Chapter 12: Onboarding Training
The next day, Yang Bo prepared his own breakfast at home and, on his way out, casually disposed of his trash in the designated recycling area downstairs—no sorting required, which was a relief!
After leaving the community gate, he set off for the company using public transportation. In the past he'd ride for free, but now he had to pay—the fare varied with time and distance. At the bus stop, very few people were waiting; over 90% of the residents never went out to work since most citizens owned their own anti-gravity vehicles.
Yang Bo was excited to see what task awaited him today. When he arrived at the bus stop, he noticed that the bus wouldn't arrive for another five minutes, so he found a place to sit.
Just as he settled down, an ordinary-looking young man entered the waiting area. However, Yang Bo immediately sensed something odd: while most newcomers scanned the area for an available seat, this young man's first instinct was to look directly at him.
"Am I being followed again?" Yang Bo wondered, frowning slightly as he recalled feeling tracked the previous afternoon.
The young man took a seat and, using his peripheral vision, kept glancing at the target—a nineteen‐year‐old resident. The task seemed trivial, yet the young man's intentions were far from benign. He was after a blood sample from the target. In a public area like this, any overt action would trigger the drone police in less than twenty seconds.
After settling, the young man fidgeted with the ring on his finger. With only a few minutes until the bus arrived, he planned to seize the chance during boarding or alighting to use that ring to acquire a small blood sample from the target. For him, this mission was a simple way to earn money.
Just then, Yang Bo noticed a bus pulling into the station. He immediately stood up and boarded it—even though it wasn't headed to the company. Startled by Yang Bo's unexpected move, the young man realized something was amiss; according to his intel, the target wasn't supposed to be on that bus. He hurriedly stood up, but it was too late—the bus had already pulled away.
"Damn it," the young man cursed under his breath and rushed off to the nearby taxi stand.
On the bus, Yang Bo moved to the rear and observed the young man dashing toward the taxi stop. "So he really is after me," Yang Bo thought with certainty.
After a moment's reflection, Yang Bo checked the bus route carefully and then got off at the next stop. A few minutes later, a company car arrived. Heavy-hearted, Yang Bo wondered who was following him. Could it be someone from the company? That wasn't supposed to happen.
"What should I do now?" he thought anxiously.
Upon reaching the company, Yang Bo hesitated about whether to mention the suspicious follower. Instead, Liu Zhijie stepped in. "Yang Bo, here's your assignment for today. Although your current level is very low, we're going to give you a series of onboarding training sessions to prepare you for potential dangers," he explained while handing Yang Bo a sheet of paper.
Yang Bo was puzzled. Training? Don't new hires usually get trained only after they've been formally employed? In truth, this was Liu Zhijie's way of giving Yang Bo extra resources—since Yang Bo might undergo genetic evolution, Liu believed he deserved a head start. Otherwise, most people wouldn't receive onboarding training until they'd been on the job for a while.
"Boss, where is the training held?" Yang Bo inquired, noting that it would mainly cover how to identify dangerous organisms or items and handle them appropriately.
"Virtual training," Liu Zhijie replied. "We provide virtual reality headsets. You'll have one month to complete your training. Since you lack the aid of a biological chip, you must score at least 60 points on the assessment."
He continued, "Due to the unpredictable nature of our clients—who know no bounds when it comes to seeking thrills and will keep all sorts of bizarre items in their homes—we have to be extra cautious."
"Boss, I'll do my best."
"Take the virtual headset home with you, and train for at least four hours online every day. And remember, you'll receive your salary throughout this month."
"Understood."
With that, Yang Bo left the company with a box in hand. He hailed a taxi and returned directly to his residence—living in a private community meant he wasn't too worried about being followed.
Once home, Yang Bo made himself a cup of tea, settled onto his sofa, and opened the box. Inside lay an old virtual reality headset that resembled a motorcycle helmet with a large visor, accompanied by a pair of silver-white gloves connected by wires. The headset was already activated, and its label revealed it was a product of Ping An Technology once again.
After donning the headset, Yang Bo's view transformed as if he were cycling; there was only one software application available, titled "E-Level Safety Training." When he opened it, several options appeared:
1. Dangerous Plants
2. Dangerous Animals
3. How to Handle Dangerous Plants
4. How to Handle Dangerous Animals
5. How to Rescue Yourself
6. Simulation Assessment
"Hmm," Yang Bo murmured as he selected the first option with both hands. The program displayed images and details of all manner of poisonous plants—some bizarre ones that could constrict a throat, others whose fruits would explode, some with intensely paralyzing toxic spines, others that looked unremarkable yet were extremely poisonous, and even mushrooms that released toxic spores.
Yang Bo wasn't too worried; as a cleaner, he would wear protective gear. Generally, after a task was issued, the company would evaluate the environment and supply the appropriate protective suit.
At noon, he prepared a bowl of noodles for himself. After eating, he continued reviewing the training material—he couldn't afford a mistake in his future assignments. On private property, service personnel might not get timely rescue since only company personnel, not official agencies, would intervene. If government agencies became involved, the clients' secret breeding or cultivation of dangerous organisms might be exposed…
For the next ten days, Yang Bo stayed home, diligently memorizing everything he learned—because his financial future depended on it.
Outside, the person following him had expected to easily collect a blood sample from an ordinary person during a bus ride or on foot. But once Yang Bo returned home, the target didn't emerge at all.
"Damn it, bastard! I'm going to kill this wretch!" the young man who'd taken on the task fumed silently.
Meanwhile, Yang Bo began his simulation assessment. He took a deep breath and launched the simulation. In the virtual environment, he found himself in a garden. The assessment required him to identify and clear out dangerous items from the garden.
He located several plants, donned his protective gear, and placed the plants into special garbage bags—different plants required different types; poisonous ones needed dedicated bags. In the garden's fishpond, there were several goldfish, but Yang Bo sensed that things wouldn't be that simple. Soon, beneath a rockery, he discovered something black.
"An electric eel," he identified. Clutching his shovel, he struck the rockery forcefully.
Suddenly, messages flashed in his mind:
Swimming +1!
Swimming +1!
Swimming +1!
As the goldfish in the pond began to thrash about, Yang Bo was dumbfounded—streams of information raced through his mind.
"Damn, is this scene real?" he thought, though his eyes soon lit up as he fixated on the electric eel discharging electricity in the pond.
(End of Chapter)