Overturned Tower

The white lion, the stag and the delphinium... As combatants and the three senior officials of the Fuji Society, they went to the headquarters of the Fuji Society on Yongquan Island and have begun to prepare for tonight's battle.

Firearms, ammunition, medicines, and various psychic chips must be adequately supplied.

Although it may not be used in the end, it is better than actually using it but not preparing anything.

After Russell helped Xiaoya take care of her injuries, he and Kamalse II moved her to the Ampoule Biomedical Branch.

——If he were the executive director of Tianen Group Corporation, Russell’s name would definitely not work well on Yongquan Island. Let alone a minister, even if he were promoted to a higher level and entered the board of directors as a human being, there would be no use coming here.

After all, this is Yongquan Island... the most noble area among the Seven Sky Islands, the monopoly of all resources and materials, and the only sky island protected by a giant dragon.

Although in theory, the status among the seven giants is basically equal. But it is certainly impossible to say that their statuses are exactly the same. There will always be some giants that are more "equal" than others.

Russell is not exchanging large amounts of gold bars for credits that can only be used locally. Technically, he didn't even spend a penny.

As the next "Sal", the sole successor designated by the previous "Sal", and the next chairman of Shenzhi Heavy Industries - he does have the power to give orders to other branches outside his own island.

Coupled with "Kamarse" who is also a named elf...the two of them together have enough face to make the elf director of Ampoule's Yongquan Island branch directly waive their bills. A luxurious suite was arranged for Xiaoya.

Although this is also within the Ampoule Biomedical Park, strictly speaking it is not a hospital but a "sanatorium".

Outside, there is an area of ​​more than 20 acres, with more than 60 artificial hot springs of different sizes, types, and effects, as well as a magnificent rockery composed of soil, stones and plants dug directly from the ground. ——There is no doubt that this is the technology of Taoyuan Trading Company.

All floors here are self-cleaning. There is no need to send people to clean, it only needs to absorb water to automatically decompose dirt, effectively sterilize, and then dry itself, making it clean directly. It is made of the same material as Kamal Se II's handkerchief, and it also belongs to Taoyuan Trading Company's convenience technology.

Almost all of the people recuperating here are elderly people. Although Xiaoya didn't know any of them at all, and the old people seemed very kind and friendly to her... But she could realize with just intuition that the people here were all big shots.

They may not necessarily be from Yongquan Island, but may also be company executives from other islands. Considering consumption, environment, safety, atmosphere and other factors, these directors will either go to Taoyuan Island or Yongquan Island after retirement. . There has always been a high degree of cooperation between the two islands.

Yongquan Island needs a lot of advanced convenience technologies and designers from Taoyuan Island, and Taoyuan Island also needs a huge amount of clean materials from the ground to build various wonders. The relationship between them is much closer and more friendly than the relationship between Sun Island, Sogo Island and Tongshen Island - Sun Island and Sogo Island continue to produce various top scholars, and then Tongshen Island continues to develop from They poach people there.

Xiaoya even saw many specialty servitors from Sogo Island, prayer devices and cyber nuns from Cyber ​​Church, and a large number of masseurs from Happy Island - they were both handsome guys and beauties, and they didn't know how many times they had gone through. The transformation, figure and appearance look flawless, and the temperament is dignified and elegant. There are also psychic breath masters from Sun Island... They will teach a yoga-like breathing technique, relaxation technique and meditation, combined with special aromatherapy, which can definitely increase the blue shift level without any side effects.

Even for ordinary people who have not awakened their spiritual powers, the increase in blue shift level allows them to better control their bodies and emotions, which is also a kind of spiritual "recuperation".

Just by being pushed in a wheelchair, Xiaoya passed by a giant-screen cinema, a forest-like oxygen bar, a large number of swimming pools and waterways, and a library——

——Yes, a library that stores a large number of paper books.

