digging up mushrooms in those caves, and now forced injections? I've had enough of this!"
"All that talk about rewards was just to keep us compliant! Just so we'd let you give us these damn shots!"
"Yeah! You've been playing us from the start, you old fox!"
"Quiet!"
Robnos roared, his booming voice exploding like a soundwave in everyone's ears.
"Did you think the Kram Family was running a charity?! You couldn't be more wrong! There is no reward without sacrifice!
"You are nothing but a bunch of Lower Hivers who have nothing to your names but your miserable lives.
"Other than your lives, what else do you have that the Kram Family could possibly value? Other than your lives, what else could you possibly offer the Kram Family?!"
Robnos met the glares of the enraged apprentices, a beastly sneer curling the corners of his mouth.
"You should be thanking me! Praise the Ghost Mushroom! If I hadn't discovered this miraculous creation, if I hadn't invented this unique serum and tobacco, none of you would ever have the chance to breathe the air of the Midhive!"
