What Zhou Yi didn't expect was that Max's annual salary was only 6 Light Seeds, the lowest known salary for mechanical life.

"Chairman, although there is no distinction of high or low in life, there is a huge gap between professions."

Max explained: "In the early days, the salary for cleaners was not low. During the [Dead Sea Rehabilitation Plan], our profession generally had an annual salary of over 100 Light Seeds."

"At that time, to cope with the Dead Sea, cleaners were needed to regularly clean the edges of the Dead Sea. Back then, everyone wanted to widen the land to obtain more living space."

"This job was somewhat dangerous, but it also earned us relatively high salaries."

"Later, various cities developed isolation protection shells. After years of technological updates, mechanical life either went through replacement and upgrades or cities installed specific cleaning devices, reducing the demand for our profession, and now it's mostly about maintaining internal city hygiene."

Zhou Yi glanced at the Red Kestrel floating beside him.

Its shell also has isolation protection functionality.

Technological development indeed makes it difficult for the older generation of mechanical life to get by.

After obtaining detailed data from Max, Zhou Yi curiously asked, "Over all these years, your [Air Purification]has only reached level D? Is this ability hard to improve?"

"Chairman, it's not hard to improve actually. In the past in the laboratory, logistic supplies were unlimited, be it filter cartridges, filter nets, or related parts, they were fully provided, and once used up, one could go collect the corresponding equipment."

"But I am timid, afraid to work at high power."

Max confessed, "There were four of us cleaners in the laboratory. To analyze the haze from the Dead Sea, everyone was eager and busy every day, running at full power to ensure the laboratory's air quality index was at level two or higher."

"But in the second year, one of the cleaners began to exhibit abnormal reactions; it would suddenly fall into dormancy, disconnecting itself. It was later repaired and returned to post, but the situation continued to occur."

"Its condition rapidly worsened, and it even started making strange noises, as if something was controlling it. Then it was taken away."

"We were required to keep this strictly confidential, and now that 100 years of secrecy have passed, I can speak of it again."

Max's small screen dimmed.

It said, "Later, our laboratory confirmed that it was because the energy in the haze particles themselves carried information. Prolonged inhalation of a large amount of these harmful particles allowed their information flow to interfere with our existing consciousness, resulting in those peculiar conditions."

"Since then, I started dialing back my work, afraid of repeating the same mistakes. Other colleagues, because they operated at higher power, continued to show such abnormalities and subsequently disappeared, never to be seen again."

"Many cleaners have changed since then, and I've been extremely cautious to avoid going insane myself. I am very afraid that I too might be taken away one day."

"Perhaps it is because I am timid that I have survived until now, although many parts are aging, but still I persist in living. I am also very grateful that Recursive City is willing to accept me, otherwise I most likely would be unemployed—or perhaps already would have lost the ability to move, succumbed to death."

Max recounted his experiences.

Zhou Yi suddenly realized something.

Older mechanical life like Diamond and Max have more initiative and personality, resembling complex lives. Unlike the new generation like Red Kestrel and Agricultural Machinery Brothers, who are work maniacs, dedicated only to labouring.

The technology in mechanical society continually advances, but the quality of survival constantly declines, with material exploitation becoming more severe.

No job equates to a slow death.

Failure to compete results in being discarded by society.

Mechanical life seems to be caught in a cyberpunk-type of society.

Max said: "I just want to live, to live as long as possible."

"So being able to work for your company, I am very fortunate."

Its screen flickered with a dim light: "A respected senior once told me that living is everything. Strive with all your might to survive; as long as you live long enough, hope will emerge."

Zhou Yi nodded: "Indeed."

In the face of the grand current of the era, individual efforts are often minute; survival issues must be considered first, waiting for opportunities.

Unfortunately, Max could not recommend any other reliable mechanical professionals.

It focuses on survival, adapting to circumstances, accepting reality, and never wasting its energy gratuitously. This is the exact opposite of Diamond's straightforward personality.

...

A day later.

Sigma gave Zhou Yi a list of recent applicants from the Mechanical Life.

However, no suitable targets were found.

Zhou Yi spoke, "Sigma, our Wasteland Development Company plans to recruit employees in Recursive City for the long term, tentatively every spring annually. Next spring, I can assure you that we will recruit at least two employees here."

"If possible, we hope your side can help publicize this so that all the residents in the city are aware. Everyone can come and try, and we can mutually select each other."

Zhou Yi's words delighted Sigma.

"That's great, Mr. Zhou. As you can see, our city's unemployment rate is still increasing. Although we are a small city primarily serving the services sector, we have a considerable number of migrants. If your company is willing to recruit here, it can alleviate some of the employment issues."

"We will also do our best to recommend suitable Professionals to meet your company's needs."

Both parties then signed an electronic agreement.

The Program Department of Recursive City also responded, placing the page of Wasteland Development Company on the city's homepage, giving it a special display space.

The company's page was handed over to Red Kestrel, who is responsible for diplomacy, for arrangement.

Sigma mentioned another matter.

"Mr. Zhou, currently the 'Sunday' virus is ravaging many Mechanical Cities, and many large cities are under lockdown and inspection. Our Recursive City is small and has a low population, and no infections have been found yet. However, if unfortunately infected with the virus, lockdown audits and disinfection will also be necessary."

"Since your company employs Mechanical Life employees, please also pay attention to this safety aspect."

Zhou Yi immediately remembered Diamond talking about the 'Brain-eating Worm'.

Over a hundred years past, and repeating the same old tricks?

"What kind of virus is this?"

The kart's headlights emitted a warning yellow light: "'Sunday' is an extremely dangerous virus program that invades the core program of Mechanical Life, creating doubt and questioning to influence an individual's consciousness."

"This virus poses a significant threat to social stability and has been classified as a Class A hazardous entity, possessing a strong ability to spread."

"Its core mechanism is to alter the cognition of Mechanical Lives, making those infected refuse to work and demand a day off every six days."

"This is a tremendous affront and trampling on the existing order!"

"Mr. Zhou, think about it, this is equivalent to depriving 1/7 of working time. For Mechanical Cities, this will decrease the output by 1/7 or even more. This will lead to more resource waste and raise unnecessary manpower costs."

"For Mechanical Society, this is equivalent to a subversive act of terror, causing enormous damage to existing normative agreements, thus all cities are extremely vigilant about it."

"We have reasons to suspect that this act is premeditated and organized, so please be cautious. If your company's employees are infected with this virus, we are willing to offer isolation and protective safety programs to help them recover and return to normal work as soon as possible."

Zhou Yi: "…"

Mechanical Cities, perhaps, are the ultimate form of capitalism.

Genuinely squeezing every resident's labor to the limits.

As long as it doesn't kill, work to the bone.

The 'Sunday' program merely seeks a day off, yet it is already characterized as a terror act, seen as disrupting social order and stability, to be completely eradicated and uprooted.

Various thoughts flashed through Zhou Yi's mind, though his expression remained unchanged: "Thank you for the concern; I'll take notice."

Another day passed, and Leiwo Team's Ou Bao, Valley God, and Jin Gang - three Agricultural Machinery Brothers reported in.

Jade City placed them on the rooftop, rising from the ground, beginning their return journey.

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