It is said that reading paper books is also a ritual to relax the mind. Of course, the books here are all reproductions - not because the originals cannot be bought, but because ancient books with "too strong a historical flavor" can also be taxing on the body. The books here are guaranteed to be clean and brand new. The paper is made of the best waterproof paper and will not be damaged even if it is soaked in water.

"There is no such sanatorium even on the main base of Holy Blood Island. Holy Blood Island is quite boring and mediocre. There are only a large number of social animals and researchers who are conducting massive biological, chemical and medical research over and over again every day. , as well as busy attending various meetings and lectures, writing relevant reports, and then continuing with endless meetings. Some are study meetings, some are report meetings, some are exhibitions... Various academic forums and industry summits emerge in endlessly. News coverage is all about expertise.”

Russell, who was pushing a wheelchair, sighed behind Xiaoya: "On Holy Blood Island, there is not even much entertainment. Unlike my hometown Sogo Island... The competition for employment on Holy Blood Island is not fierce, and almost everyone can find one. Work."

"Isn't that similar to Yongquan Island?"

"It's not the same. The only problem on Holy Blood Island is overtime... It's different from the voluntary overtime on Sogo Island and the normal sense of 'work overtime because you can't finish the work' on Tongshen Island. They are universal and customary overtime. Even if there is nothing to do, they cannot go back.

“Because the entire Ampoule department is working unlimited overtime, and if you don’t work overtime, you are not a good person. And Ampoule controls more than half of the companies. Once you leave an Ampoule department company, you can only go to other small companies that can burp at any time.

"In the ampoule department, male workers aged 26 to 60 sleep on average for less than three hours a day, work about 30 days a month, and only have one day off almost every two months. Holiday - that is, they can have a holiday on the '31st'. Yes, they have no concept of weekends, only the concept of '31st'.

"Many Ampoule employees live directly in companies, hospitals and research institutes, and many of them have not even returned home once in a year or two."

"...That would lead to sudden death, right?" Just listening, Xiaoya felt that her heart was being compressed to the point that she couldn't move.

"It's not that easy to die. That's Holy Blood Island."

Lothar, who was following Russell, shook his head: "Their medical technology is very advanced, and it's not easy to die."

Russell responded: "Yes. Sometimes I will use their medicine when I am too busy. It is really useful. It can effectively prevent sudden death and maintain work efficiency. I used to know a friend who was working in an important place. I take this medicine before the exam so that I can stay up late and study for one or two days without sleeping. I can also feel refreshed during the exam without getting a headache or feeling sleepy.

"This kind of medicine is squeezing the body's potential after all... So Holy Blood Island also sells another medicine that can replenish nutrients and repair the body. Both of these medicines are very expensive in other islands, but only in Holy Blood Island Being able to obtain large amounts of medicine - or in other words, as long as you work within the 'Ampoule System', you can distribute a sufficient amount of medicine every month.

"Of course they can start their own business, join a small company, or become self-employed, but then they have to buy the drug at market price. Otherwise, even if they work seven or eight hours a day, the effective time may not be More than three hours; no matter what, they can't compete with peers who can work efficiently for twenty hours a day. So those companies will definitely go bankrupt.

"On Holy Blood Island, everyone's income is very low, and there is no 'high-income profession'... The change of direction has achieved fairness. But it also increases the pressure on people to resign, so there is no 'the more you change jobs, the more you earn.'" High probability. Unless your superiors transfer you, the company you enter when you graduate from college will be the company you leave when you retire.

"——Therefore, a better way to make money is to sell drugs on the black market. Sell the 'anti-death drugs' that the company allocates to them every day."

"……black market?"

Xiaoya vaguely realized something.

Russell nodded: "Yes, it is the black market controlled by the Uncoded. It is now under the jurisdiction of Fuji Society."

That means that without medicine to protect yourself, you may die suddenly at any time.

Fresh corpses are an extremely scarce resource on Holy Blood Island. Naturally, the company that distributes the medicine to them is not doing welfare - if they die voluntarily or involuntarily due to various reasons despite providing sufficient medicine, then their bodies will belong to the company that distributed the medicine to them. .

If left alone after death, many organs will quickly lose their value. For example, in the lower city of Happy Island, those uncoded people generally dissect people alive - dissecting people while they are still alive in order to obtain absolutely fresh materials. As for Holy Blood Island, their technology is more advanced.

On the Holy Blood Island, death is considered as cardiac arrest. There is no need to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation, thrombolysis, defibrillation and anti-shock, because most people cannot afford rescue fees, and those who can afford rescue fees will not go to work. So there is no need for rescue at all.

On Holy Blood Island, where medical technology is the most developed, the medical expenses for resuscitation are the most expensive - because there are absolutely no "black market doctors" or other "wild roads" on Holy Blood Island. This means that one company has a complete monopoly and controls all hospitals, doctors, pharmaceutical research institutes, pharmaceutical factories, pharmacies...

For employees who died suddenly at their workstations, professionals would rush over when their chips alarmed. The moment the chip reports death, they will be stabbed with several needles all over their bodies, and then quickly dragged out for dismantling. From the time I lost my breathing and heartbeat, I didn't wake up for about three minutes, and I would never wake up again. Their brains will even be stored as precious materials, and not a single bit of material will be wasted in their entire body.

Of course, hospitals occasionally perform some non-compensated rescue operations. This is usually because they are missing some volunteers for the drug trials, and the families want them to survive anyway. So they can live.

After surviving, their ownership rights belong to the hospital and the research institute behind the hospital.

"...Isn't this just the company killing people?"

Xiaoya felt indignant: "Don't you care about the dragon?"

Kamal Se II was also helpless: “Because on the surface, they did not cross the line.

"The ampoule system has made arrangements, and they also have something to say - because those who don't want to die cannot die. Their drug technology is even more advanced than the ancestors."

Ampoules are drugs that employees take in combination every day. They are extremely expensive, but they are also very effective. Even with Russell's income, he would feel distressed when he stayed up late taking drugs.

But in fact, the cost of this drug is obviously not high, otherwise it would not be available to so many people. This is one of the very few technologies that is more advanced than the previous era - the completely crooked skill tree is also a feature of this world.

As long as employees work and live normally, nothing will happen. Their life is very peaceful, although there are some constraints, but generally there is no risk. You won't be fired, you won't die suddenly... your income is just right, and if you calculate it, you even have some savings. But spending a little extra money may not be enough.

But as soon as they sell their drugs to the underground black market - things begin to go off the deep end.

At first, it was just one serving a week or even a month. There is no harm to the body at this level, because the safety margin has been calculated in the initial drug dispensing. After all, everyone’s drug adaptability and sensitivity are different.

But as they realize that even if they work for a week, the money they earn is not as much as selling a bottle of medicine... Going to work becomes a dangerous job. They will try their best to squeeze the work content until they have a less busy day and sell the medicine for that day. You can even sell three or four bottles in a month, which will not cause too much damage to your body. Or they can sell the medicines separately - for example, only sell tonics, or only sell night-time medicines, so that they can squeeze out one or two bottles.

"...This sounds okay?"

Xiaoya was a little confused: "I'm just a little tired, but my income has doubled several times... Why would anyone want to sell more medicine?"

"…Because, only a small number of people will stop here."

Kamal Se II looked a little complicated and hesitated to speak.

Russell explained: "This kind of sudden gain will overwhelm their values. Work will inevitably involve 'bearing mental pressure', 'taking various risks', 'extremely difficult', 'continuous loss of energy', and 'loss of physical strength' Or destroy at least three of the body's. No matter how noble the job is, it will eventually become tired and boring. There is no absolutely happy job in this world.

"In the end, it is the reward of work that satisfies them - maybe it is monetary reward, or it may be the improvement of ability, or the gratitude of others, and they have created something beautiful. This is a kind of stimulation that makes them The tired spirit is restored.

"For most people, the most powerful stimulus is monetary gain. But the high profits they get from selling drugs destroy their incentive to 'go to work and make money,' which turns their work into A complete negative attrition process.”

"At the same time, they need more money... Once they adapt to a higher-consumption life, they can't lower it."

Kamal Se II continued.

They did not shy away from speaking ill of the Ampoule Group in the branch of Ampoule Biomedical, and no one dared to trouble them. But from another perspective, they are not afraid of these things being said... From any perspective, these are not secrets.

"Study, get married, buy a house, float, children's education, luxury goods, electronic products, krypton gold, deposits... and 'pets'. If they don't have hope at the beginning, they have enough money. But if it comes unexpectedly, The income makes them swell and they can’t stop.”

"Perhaps it starts with an elegant watch. Then, you will think of a tie to match the watch. After all, ties are not expensive. And if you have a watch and tie, you will want better formal wear. Cruelly, I gritted my teeth and bought formal clothes, but found that my shoes were still very cheap. After I replenished my shoes, I got a shirt. I bought everything, and then I wanted to get involved in higher-level social circles..."

When Russell said this, he pursed his lips in silence.

Xiaoya turned around and looked at his strange expression - like pity, sneer, and hatred.

She was obviously very conflicted about this kind of thing. But she can easily read emotions from him... This is definitely not Xiaoya's talent, but "releasing one's own emotions". Just like a peerless actor, he can express complex emotions with just a tiny movement and a look.

"Consumption is a trap that never ends. Holy Blood Island knows this best."

Holy Blood Island is the only island where the "pet" industry exists.

These pets are all biological beasts concocted by Ampoule Biomedicine, and they are all furry. Not only are they extremely cute, well-behaved, and able to take care of themselves, they even have intelligence above the level of a toddler, and they can also speak and call their owner's name.

The price is naturally extremely expensive...

And the most critical design is that users can "extend the lives" of these pets.

Because they are biological beasts, their lifespan is in a sense the design lifespan, which is significantly shorter than the theoretical lifespan. Therefore, when pets become sick or old, employees who are close enough to them will spend a lot of money to treat the pets and keep them alive. Even for those employees who live alone and have no pressure from children, partners, or parents, there will always be other places where they are short of money.

If the status of Yongquan Island is the highest, then the status of Holy Blood Island is the lowest. Not only does it have the lowest sense of existence, but it is also always ridiculed by other islands in terms of public opinion.

Even Holy Blood Island's own employees would never stay on this island if they could go to other islands to work - which is completely different from the attitude of the "head offices" of other islands towards their "branch offices".

Even the Fuji Society on Holy Blood Island looks down upon these company employees who continue to sell their lives for meaningless things. Even the monkey-faced eagle looked down upon them, so much so that he never entered Holy Blood Island.

Everyone thought they had been fooled by an "Oh, rat, are you blind?" But only Russell knew that this was unexplainable - people who had not experienced it could not understand the pain. In a sense, this is an emotional kidnapping.

Holy Blood Island cunningly avoided the dragon's clutches and slaughtered its own employees with consumerism openly. No one thought there was anything wrong with this. People on other islands didn’t even think it was the company’s fault. They even thought Ampoule Biomedical was so gentle. All problems come from employees who are greedy, stupid, self-indulgent and ignorant.

Russell had a vague idea.

Compared with the tangible but insubstantial monkey-faced eagle that they will soon solve... perhaps the intangible and insubstantial thoughts of Holy Blood Island will be a more powerful enemy of Fuji Society. In a sense, they may be the dependents of "Fantasy Dream".

——Just tomorrow, Russell and Delphinium will get engaged on Sogo Island.

Russell, who had been prepared for a long time, would release the news that he and Delphinium had faked their deaths on Happy Island.

That would be a good opportunity to fish out these "invisible enemies".

Still an update of nearly 6,000 words!

...This year’s Chinese New Year, Maomao has finally reached the age where people are urging her to get married (sad)